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Airfix Westland Whirlwind


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Hi Guys, This was a long restoration project of my very first Airfix Westland Whirlwind (1978) It was made when I was new to scale model about six years ago. During a couple of years have learned some skill and experience and I also thank the forum for some of my guidance. Those days I didn't even know how to paint on canopy was scared I might ruin the canopy. Slowly I developed the skill and when I painted I realized the aircraft need new fresh paint, however, that Time I didn't know how to remove paint, however, I read a thread and figured it out. But then the project was stalled and was kept for storage maybe someday.

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This was clicked a few years ago, I brush painted it, looking back I know it is not the best but I love it cause this was one of my very first scales models.

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This year, when I thought I tried restoring it, I realized there are some missing parts and the canopy was in a messed. What I did was I put in my paint removing solutions then took all the parts and stripped the paint. Then I check for errors it was there previously, there were many pin marks as well, I sand it and where the filler is needed and sand it again, made some scratch parts (still learning) however there some missing parts but I left it as I could make it.

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The cannon was all missing so I made with copper wire :)

After the fixing the aircraft I assembled the aircraft and did some scribbing and then applied a layer mr color paint, then applied to paint first try was a fiasco then second try it work. After paint I realized the biggest challenge now was to get the decals, I tried eBay, however, the shipping wasn't very friendly so I tried my luck here and one member Frank, helped me out am really happy and can't appreciate more, thanks mate. The decals was little thick so I did little trial and error to make it soft and register well on the aicraft body.

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So here it is the final result hope, it is looking OK :) the reg HE T happened to be one of my fav Westland Whirlwind registrations.

Thank you for time and peek.

Cheers

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1 hour ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Very nice restoration Tom :clap2:

Thank you Sir, I am really how it has turned out.

13 minutes ago, Heather Kay said:

A lovely transformation. Very nice indeed. Well done! 👍

Thank you Heather, really appreciate the kind words

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Nice restoration, the second go by Airfix was always a nice kit, I thought. It was only let down by the lack of a decent interior. 

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7 hours ago, invidia said:

Very nice,  you have done a great job restoring it. 

Thank you Mate!!

6 hours ago, TonyW said:

That's a verygood looking model. It looks every inch a Whirlwind.

Nice photography as well!

Ha!!! thank you for your kind words, it was a little challenging kits do, thank you

6 hours ago, Eric Mc said:

Nice job. One of my favourite classic Airfix kits (I built the original 1959 or so Whirlwind too - many, many years ago).

WOW!!! 1959 that is like almost 70 years ago, IThank you for the kind words much appreciated Eric, cheers... did like to see yr whirlwinds built :)

6 hours ago, Mr T said:

Nice restoration, the second go by Airfix was always a nice kit, I thought. It was only let down by the lack of a decent interior. 

Thank you Mr T, I agree it lack cockpit details tho however it was nice kit I say, cheers

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Airwaves do a Whirlwind interior.

 

I think I built the original Airfix version sometime around 1971/72. The new tooling came out in 1978. Having checked on Scalemates I can see that the original kit was released in 1958 - sixty years ago (same age as me).

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1 minute ago, Eric Mc said:

Airwaves do a Whirlwind interior.

 

I think I built the original Airfix version sometime around 1971/72. The new tooling came out in 1978. Having checked on Scalemates I can see that the original kit was released in 1958 - sixty years ago (same age as me).

Aha, Then Eric you are as young as my dad, :) whirlwind is such a beautiful aircraft which it didn't have the engine problem and had long service with the RAF or with other operators, sadly none survived as well :(

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Only around 200 were built and they were retired before the war ended - so the chances of one surviving after the war were slim to none.

 

Refitting the Whirlwind with Merlins was looked at but the weight distribution of the Merlin was so great it would have meant a complete redesign. Which in the end is what happened - called the Welkin. But that was too late for war service.

 

Also, with Mosquitoes coming on stream, there was simply no need to persevere with the Whirlwind and its dodgy engines.

 

 

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On 8/9/2018 at 7:44 PM, Eric Mc said:

Only around 200 were built and they were retired before the war ended - so the chances of one surviving after the war were slim to none.

 

Refitting the Whirlwind with Merlins was looked at but the weight distribution of the Merlin was so great it would have meant a complete redesign. Which in the end is what happened - called the Welkin. But that was too late for war service.

 

Also, with Mosquitoes coming on stream, there was simply no need to persevere with the Whirlwind and its dodgy engines.

 

 

Thank you, Eric, Learned something new today and talking about welkin did like to build a one :)

On 8/9/2018 at 8:40 PM, Nick Belbin said:

Great job!

 

Nick

Thanks, Mate

On 8/9/2018 at 9:14 PM, keith in the uk said:

Excellent result and a fine restoration , well done that man . :goodjob:

Thank you, Keith

On 8/9/2018 at 9:20 PM, russ c said:

Great job on that old kit there

Thank you, Russ

On 8/10/2018 at 12:44 AM, Hairtrigger said:

Great job....   

Thank you, Hairtrigger

On 8/10/2018 at 2:04 AM, Darby said:

Excellent restoration of one of my childhood favourites. Well done!

Thank you, Darby whirlwind is such a mean looking yet charming airplane :)

On 8/10/2018 at 1:00 PM, Greg Law said:

Very good result. Nothing like bring an old bird back to life. 🙂

 

Thank you, Greg, true now she looks dashing

On 8/10/2018 at 1:52 PM, Uncle Pete said:

Nice job of restoring... I'd have chucked it and bought another but you evidently have more patience!  Looks great (and it didn't look bad before the refit, for that matter).

Thank you, Pete, Well, I thought of buying a new kit and building a one then I thought well why to neglect the old kit and instead restored it, which what I did :)

On 8/10/2018 at 2:39 PM, Andwil said:

Thats terrific.  The original model looked fairly good but the restoration is wonderful.

 

AW

Thank you, Andwil, much appreciated for the kind words, cheers

On 8/11/2018 at 1:29 AM, StrangelyBrown said:

Great restoration- well done!

Thanks, Buddy.

10 hours ago, Roman Schilhart said:

Very nice restauration work, indeed!

Great improvement compared to the first picture.

Your skills have developed very well, congratulations!

Best greetings from Vienna, Austria

Roman

Thank you, Schilhart, you learn something new from this forum and this forum has helped me a lot in improving my skill and appreciate the folks who have taught and guided me, cheers

1 hour ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great work on your restoration.  You have done a cracking job and the finished model looks absolutely lovely.  

All the best 

Chris 

Thank you, Bidbadbadge, really appreciate the kind words and I am also quite happy with the way it has come out, was little apprehensive tho.

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