Jump to content

MACH 2 ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH ARGOSY C MK1


adey m

Recommended Posts

Well its been two years now since my Argosy ' entered service ' so I thought I would post a little update.

 

resized_259f060d-4db7-4249-8ac2-5974d447

 

My Argosy now wears an aircraft recognition letter on its forward fuselage. In the background is a visiting Wessex from 72 Squadron Air Support Command.

 

resized_98e7d414-9a77-40e5-83f3-4472d275

 

BW Models white metal ground power trolley in foreground.

 

  • Like 28
  • Thanks 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...

I’ve just come across this build as I do some research in advance of a civil version operated in Australia I want to build. 

 

I was fortunate to see this finished model at Telford and can attest to the quality of the result. Just outstanding!

 

Having now seen and read your approach I feel I’m about ready to give it a go. 

 

Thank you you for sharing these and for thinking of others who may follow in your footsteps. Very much appreciated!

 

AGW..

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Only just come across this as I’ve been contemplating buying one for a while but the silly prices and rough quality of the kit puts me off. 

 

This example is amazing though! What an utterly beautiful model, and so much extra work with a crude kit. Outstanding.
 

I probably still won’t buy one though, no way I can get it near this standard. 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had the great privilege of seeing this model in person at SMW '18 and agree that "impressive" is an understatement when describing this model.  It really takes things to a new level...but I'm with Lord Riot in that I won't attempt it myself.

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/18/2016 at 7:49 PM, adey m said:

resized_a3579eae-1991-4862-9668-f89f8bb6

 

Crew rest facilities in place.

 

Flight deck emergency exit cut out.

I remember that flight deck ladder because many years ago as an ATC Cadet, I was standing at the top of it- totally unsecured! - behind the flight crew of a 115 squadron machine out of Cottesmore when we landed!

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very glad to see this thread resurrected by @Lord Riot, partly because it's a great build and partly to discover @adey m's model transportation top tip!

 

@Graham T's mention of the flight deck reminded me of the occasion quite a few years ago when, during a model show at the Coventry museum, I was fortunate enough to sit in the captain's seat of the preserved ex-Elan Argosy. Without giving it much thought I adjusted the pedals and seat for my long legs. The accompanying museum volunteer gave me a very strange look, then said, "You've done that before!". "Maybe," I replied, "but definitely not in one of these...!"

Jon

  • Like 4
  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

What an excellent model !!

Strange, just this morning before I'd even thought about looking in here it crossed my mind that

I have a Vacform of this aircraft tucked away in a dark corner of the loft. Perhaps I should look it out !!

 

Yes, Mach2 are what they are, my own experience being building 2 Valiants and to be fair they were easier than a Contrail vacform of

which I've also built 2.

 

The kit gives enough to make a model, it takes skill, patience and even bloody minded determination to produce something as good

as this. You deserve all the praise readers of this thread give.

 

'V'

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for your kind praise and interesting comments.

 

I always love to read about personal experiences guys had with the real aircraft.

 

I have never been inside an Argosy but I remember seeing them in Singapore and then watching the 115 Squadron ones flying around Cottesmore and one of these doing circuits at Waddington in 1973 at a low height with one engine feathered. An amazing spectacle and sound.

 

Kind regards

 

Adey

 

 

Edited by adey m
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have one of these under construction currently. After cleaning up the parts, it's definitely a good model to work with. Don't be put off because it says Mach 2 on the box, and I have built a few of Didier's finest. Nothing short shot, just needs a little tidying up and a touch of filler here and there. I've been using it as my mule on club build nights, and the other club members are impressed, and 2 of them have ordered one each.

 

My only gripe is the decal sheet doesn't include cheat lines (I'm doing the white and aluminium Transport Command scheme) but that isn't a deal breaker.

 

Go buy one, it's a nice kit compared to some of the rough stuff out there.

 

@'V'  You made two Mach 2 Valiants? When did you get out of Rampton?

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great to see this aircraft model on show again, what an excellent build.  This took me back to one of my more interesting jobs in MOD, this was in about 1980 and involved me booking RAF personnel and their families on non regular aircraft flights to non regular destinations.  On this occasion, my task was to get a Norwegian Pilot serving with the RAF, together with his family back to Norway for a holiday.  I found out that there was an Argosy aircraft due to fly out of RAF Benson on a navigational training exercise round RNoAF bases in a few days time.  After getting authority for the family to fly on the aircraft, I found out that there was a spare seat available and booked myself also.  So. a few days later I pitched up at Air Movements at RAF Benson and boarded an Argosy, I remember that the aircraft was rather noisy and very bumpy as we were at fairly low level, especially when we started doing 'touch and goes' at the various airfields.  As we got closer to Bodo, where we were to night-stop, we encountered some rather stormy weather and when flying over the mountains on the approach I swear that the wings were flexing up and down, that was one rough landing that I was to remember for a long time and I don't mind admitting to spending quite a long time staring into the regulation paper bag.  However, after an excellent 'Smörgåsbord' meal in the hotel, I do remember walking round the quayside at midnight looking at the assorted seaplanes moored among the fishing boats, I still have a corkscrew, fashioned out of a walrus tusk to remind me of a most memorable flight.    Robin.           

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ahh Bentwaters81tfw,

 

It didn't get me quite that bad, perhaps the biggest challenge were the two Contrail Vacs

Although it killed my enthusiasm for building aircraft models and I've had 13 years off to

recover !!

 

'V'

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, adey m said:

Crikey guys, thank you for your kind praise and interesting comments.

 

I always love to read about personal experiences guys had with the real aircraft.

 

 


Well since you like these stories here’s one from my youth that involves an Argosy…

 

 I’m guessing I was about 12 when the family was out for a Sunday drive or some-such and we decided to park up on the boundary fence at Harewood (Christchurch NZ airport) for a few minutes  and watch some air-movements. 
 

In due course a Safe-Air Argosy took off and my sister and I both saw a piece fall off it while it was climbing out. Somehow or another dad contacted the airline and got a message to the air-traffic controllers. This message got forwarded to the aircrew who reported nothing wrong.

 

We were thanked for our concern and notified that we had probably witnessed a bird-strike - the ‘falling piece of aeroplane’ in fact being a dead bird.

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Impressive model of an impressive aircraft. A once regular sight and sound operating out of Essendon Airport, Melbourne, buzzing over the suburbs. There are some nasty pics of several being broken up behind the hangers at the north end of Wirraway Road, where many a tired, old airframe met its end. Now even the hangars are gone, I think. Development, development, development. Miss the diversity of designs that were once to be seen there.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...