the venerable Airfix Westland Scout 1/72. Falklands war version.

[Carlos Guate]

A proyect taken again this holy week time, after more than 10 year stored in a shelf corner. The oldie Airfix AH1 1/72 planned to be a Falklands war subjet. 

 

Also the Airwaves weapons set was selected, but due the metalic material adds a lot of weigth to the thin plastic skies something must be do.  details and questions  as follow:

 

1. cut the access doors has shows some real  photos ( is posible the 4 doors were descarted during the war ?)

 

2. make the undercarriage skies with thin steel rod, available in some handcrafts stores. the partes were fixed with 2 part epoxy.

 

3. polish the clear part, built scratch seats, instrument panels and the underside tubing/anttenas

 

4. detail the rotor hub with plastic from spare parts box.

 

a step later will be detail the turbine and other parts like the AS.11 missiles launchers

 

 in the last photos a dry test , proving the new undercarriage will support the ancient airwaves parts.

 

finallly a question regarding the falkland colours used, after check in the forum some topics related I can't find a clear answer, please if someboy has the answers:

 

1. the Scout colour squeme suggest dark green and black, but what is the humbrol paint suggested ( in colour photos looks like a olive drab tone) not the humbrol #30 tone.

 

2. the lettering as ARMY, ROYAL MARINES and codes were overpainted with black ?

 

thanks a lot and comments are welcomed: (and praying that Airfix release a new Westland and Wasp model kits)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2021 by Carlos Guate
spelling errors corrected

[phildagreek]

Looks good!

[perdu]

Looks good I like it

 

Can I just say here NEVER use Humbrol 30 as a dark green for any UK aircraft, ever.

 

If you are using Humbrol paints you should use Humbrol 163 RAF Dark Green, in Tamiya use XF-81 Dark Green 2 (RAF).

 

Humbrol 30 has been quoted for years but is a too bright green, nice if you want a basic green but just not for UK aircraft from any period I can recall.

 

Wasps often flew without doors because they needed less weight so  they could take loads further, Scouts less so.

 

I have this photograph of a Scout transferring casualties in the Falklands which show the rear doors removed.

 

It may be useful to you.

 

[Planebuilder62]

Dear Carlos

Air Graphics have released a new decal sheet for the Scout and the Wasp, its very well researched and printed.

 

regards Toby

[k5054nz]

I'm enjoying this build a lot Carlos, the extra interior detail is excellent but the skids are gorgeous. I really sat up and started paying attention when I saw them. Beautiful work.

[John_W]

Remember the tinted part of the canopy was black, not green as shown on the box top. 

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Nicely done!

[Carlos Guate]

18 hours ago, John_W said:

Remember the tinted part of the canopy was black, not green as shown on the box top. 

 

Ok, thanks for the info, a detail I didn´t know. the tone seems like the car tinted windows.....

[John_W]

My brother fixed them for the Army Air Corps for many years. It always annoyed him that the box was incorrect. Apparently the  prototype had a green tinted roof and the kit was based on that.

[Aeronut]

Anyone interested in the Scout (or Beaver, Skeeter, Sioux and Auster 1 and 9) should look up the Historic Army Aircraft Flight o Facebook as they post lots of photos taken during the maintenance carried out on these aircraft with the intention of assisting modellers.  

[veg]

I have 2 kits of the scout one i will change to a wasp the other as per above. I found this site useful

https://www.pprune.org/rotorheads/523029-westland-scout-research.html

I bought this to convert to a wasp

https://www.shapeways.com/product/WEBLNRDC9/westland-wasp-conversion-kit-for-1-72-airfix-scout?optionId=65170056&li=marketplace

They also do the relevant rockets for both scout and wasp, there is a new decal sheet covering these as well, cant find the link yet.

The airwaves kit is great, oh and i will try to find the link to new engines, again they are 3d printed. 

Good luck and watching this with interest.

[Carlos Guate]

thanks for your words, I´ll keeping updates as work avances.

 

regards

[Carlos Guate]

hi again, to present some advances related.

 

basic detail made from fine wire and clean the old airwaves parts...

every union with superglue and 5 minutes epoxi.  a really hard work fit the peewer parts

 

 

the access doors will be done with disposable plate plastic, like a sandwich, plastic-transparent-plastic

 

 

 

the detail with fine wire (more will be added after the final touch

 

 

an the paint (model master and humbrol used)

 

 

 

 

thanks for your comments and a question about serial related.

 

what are the serials of the Scout involved in the Falklands war ?

 

the RED DANGER sign on tail was overpainted ?

 

for your comments and answers, thanks in advance,

 

Carlos

 

[TheyJammedKenny!]

The task force had six Scouts attached to 3 Commando. XT629 was one Royal Marines Scout, shot down by Argentine Pucaras on May 28, 1982, while supporting 2 PARA near Camilla Creek.  Pilot Lt. R. J. Nunn, D.F.C. was killed. 

 

The task force also had three Scouts attached to 656 AAC Squadron.  None was lost, according to my source.

 

I do not know other serials aside from the one given above.

 

Alex

 

 

[Carlos Guate]

more updates, wire, wire and more wire. details has been added. hopping to finish soon.

 

and the only issue , what serial could be added. ? 

 

rotors and engine tested to fit.

 

 

 

engine final look, wire,, metalizer and testor paints used.

 

 

and some pieces dry fit, I am very pleased with the result.

finished model photos soon.

 

 

thanks for your comments and suggestions

 

Carlos

 

 

[TheyJammedKenny!]

Beautifully done!  You'd never know it was the old Airfix kit by the looks of it.  Your detail work on the engine is superb.  Sorry not to have serials on hand for the AAC aircraft.

[Bell209]

That's lovely! I struggled with my Scout in 1/48 scale, so your efforts in 1/48 are very impressive.

[HAAFPhot]

Probably massively late now but....

 

Scout AH1 with 3 CBAS 

XP902 (D)T

XR627 (D)Q

XR629(D)R (Destroyed Lt R J Nunn KIA Sgt A R Belcher seriously injured)

XW616(D)P

XV140

XW615

 

Scouts with 656 as far as I can see

 

XR628

XT649

XV139

XT637

XV130

XW282

 

My old Flt commander Sam Drennan would have picked up his first DFC in one of these during a casevac from Mt Tumbledown.

 

Nice job with the Scout. not easy and the Airfix kit is lousy, we deserve better. 

 

[Carlos Guate]

6 hours ago, HAAFPhot said:

Probably massively late now but....

 

Scout AH1 with 3 CBAS 

XP902 (D)T

XR627 (D)Q

XR629(D)R (Destroyed Lt R J Nunn KIA Sgt A R Belcher seriously injured)

XW616(D)P

XV140

XW615

 

Scouts with 656 as far as I can see

 

XR628

XT649

XV139

XT637

XV130

XW282

 

My old Flt commander Sam Drennan would have picked up his first DFC in one of these during a casevac from Mt Tumbledown.

 

Nice job with the Scout. not easy and the Airfix kit is lousy, we deserve better. 

 

 

never is too late for information. thanks a lot for it

 

hoping some day a new Scout kit will light us

 

cheers.

 

Carlos

[HAAFPhot]

12 hours ago, Carlos Guate said:

 

never is too late for information. thanks a lot for it

 

hoping some day a new Scout kit will light us

 

cheers.

 

Carlos

I have spent time in the Falklands (84/84) and with Scouts so nothing would please me more. Many don’t realise that around 10 or 12 were built as pure utility, having no SS11 infrastructure fitted. The obvious sign is height adjustment on the crewmans seat extending back into the pax compartment but otherwise it’s pretty subtle. Many don’t realise that the Nimbus is largely of French design and manufactured under licence from Turbomecca. Folks at shows just wouldn’t have it until you chase them up the side to look at the makers plate😆

[HAAFPhot]

Another point regarding the colour of the cabin roof tint.

 

Over the years with the Scout I only ever remember seeing a dark grey/black tint.

 

More recently working with the HAAF, we had a loan aircraft which was in the old Dark green/FDE scheme, that had a blue tint.

 

The only drawback I could imagine with green would be to nullify a red flare/Aldis lamp....although you wouldn’t hopefully be seeing that via the roof😳

 

Another point is the TR blades. Very early Scouts, tapered composite metal and wood blades. Similar scheme to the all metal blades on the Sioux.

 

later mods were green with a yellow tip or more usually the striped black and white(to deter people from walking into them although the sound of the TR close up should be enough). Pre mod had squared roots that were cut tapered after delamination on the TE of the roots.

[HAAFPhot]

On 05/04/2021 at 08:52, perdu said:

Looks good I like it

 

Can I just say here NEVER use Humbrol 30 as a dark green for any UK aircraft, ever.

 

If you are using Humbrol paints you should use Humbrol 163 RAF Dark Green, in Tamiya use XF-81 Dark Green 2 (RAF).

 

Humbrol 30 has been quoted for years but is a too bright green, nice if you want a basic green but just not for UK aircraft from any period I can recall.

 

Wasps often flew without doors because they needed less weight so  they could take loads further, Scouts less so.

 

I have this photograph of a Scout transferring casualties in the Falklands which show the rear doors removed.

 

It may be useful to you.

 

All doors were often removed, particularly over water or in hot climes or with embarked eagle flights, jumpers etc.  There were 3 basic types of door (not withstanding local mods for early heli telly). Flat. Stretcher 1 (looked like a 45 gallon drum on the bottom of the door, allowed stretcher handles/stretcher to protrude doors closed, Stretcher 2, upper Perspex blown to match bulged door. Also allowed more room for pax on bench seat with webbing etc on. Bench seat has effectively 4 modes. Seat (front slightly raised so it removes your nuts on the frame/corner as you leave🤬), Stretcher (basically drops parallel to the cargo deck), stowed (up against rear bulkhead) removed. There was a GPMG Mount both Pintle and skid mounted. During the Falklands most cabs didn’t use the stretcher pods. The effect on the casualty was awful 🤮 and it made the rear quite awkward to access so they basically stuffed folk in the back on stretchers or walking wounded. There is usually a small green pouch attached to the rear cabin first aid kit that carried a clip attached to a pip pin via a short cord. The pouch is usually empty but the clip came in to attach giving sets to the cabin roof for casevac. Fantastic little aircraft, nearly all British and the thinking man’s Spitfire IMHO but then I am biassed❤️

[HAAFPhot]

On 08/04/2021 at 16:19, Aeronut said:

Anyone interested in the Scout (or Beaver, Skeeter, Sioux and Auster 1 and 9) should look up the Historic Army Aircraft Flight o Facebook as they post lots of photos taken during the maintenance carried out on these aircraft with the intention of assisting modellers.  

For all the good it did😆🙄

[perdu]

42 minutes ago, HAAFPhot said:

All doors were often removed, particularly over water or in hot climes or with embarked eagle flights, jumpers etc.  There were 3 basic types of door (not withstanding local mods for early heli telly). Flat. Stretcher 1 (looked like a 45 gallon drum on the bottom of the door, allowed stretcher handles/stretcher to protrude doors closed, Stretcher 2, upper Perspex blown to match bulged door. Also allowed more room for pax on bench seat with webbing etc on. Bench seat has effectively 4 modes. Seat (front slightly raised so it removes your nuts on the frame/corner as you leave🤬), Stretcher (basically drops parallel to the cargo deck), stowed (up against rear bulkhead) removed. There was a GPMG Mount both Pintle and skid mounted. During the Falklands most cabs didn’t use the stretcher pods. The effect on the casualty was awful 🤮 and it made the rear quite awkward to access so they basically stuffed folk in the back on stretchers or walking wounded. There is usually a small green pouch attached to the rear cabin first aid kit that carried a clip attached to a pip pin via a short cord. The pouch is usually empty but the clip came in to attach giving sets to the cabin roof for casevac. Fantastic little aircraft, nearly all British and the thinking man’s Spitfire IMHO but then I am biassed❤️

Me too I often have a Scout or Wasp in planning or recently completed, loves 'em I do.

 

 

 

[HAAFPhot]

On 01/02/2023 at 16:16, HAAFPhot said:

For all the good it did😆🙄

Sorry Perdu but it was me that took them during maint, shows and training flights. Sadly my position was made pretty damned unpleasant by a certain individual so I walked. Aeronut wasn’t treated much better. Shame because I had a lot of contacts for phots opportunity through OPs etc.