dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Vickers Wellesley, one of those forgotten types from the unfashionable side of modelling. Here's the very first boxing that I will be using for the build: Typical Matchbox kit, basic but accurate to the eye. I'll add a few details but won't be going rivet crazy - actually theres very few rivets in the design as it is a smaller brother to it's more famous stablemate the Wellington and shares it's fabric covered geodesic structure. As befits the simple kit it's appears a simple build: Schemes are two similar green/brown birds differentiated by their engines. Option 1 is a standard short cowl Mk1, but option 2 is more interesting as it is a form generally associated with just 3 aircraft of the Long Range Development Unit that flew from England-Egypt-Australia with the longest leg being 7300miles (in 1938!). But to confuse matters the kit decals arent for one of these 3...but more on that later Edited October 23, 2015 by dpm1did1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I'm thinking of cracking open my Wellesley kit as I have somehow acquired a craving for these old but lovely Matchbox models. Problem is I'm not sure which one to start - Wellesley, Siskin, Fury, Stranraer, Heyford, Provost, Walrus, NF Meteor or 32nd scale Venom and Lysander... (There the ones I can remember). Now isn't that an eclectic stash of historic kits!! Looking forward to your progress and probable inspiration.... Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 A great kit from Matchbox, I'm in! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Sprue time... Not a lot to it then! Although it appears it's an "OMG look at the exaggerated fabric effect" kit appearances can be deceptive. Firstly the light angle on the wing makes them appear as hills and valleys rather than the subtle effect when seen close up. Also this was one wrinkled aircraft. More obvious than the wing is the fuselage lengthways ribs that are very clearly seen to distort the lines in most pics. This is no smooth polished racing bird! ...don't panic, I had already cut off the rudder and added the larger forward fuselage sections which hold the wide chord Dowling. Edited October 23, 2015 by dpm1did1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyverns4 Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) I was going to make it a slow start but the pilots seat irked me... As you'd expect its little more than an L-shaped afair, albeit here with an attached floor panel...but whats going on with the triangular seat back? Seems there's been some confusion between the chair back and the rollover structure. Firstly though lets make the L into an actual seat by adding a back and sides I can shape Much better already Edited October 23, 2015 by dpm1did1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianMF Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Very nice. Looking forward to watching this come along. Regards, Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Rather more prototypical now. ...also think I need to polish my (once was shiny) coffee table! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 And now I have fancied up the seat it might help if I can see it once fitted...so chop chop at the cockpit side doors Without the cowling attached the fairing on the revised nose looks U.G.L.Y. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I'm onboard with this one... I've wanted a Wellesley for ages and keep missing out on e***y, I guess watching some-one build one is as close as I'll get to doing one myself. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Internals: Part 1: Add a floor Part 2: Add some ribs Can you spot the deliberate mistake? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Good start! Martin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) A few bits of styrene rod and sheet added to fill it out a bit. These will then be painted in a 'anything but green' colour to make it appear busy when closed up Although the real life pix are few and hard to interpret they do reveal one thing...the Wellesley was obviously made before the words 'conduit' and " organised" became commonplace. There's boxes, wires and bits everywhere. Beware of planning to add detail to a larger scale kit! Ibthibk I'll stick with 72nd and a little 'vagueness'. Edited October 23, 2015 by dpm1did1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafalbert Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 I do love the fabric effect on both this and the Wellington kits; I think Matchbox got it right. It is far better than the MPM Wellingtons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vesa Jussila Posted October 23, 2015 Share Posted October 23, 2015 Interesting project. Somehow I have always been interested in about Wellesley. Must follow this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Any colour as long as it's green... Gunners folding seat and a few more boxes. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Now has some colour to relieve the boredom. If someone invents a time machine can they go back and get some colour pix of the interior please, would make things much easier and less of an educated guess. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 Now for something different... Engine is pretty good. Although obviously it can't compete with am AM Pegasus it is certainly better than might be seen on some modern kits. May need some minor details on the casing but I'll have to check pix to see how much. Cowling is in 2 halves with a separate collector ring. Just a little filler but otherwise another decent part. Will separate the cowl flaps so I can bend a little and add a bit of life. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 23, 2015 Author Share Posted October 23, 2015 (edited) Test fit of all the engine bits revealed no issues The hub may be slightly undersized but it's very difficult to say for certain as suitable pix of this configuration obviously aren't as common, let alone nice frontal shots of a non-running engine Edited October 23, 2015 by dpm1did1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbudde Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I'm in here :popcorn: Good work. Looks busy. Will you use the kits clear parts? Normally they were clear but very thick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) The clear parts are...ok... I'll see how they respond to a hack attack before considering a vacuform replacement I know Pavla and Falcon (set 4) do them but factoring p&p both cost more than the kit itself! I'm reluctant to spend too much more considering I've bought 5 more kits in the last 2 days alone..oops! Edited October 24, 2015 by dpm1did1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 (edited) Time to start throwing more glue at plastic starting with the wings. They appear ro be accurate although the wheel wells are shallow (I'll be ignoring them as I'm not a 'turnover and judge' modeller). About the only thing missing are the undercarriage lock indicators which are simple enough to add as the location points are clearly marked with circles. Two tiny red(?) rods on each side as a final touch won't hurt me. Edited October 24, 2015 by dpm1did1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpm1did1 Posted October 24, 2015 Author Share Posted October 24, 2015 Whilst waiting to move on to wing #2 I found a problem... Ok so it's a small one and probably the easiest to fix, as well as one of the most common. The wheel halves aren't perfect matches! Oh well, out with the liquid glue, paint and sandpaper. Round 1 complete...dry and repeat... Well I said it was small! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darwinism Posted October 24, 2015 Share Posted October 24, 2015 I've always had a soft spot for the Wellesley for some reason. I'll be following this build with interest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shalako Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 This is coming along very nicely!!! Keep up the good work lad!!! Cheers Shalako Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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