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

[hendie]

9 hours ago, perdu said:

Have you ordered the transfers for it yet?

 

the Nimrod?   Nope.  I have absolutely no idea which a/c I'll end up modeling.   With around 3 years in NMSU and another 4 years in ASF I think I must have worked on every Nimrod that we had.  I'm not even sure what scheme I should choose.

 

But as @Martian Hale so observantly noted above, I have a few years yet before I have to commit to anything

 

Two that spring to mind are XV256 (that crashed during take off at Kinloss) or another that gave us 6 weeks off when someone forgot to take the lock pin out of the undercarriage when they were doing hydraulic functionals at the end of the major.  The lock pin worked.

 

The undercarriage went in one side of the wing and out the other without folding, destroying the "Y" beam and a few other bits in the process.  I was in the cockpit at the time and remember the airframe vibrating and shaking so much we thought it was going to fall off the jacks.  Thankfully, I was not the one at the controls, but I did learn some new Anglo Saxon phrases that day.  

I don't know how I would find out that a/c serial though

[Pete in Lincs]

HA!

I knew it wouldn't take very long.

I'll be the one sitting on the small lightweight folding

camping stool that just happens to have the

legend 72 Sqn stenciled underneath it.

 

Can't think where it came from.

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

18 hours ago, hendie said:

should start sometime around 2024/2025

It's 2031 now,any pictures yet? 

[perdu]

My watch must be fast, it says 2032...

 

[moaning dolphin]

Ah another epic build, good to see the wessie being resurrected and in a bigger scale! Cant wait to see the wonders that will unfold. I am now sitting comfortably so you may crack on at the speed of Naval gunfire, crack on young man!

 

Bob

[hendie]

On 9/19/2017 at 5:40 PM, moaning dolphin said:

Cant wait to see the wonders that will unfold.

 

I'm wondering a lot about the wonders myself.  So far it hasn't exactly been wonder-full.  More eye opening than anything.  This is my first experience with a kit from a let's say - non major manufacturer and so far I'm finding it a real mixed bag.

 

I like the fact Fly released a 1:32 version.  I like some of their detailing.  I like how the panel lines are very light - much more refined than others I've come across.  I don't like the plastic - it is ridiculously soft and small parts are prone to bending.

As I mentioned previously - there is a LOT of flash.  Flash on pretty much every part to some extent. There is also a mold mismatch, and some decidedly iffy engineering.

 

For example - take a look at this part (one of the internal frames).  Notice anything ?  Well, Fly appear to have attempted good molding practice by machining a full round runner, with half round in the A side and half round in the B side, unfortunately someone couldn't follow the 3D model (or a drawing).  There are three runners and gates on this part - the one on the extreme left is good -both sides of the runner match up.  However, look at the one on the extreme right - the upper and lower half of the runner only partly align.  Then look at the center one.. they completely miss each other.  You may also see a faint horizontal line running along the length of the part - that's the result of the mold mismatch. 

 

 

Now, while that may not seem so bad, that will affect how the mold fills and will also affect how much they can pack the mold.  I think this and other 'features' like it are contributing to the flash I'm finding everywhere.  At a guess, I'd say the mold wasn't filling as they expected/hoped - and they just kept packing the snot out of the mold until it filled, resulting in the flash.

 

Here's another example. This is a relatively new mold so you would expect that edges would be nice and sharp, yet look at how that edge is all wavy and has flash protruding here and there.  I think that's the result of over packing, though it's possible poor machining has contributed to it.

 

 

In between frequent bouts of non modeling activities, I did manage to get a few bits glued together.  Namely these...

 

 

I had to sand the edges down to try and get a good butt joint, but could only take the plastic down so far.  I was getting close to losing detail so I stopped when I thought I had the best joint I was going to get.  I then used a couple of strips of masking tape to cover the detail leaving only the joint visible - which then good a good slap of filler.

 

 

Then once micro-meshed back, the seam looks acceptable.

 

 

Another thing I like about the kit is the fact that the locations of the frames and stringers are marked on the inside of the fuselage.  What I don't like is how vague the instructions are regarding said locations. 

The location is marked with a single faint line... so far so good.  What they don't tell you is whether the frame goes behind the line, in front of the line, or on top of the line. After probably another hour of dry fitting and taping bits together I took a swing at it - still convinced I am right though.

I also found that the frames were very flimsy, and difficult to keep straight.  Then, once you placed the part beside the line, you could no longer see the line.  My first attempt involved super glue and I really wasn't happy with the result so they were all peeled off again.  Second time around I used poly cement and used tape to act as a visual guide for placement of the ribs.  Much better but still not perfect.

 

 

Finished result here and you can see that some of the ribs are a bit wonky towards the bottom end.   I reckon trying to remove them again will cause more damage so I'm accepting it and moving on.  The bottom of the ribs will be covered by ducting so won't be visible (otherwise they would have been removed again)

 

 

Some very debatable detail is present on the cabin rear bulkhead.  I'm really not a fan of the 'quilting' - looks more like a tiled floor than a flexible cover.

 

 

Luckily, I have some of that tinfoil left over from first time around which I think I will end up using again.  The 'quilting' looks about the correct scale.

This was just a quick test to see what it would look like.  I need a better backing material so I can get some flex and creases into the door cover.  I may also have to remove the molded on door to make it look a bit better.

 

 

Not a lot of progress, but at least it is some.   I've probably spent more time dry fitting on this than I have actual modeling. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

Starboard side, third rib back from the cabin door. 

Always had to fit a repair patch due to Pongoes 

trying to stuff an SLR under the seat!

The rear bulkhead, memory says those 'ribs' should

have a rounded profile & not be so square? 

Your folding door solution looks good to me.

[TheBaron]

Nice beginnings hendie.

 

I'm eyeing that rib/tape spacing methodology there in a knowing fashion...knowing that I shall have to adopt that as more reliable than the graphite runes that I've been scrawling on airframes up till now...

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

We were banned from using pencils on bare metal airframes.

The graphite caused dissimilar metal corrosion!

The story related back to an incident where a roundel had

been marked out, and eventually the circle fell out of the fuselage.

True or not, it made you think!

[71chally]

Very nice work there and useful info Hendie.

 

Where did the pre-quilted foil come from?  Very useful stuff!

Edited September 23, 2017 by 71chally

[perdu]

Not nice is it

 

Good job it's Hendie on the job so we can all learn the Way of the Wessex

 

So much good potential but...

 

 

😷

 

Swab nurse, please.

 

Mr H's brow needs keeping clear

[Fritag]

Loverly.  Even at this early stage - loverly.

 

Already looking forward to the hendie techniques getting applied to 1/72 on the Nimrod.

 

When my missus was a fighter controller back in the early-mid 80's up at Buchan, she went as a pax on several Nimrod trips.  Her memory is that the crews were good guys - and spent much of the airborne time eating.........

[abat]

Looking good Hendie. Dry-fitting, fettling, flash ... its all modelling. I'm assuming some epoxy putty behind the quilting, maybe?

[71chally]

50 minutes ago, Fritag said:

When my missus was a fighter controller back in the early-mid 80's up at Buchan, she went as a pax on several Nimrod trips.  Her memory is that the crews were good guys - and spent much of the airborne time eating.........

I had a few trips back in the day, and yeah, ate like hell, in fact the only time I've ever eaten on finals was a 'lamb casserole' in a Nimrod!

No wonder the bomb doors was called the crumb tray!

[hendie]

4 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

The rear bulkhead, memory says those 'ribs' should

have a rounded profile & not be so square? 

 

Agreed. The kit detail is a bit heavy handed.

 

4 hours ago, TheBaron said:

as more reliable than the graphite runes

 

oh I used graphite runes as well, though that was just to mark up how long I should be cutting the stringers.

 

3 hours ago, 71chally said:

Where did the pre-quilted foil come from?  Very useful stuff!

 

I found it at work and have no idea where it originated from.  I have plenty, so if anyone needs some let me know

 

 

2 hours ago, Fritag said:

Her memory is that the crews were good guys - and spent much of the airborne time eating.........

 

The crews did have a bit of a reputation for gormadizing incessantly.  I recall one (no doubt scurrilous, and completely without foundation) rumor where the a/c had taxied out to the runway, ready to go skywards when for whatever reason, the take-off was delayed.  After 30 or 40 minutes they were finally given the all clear only to have to call the tower to request they send another food truck as they had already finished all the food intended for their 8+ hours sortie

 

I also spent a good amount of my time in ASF performing a number of Mods to strengthen the floors structure.  They disguised it with a title along the lines of 'crash station floor strengthening'  or 'crash survivability something'  but we all know it was needed to support the weight of the grazing herd of aircrew.

 

2 hours ago, abat said:

I'm assuming some epoxy putty behind the quilting, maybe?

 

Possibly, though not quite sure yet. I've been looking to see if I can find a pliable enough material as a backer to the foil.

 

2 hours ago, 71chally said:

No wonder the bomb doors was called the crumb tray!

 

and wasn't there a particular nickname for NImrod aircrew which reflected their eating habits?  I'm sure there was but for the life of me can't remember what it was.

 

 

 

 

[hendie]

Greetings fellow modelers. 

 

and so it begins, the adding of bits that are not in the kit that is.   We all knew that was coming though didn't we?

With the ribs and stringers in place on the port side, I started adding some detail with styrene to replicate the missing parts.  Fairly straightforward stuff here.  I also started drilling out the frames for the pipe runs.  This was a bit awkward, but I thought it would be easier to do in situ rather than try and plan it all out before hand as I was bound to stick something in the wrong place. (if I haven't already)

 

 

The worst parts were those small frames around the windows.  I used 0.25 mm styrene with a 0.5 mm width so it was incredible flimsy, particularly once you had put glue anywhere near it.  Hopefully it will look a bit better with some primer on.

I also added the emergency release handles under the windows (the sticky outy bit of wire)... which will be completely hidden by the seats, but there you go.  Fly would have you glue the windows in place before even this point, but I never glue transparencies in place until I have to - so I'm hoping I can get away with it for a while yet.

 

 

Another thing I noticed with this kit, and contributes to the difficulty in placing parts is that none of the adjoining parts seem to be the same width.  Here for instance is the join between the ceiling panel and the rear cabin bulkhead.  It (the ceiling panel) looks a bit narrow to me.  It fits neither on top of the bulkhead nor on the front of the bulkhead.  Booger!

 

 

That prompted me to tack all the cabin components together with a few spots of sooper glue to see where things fall.  Actually, it's not looking too bad so far, though I haven't tried add the starboard side yet.

Note the ceiling panel - it is a bit 'orrible isn't it?  Those seams are horrendous and I fear they will have to go.  Fly also omitted to include the two cabin lights in the ceiling panel so they'll need added later.

 

 

Most of the missing frame detail has been added and the pipework has been started.  I'm using True Details 1/48 valves for the pipe unions.  I'll need to investigate laying my hands on the equivalent 1:32 set to make life a bit easier - drilling these couplings out for the wires makes my eyes bleed.

I've also roughed out the start of the heater ducting.  To be honest, I have no recollection of this ducting being in the HC2's of 28 Sqn.  Given that the coldest it ever got out there was on a par with a good Scottish summers day, I have a sneaking suspicion that the ducting had been removed as there was no need for heating, and copious amounts of air conditioning was supplied gratis by the big whirly thing whizzing around overhead.

 

 

So, technically, I could just leave this out, but I have no photographic evidence of it not being there, so best include it in case I upset someone.

I used a needle to punch a series of depressions in the ducting and in my index finger.  Once painted up, a flory wash should as if by magic, make these indentations appear as holes.

 

 

Here we are at end of today's play.  There's a lot more cabling and wiring to be done but this felt like a good stopping point.  Some of the future pipeworks can be seen by my chicken scrawl.  It's starting to look like the interior of a Wessex.

 

 

I think this lot will get a coat of primer before I add any more detailing, and hopefully it will not look quite as untidy.  I'm amazed at some of our BM brethren and how they can get things looking so neat, Yes, you know who you are) even at braille scales.  This is 1:32 and I can't even glue a plastic strip in a straight line.  Kind of makes you want to kick the dog doesn't it.

And once again, I'm off traveling this week so very little (i.e. nothing) will be done before next weekend.  In fact, the next few weeks are looking suspiciously travel prone.  Ah well, at least I'm building up the hotel points again.

 

 

 

[keefr22]

Well, that looks pretty neat to me! And with or without primer, those window frames look excellent!

 

Really nice work!

 

Keith

[Brandy]

I don't see anything wonky, looks good to me!

 

Ian

[Martian]

This is starting to look rather promising!

 

Martian

[perdu]

Hendiesque we calls it

 

lovely jubbly

[longshanks]

Impressive detailing...........

 

Kev

[Hewy]

Cracking show great stuff so far, i have this kit and its most interesting to see what and how your doing the mods, expect them to be pillaged, i fully expect you'll be scratch building the rotor fold mechanism too? , in the distant future of course

Glynn 

[coneheadff]

Wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing Hendie!

[Fritag]

8 hours ago, perdu said:

Hendiesque we calls it

Yep.  it's getting hendieised.  

 

The sight of white plastic additions against a grey kit background.  Attention; master modeller at work......

 

 

[71chally]

Lovely cabin detail in there, very fine and fiddly!  Managed to make it look so uniform as well.