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Airspeed AS.51 Horsa serie


diamant

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Hello

Finally my father has started to build the first Horsa model of this project.

403473922.jpg

I have started the reaserch part more that one year ago. We already have 10 kits.

Two very good friends (Alaistar and Jed) has been helping us in such a way I cannot describe. They have spent a lot of time doing a fantastic reaserch on the subject.

Please find below a the preliminay list of the AS.51 Horsa gliders selected so far for this series. We still have to select the "operative" ones (operation Varsity, Operation Pegasus Bridge, etc).

1) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG597 (1st prototype used for RATOG trials)

2) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG604 (3 rd prototype) . Sherburn-in-elmet, Yorkshire - sep-42 - Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Used for Dropping test of panniers from Horsa.

3) Airspeed Horsa Mk II LJ271 (2nd prototype) used for arrester parachutes trials.

4) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL472 Palestine 1946

5) Airspeed Horsa Mk II 19 - DP288 May 1943

6) Airspeed Horsa Mk I 46 DP383

7) Airpeed Horsa Mk II FERV - Early 1946

I will keep you updated.

Kind regards

Santiago

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Excellent project, one of my own favourites.

What's your approach to producing the Mk2 nose? I produced a pattern for mine and prototyped it in resin, but my work with clear resins hasn't produced decent results yet.

Cheers,

Bill.

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Hi Bill

Many thanks. Yes, I am very excited with it. I have never thought they were so many different Horsas (trials / schemes / markings) to do.

What's your approach to producing the Mk2 nose? I produced a pattern for mine and prototyped it in resin, but my work with clear resins hasn't produced decent results yet.

That is a good question.

Right now my father is thinking about that. He will probably modify each kit canopy and also make their own canopy for them.

Any suggestion will be welcome.

This is how the model looks like right now

403494800.jpg

403494801.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

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Here are a couple of my hollow resin Mk2 nose pieces:

IMG_3126.jpg

These are slush moulded in a single piece open mould. Once I get my clear casting process refined I'll make 2-part moulds which will be more suitable for that material,

Cheers,

Bill.

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Hi Bill

Wow. THose pieces looks really good. In our case my father will modify each nose for the Mk II in our series.

Here are some progress made on the first Mk I Horsa

403538356.jpg

403538355.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

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Here are a couple of my hollow resin Mk2 nose pieces:

IMG_3126.jpg

These are slush moulded in a single piece open mould. Once I get my clear casting process refined I'll make 2-part moulds which will be more suitable for that material,

Cheers,

Bill.

Hi Bill,

could you please explain the difference in Mk.II noses compared to originals? I thought Italeri gave options for both Mk.I and Mk.II in their kit and this is a news to me. Looking forward to your answer. Thanks.

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could you please explain the difference in Mk.II noses compared to originals? I thought Italeri gave options for both Mk.I and Mk.II in their kit and this is a news to me.

The most obvious difference is that looked at from above, the Mk2 nose is quite pointed, while the Mk1 is almost flat. In side view the difference is less noticeable, though there are differences between the profiles.

The cross section of the main fuselage is circular, however in the case of the Mk2, the (hinged) nose itself has flat sides, The forward fuselage tapers to match the two different profiles. This is barely visible in the images of my test pieces, it's been very difficult to photograph. Here are a couple of images of a Mk2 at middle Wallop to show the differences:

IMG_2466.jpg

DSCF0002.jpg

For comparison purposes, here's an image of the equivalent Mk1 section at the same location:

IMG_2446.jpg

The different window arrangements are quite distinctive, but shouldn't be treated as an absolute means of determining Mk1 from Mk2. I have observed numerous wartime images of Horsas with the Mk1 nose shape, but with larger front glazing panels, similar to the Mk2. I suspect this variation may have caused some of Italaerei's confusion when designing their kit

Hope that helps,

Cheers,

Bill.

Edited by Heraldcoupe
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Thanks a lot Bill, now I have the clear picture. Since I have two Horsas in my stash (luckily unstarted, as I didn't know about this), I would be very interested in obtaining one copy of your new nose for Mk.II if you would be willing to sell it when you make clear version. Please let me know.

Thanks.

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I've got a few priorities in dealing with regular castings for the next couple of weeks, I'll start work again on the clear casting process once that's dealt with.

I've not made kit parts as part of my business to date, but if it works out I could market these parts in a limited capacity. My regular business is making mouldings for classic cars, but there's a degree of crossover in the processes I use,

Cheers,

Bill.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi guys

Many thanks for information and the photos.

Please find below the progress made by my father on the first 3 horsa.

1) Horsa Mk I DG597 First prototype under RATOG trials.

403756576.jpg

403756579.jpg

403756578.jpg

403756577.jpg

403756575.jpg

2) Horsa Mk I DG604 - Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

403756584.jpg

3) Horsa Mk II LJ271 01/05/1945 - Test on Horsa with arrester parachutes (2x3ft dia)

403756586.jpg

Difference between a Mk I and Mk II canopy.

403756587.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

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Hi

We do not have the final list for this series but here is a preliminary one

1 Horsa Mk I DG597 1 First prototype used for RATOG trials

2 Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

3 Horsa Mk II LJ271 1 01/05/1945 - Test on Horsa with arrester parachutes (2x3ft dia)

4 Horsa Mk II TL472 1 Aquir Palestine 1946, Overall Silver as an experiment to reflect heat and keep the interior cool in the heat of Middle East

5 Horsa Mk II 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder.

6 Horsa Mk II TL145 FERX 1 21 HGCU

7 Horsa Mk I DP740 1 RAF Glider Pilot Exercise unit, Thruxton 1945

8 Horsa Mk I Serial unknown 1 RAF Mount Farm showing invasion stripes applied only to the under side of the glider as per SHAEF orders August 1944

9 Horsa Mk 1 Pegasus operation

10 Horsa Mk II 5 - (L?22?) D-Day

Cheers

Santiago

Edited by diamant
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Hi

My father has already painted the first batch of 3 Horsas.

1) Horsa Mk I DG597 1 First prototype used for RATOG trials

2) Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

3) Horsa Mk II LJ271 1 01/05/1945 - Test on Horsa with arrester parachutes (2x3ft dia)

Here are the photos

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL1060/13508212/24163306/403829512.jpg[/img]

http://pic100.picturetrail.com/VOL1060/13508212/24163306/403829511.jpg[/img]

Cheers

Santiago

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If you don't fancy either mk I or mk II nose, you can always do the one they used to test the Comet nose!! (Maybe a bit late for Raul and Santiago#s project!!)

http://imageshack.us/f/35/002vx.jpg/

Now that one needs to be part of this project! An interesting find; don't think I've ever run across that before. :thumbsup2:

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Hi Dave

Never is too late for us Dave. :-)

Yes, we thought about including the one used to test the Comet nose but we are facing two problems.

One, we do not have the 3 draw view of the nose / canopy to do it and we only have one photo of the Horsa with this canopy.

The second one is that the number of models of this serie is growing every day. We have only eight kits and two models to be rebuilt making a total of 10 Horsa.

By now I am thinkig about buying at least two more kits. The Horsa is not a small model in 1/72 scale and making 10 or 12 will take a lot of space on our display cabinets.

Here is a photo showing the 3 Horsa ready to apply the decals and the others two Horsa made by my father a couple of years ago which will be rebuilt. He followed the instructions kits as regards the patterm colour scheme camouflage and the decals which were wrong.

403846151.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

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Going to watch this one.

Been planning a build of a D-Day Horsa unloading a jeep with 6 ldr.

Also wouldn't mind trying all 3 of the Pegasus Bridge attackers (may even get the bridge if I can afford it but the dio would be huge).

Saw someone had decals out for the serials of the bridge attackers, need to see if I can track them down.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry for not been posting recently.

Here is a photo showing five new Airspeed Horsas waiting the decals plus the other two ready to be rebuild

404104025.jpg

This was the last one done (Horsa Mk II TL145 FERX 1 21 HGCU)

404164570.jpg

My father has started to rebuild one old kit done many years ago. It will be convereted to the fHorsa Mk II 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder. Here are two photos.

404164516.jpg

404164517.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

Edited by diamant
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  • 4 weeks later...

Hi

Here is a quick update about the progress on this series. There are seven Airspeed Horsas waiting for the decals and my father has started to build the next 3 models.

Here are two photos.

p><p><img src=

I must say the our very good friend Jed is doing an incredible job on researching on the different version of the Horsa (schemes, operational, etc).

Luis Cid is making us the decals so we hope to finish the first models soon.

We decided to include two more gliders on this series making a total number of 12.

Here is the list

1) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG597 1 First prototype used for RATOG trials

2) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet, near leeds, Yorkshire - 01/09/1942 - Dropping test of panniers from Horsa

3) Airspeed Horsa Mk II LJ271 1 01/05/1945 - Test on Horsa with arrester parachutes (2x3ft dia)

4) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL472 1 Aquir Palestine 1946, Overall Silver as an experiment to reflect heat and keep the interior cool in the heat of Middle East.

5) Airspeed Horsa Mk II 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder.

6) Airspeed Horsa Mk II TL145 FERX 1 21 HGCU

7) Airspeed Horsa Mk I DP740 1 RAF Glider Pilot Exercise unit, Thruxton 1945

8) Airspeed Horsa Mk I Serial unknown 1 RAF Mount Farm showing invasion stripes applied only to the under side of the glider as per SHAEF orders August 1944

9) Airspeed Horsa Mk 1 LH469 “93” – LZ/X – Operation Deadstick, Caen Canal Bridge.

10) Airspeed Horsa Mk II 5 - (L?22?) 1 D-Day Operation.

11) Airspeed Horsa Mk I LF819 - 1es independent Glider Squadron – Operation Bluebird - Tarquina Italy painted with pattern 2 with desert scheme colours with Pegasus emblem on the from cockpit sides

12) Airspeed Horsa Mk I TL349 specially modified and fitted with mock – up of the Comet airliner nose to determine the degree of visibility, particularly in conditions of rain.

Cheers

Santiago

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Another great collection Santiago, I have one to refurbish myself, 2 of your options catch my eye for this;

Airspeed Horsa Mk I 19 - DP288 1 1943, H Glider Conversion Unit, Painted in pattern colour 1 but with all black tail and ruder, & Airspeed Horsa Mk I DG604 1 Airbones Forces Experimental Establishment - Sherburn-in-elmet. The latter because Sherburn in Elmet isn't very far from where I live in Hull.

Nick

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Hi Nick

I am glad that you like this series and I looking forward to see your Horsas.

Hello

My father has just painted these 3 Horsas. I bought the last two kits for this series. I hope you like the photos.

404510654.jpg

404510653.jpg

404510655.jpg

404510656.jpg

While we received the last two kits my father decided to build the Bristol 138. As you can see the kit is really old.

404510652.jpg

Cheers

Santiago

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