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Westland Scout 1/48 kit mangle/scratch/trash/bash


hendie

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You lot!  Can't keep your noses out can you?   There I was, happily building a nice wee Scout, putting bits together and watching it all come together and then the rabble throw their oars in and look what happened

 

P9160002.jpg

 

Now nearly four and a half years into this build, and I'm further back than I was four years ago!

 

It's going to be a lot of fun trying to get that roof to stay in place. At the front end, the only place it touches the fuselage is at the outer corners - there's a nice gap all along the lower edge of the windscreen. I'll figure it out. Somehow.

 

P9160003.jpg

 

As you are all aware, the printer has been chugging along pretty constantly these last few weeks, so it made sense to print out some new parts, and this time I included a instrument panel and center console as the kit parts are on a par with the gearbox and engine.

 

P9160001.jpg

 

This shot should really have been in the last update. This is the result of nearly three years worth of sanding and shaping after the Waspy bits were removed.

 

P9170007.jpg

 

As I removed the doors, those front windows kept glaring at me.  Yup.  Out they came and after a fair bit of scribing and chiseling I got them to sit slightly proud of the fuselage, and then it was time to repeat the Whirlwind micromesh, micromesh, micromesh dance until I had got the windows back to some form of clarity.  I do feel better for it though.  The original fit of the windows was quite awful.

 

P9170004.jpg

 

Look Giorgio - paint!   This early in a hendiebuild too.  This was more of a necessity as there's a bunch of greeblies that fir in the front end, so paint must be applied in those areas I'm never going to be able to reach again.

 

P9170006.jpg

 

I used my first console/IP to test fit other bits and pieces and found that it needed a few mods itself, so since I needed to print out another one, I added a few buttons and wotnots to give it a more businesslike appearance.

 

P9180017.jpg

 

P.S. Giorgio - there's paint on that console too!

and sine the doors will be off and you'll be able to glare at the internals I tried to make it as interesting as possible - there's even a magazine rack for the TV Times.

 

P9180018.jpg

 

The panel is only dry fitted at the mo' - still lots of greeblies to sort out in there. Greebles such as this shelf,  along with some black rectangular thing that sits between the console and the nose, overlapping each window slightly.

 

P9180019.jpg

 

Of course, it's totally invisible in that photo, but I know it's there.

 

Yes, I've got to check if the canopy is still going to fit and no doubt it will require more modifications to the IP and coaming before that is going to work. 

What's life without a challenge eh?

 

Rudder pedals are underway and I have absolutely no idea what else, or what's next on the agenda.   

 

Dib Dib y'all

 

 

 

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You lot!  Can't keep your noses out can you?   There I was, happily building a nice wee Scout, putting bits together and watching it all come together and then the rabble throw their oars in and look what happened

 

P9160002.jpg

 

Now nearly four and a half years into this build, and I'm further back than I was four years ago!

 

It's going to be a lot of fun trying to get that roof to stay in place. At the front end, the only place it touches the fuselage is at the outer corners - there's a nice gap all along the lower edge of the windscreen. I'll figure it out. Somehow.

 

P9160003.jpg

 

As you are all aware, the printer has been chugging along pretty constantly these last few weeks, so it made sense to print out some new parts, and this time I included a instrument panel and center console as the kit parts are on a par with the gearbox and engine.

 

P9160001.jpg

 

This shot should really have been in the last update. This is the result of nearly three years worth of sanding and shaping after the Waspy bits were removed.

 

P9170007.jpg

 

As I removed the doors, those front windows kept glaring at me.  Yup.  Out they came and after a fair bit of scribing and chiseling I got them to sit slightly proud of the fuselage, and then it was time to repeat the Whirlwind micromesh, micromesh, micromesh dance until I had got the windows back to some form of clarity.  I do feel better for it though.  The original fit of the windows was quite awful.

 

P9170004.jpg

 

Look Giorgio - paint!   This early in a hendiebuild too.  This was more of a necessity as there's a bunch of greeblies that fir in the front end, so paint must be applied in those areas I'm never going to be able to reach again.

 

P9170006.jpg

 

I used my first console/IP to test fit other bits and pieces and found that it needed a few mods itself, so since I needed to print out another one, I added a few buttons and wotnots to give it a more businesslike appearance.

 

P9180017.jpg

 

P.S. Giorgio - there's paint on that console too!

and sine the doors will be off and you'll be able to glare at the internals I tried to make it as interesting as possible - there's even a magazine rack for the TV Times.

 

P9180018.jpg

 

The panel is only dry fitted at the mo' - still lots of greeblies to sort out in there. Greebles such as this shelf,  along with some black rectangular thing that sits between the console and the nose, overlapping each window slightly.

 

P9180019.jpg

 

Of course, it's totally invisible in that photo, but I know it's there.

 

Yes, I've got to check if the canopy is still going to fit and no doubt it will require more modifications to the IP and coaming before that is going to work. 

What's life without a challenge eh?

 

Rudder pedals are underway and I have absolutely no idea what else, or what's next on the agenda.   

 

Dib Dib y'all

 

 

 

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A short midweek update to keep things up to date. Looks like I'm going to have a busy weekend and may not get any time for modeling, and I'm also off on my travels again next week.

 

I'm in one of those chicken and the egg situations.  I don't want to put the roof on before I have the interior all fixed, and I can't fix anything in the interior until I have the canopy/windscreen in place as I need that to get the final location for the instrument panel.

However, I still have a bunch of bits to be making up for the interior.

Pedal boxes for instance.

 

P9200009.jpg

 

I've since decided that the left hand seat will have no flying controls so I shall remove the rubber pedals from that side and just leave the pedal box in situ.

I spent a lovely hour or two getting sever eye strain painting up the dashboard.

 

P9200010.jpg

 

The kit part for the rear bench seat is woeful. Really.  I had no alternative but to make one up and of course, there's nothing better for this type of job than brass.

 

P9210015.jpg

 

I had purchased a set of parallel jawed pliers the other week and they were perfect for holding  4 pieces of rod simultaneously so I could get all the bends equal

 

P9210014.jpg

 

don't know why I stopped painting to take this shot, but you can see that I used cigarette foil once again for the canvas seat.  It really is a wonderful material for this type of part.

 

P9220018.jpg

 

A few more greebles added - the swing down legs, short stubby legs, and some straps to hold the legs up.   That rod is 0.8mm and still looks a bit on the large side. I must order some finer brass rod for future work.

 

P9220023.jpg

 

There will be a little more detailing on the bench seat but not much, and I'm pleased with how it's turned out.  Enjoyable to make, mainly because there's only one of them.

When finished it will be attached to this bulkhead, though sitting higher up.  Definitely needs some weathering there to take away the blandness.

 

P9220021.jpg

 

The canopy got  dusting of transparent blue followed by a dusting of transparent smoke to darken it down as the blue was a bit bright. As it turns out the transparent smoke is not really all that transparent, but since the doors will be off to see inside it's not that bog a deal.

 

P9220020.jpg

 

After putting it off for a while and not being able to figure out a good plan, I just went for it and glued some plasticard on to the tail to make a start on the reshaping - which I am not looking forward to at all.

 

P9220019.jpg

 

In between all those little jobs I added some detailing to the instrument panel.  I added some decals to the gauges.  They are by no means airscale quality - they are some leftover italeri instruments from my Wessex build. The white box thing is decal strip and yes, it was a real pain to add.  I can see one little rogue strip making the corner look untidy. With any luck I can disguise that with just a touch of paint.

 

P9220016.jpg

 

Then during the week, my long awaited order from Hannants came through. 

 

P9210013.jpg

 

I finally have the roundels I need to finish off that Whirlwind :D.  The fairing has been glossed in preparation for the final act of stickering. So I can at last get that airframe out of my dusty basement and into the display cabinet

 

until next time folks.

 

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More lovely printed stuff Alan. The engine, gearbox and console look fantastic. I still need to figure out Fusion properly to get the best out of it - I tried free-drawing but can't figure out how to get curved surfaces to join without straight edges!

 

Ian

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excellent

 

I love the pedal boxes

 

 

Do not like the blue canopy, never spotted a bright blue canopy, ever

 

Maybe misted on smoke before a very lightly misted blue ending like this

228264-zps94816bdb.jpg

 

The new tail is a promising idea, stolen for my Whirlwind HC10 Borneo tribute

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Glad to see this one on the go again Alan, and what superb progress you are making.

 

A very bold (but good I think) decision on the doors I would say, although before I got to the bit where they came off, I was expecting a "took them off and printed some better ones"

 

And as for this comment.................

 

On 9/16/2021 at 5:41 PM, John_W said:

My brother was REME and used to fix Scouts for 652 sqn.

If they fitted and fired the door mounted Gimpy the whole helicopter would go sideways.

 

I still can't stop laughing, as true as I'm certain it was.

 

RN colleagues will confirm I'm sure but didnt they used to take the doors off Wasp's to save weight in order to carry a decent weapon load?

 

Looking forward to this one very much.

 

Terry

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23 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

RN colleagues will confirm I'm sure but didnt they used to take the doors off Wasp's to save weight in order to carry a decent weapon load?

IIRC it was so the driver and his mate could depart more quickly when they ditched… or was that just a bonus?

Edited by Galligraphics
Fumble fingers…
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time to red oot the dookit as my old grampa would say.

 

On 9/23/2021 at 3:05 AM, Brandy said:

More lovely printed stuff Alan. The engine, gearbox and console look fantastic. I still need to figure out Fusion properly to get the best out of it - I tried free-drawing but can't figure out how to get curved surfaces to join without straight edges!

 

Ian

 

Wish I could help you Ian but I'm a SolidWorks guy and have no idea about the command structure in Fusion

 

On 9/23/2021 at 3:34 AM, perdu said:

excellent

 

I love the pedal boxes

 

 

Do not like the blue canopy, never spotted a bright blue canopy, ever

 

Maybe misted on smoke before a very lightly misted blue ending like this

 

 

The new tail is a promising idea, stolen for my Whirlwind HC10 Borneo tribute

 

Noted Bill. Canopy cleaned and tried again

 

On 9/23/2021 at 4:59 AM, AdrianMF said:

I'm wondering how much original plastic is going to be left! The mods to open up the interior for display are great, but before you get carried away, remember:

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

I think I'm only using about 6 pieces from the kit. Two fuselage sides, canopy, floor, transmission deck, and maybe the tail rotor blade.  I don't know why I do this to myself, I really don't.

 

On 9/23/2021 at 9:32 AM, Terry1954 said:

Glad to see this one on the go again Alan, and what superb progress you are making.

 

A very bold (but good I think) decision on the doors I would say, although before I got to the bit where they came off, I was expecting a "took them off and printed some better ones"

 

And as for this comment.................

 

 

I still can't stop laughing, as true as I'm certain it was.

 

RN colleagues will confirm I'm sure but didnt they used to take the doors off Wasp's to save weight in order to carry a decent weapon load?

 

Looking forward to this one very much.

 

Terry

 

if only it had been that simple Terry.  I need to stop listening to Bill & Co.

 

On 9/23/2021 at 5:27 PM, The Spadgent said:

That console is a thing of beauty. ❤️

 

cheers Johnny.

 

On 9/24/2021 at 9:06 AM, Galligraphics said:

RN colleagues will confirm I'm sure but didnt they used to take the doors off Wasp's to save weight in order to carry a decent weapon load?

IIRC it was so the driver and his mate could depart more quickly when they ditched… or was that just a bonus?

 

or so they could run away quicker when they landed to avoid any embarrassment at having been seen flying in one?

 

17 hours ago, phildagreek said:

Oh my word, a labour of love in such a tiny space. Your instrument panel / pedestal is really rather smart that will make the interior.

 

thanks Phil

 

Following Bills taunting last episode I took another gander at the canopy.  Although Bill won't believe me, it doesn't look anywhere near as blue in the flesh - the camera is definitely not capturing the right color at all.  However, always one to try new things, I stripped the canopy back and tried again.

Last time around I had sprayed blue first, followed by transparent smoke.  This time I went for the transparent smoke first.

Ehhrrrr, it's not very transparent is it?

 

P9230001.jpg

 

Undaunted, I plodded on and sprayed the blue.  Okay, it's slightly darker than last time around, but not much to be honest.

 

P9230002.jpg

 

But when you look up close, you can see that the transparent smoke ain't transparent in the least, and it's mottled the canopy.  

 

P9230004.jpg

 

Last time, when I sprayed the blue first, it gave a nice uniform covering, and when the smoke went on behind the blue the mottling was still there, but was nowhere near as prominent as it is when the colors are reversed.  From normal viewing distance you really don't see the mottling effect.  I'm not sure where to go from this point. Do they do a transparent grey?  Can I mix something with the blue?  I dunno.

I may just leave it as is because the canopy is going to have to be fitted soon otherwise the build will stall.

 

On other fronts, I revisited the MRGB.  During the week I had attempted to fit the bracing tubes, but when I tried to use anything small enough to look "in scale" it was too flimsy and I just could get a neat job, or at least one I was happy with.  Back to the digital drawing board, and I added the braces as well as a few other bits and bobbins. If I remember correctly, those bracing tubes ended up being about 0.4, or maybe even 0.35mm in diameter. Before anyone mentions it, I realize the front starboard braces should go all the way to the deck, but I was concerned that at that length they would either not print properly, or be too easily damaged during handling. As it was, getting it off the supports intact was a game in itself.

 

P9240006.jpg

 

I even tried some of that old fashioned scratch building nonsense. For this, I blue-tac'd the MRGB and the engine in place to give me some kind of reference feature so I can (attempt to) size the additional greeblies in something approaching scale.

Everything on this is so small... that box affair which is something to do with the hydraulics (I think) took a good several hours to assemble from scrap styrene rod, sheet, resin nuts & bolts, stainless wire, and I even used some bits from the Fly Wessex

 

P9250011.jpg

 

It could do with being a little bit smaller, but being honest, I think this is about the limits of my abilities.  It's going to get interesting later on as there is a load of hydraulic pipes and hoses sprouting from the back of this assembly and they disappear into various areas of the engine, which itself has a spaghetti nest wrapped around it. 

 

P9250009.jpg

 

Call me weak willed, but I fell back into my old bad habits and printed some seats.  I figured if I scratch build everything that needs replaced on this kit, it's going to be another year or two before it gets finished, and I have a Wapiti waiting on me, as well as a few other kits.

 

P9250013.jpg

 

Still a bit of clean up to do on the seats, but I think it looks the part.  It's not accurate but at this scale it's just not possible to keep everything true to scale and some allowances have to be made.

 

P9250012.jpg

 

I doubt if there will be another update until at least next weekend as I'm off on my travels again this coming week.  Michigan this time I think. 

Keep safe mes amis 

 

 

 

 

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Neat looking sets and other printed parts Alan. I had the same problem with Tamiya Smoke on my 72nd Scout, quite grainy!!!

Lynx7 (no longer amongst on these pages)(hiding somewhere), used a brown marker pen for a build, may have been a Merlin!

 

Colin

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I had trouble with Tamiya Smoke a couple of years back. The top panel of my little SF-260 Canopy is supposed to be dark tinted and see through. It is neither IMHO!

 

20180828_135851

 

Maybe you could try marker pens?

 

Terry

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17 hours ago, hendie said:

If I remember correctly, those bracing tubes ended up being about 0.4, or maybe even 0.35mm in diameter. Before anyone mentions it, I realize the front starboard braces should go all the way to the deck, but I was concerned that at that length they would either not print properly, or be too easily damaged during handling

Good call. Down at the 0.35mm region you have to factor in the effects of both earth's gravity and the Coriolis force....😁 A delightfully carbuncly engine!

 

I like @AdrianMF's watercolour solution (pun a gratuitous extra...) to tinting the glass Alan: as a medium it can reproduce the most delicate of tints.

18 hours ago, hendie said:

as I'm off on my travels again this coming week.  Michigan this time I think.

Bring us back a stick of rock Dad. Safe travels.

 

 

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Ah...

go-on-father-ted.gif

 

okay then.  One more quick update before I depart for other climes.

 

15 hours ago, The Spadgent said:

Holy moly. Every time I see a you say. “Just printed” my finger moves closer to that purchase button. 😬 which printer do you have again? 
lovely work on the internals and gears.

Hope you have a nice holiday. 
 

Johnny.

 

 

Holiday?  It's for work Johnny, and traveling alone so it's going to be a bit of a boring trip.

The printer?

I have the for all intents and purposes, now obsolete Elegoo Mars which has provided sterling service with no signs of giving up the ghost yet.  Tony also has one of these, along with the Mars 2 (faster printing time), but I am seriously considering the Mars 3

Go on, you know you want to. You are also a 3D Max user aren't you?   So designing in #d isn't going to be any problem for you.  I don't know why you're holding back.

 

13 hours ago, James G said:

Looking really good!

 

thanks James

 

12 hours ago, heloman1 said:

Neat looking sets and other printed parts Alan. I had the same problem with Tamiya Smoke on my 72nd Scout, quite grainy!!!

Lynx7 (no longer amongst on these pages)(hiding somewhere), used a brown marker pen for a build, may have been a Merlin!

 

Colin

 

thanks Colin.  I'm a bit reluctant to try marker pens, but I may try it out on a spare canopy to see how it turns out

 

10 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

I had trouble with Tamiya Smoke a couple of years back. The top panel of my little SF-260 Canopy is supposed to be dark tinted and see through. It is neither IMHO!

<snip>

Maybe you could try marker pens?

 

Terry

 

see previous response Terry - thanks

 

7 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

I’ve mixed water colours with Future for an “Old 66 - Apollo” job:

<snip>

Sorry about the rubbish photo, snapped on my modelling bench just now.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

another suggestion worth trying - thanks

 

6 hours ago, Galligraphics said:

That looks really effective - must try that idea…

 

let me know how it goes - you'll probably get around to it before me

 

 

5 hours ago, RichieW said:

Happy travels Hendie, your printed parts are fantastic. Nothing wrong with using available technology, especially when the results are this good!

 

Richie

 

 

certainly makes life easier in some instances Richie - though maybe not quite as satisfying as a good piece of scratching

 

5 hours ago, Segursky said:

Doing a great job with this beautiful Helicopter!

 

thanks Segursky

 

51 minutes ago, TheBaron said:

Good call. Down at the 0.35mm region you have to factor in the effects of both earth's gravity and the Coriolis force....😁 A delightfully carbuncly engine!

 

I like @AdrianMF's watercolour solution (pun a gratuitous extra...) to tinting the glass Alan: as a medium it can reproduce the most delicate of tints.

Bring us back a stick of rock Dad. Safe travels.

 

 

 

and carbuncle is such a delightful word.  I even names a project at work Carbuncle - nobody else here knew what it meant

Does that mean I now have to invest in some watercolors?  Damn, it's never-ending this modeling malarkey.

 

In todays mad rush to play before I leave, I thought I should try and start sticking things together.  In went the console/instrument panel, followed by some PE extras that are not accurate but play a part in adding some additional visual interest here and there.  What seems a first glance a simple little cockpit actually has a lot more going on in there once you really start looking.  There were a couple of removable floor access panels, and a cross-brace (white strip) between the console and the outer framing.

 

P9260001.jpg

 

Rudder pedals fixed in place along with some more access panels and almost impossible to see here - a support rod mounted to the floor directly in front of the pedal box, running up to provide support for the instrument panel. With a bit of filler to close up a gap I should have dealt with long ago (white mush next to the door)

 

P9260009.jpg

 

T'other side with a blanking plate fitted over the cyclic position.  I have a sneaking suspicion I am going to end up placing an AP in that newspaper rack on the side of the console - it should add a splash of color to an otherwise very drab interior.

 

P9260008.jpg

 

The Nimbii got a splash of flat aluminum as a starting point for coloring in.  It's always nice when a color goes on to these printed parts as it really makes the detail pop.

 

P9260004.jpg

 

and as you probably caught in the previous photo, I also spilled some dark green over the MRGB and the Hydraulics shenanigans.  That turned out a lot better than I thought it would when I was looking at it yesterday.  That green really helps with highlights and shadows to add some real depth to the parts.  The MRGB also turned out pretty good - bracing struts and all.

 

P9260005.jpg

 

To be honest I still have no real idea of how this is all going to go together.  If I add all the transmission deck stuff before I paint, masking will be an almost impossible task. I may try and do this in some form of modular fashion - I drilled a hole for the transmission shaft through the back end of the engine into the MRGB - and even got it to fit into the spine on the tail.

 

P9260006.jpg

 

How on earth I am going to be able to add hydraulics and other gubbinses I have no idea - there's not a lot of room there to work in at all.  The problem is that once you start detailing one area, you have to keep the same level of detail in all the other areas, otherwise it just looks naff.

Obviously I added way too much detail to the hydraulic box, and will have to try and keep everything else looking just as complicated.

 

P9260011.jpg

 

Just whose daft idea was it to buy this Fujimi kit and convert it anyway?

 

 

 

 

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Spending time looking at what you’re doing and scoping out Mars printers. Do you need the dryer curing thing? So many things to look at. Looking great with paint. Do I need to check out your other printing endeavors ? 
 

🤔 exciting times

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