Westland Whirlwind HAR 10 converted from Airfix 1/72 scale kit!

[heloman1]

Hi Simon, As Neil says, the Airfix kit is under scale and was the only game in town until the Italeri kit came along. So we mastered the conversion around the Italeri/Revell kits which were in reasonable supply at the time. The reason we included the drooped tail cone was that there were some mods needed doing to the strengthening strakes on the RN/RAF cabs. Similarly we modified the main u/c legs to reflect the gaiters of the ram portion of the oleo and the nose u/c to reflect a cab sat on the ground and not with the legs extended as per the kit. There is also a late type hoist/winch included amongst the white metal parts. The two kits available are for an RN HAS Mk7 (RC-72001) or an HAR Mk9 (RC-72002) and both can be used for RAF types.

Any questions, I'll gladly answer as and where I can.

Colin @ ROTORcraft

[Fritag]

Looks grand Simon. Well - when I say grand I mean the modelling skills obviously - and lovely yellow finish - the old Whirlwind is a charasmatic old girl - but no looker to my eyes . I'm sure she made up for it in other ways....

[SimonR]

Thanks for all the feedback on this guys, especially Colin, you know you're stuff!!

Steve, cant believe you could be so rude about the whirlybird!!! Thanks for the kind words on the model though!!

Anyway, almost finished bar the odd bit of touching up...not literally though!

I'll get some more pics in RFI soon when the light dims a bit, way too bright here at the moment.

cheers

Simon

Edited February 4, 2014 by SimonR

[Jonners]

The extended nose houses the Gnome turbine engine, which obviously longer than the P&W radial in the older variants.

[Martian]

I looks the part despite the accuracy issues.

Martin

[heloman1]

Congratulations Simon, you've breathed life into an old, no very old kit and it looks good.

Colin

[SimonR]

Thanks Martin & Colin, amazing to think these moulds are 50 plus years old now!! Somebody really needs to do a new tool of a British Whirlwind don't they!

I'm now doing a Revell/Hasegawa Harrier GR7 - its a doddle!!

cheers

Simon

[troschi]

Despite the age of the basis and some minor issues it looks certainly like a Whirlwind to me. Turned out nicely.

[Neil AS]

Looks great Simon, who's yellow have you used?

[SimonR]

Thanks Neil!

I used Revell Aquacolour Matt yellow, for some reason the matt is a lot richer in colour than the gloss which is odd. Anyway, I sprayed over grey primer, think it may have been better over white, but happy overall!

cheers

Simon

[Neil AS]

Thanks Simon only asking as I've an Italeri Wessex to convert in the to do pile and looking at options.

[Wee Beastie]

Looks great Simon.

Just come across this thread (and your RFI thread). I'm in the process of getting together the same bits as you. My Dad used to a Load-Master on SAR Whirlwinds out in Singapore, ('69-'71), and I'm putting together a collection of the aircraft he flew in. Some great info and advice from members here, it'll help me a great deal when I get round to making the Whirlwind.

[SimonR]

Looks great Simon.

Just come across this thread (and your RFI thread). I'm in the process of getting together the same bits as you. My Dad used to a Load-Master on SAR Whirlwinds out in Singapore, ('69-'71), and I'm putting together a collection of the aircraft he flew in. Some great info and advice from members here, it'll help me a great deal when I get round to making the Whirlwind.

Cheers mate, I have got a few bits & bobs going spare if you need anything, I think i've got a mk 10 nose cone somewhere and some decals.

Good luck with your build.

Cheers

Simon

[Wee Beastie]

Cheers mate, I have got a few bits & bobs going spare if you need anything, I think i've got a mk 10 nose cone somewhere and some decals.

Good luck with your build.

Cheers

Simon

Thank you very much for the offer, Simon, appreciate it.

I've been searching for a Sikorsky H-19B, as it has the drooped tail-boom. But no luck. I've managed to get the Airfix Whirlwind, so I'll be angling the tail, same as you. Also got a nosecone and RAFdec set coming from Hannants, so looks like I'll been good to go.

Cheers again, and I'll be posting a WIP thread, once the build starts.

Ian