1/72 Westland Sea King 4X

[Head in the clouds.]

This is the 2nd of my trio Sea King WIP build celebrating the diverse test and development airframes based on various Sea King marks.

 

ZB506 was purchased along with ZB507 as test and development airframes from the outset, being based on the Commando airframe but at first glance can seem confusing as they can sometimes have a HAS5/6 radome fitted making them look like this version. This was always the case and fits in with the type of work being carried out, look at any picture of these two airframes and any number of things could change from one pic to another, ZB506 was often seen with a NATO flange fitted to the nose, this allowing a multitude of sensor fits to be trialled.

 

The focus of my build was taken from a picture I found in 'Farnborough,a Hundred years of British Aviation' as it had just been pulled out of it's hanger. It is fitted with two large horizontal pylons/sponsons at the end of which is mounted the Heli-Tel camera system. I believe the first iterations of this were fitted in the rear cabin of Army Scouts pointing out the port side in the early/mid seventies, later progressing onto Wessex and Puma in the form seen here, although the mounting is simpler on the Wessex and Puma.

 

The Heli-Tel is an ultra long range system developed my Marconi and tested extensively by RAE at Farnborough, I believe the camera moves up and down while the 'U' shaped cradle rotates about it's axis to allow a full field of rotation. Beyond this I have not been able to find out much more.

 

So what of the kit. Well, the base kit is the Airfix HC4 offering with a Eduard exterior PE set. This is a good kit to use as a base, being modern with good decals, few of which were used unfortunately, goes together well although a little care is needed on the cockpit glazing as it comes in several parts and needs careful alignment. Beyond that the kit was modified extensively, in brief;

Windows blanked.

Fuel point moved near cargo door.

Addition of truncated dorsal dome.

No light above cargo door.

Scratch built Flotation devices.

Scratch built side sponsons and Heli-Tel unit.

Some aerials scratch built.

 

The biggest thing to look out for with Raspberry Ripple Sea Kings is the addition or removal of various lumps, bumps and aerials as the fit can vary significantly from machine to machine..

 

Paints used were predominately Tamiya Acrylics with some Humbrol for smaller items. Alclad Gloss was used for the top coat and Humbrol Matt varnish where needed. Humbrol black wash was used for limited weathering.

Decals are from many various sheets as no one really does a complete sheet for RAE machines that includes stencil data. The only decals to give a problem were the rotor blade sling points, even though the surface was smooth they still silvered and I could not get rid of it, only a thin layer of paint subdued it then I lost my nerve, you can't win them all.

The main sponsons are made from brass and the camera mount is made from Evergreen, the camera made from a wooden craft bead and filled with old PE to represent the internal gubbings.

 

As there was much to document I shall not repeat it here but the WIP can be found here; https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/

 

Hope you like it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[junglierating]

Hah remember ZB 507 on 848 .....weird a/c .....painted green and made to look like a Mk4 after Boscombe had finished playing frankenstein 🤣

[RMCS]

Outstanding 

[binbrook87]

Now that's something you don't see every day! Superb scratch building. What a fabulous end result. 

[SteveMc]

A superb job on a very different looking Sea King. 

[tonyot]

Fabulous,..... I used to look at the weird and wonderful Sea Kings and Wessex operating from Farnborough and wonder how I could model them,..... most appearing to be a mixture of `normal' variants,..... but you`ve actually done it,.... and beautifully too.

Cheers

          Tony

[Head in the clouds.]

10 hours ago, junglierating said:

Hah remember ZB 507 on 848 .....weird a/c .....painted green and made to look like a Mk4 after Boscombe had finished playing frankenstein

That's a new one on me @junglierating just as I think I have seen them all another one pops up.....green you say!🤔

 

8 hours ago, RMCS said:

Outstanding

Thank you @RMCS.

 

8 hours ago, binbrook87 said:

Now that's something you don't see every day! Superb scratch building. What a fabulous end result

They are weird and wonderful @binbrook87 that is why I like them, their existence is often fleeting so it is nice to capture them in model form.

 

6 hours ago, SteveMc said:

A superb job on a very different looking Sea King. 

Cheers @SteveMc

 

Thank you Tony, this is my third with one more to finish then I think there are 3 more with extensive mod's to build and several with minor mod's so the order book is full and I am learning all the time, this is an improvement on the Blue Kestrel test bed I did first 4 years ago.

[F-32]

Wow that looks superb, great work

[bzn20]

That's ace , really good . I'll have to see your WIP to find out what that is on the front though . . I worked at Boscombe Down a few times and

I was on the Line for the last Sea Kings built at Yeovil 1994-1997 . That crew door and steps  etc  is sublime takes me right back . Installing the 3 gear boxes and transmission shafts , ,trans covers ,dog Kennel ,FOD and Pylon fit for swing and lock, dressed boxes and rotors .My youngest and final Child was born while working there in 96 ,he's 24 now , not ready for inspection ready on him and forget the WIP !

 

Well done ,really is and thanks for showing !

Edited March 31, 2021 by bzn20

[dolphin38]

A great looking and unusual Sea King 

[Head in the clouds.]

4 hours ago, F-32 said:

Wow that looks superb, great work

Thanks @F-32 it did fight me at times.

 

3 hours ago, bzn20 said:

That's ace , really good . I'll have to see your WIP to find out hat that is on the front though . .

Cheers @bzn20, the ball turret is a Heli-Tel high powered camera, it was also fitted to the Wessex, and Puma of RAE, although information about it is hard to come by on the web.

 

20 minutes ago, dolphin38 said:

A great looking and unusual Sea King 

Thanks.

She certainly is unusual, right up my street...

[Farmerboy]

That is wonderful model building, above and beyond the call of duty, love it!

[Head in the clouds.]

Cheers @Farmerboy, one day I might even build a kit OOB......

[thorfinn]

Absolutely exquisite work...making my favorite eggbeater look like the survivor of a pub dust-up.

 

Anything looks good in "Raspberry Ripple," but this one is sublime. Congratulations on a great project, and thanks for sharing it with us.

[Head in the clouds.]

My pleasure @thorfinn I have one more on the production line at the minute but I am spoilt for choice with Sea Kings, there are at least another 3 I could build.

[thorfinn]

5 minutes ago, Head in the clouds. said:

I have one more on the production line at the minute but I am spoilt for choice with Sea Kings, there are at least another 3 I could build.

I know that feeling all too well.

 

Building a small flock of Sweet and AFV Club 1/144 versions helped a little...but I still have a dozen or so sets of markings for yet-unbuilt 1/72 scale versions....

[wellsprop]

Superb! I must admit I wasn't aware of this Sea King variant

[cngaero]

That's a fine looking Seaking and a very impressive conversion. The quality of your painting is outstanding. 

[Orion]

hello Clouds,

Fabulous Raspberry Ripple.

Regards, Orion.

P.S.

Are these two serials still around!

[Head in the clouds.]

20 hours ago, wellsprop said:

Superb! I must admit I wasn't aware of this Sea King variant

Many thanks.

 

19 hours ago, cngaero said:

The quality of your painting is outstanding. 

Cheers @cngaero it did fight me all the way with many sections peeling off when the masking was removed.

 

7 hours ago, Orion said:

Are these two serials still around

Thanks @Orion. In answer to your question I don't know but I would say that with all Sea King variants now withdrawn and Qinetic ( or whatever they call it now) having very few airframes( if any) I would say 'no' ZB507 was I beleive converted to HC4 and they are no longer, ZB506 was stored in 2018 in a car park!

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Sublime is a good word to describe your work on this!  Wow.

[Head in the clouds.]

5 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Sublime is a good word to describe your work on this!  Wow

Most kind, thank you very much for your kind words.

[ads121]

Just found this. What a great model. Excellent work there. Brings back memories of many flights as a Flight Test Observer flying on this cab + ZB507 etc at RAE Farnborough/Boscombe

I enclose a picture of its predecessor Seaking XV371 that I painted up in last years Lockdown (A rare 1/32 scale Sky Pilot model kit) which was originally a German Navy/ Marine version) Not your usual Airfix type of model but a fairly good example of Seaking. 

ZB506 was later to have a NATO Flange fitted to carry the Heli-Teli ball and to continue the Sensor/Data collection work as XV371 did. The beams were ultimately too heavy and controlling the aircraft in certain parameters was not deemed safe. 

Sad to see the real 506 recently cut into three sections and the nose painted green to be used as a film Prop at White Waltham as of 1/7/21. 

Adam

Ahh, I cant post it.. How can I post a piccie?

 

 

Edited July 8, 2021 by ads121
update

[Head in the clouds.]

13 hours ago, ads121 said:

Just found this

Glad that you did Adam.

 

I am coming towards the end of building XV371 with the very Nato Flange that you mentioned, I believe it was carrying cameras and infra red test equipment at the time. It is on hold at the moment while I source some white lower case lettering decals for the RAE titles but you can find the WIP here;

As the title suggests it is a build of 3 very different development Sea Kings.

Just to add a little spice to the conversation, Paul Robinson contacted me, as you did, when he saw my build of XV371 as he too worked with both XV371 and XB506 and you may know him. How small the world is! Paul took some of the photographs I have used as reference material, he recognized his work which I acquired after a visit to the FAST museum in Farnborough. It makes the hobby so much more interesting when people like you and Paul make contact, it adds another dimension to the build and gives it a human element......great😃.

 

I did also wonder of the flight characteristics of ZB506 with the beams and the unit at the front which we called the 'X box thingie', simply because we did not know it's official title.

 

To post on BM you need to upload your pics to a host like Flickr, copy and paste the link as per the host site instructions and it should appear. There should be other instructions near the top of the main forum page in the FAQ section detailing how to post pics. Takes a little getting used to but very simple once mastered, most forums seem to be going this way.

 

Enjoy the site, it is superb.

 

Gary.

[Adam Poultney]

Love the scheme