Pinback Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Hi - Hope you are all well. With the lockdown I have finally started on my attempt to convert the Frog Westland PV6 Wallace to a Wapiti. While searching for photos of the observer/gunner position I came across this footage on the manufacture of Wapitis on You Tube : https://youtu.be/3mXPvIFtd38 Love the way the ailerons are tested at 4.06! (by the way, does anyone have any photos of the observer/gunner position? - was there a foldaway seat? ) 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 Excellent, this should ensure the early release of the Dora Wings kit ! One clue I can give comes from the old Profile which states wireless apparatus was carried in the deck fairing behind the observer and I doubt he would be expected to operate this standing up. And from the Westland Aircraft Putnam book section on the Wapiti II, "Another modification was the fitment of a control column-but no rudder bar-in the rear cockpit." Annoyingly the Flight Global Archive is offline pending relaunch, that would have been a good place to look. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 And some nice shots of the Wessex, including inside the cockpit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 2 hours ago, Dave Swindell said: And some nice shots of the Wessex, including inside the cockpit! Well spotted, pure gold. I have one of those to build, in those markings, used by the Prince of Wales at the opening of Plymouth airport. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Swindell Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 4 hours ago, rossm said: Well spotted, pure gold. I have one of those to build, in those markings, used by the Prince of Wales at the opening of Plymouth airport. So have I, presumably yours is the Rug Rat kit as well? Note if you want to depict it as per the film and as used by the Prince of Wales when he opened Plymouth it needs some modifications to the windscreen and the earlier 5 cyliinder Genet setup. It was modified to the standard in the kit sometime after the trip to open Plymouth Airport. There's a good database on the Wessex in last month's Aeroplane magazine. Edit - the article is wrong, G-ABEG was modified in May before the PoW flew in it, see linked thread below Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted April 29, 2020 Share Posted April 29, 2020 1 hour ago, Dave Swindell said: So have I, presumably yours is the Rug Rat kit as well? Note if you want to depict it as per the film and as used by the Prince of Wales when he opened Plymouth it needs some modifications to the windscreen and the earlier 5 cyliinder Genet setup. It was modified to the standard in the kit sometime after the trip to open Plymouth Airport. There's a good database on the Wessex in last month's Aeroplane magazine. To avoid a thread hijack I've started a new one here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted April 30, 2020 Share Posted April 30, 2020 Yes there was a gunners seat. (31) It had a square cushion and folded up, on the port side wall at the centrepoint in the gunners cockpit. Here is a detail from a drawing by the late Frank Munger, looking forwards. You can position it on the fuselage by reference to the elevator bellcranks. which are roughly in line with the forwards rim of the gun ring. 36 /36 are the fire steps on which the gunner stood to fire the gun. 37 is the gunners sliding floor through which the gunner reached the bomb dropping lever (40) The floor slid forwards. John 3 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinback Posted April 30, 2020 Author Share Posted April 30, 2020 On 4/29/2020 at 5:04 PM, rossm said: One clue I can give comes from the old Profile which states wireless apparatus was carried in the deck fairing behind the observer and I doubt he would be expected to operate this standing up. 5 hours ago, John Aero said: Yes there was a gunners seat. (31) It had a square cushion and folded up, on the port side wall at the centrepoint in the gunners cockpit Thanks rossm and John - really appreciated! The cutaway is a massive help Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acky190 Posted August 2, 2020 Share Posted August 2, 2020 Hi Pinback, did you ever get this conversion started? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinback Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 12 hours ago, Acky190 said: Hi Pinback, did you ever get this conversion started? Hi Acky - certainly have but my work rate is not the fastest and have four other aircraft in the pipeline so this may take a while. But here is some proof Engine - I have actually splashed out on an aftermarket Pegasus that cost nearly three times more than the kit -£7 versus AUS$5 (about £2.50). But its worth it as the engine has to look right.( yep know ideally should be looking at a Jupiter but 9 cylinder, virtually identical diameter so am happy) Have cut off the circular exhaust collector (presume that's what it is) off the front of the kit engine but need something like a washer to insert between to get the correct dimension. Creating the 18 sections of piping connecting the collector to the cylinders and on the reverse will be a challenge (especially to the eyesight). At the moment I'm looking at very thin stretched sprue, glued, then very lightly sanded (if not already melted) to blend. This may end up in tears and a lot of swearing. Wings - sanded and filled Fuselage - rear end shortened slightly and have started making the cockpit look busy. Have used the kit's clear part to help mould a replacement rear deck using plastic card and hot water. (its the big white bit bottom right waiting to be cut right back!) The rear deck will need to be flattened where the wireless compartment is. Stay safe in Dorset! Pinback Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Russell Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 9 minutes ago, Pinback said: Creating the 18 sections of piping connecting the collector to the cylinders and on the reverse will be a challenge (especially to the eyesight). At the moment I'm looking at very thin stretched sprue, glued, then very lightly sanded (if not already melted) to blend. This may end up in tears and a lot of swearing. Lead wire may be easier? I have a few CMR Wapitis somewhere - instructions may be useful to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinback Posted August 3, 2020 Author Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Ed Russell said: Lead wire may be easier? Thanks for that Ed - it would definitely be a good avenue to look at (and thanks for the instructions offer- have seen a copy- appreciated though) 21 mins to curfew! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acky190 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Looking very promising mate! Thanks for the update, as I have the same kit and have had the same plan for conversion I'll be watching this closely to try and gain tips. I had also thought about the engine but had settled on the idea of sourcing an Aeroclub version but that's not materialised yet! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 I'm working on this 3D printed conversion in 1/48 scale. I suppose it wouldn't take much to change it to 1/72 scale.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acky190 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 50 minutes ago, wellsprop said: I'm working on this 3D printed conversion in 1/48 scale. I suppose it wouldn't take much to change it to 1/72 scale.... I'd be interested in giving this a go! I really need to dig into 3D printing a little more, I'd like to give 3D printing interplane and cabane struts a go although I'm not quite sure whether this would be possible in 1/72nd. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 On 4/29/2020 at 1:02 AM, Pinback said: Love the way the ailerons are tested at 4.06! Pretty simple test rig! I bet those ladies went home with a big high after a day's work doping those rib tapes and wings! "Exhaust fans and masks? We don' need no steenkin' exhaust fans and masks!" Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airjiml2 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 4 hours ago, wellsprop said: I'm working on this 3D printed conversion in 1/48 scale. I suppose it wouldn't take much to change it to 1/72 scale.... I think that would be an excellent idea. I'd be interested in a 1/72 Wapiti. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 7 minutes ago, airjiml2 said: I think that would be an excellent idea. I'd be interested in a 1/72 Wapiti. Jim I'm sure you are aware of the Dora Wings kit The "kit" I'm making is intended to be a "conversion". Despite having a complete fuselage, tail and wings, it will require cockpit interior, undercarriage, wing struts, engine, propeller (all the little bit essentially). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acky190 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Could these be possibly provided from the original Frog kit? Less the cockpit interior etc, wheels could be sourced from Aeroclub parts that are still available here and there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airjiml2 Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 Oh, yes I am aware of the Dora kit, but it sounds like that might be a while off. (But, I do have enough kits to keep me busy until it arrives.) Certainly, I don't want to go down the road Pinback has with the Frog kit. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted August 3, 2020 Share Posted August 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Acky190 said: Could these be possibly provided from the original Frog kit? Less the cockpit interior etc, wheels could be sourced from Aeroclub parts that are still available here and there. Agreed, my suggestion would be that the frog kit should be used as a donor, preferably with a resin engine. I might guess that, by the time I get around to converting this to 1/72, a Dora Wings kit may be available! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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