Wez Posted November 27, 2018 Share Posted November 27, 2018 5 hours ago, Scimitar said: That's also a marking I didn't know about. 72 Sqn retirement scheme for the Walter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarlucan Posted November 28, 2018 Share Posted November 28, 2018 72 sqn comms fit: 1 X UHF box - mil and civil ATC including 243.0 for D&D (civs use 121.5) 1 X TAC Comms, can't recall freq range but was NI specific and used daily changing crypto. 1 X ADF DF. Completely useless unless you wanted to tune into Beacon Radio or similar local FM stations. Nav kit: 1 X Decca box with 4 individual chain guages. You cannot imagine the level of antiquity this had even in the late 80s. No Wessex ever had an ILS. No TACAN. Can't remember if we had a VOR/DME! Basic mode 3 transponder. Bae IR jammer. Not an ALQ-144, Mandatory fit in NI but usually removed when the A/C left NI. MAW from late eighties but after initial wiring and tests, rarely fitted. Flares box wired late on (early 90s onwards) but never carried operationally. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 Sorry I was a bit too busy to contribute over the last few days. Happily I've now had the nod regarding the XT604 photos and also dug out a couple of my own from the deep dark recesses of my murky past. I finally found an interior shot of the Cabin taken from the doorway looking aft. I've applied a mask over the subject's face as he's not contactable but if you ever come across this Smith never touched it and it should never have been allowed. You can clearly see the roof mounted stretcher I've mentioned previously and also note that the left hand aft seat is in the stowed position which would have been the norm. Also note the Wet Fit curtain with press studs at the rear which was all that sat between the Cabin and the rear Avionics racks. The colour of the Wet Fit is exactly as I remember it and is a pretty good match with the roof panels and insulation. I think the Remove Before Flight streamer you can see to the left may have been attached to the handle of the Very Pistol but this is a guess. I can't think of anything else which had a streamer like this. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 These were taken on detachment at Landsberg, Bavaria. I would guess early 1990 as we flew over thousands of flattened trees after what is now known as the Burns Day storm. You can just about make out a Huey in the background with the dayglo SAR doors. The Germans had a Trabant sprayed up to match as a Squadron hack. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 This is from the SARTU Families Day in 1991, by which time the Valley dispersal had been block paved. The Wessex were back and forward all day long and this was the normal sight which greeted us, it always reminded me of a great big bumble bee, happy memories. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBunney Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 Been great reading this, brought back many memories of my days at Leconfield before Walter got kicked out by the Squeeking. Very useful photos as well as I will shortly be starting a 1/72 Italeri Wessex. Unfortunately an HU5 but painted in Yellow and with 22 Sqn markings the only real giveaway will be the oblong windows. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyBunney Posted November 29, 2018 Share Posted November 29, 2018 3 hours ago, Tramatoa said: Sorry I was a bit too busy to contribute over the last few days. Happily I've now had the nod regarding the XT604 photos and also dug out a couple of my own from the deep dark recesses of my murky past. I finally found an interior shot of the Cabin taken from the doorway looking aft. I've applied a mask over the subject's face as he's not contactable but if you ever come across this Smith never touched it and it should never have been allowed. You can clearly see the roof mounted stretcher I've mentioned previously and also note that the left hand aft seat is in the stowed position which would have been the norm. Also note the Wet Fit curtain with press studs at the rear which was all that sat between the Cabin and the rear Avionics racks. The colour of the Wet Fit is exactly as I remember it and is a pretty good match with the roof panels and insulation. I think the Remove Before Flight streamer you can see to the left may have been attached to the handle of the Very Pistol but this is a guess. I can't think of anything else which had a streamer like this. Tamiya XF 71 for the wetfit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 18 hours ago, AndyBunney said: Unfortunately an HU5 but painted in Yellow and with 22 Sqn markings the only real giveaway will be the oblong windows. Don't you dare! Easy fix for the windows. Not so easy fix for short fuselage (there is a conversion from Rotorcraft?) Tail rotor wrong way too. PM me if you need drawings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul J Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 On 27/11/2018 at 19:17, Pete in Lincs said: It's very similar to the 'spear' markings used in the thirties? by many Squadrons. Mostly on silver Biplanes I think. I may have seen it on an early 19 Sqn Spitfire too. And the red / blue unit flash/ marking . Adds a bit of colour to the drab finish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huvut76g7gbbui7 Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 4 hours ago, Paul J said: Adds a bit of colour to the drab finish. Anybody got more info or other photos? That one is the only one I can find on the net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 7 hours ago, Scimitar said: Don't you dare! Easy fix for the windows. Not so easy fix for short fuselage (there is a conversion from Rotorcraft?) Tail rotor wrong way too. PM me if you need drawings. You can pick and mix the small windows fuselage off the H34 and the twin Gnome nose off the HU5 and the proper tail cone from Rotorcraft Or put the (way too wide by the way) nose filter bit on to a Frog Wessex which is a far better fuselage to start from 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 I have finally got some time to start working my way through the images of XT604 kindly supplied by nabe3. Firstly I’d like to return to the subject of Comms and Nav Aids. As has been pointed out earlier I’m a nuckle dragging heavy and therefore should not be allowed anywhere near any black box or aerial which, to be honest suits me just fine. Sadly though as our beautifully aerodynamic fuselage has been festooned with the cursed things it is necessary to acknowledge their existence and try to identify them. I’m going to chuck in the odd guess more to amuse the Fairies than with any serious intention. So here goes......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 6 minutes ago, Tramatoa said: I have finally got some time to start working my way through the images of XT604 kindly supplied by nabe3. Firstly I’d like to return to the subject of Comms and Nav Aids. As has been pointed out earlier I’m a nuckle dragging heavy and therefore should not be allowed anywhere near any black box or aerial which, to be honest suits me just fine. Sadly though as our beautifully aerodynamic fuselage has been festooned with the cursed things it is necessary to acknowledge their existence and try to identify them. I’m going to chuck in the odd guess more to amuse the Fairies than with any serious intention. So here goes......... That would be the cloaking device/stealth mode aerial - even hides a lumpy old airframe like the Walter 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 I’ll refer to these as aerials A and B and I have to confess they are a mystery to me. I thought the small triangular aerial (A) was IFF and the two rod aerials (B) were VHF, but a total guess. I know a SH cab only has one on the left hand side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Aerial C - IFF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Aft one (D)Standby VHF? Fwd one (E) lord alone knows....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tramatoa said: I’ll refer to these as aerials A and B and I have to confess they are a mystery to me. I thought the small triangular aerial (A) was IFF and the two rod aerials (B) were VHF, but a total guess. I know a SH cab only has one on the left hand side. The small triangular one is an IFF aerial, there should be an upper/fwd and lower/aft one, the lower/aft one might not be that type but if it did it was, it would be the one most people would gouge themselves on! The two rod aerials are probably VHF, they're the right length (aerial length being a function of wavelength and thus frequency band), if SH had one and SAR had two, I would suggest one was normal civvie VHF for talking to ATC whilst the second on SAR fit was Marine Band. The two aerials combined could be used for a homer function, did you have that on SAR? Edited December 1, 2018 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tramatoa said: Aerial C - IFF? Could be... EDIT: Yes, the 4+ Book confirms it. 1 hour ago, Tramatoa said: Aft one (D)Standby VHF? Fwd one (E) lord alone knows....... Sounds about right, the fwd one could be FM for talking to Pongoes or Mountain Rescue, do you recall an FM fit on SAR? I'm pretty sure the 4+ book has an illustration identifying the aerials, I should dig it out. EDIT: The 4+ book confirms the Standby VHF, it says the angled one is a VHF/AM antenna which I'm not going to argue with, this makes me think the two VHF aerials on the nose were homer aerials, the angled one could be Marine Band? Edited December 1, 2018 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) I remember one of our aircraft once located a SARBE in a house in Warrington so I assume they had the ability to home in on a signal. As I remember a kid had nicked it off a ferry. Imagine the shock when a man in a big orange suit knocked on the door and asked for it back. Edited December 1, 2018 by Tramatoa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) Left hand aerial (F) no idea, two white squares (G) Rad Alt? Edited December 1, 2018 by Tramatoa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Tramatoa said: I remember one of our aircraft once located a SARBE in a house in Warrington so I assume they had the ability to home in on a signal. As I remember a kid had nicked it off a ferry. Imagine the shock when a man in a big orange suit knocked on the door and asked for it back. In which case your two rod aerials would have been linked via an Antenna Feed Unit (AFU) and most likely an Interface Unit (IFU), these would allow them to be coupled in homer mode and drive a feed to one of the cockpit instruments (the AI in most cases). That kid was obviously a muppet and it would serve him right if he was hung up by the goolies! A mate of mine caused some consternation when his SARBE went off when he was sat in the back of a cab coming back across the splosh, it took a little while for someone to realise a SARBE travelling at over a hundred knots on a very calm day probably wasn't bobbing in the oggin in a little life raft! Edited December 1, 2018 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 4 minutes ago, Tramatoa said: Left hand aerial (F) no idea, two white squares (G) Rad Alt? That's a TacFM antenna for talking to Pongoes which makes me wonder what the other one was in the earlier photo, I really must dig out the 4+ book! Your two square ones will be RadAlt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Combined VHF/UHF with Chelton decal (H) on the left as previously discussed. White square (I) not the foggiest, to the right of that the Static Port with it’s seldom used blank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wez Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 (edited) 14 minutes ago, Tramatoa said: White square (I) not the foggiest GPS, I'm guessing this would have been a late fit on Walters, would have probably come in when the DECCA Navigation Chain was decommissioned. Aerial fits would have changed over time, some of the older ones may have been retained even though the rest of the fit was removed. Edited December 1, 2018 by Wez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tramatoa Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Aerial J - the towel rail. Blanked off on XT604 but there on an earlier photo. Seen this bent by over enthusiastic wash teams on a few occasions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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