Wessex HAS3 XP150 - 406 HMS Antrim Flight 78/80

[perdu]

Too kind of you guys but yes I am having fun with it

My frugal but profligate nature let's me enjoy rescue missions like this

Profligate? Yes I have been known to waste huge sums when saving money on these things.

 

I do have an Italeri kit or two I could draw on for the difficult bits like the rotor head but I hope to get mine done instead, time does march on though

Not many weeks left now

[heloman1]

Nice work on the seats and parrots beak Bill. She's coming along nicely.

 

Colin

[milktrip]

I can finally see the photos  (for some reason my works internet blocks slot of pics on BM, even with a VPN). But worth the wait to see the progress. Wonderful Bill

[noeyedears]

really like those seats.

[perdu]

Although there is not a lot of time left I've been having a think about this GB

originally I planned to do the whole bit, new home made rotor head detail (full of ideas for this, but...) and use the Itacraperi one in a build of its own ( I know my opinion of Italeri brings some people out in "oh no oh no oh no dont be nasty", but..)

 

However after seeing the thing in use I just can't do it so it has become a source of parts for the uprated (slightly) Matchbox one which I'm not over keen on either

 

I will be using its rotor gear even the bent blades although there is no way the rear whizzer will escape modification even with only three weeks of not much time to use glues and paints in any of my days

 

Anyway, 'nuff of that lets do a bit, not a lot, of model making

 

I moulded a new canopy from the old familiar canopy buck and began adding extra stuff

 

Switchery of sorts in the roof and a first attempt this time round of the rotor brake cylinder and handle

does that handle stay down when the aircraft is parked or is it used only to stop rotation after engine stopping?

 

I have also been thinking about the meshy bits

 

When I did my HAR2 I printed a set of home brew transfers to lay over the gaping cavities but they look as if they are not going to do the trick on RAF BG so I am having rethinks now

 

 

I might try this out before I get experimental again

 

I have a query about the Torpedo

 

Does the 'war shot' look anything like this if I put the yellow stripe round behind the nose cap?

 

This has a bronze area on even though its a bit hard to see 

 

the bronze stripe is quite visible on the model type 44, honest guv

 

Anyway, 'nuff for now, I'll catch up more tomorrow

[moaning dolphin]

Nice work there bill, I do like that rotor brake. By rights once the aircraft is shutdown the rotor brake stays on the prevent windmilling. The on position is fully forward. If the blades are folded or tethered I wouldn't see any harm in letting the brake off though. 

 

Bob

[MickE]

I agree nice work with the seats.

 

Mick

[hendie]

yup, dangly bit on rotor brake hangs down when brake is on, and stays down until they go vroom and want to levitate again

[perdu]

OK OK already I admit I have been slacking a tad but I still have three weeks and two days (Who's counting huh?) to get her finished

 

Don't forget I was already going on the Wasp before Colin reminded me...  

 

Anyway, some done is better than none yes?

 

Apart from a trim strip on the rear edge of the parrot beak I think that will do for now

 

And as you can probably see I have put the external pipes along the port side (I cannot see any relevant pipes along the starboard side so that might stay bare)

 

And I am almost done with the crew seats

 

Observer gets his in the down and sat in position, driver's seat is going to be up and parked to give cabin access

 

Both have their sheepskin bum warmers on

and the observer has his harness in place for when he sits down, ready to buckle up and beggar off

 

Pilot has his front strap in place hanging down as is...

 

Still some trimming to do on the hinge framework and a spot or two of paint, after the straps are on I'll pop the seat pan in its finished location with all the dangling straps, well, er dangling

 

 

You prolly noticed the other assemblage coming along here

 

The tailwheel undercarriage ( I quote from the official book, here) has been assembled from a few bits and useful bobs

eight so far and one or two other bits to go in, the metal flappy thing that I think is the tailwheel lock for instance, inside at the back

 

And the pair of tie down rings for the front by the hinge

 

And a slightly thicker blob underneath the swivel that is the jacking point

 

Maybe

 

Anyway whilst I'm not reporting next I am going to be working out the underfuselage fuel system, which I presume is the fuel drainage and management system rather than fuel delivery to the engine

 

And stirring my Compucolour2 CBC 18 RAF Blue Grey, one of the colours that I made a special journey to Overton to collect from the maker after the company hit the rocks back in the eighties

 

Beautiful paint and always very close to the proper 'look'

Edited January 20, 2017 by perdu

[hendie]

Bill, you're outdoing yourself here with this build. Each post just gets better and better.   Great work on those seats, especially in that scale.

Nice touch with the seat in the up position - I may steal that idea if I ever do another Wessex build

[perdu]

I was going to use tonight for my Wasp build but with the seats close to completion I decided to do a bit on both

 

Seats in now, maybe a trifle large but to be honest this isnt expected to be goiing in competition anywhere so I'll leave it at this

 

 

T'other side

 

dangly crotch strap hanging low

 

Unpainted home brew canopy astride the big hole up top

Modified rotor brake not yet affixed

What's the point detailing if you cannot see the fruits of your endeavour, this is why I use home brew canopies

 

I can see wot I dun inside when I looks

 

Back round the port side and that's it for tonight

 

Loads of cleaning up to do soon

 

and that trim strip on the Parrot Nose sides

 

Now for the Wasp

relaxxxxxx

 

[heloman1]

Coming together very nicely.

 

Colin

[perdu]

Woke up this morning (I know this sounds like a Blues song but it is what it is) and decided to do those seats again

There is just too much of them so I'm going to try again, slightly smaller

Still think the one-up-one-down is the look though

 

I can see a couple more Wessii in my future so I might just cast them when I do too, I really don't need this stuff any more

 

Getting far too old and impatient in my dotage

 

Oh well

[Tomoshenko]

I thought the seats looked the business Bill, especially the one in the up position as per Hendie's comment. Ah well, if they're bugging you, they'll keep bugging you, so best that you change em. Still reckon you should opt for one in the up position and don't forget the sheepskin bum warmers.

 

"Getting far too old and impatient in my dotage "

 

If you slip me a tenner I won't tell anyone

 

 

 

[milktrip]

seats look fantastic Bill, i'd be happy with them to be honest but I completely understand and as Tomoshenko mentions, they'll keep bugging you so best change them.  Good idea to try casting.  Really like the seat in the up position, certainly makes for an interesting 'pit.  Out of curiosity, with the seat up, can you see much into the cab?  I imagine not but would be a nice thought that it allowed a bit more visibility of all that lovely interior detail.

 

cheers

Aaron

[perdu]

Cheers guys, the seat back frames are significantly higher than they need be

They should only reach about halfway up the rear console and in their 'then' state were wider than the cockpit needed

Jerking the collective up and down isn't really a safe flight regime I understand but the frames as was were rubbing the lever into the centre console and port wall so Mr Lilliput would have a terrible time as  was

 

(my missus just came in and, querying why I was messing about demonstrated a real case of 'us'n'them' "why bother, its not real after all")

 

I ask you...

 

I will be making new seat bases too with slimmer hinge sections

 

I've remade the seat uprights but there's more work needed on them when I can get into my working with smelly stuff zone in the garage  to glue them up

 

Dohhh

 

Aaron Id love to say you can see as well as if it was a real Wessex but, well, this did start as a Matchbox and there's  bit of unreality in the firewall/floor interface area

 

The hole doesn't quite go as far back as I'd like but you can see there is a hole and there's some capability to look up into the 'pit from the electronics bay end below

[heloman1]

Hi Bill, I was over on Shapeways site the other day. They have Wessi cockpit seats in 1/18th scale (see the build elswhere on BM). I asked if they were availavable in 48th scale, I was pointed in the direction of the originator of the data/program. Something I still have to do. With five other Wessi kits and now an H-34 it would make sence to get them 3D printed.

 

Colin

[perdu]

Were you thinking of getting them in 1/72 scale too Colin, might be a  viable thing if there are a lot of future Wessii ahead

 

Mind you at the price Si had to pay for a pair of sand filters that didn't fit or look right I think I'm most likely to stick to Evergreen and Tamiya GreenTop

 

I did mention how much of a cheapskate I've become these days didnt I?

 

(Just cost me best part of two hundred smackers to get the Midget back on the road) 

[hendie]

agreed. Creating the seats in 3D is simple. Paying for them in any quantity is  something else, particularly if you go for the "ultra detail" material.  I loaded a model up to Shapeways the other day (for the train build) and it came to over $60 for a part around 20mm x 20mm x 60 mm (and I shelled it out to save on material costs)

[perdu]

Well there'd be no time for a set of seats from Safeways/Shapeways or even Asda now but I have remade them

 

No pictures yet because no harnesses on yet but inother moves I have been trying to hustle along

 

Not sure I'm going to have it fully done, maybe change her to undergoing blade changes 

 

Anyway here's where we are so far

 

tail undercarriage fionished and fitted awaiting a wheel of course but does have the tie  down rings attached

 

Horrid modern paint will thicken the rings enough for me too

 

Also in shot RIF receptacle (I dont know what its called so that will be my guess) at the front of the doorway and the pipe down to the underside fuel pipeworks and the upper door runner

 

Oh yes, the lower arm of the main undercarriage awaiting a home brewed shock assembly

The brackets for the weapons pylons also added now

 

A slightly larger tail leg shot, sexy huh?

 

Underneath is a lot of the fuel ductwork, a bit more to add for the other side maybe

And the resin sonar duct with wire sonar buoy guides

 

 

And in the drivers seat, his handbrake assembly (OK I know it is the rotor brake)

 

I decided in the interest of my sanity not to have the brake on, sorry but... stuff happens

 

 

Of course I have put a brake pipe in, NO I have not bled it through

 

I have some cables to add to the other side of the roof switchery,

 

Sunday mayhap!

 

Time is running out but I am enjoying fitting this in between long sessions of "No fumes please, my asthma..."* but we're getting there slowly

 

 

 

 

*I dont blame her for worrying, it's a rotten condition to be stuck with

 

 

Edited January 27, 2017 by perdu
Need spelling lessons

[hendie]

can't wait to see this with some new clothes on

[heloman1]

Getting close Bill, keep at her a lot can happen in a week...

 

Colin

[MickE]

Agreed, your doing well keep at it, nearly there.

Mick

[milktrip]

Indeed, keep up the great work Bill.

[perdu]

OK Memo to Bill

 

finish the undersides topography for the fuelling system gubbinsery

add (dogkennel?) drain vents

finish external pipery and aerial fitments

cannibalise Italeri rotor gear

 

and breathe

 

I have made the bulk of the underside channeling and pipery, just a few extra bits to put in to finish off as per memo

One of the stores stations has its mount bracketry in production, more in a minute about that

 

I've made up a pair of legs to replace the distorted things Matchbox think looks like a single tube with a slightly swollen diameter in one place part way up, or down from the top

 

Most models seem to get that wrong, I've just swollen them with a turn or two of Tamiya tape, at this late stage it will be enough

and the same on this side

 

Aha, you can also see that I have mounted the instrument panel, copied from an etch one but in plasticard and transfer paper

 

And oh yes, the driver can sit down

 

If he lets that seat pan down from the up position

 

In fact everybody has a seat now, including the looker

 

He doesn't have to bother with his, he can just slip in and get strapped in

 

 

I'm much happier with the size now,  a bit narrower and a good bit shorter so I can tidy the rear sound proof quilting and pop the roof on

 

Before I pop it on I need to knock up the IP cowling and trim the wiring harness along the overhead switch console

 

As I showed earlier I have begun making the stores delivery system

 

The torpedo will be this (nearly) type 44 and I have found pictures of type 44s being carried by two different types of carrier

The 4+ book shows drawings of both styles so I am making both and will decide later this week (EEEEEK Its this weeek!!!) which one to mount

The ejector unit seems to be the same as the pair I made for my Wasp so I will simply make one more, I'm NOT putting carriers on both sides

 

As you see I have made moulds for both sizes and a couple of pulls of the smaller type

 

Humphrey is wearing both types of unit now at the museum so I have decent pictures to work from

 

Well guys this is Sunday signing off

 

Hi its Monday and I'm awa' to my bed

 

night all