Westland Wallace G-ACBR Everest Flight, 1/72nd

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

A build from 2 years ago:

 

The completed model is here:

 

Fly with me, as we conquer our own modeling heights:
Sönke sent what you see here. As you may notice, it is the Russian incarnation of the kit, to make things more difficult for me, since the instructions use Cyrillic characters:

 

New vertical stabilizer (missing in the kit I was gifted) made:

 

Meanwhile the kit's horrid Townend ring is sanded to shape (to the right). Also seen substitute engine:

 

The ring at the back of the kit's engine is sawed-off too; a cut to clear the oil sump made, and it will be used as a necessary spacer between the resin engine and the front part:

 

Both wings have pretty noticeable ejector pin marks underneath. The filling and sanding is confined by masked rib bays to avoid detail loss:

 

 More pieces are cleaned-up and readied for the build:

 

 You would think that the chances of having to deflect a soccer penalty shot are minimal on-board a plane, but the pilot and navigator believe otherwise, unless of course they are naughty boys:

 

The main landing gear legs have those discs, common on old kits, that have nothing to do with reality:

 

They are mostly removed:

 

After a couple of unsuccessful attempts to deal with interior of the model on the pre-glued fuselage sent by Z, I decided to have a more Gordian knot solution approach to the closed fuselage conundrum, and literally  make it or break it. Fortunately it just separated neatly, which will now allow me to work much more comfortably. Some of the bumps present in the molds have been already erased:

 

The engine transplant proceeds, and the exhaust pipes are being connected:

 

All the pipes that connect cylinders and central rim are in place. It looks like these leftover Vega pipes will do well here as exhausts, with the side facing outwards sanded flat:

 

The intake manifolds (18) are made and applied, since they are quite visible:

 

 

 

Some sort of vent that is located on the fuselage top behind the Townend ring is fashioned:

 

Some Fotocut (Fred Hultberg's) etched parts are prepared for assembly:

 

The oil radiator parts assembly in progress. I really like Fotocut etched parts, and I am sorry that Fred's health is no good, since his products were amazing:

 

 

The kit's pilot seat is modified. A bulkhead separating the cockpit and the navigator/photographer's position is fashioned. It seems to have a sort of teller's box to pass messages. There was not seat -as such- for the navigator/photographer, some arrangement surely was made, but it wasn't a seat as the kit's, as you can easily verify watching the contemporary documentary on Youtube :

 

The base for the instrument panel:

 

 

 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Moa

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

The interior being detailed with scratched parts:

 

Since the prop axle now has to fit on the aftermarket engine and not on the kit's part a new one is added by simply cutting off, drilling, and inserting a rod:

 

The cockpit interior for both models advances a bit with more details:

 

The cabin floor and a camera are made to be added later on. G-ACBR had a window similar to G-ACAZ, but also a circular opening for the camera:

 

More detail is incorporated:

 

The interior components are painted and glued in place (speculative color):

 

 

 

Work continues:

 

 The camera window is dry-fitted:

 

The observer's window is dry-fitted:

 

Instrument panel ready to go in:

 

Wing and stab in place:

 

Landing gear in place. The parts break-down and assembly engineering of this gear are one of the most absurd and impractical I have seen on a kit. You have to struggle to get 5 different parts all glued and aligned at the same time. A very poor job of kit engineering, even for an old and outdated kit like this one. Many kits released in the same year or thereabouts are well engineered, so time is not an attenuating circumstance, it's brains and./or care (or lack or thereof) what counts:

 

 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

Metal control horns are added to ailerons and elevators, drilling rigging and control cable holes where needed. Control surfaces are glued and the rudder trim linkage added to the vertical stabilizer:

 

 

The cabin section glazing is cut to separate the fixed parts (windows) which are glued to the fuselage. New "movable" sections will be made to replicate the real thing and be able to have a peep at the interior, where the scratched camera will be installed afterwards:

 

 

 

The skids are added to the wing (not present in G-ACAZ), as well as a scratched small structure after the tailskid. Notice the double aileron control horn, single on G-ACAZ:

 

 

 

The Arctic Decals images are applied:

 

 

 

 

 

[Britman]

Lovely work as usual and that engine looks exceptional. 

 

Keith 

[06/24]

Have looked at these occasionally and pondered. Could I build one with your level of skill? Perhaps not, but you, as always, inspire me to give it a go one day.

[Courageous]

More great work here Moa. Must be great to have a circle of friends who throw their old kits/ builds at you.

 

Stuart

[stevehnz]

A fascinating series of threads Moa, both this & the RFI for G -ACBR &the corresponding ones or G-ACAZ, simply wonderful work on display here, not only that though, they've gone a long way toward demystifying this whole subject. My only dilemma is, I've only one of these kits. G-ACBR is looking most likely.

Steve.

[bigbadbadge]

Wow Moa, what cracking work, they look absolutely amazing.  Like said above, your builds are very inspiring indeed.  Great job and thanks for sharing.

All the best
Chris

[John Masters]

I have just found this thread Moa.  Wonderful work as usual and I am using it as a guide for bits like the control horns, oil cooler, etc...I hope you don't mind!

 

By the way, what is that protuberance on the top of the nose behind the cowling? 

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

6 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said:

By the way, what is that protuberance on the top of the nose behind the cowling? 

Hi there

I assume it's the fairing for a vent or a filler. Very visible in photos.

Cheers

[John Masters]

Thanks Moa.

[pheonix]

I missed this first time round Moa: I am really pleased that I have found it now. This is inspiring work indeed - taking an old kit(s) and turning them into a pair of gems. Wonderful work.

 

P

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

1 hour ago, pheonix said:

I missed this first time round Moa: I am really pleased that I have found it now. This is inspiring work indeed - taking an old kit(s) and turning them into a pair of gems. Wonderful work.

 

P

Thanks, P.

It was fun.

Most of the time.

😉