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The Tomohawk Kid

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Posts posted by The Tomohawk Kid

  1. I recall reading an article which claimed it had some serious accuracy issues (the 'mandible jaws being canted wrongly among others issues, if memory serves) maybe you dodged a bullet 🙂  Didn't Revell rebox the FM kit at a more affordable price?

     

    I believe the more recent Bandai kit is generally accepted as the 'go to' kit?

     

    I say this not being any sort of SW aficionado, so I stand to be corrected.

     

    Tommo.

    • Thanks 1
  2. 3 hours ago, Michael Morris said:

     It would be neat if they could expand the range to include the Atlas-Agena and Atlas-Centaur rockets as well.  Alternatively, these options could be a nice opportunity for aftermarket products.

     

    I have the Anigrand Titan, but one certainly would not go amiss from Horizon, they make up into great models.

     

    Tommo.

     

  3. 15 hours ago, tonyot said:

    Not sure if the Goose or Widgeon could use this British catapult mate,.... they would need the suitable spools fitted and I`ve never seen then aboard a British ship either. I believe that Neomega do the full catapult,..... I may be wrong though.

     

    I know, I know but it will look uber cool when finished. I might do a Kingfisher as well - I believe the HM Navy didn't operate Kingfisher from a catapult. If all else fails I have the quarter scale Lone Star P6 catapult to mount them on.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 1
  4. 10 hours ago, tonyot said:

    I wish I had the room for the full thing Tommo,...... yours should look awesome,...... es

     

    Its only the rear and mid extension not the whole 'thing' - I doubt when built it will be that much longer than the aircrafts that sits on it.

     

    Do Neomega make the complete catapult? I didn't think they did - however, if they did, yes did it would be large.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 1
  5. I bought the Neomega 48 catapult (with both extension sets) too, it arrived at weekend. From a cursory glance at the instructions I had similiar thoughts to yours, although I have not spent much time studying them. I would be extremely interested in  your experience and welcome any build tips you worked out.

     

    I would say however, it is absolutely beautifully made and castings are bordering on a work of art.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 1
    • Thanks 1
  6. 20 minutes ago, bootneck said:

    Can't help you there Tommo, well not yet but I will be building one myself soon. 

    cheers,

     

    Mike

     

     

     

     

     

    Mike,

     

    It was meant to be a tongue in cheek comment, sorry it missed the mark.

     

    I have two of the 72 scale the Revell H-19 A's (straight boom), the S&M civvy helicopter decal sheet which has the decals for the BEA(tles) 'red/white/black machine and a pair of the Whirlybirds interior conversion with BEA Peony livery decals. Interestingly, there is a note in the Whirlybirds conversion which states that they can't confirm precisely the layout or interior colours of the BEA machine despite coming with armchair like seats.

     

    However, that build is way down the line at the moment so not pressing info.

     

    I find this a fascinating and understated period of British aviation, using American machines to beat the Americans, but never really capitising on it.

     

    Tommo.

  7. 22 minutes ago, bootneck said:

    Thanks Tommo,

     

    That doesn't stop me wanting to research and find out more though.

     

    Cheers,

    Mike

    I have been researching on and off the BEA S-51s as long as I can remember, at least 20 years - for such a significant event as the World's 1st ever passenger helicopter service there is a distinct paucity of information.

     

    I have the two timetables (winter and summer) BEA published for the Cardiff > Liverpool route along with a programme for a public helicopter demonstration at Hampden Park stadium in the late '40s. The hopes that BEA held for helicopter travel across the UK was ambitious as the aforementioned programme has a map of prospective helicopter routes that criss-crossed the UK, none materialised of course. I also have  a 1st day cover for the first ever helicopter mail service. Great items but don't really tell you anything for model building purposes.

     

    My very long term intention is to display these artefacts along with a 48 scale BEA machine, one day!

     

    Tommo.

     

     

    • Like 2
  8. 30 minutes ago, bootneck said:

    Thanks Tony,  that confirms the bench seat arrangement.  These films also show that some civilian WS-51's had hoists fitted.

     

    cheers

     

    Mike

     

    Just be aware this is a Westland built demonstrator of a WS-51, hence the inclusion of the winch - the interior fit would be subject to various customer options, the bench seat was one and option they chose to show off in this promo film, as such it is not necessarily represenative of a production machine. The BEA machines had three pax seats and were Sikorsky built S-51s.

     

    Tommo.

  9. 14 minutes ago, bootneck said:

    Hi Tommo,

    scale is 1:144 so I won't be using any kits per se.  I am just trying to identify what the seating arrangement for the passenger version was.  I see that LF models have produced a version with cushioned bench rear seat and bench seats from Ford Consuls come to mind.  After all, the door handles are from cars.

      All my manuals are military, and on those, the rear is either two individual seats, or a 3-seat tubular affair with canvass covering.  It is the detail on the civilian that I am after and I may just have to use the format shown by LF. 

     

    cheers,

    MIke

     

    When they were used for scheduled pax service it was three seperate (padded) seats fit. It still would have been a cosy ride with your fellow pax. That of course does not preclude them being fitted out with a 'bench' seat for other duties.

     

    I'm sure you are aware there was a dedicated heliport @ Hay Mills that serviced the Birmingingham > London route that was intially used by S-51 then latterly the S-55.

     

    I doubt in 144 any one will pick you up on it anyway, go with what you feel is right.

     

    Good luck and don't forget to share when you have a finished build.

     

    Tommo.

     

     

  10. What scale ?

     

    The LF 72 kit contains part options to build both the military and civil versions, that (obviously) include the resquite fuselage variations. I have not checked (yet) to see if the exhaust and grilleage options reflect the military or civil versions - I suspect its the former. Forget the Mach 2 kit as it is neither fish nor fowl and is largely a fictious hybrid.

     

    AMP have yet to release their full range of 1/72 kits but I suspect they will do both as they do in quarter scale. If 1/48 is your chosen scale, you need their 1st boxing Kit ref: 48001 H03S-1, not only is the airframe correct for the BEA machines, the glazing in this particular the kit is better than subsequent iterations of the kit - for some reason AMP changed this for their later releases.

     

    Whirlybirds do nice seperate miltary and civil kits in 72 as well, but have now been overtaken by the above.

     

    Strictly speaking the 4 BEA machines were S-51s, not WS-51s as they were aquired from Sikorsky and re-engined with an Alvis Leonides engines and were used as prototype/development airframes to allow Westland to build them under licence.

     

    When Westland leased them to BEA they were flown by the BEA Experimental Helicopter Unit and as such the internal fit changed to suit their varied duties which ranged from the World's 1st ever Passenger service Cardiff > Wreham > Liverpool rtn to postal/cargo runs. There is a great floodlit photo of G-AJOV taking off at Peterborough on the 1st ever commercial night mail service on the 17th. Oct 1949, in the long out of print book A History of British Airways Helicopters and is Predecessors since 1947 by P. Lo Bao  - one can clearly see the cargo webbing behind the pilot (as mentioned up thread) but also there is someone in the rear part of the cabin too, which strongly suggests at least one of the pax seats was retained. Other photos in the book show the S-51 with a more traditional pax fit, again as described above.

     

    Whatever you do, don't use the machine finished as G-AJOV at Cosford in the BEA livery as a reference, as that is a repainted miltary machine. The previously mentioned book is a must tho'.

     

    I hope that helps.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 2
  11. I have the Olimp Pro Resin's 707 /A/B/C and the BAC 221 getting very close to the top of the build pile - I will therefore keep a close eye on this thread.

     

    I believe the 707s were manufactured at Avro Bracebridge Heath (very close to where I grew up) and were towed down and across the A15 to RAF Waddington for their first flight.

     

    Tommo.

     

     

  12. I would like to put a modicum of my comment up thread, its should be read as coming from someone who very rarely buys an Airfix kits and does not hold a torch for them and won't be buying this kit, for no other other reason it does not float my boat.

     

    However, Airfix are due the respect extended to other manufacturers and not prejudged, their kits should be critically appraised from someone who actually has the beastie in hand to examine. Sure it might be a clunker or a work of art or anywhere inbetween, but make that judgement properly.

     

    Tommo.

    • Like 4
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