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Building a HAS


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1 minute ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Fire extinguishers. They were everywhere. Can't remember if you have any?

Back then we'd have small green BCF extinguishers on vehicles. Sometimes in brackets on walls. They were banned in the nineties I believe. Toxic!

Cream extinguishers. Foam for fuel fires.

Black CO2 extinguishers used during engine starts

Blue extinguishers were dry powder for Aircraft brake fires and, IIRC Electrical fires.

Apparently yellow is for wet chemicals but I can't remember ever seeing one.

Red ( water) ones were only for domestic or office type use.

 

 

Ah yes, fire extinguishers.  Had a green one with wall bracket for years.  I guess it would be a wall bracket set of CO2, foam, powder and I think there was a red hose real inside the main doors on the wall.  I will have another look at that training video for extinguishers 

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Love all this! Great detail that is being added in. I especially like the paperclip chair. Going back to Uniter buildings, I believe one of these is still extant at Watton, which isn't a million miles away from you.

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4 hours ago, danbuoy said:

Love all this! Great detail that is being added in. I especially like the paperclip chair. Going back to Uniter buildings, I believe one of these is still extant at Watton, which isn't a million miles away from you.

Cheers.  I saw someone make a similar chair ages ago and hadn’t thought of a time to use it.  Might make a couple for the control tower.

I keep meaning to get on a tour of Bentwaters via the BCWM or just get to Wattisham Heritage Museum when the  HAS is open.  One of the Watton buildings was sold off recently with some nice photos

 

https://www.forces.net/news/sold-blast-proof-bunker-used-raf-communications

 

I added a couple of red fire hose reels to either side of the HAS.  I then thought I should put it together as I had some time spare.  I got the F3 Tornado out too.  Now need to fix the cockpit side decals that are lifting

 

but this is how it came out

 

qaHIN9s.jpg
 

dpWh0zK.jpg
 

E8V9Gs7.jpg
 

QcovwP4.jpg
 

6M9rfM1.jpg

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That looks great. I really recommend the airfield tours at BCWM. I went on one back in 2013. It was a lot of walking but got some great photos. I know its a bit further away, but they also do regular tours at Upper Heyford, which is another great site to look round.

 

That is the Uniter building in that link. Good to see it is definitely still there, as there isn't much left at Watton at all.

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9 hours ago, danbuoy said:

That looks great. I really recommend the airfield tours at BCWM. I went on one back in 2013. It was a lot of walking but got some great photos. I know its a bit further away, but they also do regular tours at Upper Heyford, which is another great site to look round.

 

That is the Uniter building in that link. Good to see it is definitely still there, as there isn't much left at Watton at all.

Yes looks like Watton has the end of the runway, a T2 and the Uniter building left.  Really must get on a Bentwaters tour, been to the museum and went to an airshow there back in the days of the A-10s.  I think Alconbury is going fast and I hoped to get to Wethersfield before the police left but that fell through.

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I have been looking at Wattisham on google maps & can’t help wondering is this is the comma building in the middle if the screen shot

 

DTycYdm.jpg


it looks a bit like this


CdoIQaq.jpg

 

The option therefore are to build something like @Evalman did or something like these

 

04_big.jpg
 

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It looks like the HES is to the left and the one I do have a usable shot if that

 

q4wkk9f.jpg

 

So what to build? Mind you if I do I don’t really have a base board to sit it on, so would need an extension to the HAS base and maybe have a location for the bowser store building I already have.  Or I could just get on with some jets….

 

 

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That shot in the HAS with the Tornado took me back. Very realistic indeed. BTW, can you imagine how noisy it was in there with the jet running?

Ear defenders just did not cut it. I've been lip reading for years now, and can't hear the person next to me if there is background noise/music. Pardon?

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I bet it sounded great @Pete in Lincs!  But prolonged time with that kind of noise isn’t good.  I don’t think I have done myself too many favours over the years going to loud gigs and taking days to get my hearing back to normal.  First gig I went to was Black Sabbath!  
Used to love the start ups at Mildenhall shows.  Stood right behind an A-10 one year as it was raining & it dried me off nicely.  My mum always remembers a Starlifter on static being run up just to dry people off.  Can only imagine the noise in an enclosed space.  I do like watching the videos of the Bentwaters Jag starting up too.  Guess they could do that in a HAS.

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On 10/2/2022 at 6:28 PM, bar side said:

Mind you if I do I don’t really have a base board to sit it on, so would need an extension to the HAS base and maybe have a location for the bowser store building I already have.  Or I could just get on with some jets….

 

 

 The problem I'm finding is that they take up a considerable amount of space, and that's just 1/72 scale. You'd need a very large area to fit two or three 1/48th scale buildings.

 

The EWS is nearly complete. I used Murky scenic water. It looks a bit too smooth, you could almost ride a surfboard on the ones at St Mawgan.  I may have to try a bottle of the ripple stuff. 

 

 52409491564_83f89ede52_c.jpg

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Yes @Evalman in 1/48 they do get big!  You saw my Type C hangar mock up didn’t you?  That EWS looks very nice.  Wish I could get handrails that neat!

 

I have a new purchase to add to the scenery.  I did mention a while back about getting a new RAF fuel bowser.  Well a Corgi Ergo cab tanker came up for a good price the other day.  Now usually these diecast are pretty tired and a cut, change & respray is fine.  This one has come mint in box!  Almost can’t bring myself to cut it up!  Mind you the price was only about a tenner

 

So the aim is this


304694826514fa293e6759437240ecf3.jpg

 

And this is what I am starting with

 

mPBZjTf.jpg

 

So here with a Skunkmodels 1/48 NATO tanker and my Bedford 1/50 Corgi rebuild.  Major work includes cutting out the second axel as the RAF Mammoth Major only has 3 axels.  Then a whole new tank end.  I don’t think the existing tank can be converted.  Maybe dismounted and turned into a static tank?  I was a bit worried that it would be a bit small. The RAF tankers always seemed quite ‘chunky’ although any AEC / BL truck has to be a bit suspect.  But this diecast does seem to hold its own.  Not starting on it for a bit but thought you might like to see it

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I like the look of that. Does it look like it might be awkward to remove the second axle? The tank body doesn't look too bad, I think it would be worth trying to see if it would be suitable, as its not too round like a lot of tanker bodies are. With it being more of a model, and not a toy, the wheels are decent too which is always a massive help with this sort of thing. The wheels can really let down some vehicles, especially with Matchbox sized ones.

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Looks ok to remove the axel - needs to be cut but the disc cutter on the dremel should be up to it.  The cab and tank just unscrew

 

L1Rsxco.jpg
 

I did wonder about removing the front axel but I think that would be too short

 

bbBQWuo.jpg
 

This is the chassis so take the mud guard off the second axel and grind off the axel moulding

 

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The front axel mud guards are attached to the cab.  I think the tank on the side of the chassis needs to come off too.  There is a name board on the top of the cab that will have to go too.

 

As to the tank, this is the one on my Mack truck tanker that I made from card.  The more squared off shape comes out well in card and it’s cheap & easy to use.  The one on the right is the Skunkmodels plastic tank

 

XXWKm70.jpg

 

Yes @danbuoy the wheels are good - it’s a pretty reasonable base to be honest

Edited by bar side
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Got a new kit today.  I am sure it will be a stealthy addition!

 

uQPuwyb.jpg

 

Apparently they did stay in the HASes at Spangdahlem and at Lakenheath while deployed in Europe.  Never very officially though.  The kit looks nice with etch parts included.  In to the stash for now but will be nice to have a Ben Rich Skunkworks jet to go with the Kelly Johnson SR-71 and TR-1

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Another kit with more bits.  Picked up this Starfighter a while back.  No decals but was thinking of going Italian.  Maybe even a Videoaviation GPU to go with it?  Definitely needed a seat as the ESCI cockpit is, er, sparse?  Saw this Aires set for little more than the price of a seat on its own

 

cep9VmI.jpg

 

Would love to do it as a Luftwaffe jet - or even Navy.  I always liked that grey top white bottom scheme, but Luftwaffe splinter scheme? Trouble is the only German decals I have are for a very early model.  Oh well will be a while before it gets built

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On 02/10/2022 at 18:42, Pete in Lincs said:

That shot in the HAS with the Tornado took me back. Very realistic indeed. BTW, can you imagine how noisy it was in there with the jet running?

Ear defenders just did not cut it. I've been lip reading for years now, and can't hear the person next to me if there is background noise/music. Pardon?

I remember sitting in the management cabin when the sooties were doing engine runs on the f3 in HAS ,  even in the spund proof cabin you had to shout to be heard, you didnt just hear it, you felt it as well. Iirc I was told that they could only run up to 85% rpm in the HAS as the noise and vibration could damage internal organs.

 

Happy to be corrected by any sooties out there 😀

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Hi Mark

 

You could do 100% run ups in the HAS but only with the other engine at idol or you would jump the chocks, also use to go into reheat a few times in the HAS but if we done that the others would go outside or into the cabin. 

 

As for rattling you organs around you definitely felt it down the tubes doing a max reheat run and being under the engine checking for leaks after an engine change, were supposed to be kidney plates going around to strap on but I never seen any of them. Was better being in the jet doing those runs especially when you get a surge in max reheat!

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7 hours ago, wasacop said:

Ours on 27 Sqn used to have lineys in it instead of fish!!

Yip and when it was frozen over in the winter they use to kept getting thrown over the fence until they broke the ice.

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Always nice to visit some HASes.  Lakenheath tower & a HAS yesterday

 

KbdQxeW.jpg

 

One Eagle hit a snag & sat for a while before they decided it could taxi back under its own power.  They sent over a tug in case

 

vuJztNu.jpg

 

And some missiles getting delivered

 

zbTnoGA.jpg
 

Stopped by Mildenhall too & saw some tankers and Ospreys.  Must build one at some point

 

m9zBg3e.jpg
 

Always great to see some fast jet action though

 

5MjOZfs.mp4

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1 minute ago, Evalman said:

Interesting to see the tractor with blue lights.  Incidentally the tractor ( a B450 ) is showing as a future release on Hannants. 

 

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/GE48015?result-token=SOMOt

The tractor was responding to the problem with two base police cars, all with lights going.  Was a bit different to see.  I guess that will be a resin tractor from Aim.  Will be quite chunky.

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On 23/10/2022 at 22:30, Chr15 said:

Hi Mark

 

You could do 100% run ups in the HAS but only with the other engine at idol or you would jump the chocks, also use to go into reheat a few times in the HAS but if we done that the others would go outside or into the cabin. 

 

As for rattling you organs around you definitely felt it down the tubes doing a max reheat run and being under the engine checking for leaks after an engine change, were supposed to be kidney plates going around to strap on but I never seen any of them. Was better being in the jet doing those runs especially when you get a surge in max reheat!

Aw mate as a plumber I only ever sat in the management cabin  during engine runs. That's intresting there was supposed to kidney plates to wear, must have been stored beside the bump hats that we had for weapons loading as I never saw them either 🤣

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Since I got the AEC tanker I have been having an interesting chat with @PeteH1969 and some things may be afoot in that direction.  I will let you know more as things develop.

 

Until then work continues on the two Phantoms I am building.  One almost done & the other getting painted

 

 ZTYI9Rc.jpg

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I seem to be acquiring kits for the stash just lately.  This one came up at a good price & I just couldn’t resist a Tomcat!

 

3ljch5y.jpg
 

Thought it would be a sizeable kit.  I guess the lifts on a carrier limit the length you can have, but those engines are big!

 

cki37qQ.jpg
 

No idea when I will get to it!

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