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Wessex HC2 Crab Cabs Pt II (Fly Wessex - why on earth did I?)


hendie

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9 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

I believe the straps would be buckled up?

 

I don't ever remember buckling up the belts on AF/BF's - I'm sure I would have remembered that duty.  I think (i.e. am guessing) we left them pulled forward as it was quicker for the Gurkha's or Dog Company to onboard and get strapped in.

I could well be completely wrong as it was nearly 40 years ago after all

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It's always reassuring to see that no matter what manly engineering subjects we build the discussion inevitably turns at some point to the question of soft furnishings.

 

I can think of no adequate praise for your work on those blue marvels hendie. To do one seat well is a tricky enough proposition but to maintain such a high standard across a whole production line's worth is a source of amazement.

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Thanks again folks.

 

The seatery continues but first, some li'l Wessi update.  Handles, for the tail climbing up of.  There's two of them mounted on the tail and italeri provide scale sized scaffolding handles - they're not going on this little whirlygig thingy.  Out with the carbide drills again, actually the last of them so I must order again soon.  The aluminum tape was there as a guide to aid me getting the same height on port and starboard sides... it worked, mostly.

 

P6040001.jpg

 

Both handles now in place.  The lower handle is a bit too close to the stabilizer but there wasn't much room left between the stabilizer and the mesh - italeri made their 'opening' too large. C'est la vie.  Still one more handle to go there - juts forward of the break.  I also added the small fillet strip just above the stabilizer from aluminum tape.

 

P6040002.jpg

 

Now, an interesting feature of the italeri kit is that it is impossible to fit the electrical cover blow the cockpit windows due to this monstrosity of a step.  If you fit the cover forward of the step it protrudes way too far forward.  If you fit it under the step, you can't fit the oleo's. Nice one italeri.

I was sure I had taken a photo to illustrate the fact but the camera must have been hungry and swallowed it whole.

 

P6040003.jpg

 

Step removed and first cover fitted. I like to use tape when gluing fine detail as it prevents glue getting everywhere due to my general cludginess.

 

P6040004.jpg

 

Unfortunately, it doesn't prevent Tamiya extra thin getting everywhere as it wicks under the tape!  Not a big deal but something to beware of in future.  A little bit of micro-meshing will take care of that.

I also spotted while fitting the electrical cover that italeri have got the cooling vent and louvers out of position.  Both are too far forward on that access panel.  I did toy briefly with the idea of filling the hole and redoing it, but we're out-of-the-box warts'n'all on this build... remember!

 

P6040008.jpg

 

Then I found another 'doh! moment.  We have the upper locating hole for mounting the oleo's, but where does the bottom mounting point go?  I guess I should have read the instructions and drilled that as per italeri's  guidance earlier in the build.

That had me flummoxed for a few minutes until I remembered that this is a kit bash and I have another fuselage lying over on the bench.  Ah... that makes it a lot easier now doesn't it?

 

P6040020.jpg

 

Last up on li'l Wessi - the gaping orifice up front.  I looked at it for a while then thought - what happens if I just sand the sides?

Well, this apparently. (left sanded, right original italeri)

 

P6040021.jpg

 

It looks like I can reduce the width and general grouper like gaping mouth look by removing some plastic from the sides - at least that's the current intention. We'll see where that ends up in a few posts.

 

Now onto big Wessi.

More seatery.  This time the starboard side seating - as before, glue the seating into the floor, and hey presto, more photo's seem to have been digested by the ravenous olympus....  I was sure I had taken a photo of this part but it ain't anywhere to be found.

The problem to overcome was to have the starboard upper rail (the bit the seat webbings get clipped onto) nice and secure.  Drilling a hole through the bulkhead lets you get the rod in position but doesn't hold it very securely.  My workaround for this was to glue some tubing on the reverse face of the bulkhead which can just be seen on the back side here.  This provides a greater grip on the rod and positions it nicely for the work ahead.

 

P6040006.jpg

 

So, all seats fitted, the small webbing clips represented by a dash of interior green and we're good to go.

 

P6040010.jpg

 

After all those months of work, this is about as much as can be seen from the outside.   Worth every blood sweating minute of effort wasn't it?

 

P6040011.jpg

 

and with that I think I am almost ready to button this thing up.. and then try to figure out what on earth I am doing with the rest of it.

 

(Still don't like Fly's main rotor gearbox - it just doesn't look right to me)

 

 

joi gin pengyou

 

 

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16 minutes ago, hendie said:

After all those months of work, this is about as much as can be seen from the outside.   Worth every blood sweating minute of effort wasn't it? 

Yes

 

Just yes

 

I know you intended the little beggar to be basically OOB but are you intending fixing the cabin side steps?

The abortive efforts that Itadafties put on are ridiculous

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25 minutes ago, perdu said:

 

I know you intended the little beggar to be basically OOB but are you intending fixing the cabin side steps?

 

I haven't even looked at them yet Bill.  From memory on the 1/48 build they were far too long - is that the same issue with the seventy-tooeth version also?  Or did they concoct some other evil and dastardly deviation from the blatantly-obvious-staring-them-right-in-the-face-if-you-only-could-be-bothered-to-open-your-eyes-truth?

 

Feel free to enlighten me Bill

 

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Marvellous Hendie, as usual :) 

 

1 hour ago, hendie said:

joi gin pengyou

As Bob Newhart would say, "Same to you fella!" :D 

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As others have said stunning workmanship on both Wessex, your attention to the smallest detail is outstanding

 

    Roger 

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'blatantly obvious staring you in the face' the steps are way out of alignment

I would hate climbing up into that without belays, ropes and chocks

It looks like one of those crazy climbing wall efforts

 

You can see it if you compare your pictures of the starboard sides

 

And once seen you will see it on every 1/72th scale Walter Italeri ever put out

 

Horrid, stupid and obvious contempt for the modeller who simply wants to make a decent Wessex

 

The black oddly shaped step surround we know and love just cannot properly accomodsate the mis-aligned steps either

 

Fun baby, fun

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ah.... I sees it now Bill.  (I thought you were talking about the cabin step, not the cockpit entrance steps)

 

Ta muchly.  More stuff to fix (and would have been easier had I spotted it before assembling the nose area)

Edited by hendie
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Oh yes, the chasm at the nose

 

Your modificated side looks way better, if you can work that in the big holed-ness will be minimised and look good enough for a OOB effort

 

The 4+ drawing shows how big the hole SHOULD be but once you've removed the gurt shovel shaped opening it will be way better

 

Biggy however, looks brilliant  :thumbsup2:

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This addictive thread continues to addict addictively. Really enjoying each little detail you draw forth for examination and correction in this tour of the airframe hendie.

 

I corrected the following so that you can copy and paste it as a keyboard macro:

16 hours ago, hendie said:

I also spotted while fitting the [insert item x] that [insert manufacturer] have got the [insert item y] and [insert item z] out of [position/orientation/scale - delete as appropriate].

Nice tip about using tape to maintain the level when drilling both sides of the tail. :thumbsup2:

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Greetings folks and come on in to the Little & Large show. aka Wessi & Wessi

 

Lets start off todays episode with Wessi

Thanks to Bill throwing wanton and totally unnecessary comments around, I was forced into some rework on the li'l one today. After Bill pointed it out, I just couldn't ignore it.

Thankfully, Tony had provided the associated narrative which saved me some typing...

On 6/5/2018 at 11:11 AM, TheBaron said:

I also spotted while fitting the anything and everything that Italeri have got the whole bloody shebang and definitely the access steps out of [position YES /orientation JUST ABOUT/scale YES - delete as appropriate]. {no deletion - they were all correct!}

 

You can see here that the bottom step needs moved forward - They also have both steps the same size which is wrong.  Step 1: Mark your positions

 

P6050001.jpg

 

Step 2: Get set...go!

Some chiseling action was required - taking care not to skite along the surface with a sharp pointy object (okay, only once but I fixed it!), and trying not to make a doorway into the cabin at the same time.  The hole is a little messy at this time but should clean up okay later.

I also cut a small section of kit plastic to fill in the now unwanted step hole

 

P6060007.jpg

 

Step 3:  Fill'er up

The scrap plastic was sanded down roughly and the edges filled with whatever lotion, potion or concrete mix came to hand

 

P6070010.jpg

 

Step 4: Sand back and micro-mesh.

Seems to be okay but only a smattering of primer will tell the truth. - It will do for now. (other side also done but use your imagination...)

The new step recess looks a bit untidy still, but it's filled with all sorts of sanding remains.  I'll deal with it when the time comes to fit the actual steps.

 

P6070014.jpg

 

and Li'l Wessi's playtime is over for today.

Now onto Wessi... and hopefully something slightly more interesting.

Take a gander at this bit... yes, it's the cabin entrance.  Notice anything?  No, not the holes I've drilled for the loadies hand grab... the bit that isn't there!  Yup, you're correct... the pillar recessy thingy isn't there is it?

I guess we need to make one then.  In the smaller scales it would be impossible to replicate this (for me anyway..) but at 1:32, it's kind of begging to be added.

 

P6050002.jpg

 

I trialed several methods, all of which failed - from small strips, to cutting and bending a brass "C" channel - which almost worked, but couldn't deform enough to account for the fuselage curvature.  Therefore, we ended up with some traditional 'the de'il tak the hindmost' butchery.  Using a small chisel I gouged out a rough estimation of the channel recess.

Gawd it looks ugly doesn't it?

 

P6050003.jpg

 

Once deep enough and wide enough I used the end of a file back and forth in the slot to even things out a bit

 

P6060004.jpg

 

Then cut a small strip to slot in the ehrrrr slot as best I could...

 

P6060005.jpg

 

Which in turn was cut into some small sections to represent the brackets located in said channel. I think there's a couple of "O" rings mounted in there somewhere - it's difficult to find good shots of this particular area

Those 'brackets' will get sanded flush and some other detail added later

 

P6060006.jpg

 

That was followed by sticking bits of brass rod into the earlier drilled holes to make the grab handles.  Looking at this, Fly did not really do a good job of those rounded corners did they?

 

P6070009.jpg

 

Now we are coming to a stage of indecision.... do I put this thing together? Or not?  What have I not done that needs doing before closing up the fuselage?

While I was pondering over that, I started putting in some locating tabs to aid with the assembly later... and desperately need to tidy up that bench.

 

P6070013.jpg

 

Nope, not glued... just dry fitted

 

P6070012.jpg

 

I know I still have the tail wheel support plate to add, along with the tail fold plate I made some time ago, but I think I can add them once the fuselage is together without too much difficulty.  Also, the instrument panel is still to go in - again, I think I need the fuselage together to make sure that is centered and generally aligned properly.

 

Am I missing anything major before this is closed up?

 

I'm still undecided as to the final form this is going to take.  I'm slightly reticent about just repeating my 1:48 build here, but at 1:32, it's just crying out for detail such as the gearbox and engines to be added. Answers on a postcard please....

 

 

 

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I, being a founder member of the awkward squad, would rather see this which is by far my favourite ever model yet seen of my very favouritest helicopter ever ever, finished off at its present state so it presents 'fabulous Wessex' as is

Then we can get the Pullman back on track too

 

 I can't see anyone ever beating this but if you go digging in deep inside the working gubbinses too there is a risk of the whole hiding the helicopter outside

 

That was a 'thing' you managed magnificently to avoid with the 48th scale one and I just do not see much point doing that again but bigger

 

Just my, certain to be lone, opinion

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I'd echo the Rev. Bill's sagacious sermon hendie - I'm unlikely to see a better rendition of Wessex glory than this.

 

Fwiw regarding the 1/48 to1/32 question that you're currently pondering, my own instinct would be to look at what can be done differently in one scale compared to the other and to see if this throws up specific features which might be more suitable to make prominent on this occasion.

 

I suppose the word I'm struggling to find is 'emphasis', in terms of what are you seeking to emphasize in this particular rendition of the aircraft...

 

 

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I'm with them above. Carry on as is and don't go too mad on it.

It's looking magnificent inside, time for the outside to get the treatment.

Do you need to align the 'top hat' sections that come out from under the beetleback at this point rather than later?

Maybe do a mockup/trial of the belly gubbins before the outside gets too fiddly?

I too would like to see more of the Pullman. But I'm more than happy to look at Wessi.

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Personally I would just make the bit of the gearbox that shows a bit more detailed and then leave the rest all buttoned up.

One can hardly call a Wessex smooth but I think that opening it up (other than door and cockpit windows) would detract from the smoothness if you see what I mean?

Regardless ,this will be another superb example of 'Walter'

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okay, now you all got me thinking (not good on the best of days).

I've gone to all the trouble of making the tail fold gubbins and I'd like to show that, so.... blades and tail folded?  Or maybe one trans deck door open ?

 

What would you lot (including Bill!) suggest?

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