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Bristol Belvedere HC1 - Airfix 1/72


CedB

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Belvedere blade sequence

+x

 

The blades are geared, contra-rotating if you like and will always pass in the same sequence where every blade turns inside the gap of the same opposing rotor.

 

The big tubular thing in front of the rear rotor pylon is the coupling gearbox oil cooler and there is a shaft running along inside the roof of the cabin which joins both rotor head gearboxes.

 

The thing about using a tube for the rotor head to turn in is what I did, I have lots of @John Aero Aeroclub struts and tube packages so I found a size of tube to sit inside the very oddly shaped holes on top of the housings and that would act as the axle for the spindles.

 

If you do this I would advise making the tubes fit to the bottom of the fuselage from the top and ensuring the bottom of the tube has lots of glue on it so you can set the angles of the rotor heads permanently, with the right amount of forward tilt to the roto-rblade disc.

 

(This picture is of the layout inside the Bristle 173, much the same as the Cedvedere except for the power plants. The oil cooling bit isnt on these.)

bristol-173-1.gif

 

I really am seriously thinking of this as a project sooner or later.

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Further on the blades.

 

Why on god's earth would a helicopter designer bung seventy zillion rivets on top of the aerodynamical surfaces of the rotor blades?

 

I asked myself and went looking, the blades are smooth surfaces top and bottom on Belvederes.

 

And you have already removed rivets on the fuselage, so why not take fifty tons of parasite drag from the blades?

 

Huh?

OCD Classes available on application.

 

😒

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15 hours ago, perdu said:

I did.

 

I rather prefer the look of yours Ced.

 

Enticing in white and silver.👍

Thanks Bill. Pretty thing isn't it? :) 

 

14 hours ago, giemme said:

Agreed! Great job, Ced! :clap: :clap:

 

Ciao 

Thanks Giorgio :) 

 

13 hours ago, rob85 said:

Looks very cool with the blades and and in the white and silver! Really nice work Ced, and I’m looking forward to you solving the dangle of your rotor.

 

Rob

Wait no longer Rob - see below :) 

 

3 hours ago, Brandy said:

Lovely result Ced, well worth the extra effort.

 

Ian

Thanks Ian :) 

 

3 hours ago, Hamden said:

 

Stunning result Ced you have raised the bar, silk purse from sow's ear!

 

  Stay safe          Roger

Cheers Roger :) 

 

2 hours ago, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Well done Ced..:thumbsup: ...  You keep tackling the whirlybirds for both of us, they're my nemesis. Haven't had a successful build of one since the 80’s. 

Thanks Dennis :) They're not that bad but I admit I'll be staying away from anything with too many bits stuck on the outside!

 

2 hours ago, perdu said:

Belvedere blade sequence

+x

 

The blades are geared, contra-rotating if you like and will always pass in the same sequence where every blade turns inside the gap of the same opposing rotor.

 

The big tubular thing in front of the rear rotor pylon is the coupling gearbox oil cooler and there is a shaft running along inside the roof of the cabin which joins both rotor head gearboxes.

 

The thing about using a tube for the rotor head to turn in is what I did, I have lots of @John Aero Aeroclub struts and tube packages so I found a size of tube to sit inside the very oddly shaped holes on top of the housings and that would act as the axle for the spindles.

 

If you do this I would advise making the tubes fit to the bottom of the fuselage from the top and ensuring the bottom of the tube has lots of glue on it so you can set the angles of the rotor heads permanently, with the right amount of forward tilt to the roto-rblade disc.

 

(This picture is of the layout inside the Bristle 173, much the same as the Cedvedere except for the power plants. The oil cooling bit isnt on these.)

bristol-173-1.gif

 

I really am seriously thinking of this as a project sooner or later.

1 hour ago, perdu said:

Further on the blades.

 

Why on god's earth would a helicopter designer bung seventy zillion rivets on top of the aerodynamical surfaces of the rotor blades?

 

I asked myself and went looking, the blades are smooth surfaces top and bottom on Belvederes.

 

And you have already removed rivets on the fuselage, so why not take fifty tons of parasite drag from the blades?

 

Huh?

OCD Classes available on application.

 

😒

Thanks Bill :) 

Your post came too late for me, sadly, but they'll be useful for future builders I'm sure.

Well done for counting the rivets on the blades! :wicked:

I have no idea why Airfix moulded them but they do add to the 'old Airfix' feeling. That's my excuse!

 

 

This morning's final bits.

 

Drill out the rotor holes. Increasing sizes of drill to take the tube, constantly chanting 'Don't split the seam, don't split the seam':

 

50794726827_31df589d67_z.jpg

 

Hard to work with fingers crossed…

 

To get this angle of dangle:

 

50794620151_e45a7eb483_z.jpg

 

…I taped the blades together with some padding:

 

50794620911_d7f13a6503_z.jpg

 

I'd already cut the tube and, to avoid it dropping into the hole, stuck it to the rotor head:

 

50793880238_bd7ce26444_z.jpg

 

That will also let me remove the blades if required.

That gave me this:

 

50794019598_811887f867_z.jpg

 

Now, I know Bill's posted that the blades spun into teach others gaps (cheeky) BUT, if I had them 'realistic', she won't fit into the gap in the cabinet:

 

50794893017_62f088e595_z.jpg

 

…so they'll have to stay like that.

Sorry Bill.

 

I'm not pleased enough with this to RFI it so some pictures follow here.

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Some final shots.

 

50794929026_f4098dd1d4_z.jpg

 

50795051372_8209a1c119_z.jpg

 

50794183678_f4702ee25e_z.jpg

 

50795056307_d2343b61bb_z.jpg

 

50795058077_e687fca056_z.jpg

 

I must remember to clean up the canopy glue before it dries - it's too rubbery afterwards.

 

As always, thanks to everyone for their help, support and companionship during this build- really appreciated :D 

 

Now, back to the X-1.

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4 hours ago, perdu said:

Further on the blades.

 

Why on god's earth would a helicopter designer bung seventy zillion rivets on top of the aerodynamical surfaces of the rotor blades?

 

I asked myself and went looking, the blades are smooth surfaces top and bottom on Belvederes.

 

And you have already removed rivets on the fuselage, so why not take fifty tons of parasite drag from the blades?

 

Huh?

OCD Classes available on application.

 

😒

I'm glad I wasn't the only one to notice that!

 

Ian

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Thanks Steve, Chris, Heather, Bill, Alistair, Giorgio, Tomo, Simon, hendie and Terry - appreciated, it was a bit of a sow's ear :) 

 

Thanks again to @AdrianMF for the kit, a great addition to my collection.

 

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Thanks Rob and Keith :) 

 

When we're back to 'normal' I plan a trip to Ikea for a new cabinet - that one's getting full!

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Thanks Adrian - pleased that you like what I did with your kind donation and thanks again for the kit, much appreciated :) 

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