1/48 Trumpeter Westland Whirlwind

[Martian]

Looks like Mrs Sprueloose is as talented as you!

 

Martian

[Sprueloose]

15 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Looks like Mrs Sprueloose is as talented as you!

 

Martian

Jan has been taking watercolor classes with a friend and yes, talented like her mom was. Not so sure about me.  

 

Thanks Pete for the info about the fuel cap. I went back and re-read the repair manual for the Whirlwind and found that it's fuel filler cap is of the type that required a special tool to open. The tool(s) were stored in one or both of the engine nacelles along with a special screwdriver for undoing the Druz fasteners. So I went with the pic found through Google:

 

 

There did not appear to be an inner cap, but there was a socket for a "bonding" plug when refueling. I assume that this is an electrical grounding socket of some sort to remove the danger of a spark jumping from the refueling truck to the aircraft. I haven't Google that socket yet but I assume that it would be too small to represent anyway.

 

More scribing and filling and resribing today, plus I discovered while reading the repair manual another removable panel on the nacelles that is not represented on the kit. It's at the top of the nacelle and becomes part of the wing.

 

Opened up the fuel filler ports on the port wing and made caps. You can also see the added panel  with Druz fasteners just forward and inboard of the fuel and oil tanks. You can also see my miserable scribing job that I had to redo on the fuel tanks. 

 

I've also been looking for suitable material to represent the fuel hose for the re-fueler. That kit has the hoses neatly tidied away, whereas I want to show one line actually filling my Whirlwind. Went to the fabric store and found some possible candidates. Might search online for something more rubbery. Fun project!

 

 

I did a bunch of other scribing like the door for the radio on the starboard side of the fuselage behind the cockpit but there is still more to do!

Thanks for watching.

Terry

[Pete in Lincs]

I'm glad my guesswork was of some use to you.

All aircraft must be bonded to the refueller and

that vehicle is in turn earthed to prevent accidental

electrical discharge by providing a clear path to earth.

 

The bonding lead is usually attached to the hose

and plugs in next to the filler orifice. The hole would

be about 3/8ths of an inch diameter.

 

5 hours ago, Sprueloose said:

but there is still more to do!

There's always more to do!

Details, details....

[Sprueloose]

On 4/1/2017 at 10:26 PM, Pete in Lincs said:

The bonding lead is usually attached to the hose

and plugs in next to the filler orifice. The hole would

be about 3/8ths of an inch diameter.

 

Thanks for that Pete. 

Small update:

Worked on scribing more panels and covers. Thought that I had the hand and foot holds in the right place on the fuselage but no... so another opportunity to correct my mistakes.

Found some more panel lines on the nose. I really hope that the paint covers most of this up as it looks pretty bad as is. Plus I think I'm leaning towards the minimal panel line school. You would really have to have your nose against the wingtip to see the panel lines if it were a real aircraft miniaturized. But there is something of an attraction to putting all of the lines in and I can certainly appreciate the look achieved by highlighting them with a wash. But this aircraft was so weathered at the time that I think it will be overkill to also make the panel lines stand out. 

There are two hand/foot holds on the port side of the Whirlwind. The handhold to the rear also operates the ladder. I am unclear as to the actual mechanism involved. I think that the pilot's manual mentions something about the handhold cover releasing the ladder but there are no details and I assume that it just releases the catch and allows the ladder to drop. 

 

Many of the access panels needed to be re-scribed either because they got sanded off or because they were in the wrong place.

 

I drilled the holes for the ladder but haven't constructed the ladder yet. I did have a second shot at the pitot tubes. Albion Alloy brass tube and rod, soldered with a dot of epoxy to improve the line. The vertical tube is flattened, as the real thing has a streamlined profile to reduce drag.

 

 

More scribing tomorrow and a bit of filling and sanding no doubt. Feel like I am coming to the end of that portion of the build. Or am I just sick of it? 

In any case the model needs another coat of primer to show me what needs attention.

I am thinking of priming it with black after that and then aluminum as a base for the weathering. I'm not too concerned about getting a mirror finish for the aluminum as it will only be showing on those areas that are worn. Fun times ahead.

Thanks for watching.

Terry

[Sprueloose]

I think that I am done with as much re-scribing as I want to do. No doubt there are more access panels but enough is enough. So I worked on getting the tail wheel back in place. Slip on a piece of drilled out plastic tubing and a little ring.

 

Then attached the door opening arms that pull the doors closed as the wheel retracts up into the fuselage.

Sorry the photos a bit fuzzy.

 

Tried my home printed decal for the knockout window on the old kit's ruined canopy. I soaked the decal for quite a while and finally budged it off the backing with my finger! Went on just fine and seems to have set OK! So after I have painted the good model I will remove it's masking and do that canopy! 

 

Finally I gave both models a coat of primer to see where I'm at with the sanding etc. Right off I know that I will be filling panel lines that I over scribed! Perhaps if I'm careful I can get away with not sanding but just using Perfect Putty and wiping it down with a moist cotton bud. 

 

Attaching the ailerons and the pitot tube are next. 

Thanks for watching.

Terry

[Martian]

The knockout panel looks, well; knockout.

 

Martian

[Bandsaw Steve]

Yep, good outcome with that panel. I remember that causing some uncertainty earlier on but it's worked out well.👍

[Sprueloose]

A little more work today. Yesterday I let the model's sit so that the primer could have a chance to harden up, and in the mean time I busied myself tidying up the workbench a bit and then made the little formation lights that are stuck on the wingtips.

 

 

The drawing calls them navigation lights but I am pretty sure that those are the big lights let into the leading edge of the wingtips. Somewhere else I saw them called formation lights. Don't know what color they were but perhaps they should be the same color as the navigation lights. 

I soldered some little pieces of brass tube to a short length of rod to represent them and will fill both ends with Klear and paint them appropriately. 

 

 

Today I got to touch the models again and started in filling and gently buffing out the panel lines for a softer look. 

 

 

Painted the tail wheel bay 

 

 

And re-attached the ailerons:

 

 

Yesterday I primed the pitot tubes with Alcad black primer. (I think it adheres to the brass better than Stynlrez  since it's lacquer based). And then this morning I gave them a coat of Vallejo Duraluminum.

So this afternoon I test fit one with a little bit of foil folded over the tail tip to mimic the real aircraft.

 

 

So enough for today.

Thanks for looking in, and thanks for the encouragement Martian and Reconcilor!

Terry

 

 

[Martian]

Keep it up Terry, you will be at the paint stage soon!

 

Martian

[Sprueloose]

8 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Keep it up Terry, you will be at the paint stage soon!

 

Martian

Kind of dreading that fact Martian. This being my first go at it, plus all of the "obstacles " that I have given myself, i.e. airbrushing, painted markings, etc. So far it's the scratch building that I have enjoyed most. Tinkering with the Albion refueling truck will be my solice in the weeks ahead! Keeping it fun!

[corsaircorp]

40 minutes ago, Sprueloose said:

Kind of dreading that fact Martian. This being my first go at it, plus all of the "obstacles " that I have given myself, i.e. airbrushing, painted markings, etc. So far it's the scratch building that I have enjoyed most. Tinkering with the Albion refueling truck will be my solice in the weeks ahead! Keeping it fun!

Hello Terry,

Just found your thread right now, Dreading what ??

It seem that you've overcomed a lot of "first" with these Whirlies..

And the way you've coped with all those first, gave me some faith in your results.

Painting is not my cup of tea, but I think your first will be better than my tenth or so

Sincerely

Corsaircorp

PS saved your thread since I have the same kit to do. Thanks, nice job

[Sprueloose]

On 4/8/2017 at 9:32 AM, corsaircorp said:

Hello Terry,

Just found your thread right now, Dreading what ??

It seem that you've overcomed a lot of "first" with these Whirlies..

And the way you've coped with all those first, gave me some faith in your results.

Painting is not my cup of tea, but I think your first will be better than my tenth or so

Sincerely

Corsaircorp

PS saved your thread since I have the same kit to do. Thanks, nice job

Thanks for the support corsaircorp! 

I think that if I was going to do this kit again I would start by contacting the folks at the Whirlwind Fighter Project directly and see if they had good verified plans to go by. I just browsed their site and found the Kookaburra magazine spread on the Whirlwind, which had some nice detailed plans. Then I would compare them to the Trumpeter kit and see if it was worth trying to modify. Not so sure that I would have gone the route I did after all is said and done. But I did it for the fun of modifying the plastic not so much for the belief that I will end up with an accurate representation of the aircraft itself.

 

Today was a ladder day. I decided to tackle making the collapsing ladder that pops out of the bottom of the plane to let the pilot mount the beast. Do all aircraft expect pilots to enter them from the ports side, just like a horse? Seems that way. Rather quaint throwback to the horse cavalry days. Officers only please, all others crawl up however you can! That means you Baldrick!

Here is a photo from the starboard side which show said ladder fairly well. The bottom rung's shaft collapses into the upper rung's shaft and the whole business is thrust up into the fuselage "smartly" (as the pilot's manual states), I assume so that the internal catch clicks and locks the ladder out of the way. This shove, was given by one of the ground crew, god help them if they forgot! Not sure there was an indicator light for the ladder.

Note the additional bit of metal at the bottom of the ladder to cover the whole thing up and conform to the fuselage.

 

 

So out with the brass tubing and the solder. In this photo the lower step will be added to the legs farthest from the camera.

 

 

Bit fiddly to get everything lined up and secured before the seemingly massive soldering iron makes an appearance. This first step shows a delicate touch with the soldering iron that didn't continue in the second step!

 

 

There is something ignoble about having to file and cut away excess solder. I'm sure the instructor will be by with a few well chosen remarks. A least I didn't have to resort to epoxy to complete the basic form this time, unlike the pitot tubes!

Obviously I didn't go for the more realistic totally functional collapsing version of the ladder. Ha!

Oh, I should mention that I finally ran across the method for dropping the ladder. There is a push button on the fuselage just above the ladder. Not sure I will represent it as it was undoubtable  rather small. You can only go on this ride if you can reach the push button!

 

Actually the first thing I did this morning was to cut down the landing gear deployment indicators (or whatever they are called!) I love these things for some reason. So basic and "primitive" .. landing gear goes down and these pins pop up out of the wings at the back of the engine nacelles. Sort of like the little plastic thingie that pops up when your game bird has reached the correct state of doneness. (not sure if you see those anywhere else in the world but here in the states at Thanksgiving time, when we roast a turkey).

 

Enough!.. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Terry

 

Spring is definitely here my wife is out planting a rose and a flowering currant.

Good times!

 

 

 

[keefr22]

Hi Terry,

 

I've been lurking in the shadows watching your thread for a while now, lots of marvellous modifying going on, but I had to post to say that your ladder is tremendous - cracking bit of metalworking! 

 

I have this thing in the stash, and while I admire the extra mile you are going with it, mine will be thrown together just as it comes! It'll be interesting to see how much better your much improved one looks alongside Trumpeters idea of the aeroplane if you manage to finish them both - chalk & cheese comes to mind!

 

ATB

Keith

 

PS off the top of my head, two aircraft entered from the starboard side were the Starfighter & Buccaneer - my contribution to 'useless trivia of the day' !

[Sprueloose]

6 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Hi Terry,

 

I've been lurking in the shadows watching your thread for a while now, lots of marvellous modifying going on, but I had to post to say that your ladder is tremendous - cracking bit of metalworking! 

 

I have this thing in the stash, and while I admire the extra mile you are going with it, mine will be thrown together just as it comes! It'll be interesting to see how much better your much improved one looks alongside Trumpeters idea of the aeroplane if you manage to finish them both - chalk & cheese comes to mind!

 

ATB

Keith

 

PS off the top of my head, two aircraft entered from the starboard side were the Starfighter & Buccaneer - my contribution to 'useless trivia of the day' !

Keith, 

 

I don't think you would notice the difference in the length and width of the fuselage between the modified one and the one right out of the box unless you had them in your hand. But having the Fowler flap lowered is a huge difference in the look of the model.

 

Thanks for that trivia about the Starfighter and Buccaneer. Good to know that the world of aircraft is as diverse as the world outside my window. 

 

Terry

[Sprueloose]

A couple of days of little fiddly stuff. 

First I noticed that the kit representation of the coolant access panels on the engine nacelles is wrong. It's a round panel opened by a single fastener and is hinged a one side so the panel remains attached to the aircraft when open. The model shows it as a round access panel sealed with multiple fasteners within it's perimeter. Here you can see the real thing, just barely, on the engine nacelle :

 

 

 

So I stopped my fine sanding and dabbed some Mr Surfacer 500 on the offending detail and will rescribe it tomorrow or the next day.

 

 

There are also several panels that are proud of the surface or don't fit all that well on the aircraft and I have put some bare metal foil on them to give them a bit more definition. Like the radio access door on the starboard side:

 

Reattached the channels under the radiator flaps that I whacked off in the dim distant past.. They project a bit from the back of the flap and the Fowler flaps have a roller that rides in them and forces them up to open the radiator flap when the Fowler flap is lowered:

 

 

I also added back on the Fowler flap guides on the old kit that got whacked off as well with my clumsy handling. I had to sculpt these out of sprew:

 

 

More sanding ahead. But I am closing in on a coat of paint!

Terry

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

I'm still here watching, Terry.

It's looking good and best wishes for the paint!

[Sprueloose]

On 4/12/2017 at 11:42 AM, Pete in Lincs said:

I'm still here watching, Terry.

It's looking good and best wishes for the paint!

Thanks Pete I'm still waiting for my paint to arrive, but I am managing to find things to do:

 

Installed the aiming bead or whatever it's called:

 

 

Installed the little formation lights at the tips of the wings. Sorry a bit blurry:

 

 

Partially recessed the hand/foot holds to represent their flaps. I have seen some photos where these little flaps don't completely shut so seemed OK to do. Made a "mask" of a piece of plastic and used a chisel to scrape the foothold flap back a bit at the bottom:

 

 

Today I worked on the canons. I think that I mentioned that Master doesn't make a set of canons for this aircraft so I modified a set from a Hawker Hurricane by adding bits of brass tubing to create the flash suppressor at business end. Decided to us CA glue instead of soldering them:

 

 

Then I went about scribing the vents. First I stacked a bunch of old blades together like I did with the kit's plastic versions way back when and used that to get some regular lines on the suppressors before finishing off with my scalpel:

 

 

Finally I added a little section of tubing to increase the diameter of the canons just behind the suppressors. I didn't have tubing large enough so I just split the closest that I had and filled the small gap with epoxy:

 

 

Here's the real thing:

 

 

All for now. Hope you are enjoy the spring! Sunny here in Portland for a change!

 

Terry

 

 

 

 

[Martian]

Nice work with those guns Tony.

 

Martian

[canberra kid]

Very nice work on a tricky kit, keep up the good work, Teddy Petter rocks!

[keefr22]

That's more crcking metalwork there Terry, & I'm stealing that 'stack of blades' idea for scribing close spaced bunches of lines!

 

Nice work!

 

keith

[Sprueloose]

5 hours ago, keefr22 said:

That's more crcking metalwork there Terry, & I'm stealing that 'stack of blades' idea for scribing close spaced bunches of lines!

 

Nice work!

 

keith

Kieth it's pretty hard to get all of the blades to score but at least it gave me a place to start. 

 

14 hours ago, canberra kid said:

Very nice work on a tricky kit, keep up the good work, Teddy Petter rocks!

Thanks for the encouragement! Petter designed some interesting planes. My favorite I think would be the Lysander.

 

14 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

Nice work with those guns Tony.

 

Martian

 

Thanks Martian for continuing to look in. 

Terry.

 

Nothing to show for today as I have been relocating a gas pipe in our kitchen for our new stove. The pipe is in and now I just need to put up a little blocking to support it. Fitted the guns in the Whirlwind. Had to drill out the ports in the nose as their diameter doesn't match the plastic parts. I won't install them until after I've painted it. A little break here while I wait for the black paint I ordered to go under the aluminum. I might do a little work on the refueling truck for the diorama. I need to get paint for it too, but I will see about getting what I need in town here, not from Japan or wherever the the other is coming from.

Cheers

Terry

[Sprueloose]

The body lay spread eagle on the slab. It's chest open in several gaping wounds. The accident at the factory had left it disfigured and with obvious bits missing. I had been struggling for what seemed like months to make the "client" presentable. It was going to be viewed by friends and family so I was trying my best to re-assemble this poor soul into a shape that would not shock. Today I was working on the bits of skin that had been removed exposing the prolapsed ..... undercarriage.

 

 

 

Yeah well, going a bit nuts here. But managed to re-focus today and work on the landing bay doors. I have no pictures to go by and I am sure that what I have created is wildly out of scale but I hope to pare it down a bit.   It satisfies me to construct something that is in some way a physical possibility. Over-engineering is a family trait by the way. Work to do yet on them but here they are:  

 

 

 

Cheers from the embalmer!

Terry

 

[Sprueloose]

What was I thinking??? Today I woke up and realized that the hinges that I created yesterday are ridiculous and need to be removed. The kit's representation is more to scale and simpler, taking up no space in the bay itself. So off they come today... Hohum, I just don't like the idea that the doors are just hanging there held on with a dab of glue!

Onward!

Thanks for baring with me.

Terry

[Sprueloose]

Removed my behemoth hinges to the landing bay doors and added back the tabs that had been removed earlier in the build.

 

 

Did a little detailing to the landing bays:

 

 

Thanks for checking in.

Terry

[HomerJ_757]

You, sir, have the patience of a saint!  Well done with what you have achieved so far!