The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 12 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said: Indeed; you can see Mr Rooney in my picture, just below the left hand set of rotor blades. He will not be featuring in my build; mine will be EDSG over Sky aircraft from HMS Bulwark ship’s flight 1955. Eventually (before anyone gets excited...) Nor mine, when I bought my BB kit an epoch ago Mike Belcher made me some custom BEA decals and I have no snagged the LF 1/48 BEA decals since to go with AMP kit. To add to that have some original BEA literature including a time table and a 1st day cover of World's 1st ever scheduled passenger helicopter service and intend to make a nice display of the BEA machines. Incredibly Birmingham had a bespoke heliport back in the '50/'60s, it was truly was a pioneering age. Tommo. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abat Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Thanks for sharing your build Ced. Very nice work. I have the HO3S-1 awaiting my attention and you're giving me a good idea of what's coming. Andrew 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 2 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said: Nor mine, when I bought my BB kit an epoch ago Mike Belcher made me some custom BEA decals and I have no snagged the LF 1/48 BEA decals since to go with AMP kit. To add to that have some original BEA literature including a time table and a 1st day cover of World's 1st ever scheduled passenger helicopter service and intend to make a nice display of the BEA machines. Incredibly Birmingham had a bespoke heliport back in the '50/'60s, it was truly was a pioneering age. Tommo. I can remember that vaguely. I think it was near the council offices near the Hall of Memory, memories of a little lad being taken past by his mom. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 On 03/03/2021 at 18:20, Ex-FAAWAFU said: One of the features of this build is that we’re all being encouraged to open our (Dragon)flies and display our parts. Belcher Bits, 1/48 Slightly worryingly, the instructions are not in the box... though I have seen them fairly recently! P.S. There’s a pdf of the instructions on the Belcher Bits website. Phew! Well done for displaying your parts Crisp - fnaar! On 04/03/2021 at 16:19, The Tomohawk Kid said: The Belcher Bits kits include a decal option the machine in the Bridges at Toko Ri film, including a Mickey Rooney figure! Tommo. On 04/03/2021 at 20:51, Ex-FAAWAFU said: Indeed; you can see Mr Rooney in my picture, just below the left hand set of rotor blades. He will not be featuring in my build; mine will be EDSG over Sky aircraft from HMS Bulwark ship’s flight 1955. Eventually (before anyone gets excited...) On 05/03/2021 at 09:25, The Tomohawk Kid said: Nor mine, when I bought my BB kit an epoch ago Mike Belcher made me some custom BEA decals and I have no snagged the LF 1/48 BEA decals since to go with AMP kit. To add to that have some original BEA literature including a time table and a 1st day cover of World's 1st ever scheduled passenger helicopter service and intend to make a nice display of the BEA machines. Incredibly Birmingham had a bespoke heliport back in the '50/'60s, it was truly was a pioneering age. Tommo. Tommo, Crisp, no Mickey? Are you taking it then (arf arf) On 05/03/2021 at 10:36, abat said: Thanks for sharing your build Ced. Very nice work. I have the HO3S-1 awaiting my attention and you're giving me a good idea of what's coming. Andrew Thanks Andrew, you're welcome 23 hours ago, perdu said: I can remember that vaguely. I think it was near the council offices near the Hall of Memory, memories of a little lad being taken past by his mom. Great memories Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 After a few days of life, visiting the dump recycling centre and pondering, I decided to address this: …with a piece of Plasticard. Tape over the gap, cut with a #10A, was used as a template and then it was trim, trim, trim until: After a coat of Aqua Gloss dries (thanks Giorgio for the tip) these bits will be assembled: Close up close. 18 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I thought this might be relevant Ced. Not the place I expected, this was the Brummy heliport. Just a few miles from the real airport but the fifties must have been exciting times. The aircraft is a BEA S-51 https://www.airteamimages.com/sikorsky-s-51-dragonfly__bea---british-european-airways_94944_large.html 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ex-FAAWAFU Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Fab photo, Bill. Check out that terminal building; T5 eat your heart out! Seems a bit odd to me that they set it up as a separate site, what with Elmdon not that far away. Genuine city-centre-to-city-centre ops (the dream of ‘flying cars’ sci-fi types since time began) were completely impractical at that stage of helicopter (especially helicopter engine) development; single-engine ops over houses were rightly seen as a recipe for disaster. But Hay Mills is thus neither one thing nor the other. Weird. My Brum knowledge is poor, but isn’t that close to the old BSA factory site? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 (edited) I believe its proper name was Hay Mills Rotor Station (or Rotorstation) and was active from 1951 >1954, intially starting operations with the re-engined S-51s that were taken off the Liverpool <> Wrexham <> Cardiff route when that ceased timetabled operations. Then S-55s with the odd Bristol (171) Sycamore service operating between Birmingham and London (Northolt) with a very short lived branch service to Leicester. I have a 1950s BEA brochure that optimistically indicated an extensive route map for the proposed helicopter services across the UK, very few operated and those that did, did'nt last for long, typically less than a year. Other than noted above, the following places had heliports: Leicester Wrexham The Southbank (London) This was probably the most lavish affair and I believe had a regular shuttle service to Heathrow. Wrexham I believe was a glass fronted Terrapin Hut with a few chairs and 3 bar electric heater - the height of luxury in the '50s no doubt! Tommo. Edited March 6, 2021 by The Tomohawk Kid 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 1 hour ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said: Fab photo, Bill. Check out that terminal building; T5 eat your heart out! Seems a bit odd to me that they set it up as a separate site, what with Elmdon not that far away. Genuine city-centre-to-city-centre ops (the dream of ‘flying cars’ sci-fi types since time began) were completely impractical at that stage of helicopter (especially helicopter engine) development; single-engine ops over houses were rightly seen as a recipe for disaster. But Hay Mills is thus neither one thing nor the other. Weird. My Brum knowledge is poor, but isn’t that close to the old BSA factory site? Your Brum knowledge isn't that poor Crisp, way better than my knowledge of Salisburyum. It is fairly proximate to the BSA and at the time much of the land in that part of the city was unbuilt upon although very rapid expansion took over. That looks like post-war pre-fabs just across the Cole. Which from a couple of miles upstream was my childhood playground, happy days huh. And the terminal doesn't look far different to my memory of the Visiting Aircraft 'terminus' at RAF Marham in my memory. If it works... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heloman1 Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 All that input is most interesting... Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hendie Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I'm particularly enamored of the landing strip for drunk pilots just to the left of the terminal 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I bet they were too 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandy Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 I'm more worried about the amount of clear space they thought they needed for chopper ops back then - they might as well have made it into a proper airport! Ian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 17 minutes ago, Brandy said: I'm more worried about the amount of clear space they thought they needed for chopper ops back then - they might as well have made it into a proper airport! Ian From what I read about Birmingham Vandals oops I mean Birmingham Council they expected/hoped for frequent flying to get the Brummies to work by helicopter, most likely explanation for the size is that they were expecting/hoping for stacking in operation £4/10 to London return was supposed to open the skies to the 'copter. Ambitious days post war. There was an Airport Terminal in the City Centre (sadly no room to actually operate from it at the corner of Broad St) where the bus to Elmdon was boarded. (never did get to ride on the bus even) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 (edited) The South Bank/Waterloo heliport: https://www.ianvisits.co.uk/blog/2012/02/03/the-year-that-you-could-catch-a-helicopter-from-waterloo-station/ https://www.britishpathe.com/video/london-airport/query/waterloo+helicopter Tommo Edited March 6, 2021 by The Tomohawk Kid 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, perdu said: likely explanation for the size is that they were expecting/hoping for stacking in operation I doubt it, as they were only ever described as an experimental service(s). Land was less a premium back then, it probably was a simple as that. Tommo. Edited March 6, 2021 by The Tomohawk Kid 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Spadgent Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 Brilliant plasticard wrangling Mr B. A most elegant solution. 👏👏👏 Johnny 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 7 hours ago, The Tomohawk Kid said: I doubt it, as they were only ever described as an experimental service(s). Land was less a premium back then, it probably was a simple as that. Tommo. That's true however when I was reading up on the topic there were references to the Brummie council thinking in terms of helicopters being operated as buses for the working folk. That would allow for lots in the air at once, perhaps. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 The ‘ rotor station ‘ at Wrexham was just a field. That’s where I saw my first helicopter which was, of course, a Dragonfly. I later sat in a Vampire T11 cockpit in the same field at some sort of county show. John 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 (edited) 3 hours ago, Biggles87 said: The ‘ rotor station ‘ at Wrexham was just a field. John ...and some blocks of concrete and a Terrapin hut. However, I agree it was not much more than a bus stop. Tommo. Edited March 7, 2021 by The Tomohawk Kid 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 I don’t remember a hut but I’m sure there must have been something. It was a very long time ago and my memory is not what it used to be. John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Tomohawk Kid Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 33 minutes ago, Biggles87 said: I don’t remember a hut but I’m sure there must have been something. As I mentioned up thread there was a glass fronted Terrapin hut. Tommo. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Masters Posted March 7, 2021 Share Posted March 7, 2021 On 3/6/2021 at 12:59 PM, CedB said: I decided to address this: That's where I gave up. It's not that I didn't know what to do...it was just the wind left the sails and I found greener pastures...to mi the metaphors... Yours is looking very fine! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrislowe Posted March 9, 2021 Share Posted March 9, 2021 Great save Ced! The fit of your plasticard panel looks perfect. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted March 11, 2021 Author Share Posted March 11, 2021 Apologies for the brief gap in posts. We've finally decided that it's safe for Mrs B to stay with our eldest and their new babe so a quick trip was undertaken. I am now on my own - what to do? I have a few ideas… A neighbour has bought the complete DVD box set of 'Game of Thrones'. That won't watch itself you know. Sadly he's not alone so he's drip feeding them to me when he's finished. Just waiting for series 8 - the final seven episodes. Although I watched it when it was on, one benefit of age - or a busy life - is that I don't remember much of it. Dragons, Alpha Males and gratuitous naked flesh. What's not to like? Well, having several stories on the go at once means there's at least one 'What's happening to x?'. DIY? Nah. I might re-varnish the kitchen worktops. Junkers Rustic Oil - great stuff. Just don't get it on your hands. Modelling? Well, every time I go to the bench I despair at the Dragonfly close up. Bit more sanding and dry fit. Repeat. Things have happened though - more later, replies first. Thanks Bill, Crisp, Tommo, Colin, hendie, Ian and John for the details and memories of the heliport. Cheap air travel for all; what happened to that? No, budget airlines don't count, I want my hover car. All those promises from our youth - jetpacks, one-piece suits and space ports - and what have we got? Social Media. I despair… On 06/03/2021 at 21:04, The Spadgent said: Brilliant plasticard wrangling Mr B. A most elegant solution. 👏👏👏 Johnny On 07/03/2021 at 13:25, John Masters said: That's where I gave up. It's not that I didn't know what to do...it was just the wind left the sails and I found greener pastures...to mi the metaphors... Yours is looking very fine! On 09/03/2021 at 21:27, chrislowe said: Great save Ced! The fit of your plasticard panel looks perfect. Thanks Johnny, John and Chris - too kind 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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