AdrianMF Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Hello All, I'm going to be building the Frog Westland Wyvern: The kit has side consoles, floor, seat (or throne?), stick, instrument panel, nice wheels and detail on the inside of the undercarriage doors - pretty fancy for a kit from 1970! However, Trumpeter did a newer and more detailed version recently and the rules is the rules... I am intending to detail the cockpit and wheel wells, do some light scribing and possibly drop the flaps. My main objective is to do a decent paint job and make the Sky/EDSG scheme look less slab-like than it normally does in my hands. The decals are a tad yellowed and I don't think I will see much full sunlight in the next few months, so I may re-print some of the letters and numbers. Well, can't sit here typing - there's modelling to do! Thanks for looking, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Adrian, a good choice. I built it back in the late 1970s and I still have it here now. Only thing I did extra was to ream out the jet pipe orifice and put a thin chamfered plastic tube in its place. I thought it was the best Frog kit I'd come across. As I remember though I seem to recall a bit of swearing when fitting/tidying up the intake area as well. Modeldecals did an example on one of their sheets, which is what I used. Nige B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisrope Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Cool choice, wouldn't mind one of these myself one day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 Adrian, a good choice. I built it back in the late 1970s and I still have it here now. Only thing I did extra was to ream out the jet pipe orifice and put a thin chamfered plastic tube in its place. I thought it was the best Frog kit I'd come across. As I remember though I seem to recall a bit of swearing when fitting/tidying up the intake area as well. Modeldecals did an example on one of their sheets, which is what I used. Nige B Nige, When I did the Frog Gannet I used a plastic straw, so I'm hoping to do that again. Actually, looking at the Gannet (1950s mould with "heads on a shelf") its jet pipes are better represented than on the Wyvern. So I think it will be more work on the Wyvern to get them looking nice... Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paganpete Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Welcome Adrian! I had to look twice, thought the blob in the seat was a pilot....err, no, wait... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Plastic straw works well. The wheels are a bit wobbly on the axles. Airwaves do some etch for the pit. I still have 2 in the stash besides one built up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JosephLalor Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Looking forward to seeing this one done. I put it together in the 1970s and remember being gratified to see the props go round in opposite directions when I blew on them. I went for the option with the Wyvern badge on the nose. Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 Welcome to the fun Adrian. A surprisingly nice choice as well. I'd not seen the parts before so it certainly must have been a revelation to many in the 70s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 12, 2013 Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) My recollection of this again from the 70s when it would have been a new tool, was that it built really well. Everything was OOB in those days for me but it ended up looking real good. I still have it, in bits now, but destined to resurface one day with a Magna trainer conversion in place of the kit fuselage. I'll be keeping an interested eye on this one. Steve. Edited October 12, 2013 by stevehnz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 12, 2013 Author Share Posted October 12, 2013 (edited) Looking forward to seeing this one done. I put it together in the 1970s and remember being gratified to see the props go round in opposite directions when I blew on them. I went for the option with the Wyvern badge on the nose. Joseph Joseph, you must have big lungs mate! I tried the fit of the props and it's all a bit tight in there. Still, now I know it can be done...I'm also going for that version. No Suez stripes for me. It is a nice kit. I like the tail plane engineering where the tabs stack one on top of the other across the centre line, giving you the right dihedral angle. The wings seem to be thinner than the edge of the fuselage fairing so I may beef them up a tad at the leading edge to remove the step Regards, Adrian Edited October 12, 2013 by AdrianMF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Great choice Adrian. The Wyvern really scrubs up into a nice model. Colin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Good choice! Can't wait to see what you make of it. When you see what Frog accomplished back in the day (their catalogue was ponderous!), it makes one wonder what kind of product they'd be turning out if they were still in business. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted October 13, 2013 Share Posted October 13, 2013 Nige, When I did the Frog Gannet I used a plastic straw, so I'm hoping to do that again. Actually, looking at the Gannet (1950s mould with "heads on a shelf") its jet pipes are better represented than on the Wyvern. So I think it will be more work on the Wyvern to get them looking nice... Regards, Adrian Adrian, I think I used a straw portion as well. I believe I removed the raised lip on the kit parts first though to just leave an open orifice. I can put a photo on here if it would be of interest. Nige B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 Adrian, I think I used a straw portion as well. I believe I removed the raised lip on the kit parts first though to just leave an open orifice. I can put a photo on here if it would be of interest. Nige B Nige, if you have a photo, bring it on! All input welcome... Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 Finally got my modelling stuff spread out all over the kitchen table again. I decided to start with the throne ejector seat: The seat is now wide enough for one pilot, not two! Thanks for looking, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viscount806x Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Nige, if you have a photo, bring it on! All input welcome... Regards, Adrian Well Mate, you asked for it. Here is a slightly shabby Wyvern S4 built c.1979 using no aftermarket parts (there weren't any such things) except Modeldecals from Sheet #24. I think an 831sqn machine from Ark Royal in 1957. I'm no photographer and this model has endured at least 4 house moves with loft storage in between, sorry... Nige B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted October 14, 2013 Share Posted October 14, 2013 Nice job there Nige, I always thought it a shame these didn't come with the later canopies. I reckon they set them off that much better. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 Well Mate, you asked for it. Lovely! The straw exhausts work well and I like the deeper green sky. I think Hu 90 is a bit bland for FAA schemes. Meanwhile, back to my seat... Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 15, 2013 Author Share Posted October 15, 2013 Basic ejector seat done: Pads and buckles and belts tomorrow! Thanks for looking, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Nice start! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Cracking work on the seat. I'd have been lazy and bought a resin aftermarket one but your one looks more satisfying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 (edited) Cockpit is finished, apart from the front and rear decking, and I'm not sure whether the stick is a sticky-stick or a circular hand grip stick - I've seen pictures of both. Also dithering over whether to add a pilot or not, hence no seat belts yet. The seat will be more upright and raised a bit from where it is now. Thanks for looking, Adrian Edited October 21, 2013 by AdrianMF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 Tidy job in the 'pit Adrian. Are you planning to represent the instrument dials? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 I used to do two layers and drill holes in the top one but I've found that just scratching the paint off back to the white card works just as well if you're looking through a canopy. Here's one I did earlier for a Yak-9. I will use a template for the circles this time! Regards, Adrian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted October 22, 2013 Share Posted October 22, 2013 Cockpit is finished, apart from the front and rear decking, and I'm not sure whether the stick is a sticky-stick or a circular hand grip stick - I've seen pictures of both. Also dithering over whether to add a pilot or not, hence no seat belts yet. The seat will be more upright and raised a bit from where it is now. Thanks for looking, Adrian Hi Adrian Really enjoying the build, really impressed that these aircraft were fitted with airbags which you have faithfully reproduced in bluetack in the above photos this level is detail can be sadly overlooked Cheers Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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