Mr T Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 The Fairey UltraLight Helicopter was designed to meet an Air Ministry specification in 1954 for a small helicopter for battlefield and possible shipborne use and for training. Westland also produced a design that was never built. Six were ordered and five were apparently built, two were finished as private ventures after government support was withdrawn in 1956 and remarkably both survive in museums. These two machines had new cockpit shapes and one (G-APJJ) is the subject of the kit. The AMP kit is a short run multimedia kit with very small and delicate injection moulded parts, a fret of PE with some items in the insanely tiny category, a small decal sheet and a set of masks. The masks fit reasonably well, but did not like some of the curved surfaces. The instructions give two colour schemes, but the illustrations are a little vague in places with a couple of apparent mistakes. Overall it makes up into a nice model with only a couple of errors. The tailboom as moulded is at an angle relative to the 'fuselage' and it should be more horizontal (although that could be me). Th3 exhaust for the Nimbus engine also appears to be too small in diameter. the finished model is about two inches long excluding rotor and landing skids and is very delicate. The Work In Progress is here: this last picture shows the helicopter posed against a contemporary fighter of the period, in this case it is the Revell Hunter F.6 Thanks for looking and as the Sirius Cybernetic Corporation would say, 'share and enjoy' Martin 'I've just worked out that if I put my left arm in my right ear I can electrocute myself, permanently, - Marvin the Paranoid Android 36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Great little model. I'm pretty sure that I've seen one of the museum examples, but can't remember where! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 The airframe in the kit is at the Midland Aircraft Museum at Coventry. The other one is at the British Rotorcraft Museum at Weston-super-Mare. The latter we being restored from what looked like very poor condition. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cngaero Posted April 9, 2018 Share Posted April 9, 2018 Now that is seriously cute. The Hunter gives a lovely size comparison. Very nicely modelled and finished. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpha Delta 210 Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 10 hours ago, Mr T said: The airframe in the kit is at the Midland Aircraft Museum at Coventry. The other one is at the British Rotorcraft Museum at Weston-super-Mare. The latter we being restored from what looked like very poor condition. Thanks for that. I've been to both of those museums, but it sounds like the one I saw was in Coventry. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorby Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 I'm not sure I would be able to focus on something this small, let alone build it. Remarkable achievement 10/10. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Nice work. Your fingers must me more nimble than fine. Did they not fly one from the back of a Landrover at Farnborough - or is my memory failing? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reini78 Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 There are some strange and/or funny looking aircraft out there... You did a nice job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Good heavens that looks like it belongs in a children's playground! Nice model though. Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 that looks great, very small, i would break it !!!!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritJet Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Looks lovely, very tiny and fiddly though. I've got one on the way. 5 hours ago, John R said: Nice work. Your fingers must me more nimble than fine. Did they not fly one from the back of a Landrover at Farnborough - or is my memory failing? Not a Land Rover but I believe it's a Ford Thames ET6 flatbed. YouTube video of it at Farnborough Steve 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John R Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Thanks - Glad I'm not totally doolally John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Convair Posted April 10, 2018 Share Posted April 10, 2018 Very nice model, I did not know the type. It's like a "motorcycle" between the larger helicopters. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 10, 2018 Author Share Posted April 10, 2018 9 hours ago, invidia said: that looks great, very small, i would break it !!!!!! It has needed a bit of repair to the skids and the pitot boom and one of the fins came adrift in the build. Thanks everyone for the kind comments, I have Magna Models Marathon on the home straight, so I reckon I am a bit of a modelling masochist. I have an Airfix Spitfire II out the stash as a bit of relaxation, even going to use the kit transfers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Great work on a tiny model! Not sure I could cope with all the little p/e bits, so my hat's off to you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMSCHLOM Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Really interesting helicopter. Looks like it would be a blast to fly! I wonder if the tailboom is angled to off set torque? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr T Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 2 hours ago, CMSCHLOM said: Really interesting helicopter. Looks like it would be a blast to fly! I wonder if the tailboom is angled to off set torque? I think the tailboom is more angled on the kit than in real life. The fin underneath the tail was made of steel and was movable to deflect the jet efflux for control purposes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aeronut Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 6 hours ago, CMSCHLOM said: Really interesting helicopter. Looks like it would be a blast to fly! I wonder if the tailboom is angled to off set torque? The thing about these helicopters that used tip jet rotors I'd that there is no torque reaction to counter. The tail fins are there to keep the aircraft pointing in the direction the pilot desires. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle Pete Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Wow... That's titchy! The whole thing is about the size of the cockpit subassembly for a Blenheim! Cracking job. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strangeways Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 I like that a lot. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAAMAN Posted April 13, 2018 Share Posted April 13, 2018 What a super little helo, very nice 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now