1/48 Westland Wasp HAS1 Op Corporate *** FINISHED ***

[Chewbacca]

Been on leave this week so have had a chance to start getting some of those components together.  The balsa wood "teak" deck is now down.  I marked it up with the individual planking using a fine 2B pencil that was just hard enough to make a small indentation and leave a mark though I do fear that I got slightly confused at one point and got the planks out of sequence.  I found out that you cannot successfully rub out pencil, even 2B, from balsa wood!

 

Added the hose basket, hoses and hydrant to the aft end of the 2 deck superstructure together with the securing clips on the doors.  I seem to recall , though it was 38 years ago, that those doors were merchant ship design and so only had the 2 clips rather than the 8 I would expect on a warship.  I can find no photos to confirm either way but I can guarantee that someone who sees it will remember!  I did come across someone recently at a Royal Naval Association meeting who was serving in HMS HYDRA at the same time I was in HECLA and he couldn't remember either. 

 

Finished off the fuel stowage with the fuel cans and added that plus all of the other bits and pieces on the quarterdeck itself.  Still waiting for the capstan to be made for me but since he's doing it free of charge I can't really ask him to go any faster.  Finally added some weathering in the shape of rust streaks.  Compared to some ships in Op Corporate, HECLA fared quite well on the corrosion front so I didn't go overboard with the weathering.  Also added some light weathering to the teak deck where people would have emerged from the starboard access door (which I seem to recall was the main access into the superstructure from the quarterdeck; the one on the post side was a workshop or store).

 

Not in these photos but out in the spray booth are the guardrails to go around the stern.  I looked at scratchbuilding them in their entirety but in the end common sense prevailed and I bought a set of brass uprights from Caldercraft on the 'Bay.  Postage was almost as much as the guardrails themselves but havng threaded them with 20 thou Evergreen rod, they look pretty reasonable.  My only slight concern is that they are the standard asymmetrically spaced post WW2 RN design, but because all of the H Class survey ships were built to commercial standards, i think they should be equidistant.  However, they look so much better than I could have scratch built I'll live with that.  Also in the spray booth is the flight deck itself which has been covered with 400 grit wet and dry to represent the camrex covering.  I've drilled out the pattern for the ringbolts and added 9 of those from coils of fuse wire, 5 down and 4 in the up position to attach the nylon lashings which I have yet to make.  Finally also out there is the flight deck netting material.  I was quite tempted to make the netting having seen @FlyingSpanner's Vosper MTB (Post #67)

but then found that the backing material used for embroidery has a weave that's almost the right spacing (slightly too small).  My daughter had a Shaun the Sheep cross stitch that she started when she was about 10 years old and lost interest with part finished when she lost the thread that went with it so instead of going in the bin it made its way to my bench, was cleared down and primed.  The plan is to secure it with fine thread as the real nets are lashed to the frames.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for reading

 

 

 

[Terry1954]

That deck and the general wear and tear look very convincing Ralph. Great stuff.

 

Terry

[Chewbacca]

Never thought I'd need to take up sewing as an add-on to modelling (other than I suppose sewing sails if I ever built a square rigger), but the best way to attach the flight deck nets to the frames was by lacing them on with thin thread and a sewing needle which was the closest to the way they are actually attached.  So 17 nets later (each one taking around 30-40 minutes) and I ended up with this (these are just the 6 for each side).  I couldn't get the 5 for the stern in the photo but they're done as well.

 

 

[Martian]

This extrodinary stuff Ralph! I have seen more sewing from you in the last few seconds than I have from Mrs Martian in the last thirty two years! (Mrs Martian will not dispute this fact)

 

Martian 👽

 

Stop Press! Mrs Martian has pleaded guilty as charged. Did I say she hates sewing?

[Terry1954]

Wow. That's what I call a net result! 

 

Terry

[Martian]

3 minutes ago, Terry1954 said:

Wow. That's what I call a net result! 

 

Terry

Agreed. However, where were you on Tuesday night? I had a gift for you from Mrs Martian and having failed to pass it on, I am now on jankers.

 

Martian 👽

[Terry1954]

7 minutes ago, Martian said:

However, where were you on Tuesday night? I had a gift for you from Mrs Martian and having failed to pass it on, I am now on jankers.

 

Oops! I had some family stuff to sort that afternoon and was never sure I'd make it back in time. Alas I did not. Dereliction of duties, guilty as charged!

 

The mind boggles at what this gift might be.............🤔

 

Terry

[Martian]

1 minute ago, Terry1954 said:

Oops! I had some family stuff to sort that afternoon and was never sure I'd make it back in time. Also I did not. Dereliction of duties, guilty as charged!

 

The mind boggles at what this gift might be.............🤔

 

Terry

I am sworn to secrecy. I had strict instructions to place it in your hands.

 

Martian 👽

[Chewbacca]

Flight deck now painted and dry fitted.  I'm still waiting on the capstan to be turned so I can't secure it in place just yet.

 

The grey is a base coast of Vallejo dark grey to which I then added a single drop of white to lighten it slightly which I sprayed in a random pattern to represent where the deck has been slightly bleached from sun and has still got tiny amounts of salt encrusted in it. 

 

The flight deck markings were then masked (thanks for your advice last week Martin on how best to mask a perfect circle) and brush painted with oils.  I knew from previous experience of trying to spray markings on flight decks with a wet and dry textured surface that it is impossible to seal the edges and bleed through is inevitable, which was why this time I elected to use much thicker oil paints and brush inwards from each edge.  Not perfect I accept, but then I know from my own experience that flight deck markings are brush painted in real life (trust me, I did it in both HMS BOXER and BRAVE), and I've still got to add the weathering to represent where oil, hydraulic fluid and AVGAS will have stained the deck. 

 

 

 

Only remaining elements of this to do are:

• finish the weathering
• make the "No Access - Flying Stations" board to hang on the ladder
• attach the flight deck nets
• make the green flight deck loop that surrounds the flight deck and is attached to the nets
• make the ground supply cable to sit on the deck next to the Wasp
• make 4 sets of nylon lashings to secure the Wasp on deck.

If I could find some half decent 1/48 modern Fleet Air Arm crew figures (overalls, foulie jackets, lifejackets) I would add those as well but as per the debate over on the figures forum 

these are pretty hard to come by these days.  the Airwaves ones seemed to be the best but they're long out of production.

[bootneck]

That is excellent work and will really enhance the Wasp when added.  I am also following along avidly with your Wasp build as I have one on the go myself, but nowhere near to your standard.

Can I just sidestep this slightlly and ask what was the colour of a live torpedo for the Wasp?   I was talking to Antelope's Lynx pilot, while ashore at Ajax Bay (just at the moment the UXB detonated) and saw the torpedo on that Lynx was white.  Would the Wasp's live torpedos have been the same colour?

 

cheers,

Mike

[Chewbacca]

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your kind words.  It wasn't until I read your post that I realised that in all of my naval career, I never flew with a live torpedo and only ever saw them when doing magazine rounds as a young officer.  And I have no recollection whatsoever what colour the Mk46 warshots were (don't think Stingray had come in by 1982).  I know warshot Sea Skua were grey - as shown below.  Perhaps @Ex-FAAWAFUmight know?

 

Edited September 23, 2020 by Chewbacca

[Terry1954]

On 9/20/2020 at 8:48 PM, Martian said:

I am sworn to secrecy. I had strict instructions to place it in your hands.

 

OMG! It's not a black spot is it ......................😱⚓

 

That flight deck/rear end/stern/back bit looks awesome Ralph. It will really set off the Wasp when complete.

 

Re the picture above. The Lynx looks so menacing with four Sea Skua's IMHO. Great shot.

 

Terry

[Martian]

2 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

OMG! It's not a black spot is it ......................😱⚓

Fret ye not Terry, it's not that. It is something to your advantage.

 

Kind and Gentle of Mars👽

[Martian]

Looking really really good Ralph. What worries me is how we are going to get all of a 1/48 HMS Hecla into the model club, should you get carried away and built the whole ship.

 

Concerned of Mars 👽

[bootneck]

5 hours ago, Chewbacca said:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your kind words.  It wasn't until I read your post that I realised that in all of my naval career, I never flew with a live torpedo and only ever saw them when doing magazine rounds as a young officer.  And I have no recollection whatsoever what colour the Mk46 warshots were (don't think Stingray had come in by 1982).  I know warshot Sea Skua were grey - as shown below.  Perhaps @Ex-FAAWAFUmight know?

 

 

 I think it was a Sea Skua that I saw on the Lynx at Ajax Bay. 

This is not my photo but shows a similar view to the one I saw.

 

I didn't have time to get a photo of Antelope's Lynx, as I mentioned, the UXB detonated on the ship and the pilot jumped into the cab and flew out to the ship for any casualties.

 

I realise now that it looks nothing like a torpedo carried by the Wasps.

 

cheers,

Mike

[Chewbacca]

22 hours ago, Terry1954 said:

The Lynx looks so menacing with four Sea Skua's IMHO. Great shot.

 

Thanks Terry.  At the time, the inexperience of youth meant that I was somewhat miffed that whilst airborne on the sortie that immediately followed this photo, I found an Iraqi minesweeper and was running in for the kill when I was hauled off by CTG and told to deliver these missiles to HMS GLOUCESTER while her Lynx was vectored in to take the minesweeper.  With the benefit of nearly 30 years experience, I am now so glad that I didn't engage. 

 

17 hours ago, bootneck said:

 I think it was a Sea Skua that I saw on the Lynx at Ajax Bay. 

 

Yes, definitely an early production Skua which were white.  First time I flew with warshot missiles was 1987 and they were definitely light grey by then.

 

Now you've got me trying to remember who that is sitting on the weapon carrier.  I know I know him but can't remember his name!

[Terry1954]

10 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

With the benefit of nearly 30 years experience, I am now so glad that I didn't engage. 

Life and experience is a great leveller for many of us for sure. I can fully appreciate how you now feel.......

 

12 minutes ago, Chewbacca said:

I know I know him but can't remember his name!

Ah, now that is also what life and experience does.............!

 

Terry

[wellsprop]

I LOVE this build

[Ex-FAAWAFU]

On 9/23/2020 at 8:54 AM, Chewbacca said:

Hi Mike,

Thanks for your kind words.  It wasn't until I read your post that I realised that in all of my naval career, I never flew with a live torpedo and only ever saw them when doing magazine rounds as a young officer.  And I have no recollection whatsoever what colour the Mk46 warshots were (don't think Stingray had come in by 1982).  I know warshot Sea Skua were grey - as shown below.  Perhaps @Ex-FAAWAFUmight know?

 

I was going to make some confident statement that warshot Mk.46 were basically black, but then I realised I was thinking of Stingrays.  In my defence, in 1982 I was in Fearless so in deepest Junglie land; none of those fangled ASW weapons anywhere near my flight deck!

[Chewbacca]

Visit from Mr C*ck up I'm afraid.  I measured and manufactured all of the flight deck net frames perfectly, dry fitted them and they fitted perfectly, then i lashed the nest themselves on...and forgot about the extra thickness of the thread between the frames.  It didn't add very much - about 1/2 - 3/4 mm on each one but with 6 each side and 5 across the stern it was enough to throw it out.

 

Fortunately, I had found a higher res version of one of the reference photos I was using and noticed that actually the pairs of nets are one long net with a central stanchion, so I can recover the situation by cutting off one stanchion from every second frame and joining them together.  Only time will tell if that will work or if I will have to start again. 

[Chewbacca]

Sorry for the lack of updates on this but have had it on hold while I was waiting on my friend who was turning the capstan on his lathe.  In the end I gave up waiting and thought I'd start HMS PUMA while I waited, and lo and behold, literally 3 or 4 hours after posting the opening submission to the PUMA WIP, he turns up at the door with a nice maple capstan.  Slightly too small if I'm brutally honest by about 1 mm or so but I can live with it.  So spent the odd 30 mins here and there this week filling the flaws in the wood itself before and rubbing back, priming and painting, then some more sanding before adding the unpainted strakes.  Little bit of light weathering and fitted it this afternoon; I'm quite pleased with the result, especially when it's under the flight deck.

 

 

I'd already sorted the flight deck nets (see above) and fitted the mag loop cable, also made the ground power supply cable from a length of wire I has lying around.  

 

So it was then time to fit the flight deck to the quarterdeck which was easier said than done, trying to align 4 main supports on each side plus 5 smaller supports in the middle of the deck was a wee bit challenging to say the least, but after multiple attempts and a bit of fettling, it all finally came together.

 

 

 

The "No Access - Flying Stations" board is drying, after which I'll add a home made decal with the lettering.  Then it's simply a case of making 4 nylon lashings.  Well, I say simply, the lashings themselves and the spring hook on the deck end is easy enough.  not looking forward to trying to make the ratchet tie downs in 1/48!

 

 

[Pete in Lincs]

That was an interesting catch up from Sept 20th. It seems that I'm not the only one who's forgotten familiar details of Aircraft from my past.

The flight deck looks great. For the ratchet tie downs, tubing and some fine long screws?

[Terry1954]

Great work on that flight deck area Ralph. The wasp will look quite at home atop that!

 

Terry

[perdu]

I did this for my ratchets

 

 

 

Two sizes of evergreen U section, chosen to suit

 

A strip of thin poly card sliced to fit

 

Some strip on the smaller U section and then the larger U section, holed to suit the crank handle, when the larger U gets used to close the job

 

Hooks to fit from stores

 

I decided I didnt need actual ratcheting winching action, faking it would do in tiny scale

[The Spadgent]

Oh my that is great!!! Lovely Sunday \ Monday catch up. Can’t wait to see it all together. 👏👏👏 

 

Johnny