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Westland Dragonfly HC4 - LF Models 1/72


CedB

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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.

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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

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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.

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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

51000587801_8b639b4e31_b.jpg

 

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! :D

 

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) :D

 

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 :) 

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After a few days of life, visiting the dump recycling centre and pondering, I decided to address this:

 

51007764183_4776a1e23e_z.jpg

 

…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:

 

51008616597_f076926203_z.jpg

 

After a coat of Aqua Gloss dries (thanks Giorgio for the tip) these bits will be assembled:

 

51007838018_f2a8b1aba0_z.jpg

 

Close up close.

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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?

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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 by The Tomohawk Kid
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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...

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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

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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) :(

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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 by The Tomohawk Kid
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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.

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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

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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 by The Tomohawk Kid
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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!

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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 :) 

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