JamesP Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 I've actually forgotten when started building this kit, whether is was before I after university, so lets say almost 30 years in the making. I started as a Revell owned Matchbox release so all grey plastic. Thanks to an excellent conversion article in Airfix magazine Vol1/#6 Feb 1989 and subsequently a super walkaround in (IIRC) Aviation News I made a start on the conversion as well as adding a lot of small detail and improvements. Here's a run down of the work done: * Removed and rescribed the raised panel lines. * Crash-moulded air-scoops, hatch handles/hinges from stretched sprue * Grab handles from wire * Modified pipework on underside to match the HAR2 more closely * Fuselage windows squared off and replaced with crash mould glazing. * Front windscreen re-glazed and framed. * Side windows replaced with crash-moulded examples to pose open. * Airwaves PE used for grills and cockpit detail * Added extra detail to the rotor hub * Winch detail - I could have improve the housing as it's very simplified * floatation gas bottles * Spot lights * Aerials, so many aerials! Over the years I added the 4+ book which has some lovely scale drawings and more recently the Haynes book which helped me redo the rotor head detail. The excellent ModelDecal sheet #95 which provides a number of Rescue Wessexes and HC2/HU5s. I can't recommend this sheet enough as it provides full stencils with variants so I could pick those that matched my references. Big thanks to MarkyM607 for providing a spare rotor blade that I snapped when trying to add some droop. The lack of droop is the only thing that detracts from the finished model. So here is XR507 of 22 Sqn St Mawgan, circa 1990 65 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Wow, that's awesome, very very cool indeed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janneman36 Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 This looks lovely and it is for sure a labor of love ! You wouldn’t say it is a Matchbox mould. cheers, Jan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in a shed Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 What a beauty, All the super detailing you've added (over the years!) has really paid off, I dont think I've seen a better SAR Wessex. Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Great looking Wessex there, really nice work 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Fantastic looking Wessex!! Top draw mods make this an extra special treat to behold... 22Sqn with the Sea King will always be my fondest memory - but this stirs the blood just as well!! Bravo that man! 👏 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 That looks great. You certainly finished that to a high standard. I have one in my stash. The original Matchbox kit. I was thinking of dumping it. Maybe it's worth keeping after all. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 38 minutes ago, Russmeister 101 said: Fantastic looking Wessex!! Top draw mods make this an extra special treat to behold... 22Sqn with the Sea King will always be my fondest memory - but this stirs the blood just as well!! Bravo that man! 👏 Many thanks. A Sea King and Whirlwind will eventually join it, hopefully before I start pushing up the daisies! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveH Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Very nice clean build... looks good DaveH 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza l Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 That's brilliant, great work. gazza l 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 What a lovely Walter. One of the best I've seen. (Aside from the real ones I used to work on, obviously). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 55 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said: What a lovely Walter. One of the best I've seen. (Aside from the real ones I used to work on, obviously). Cheers I really appreciate that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 It looks great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 A miniature work of art. Amazing! Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatalbert Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 Beautiful work,i love it,can you tell me what that magazine is that has the improvemnt details in it at the bottom of your picture. Thanks 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilspen Posted August 27, 2022 Share Posted August 27, 2022 A fabulous rendition of a classic helo. I am envious of the tidiness of your work. Really nice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesP Posted August 27, 2022 Author Share Posted August 27, 2022 6 hours ago, fatalbert said: Beautiful work,i love it,can you tell me what that magazine is that has the improvemnt details in it at the bottom of your picture. Thanks Cheers. Airfix magazineVol1/#6 Feb 1989 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 You’ve scrubbed up the old Matchbox very well, beautiful build ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatalbert Posted August 28, 2022 Share Posted August 28, 2022 10 hours ago, JamesP said: Cheers. Airfix magazineVol1/#6 Feb 1989 Thanks 🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 13, 2023 Share Posted January 13, 2023 Spot on. Lovely work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiff guy Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Great work, well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 Thanks @Bertie McBoatface, I hadn't seen this first time around, very pleased to see it now, that is a bit gorgeous. 👍 Steve. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bertie McBoatface Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 30 minutes ago, stevehnz said: Thanks @Bertie McBoatface, I hadn't seen this first time around, very pleased to see it now, that is a bit gorgeous. 👍 Steve. And from a matchbox kit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRMRL Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 That's fantastic work. my dad built this kit OOB when it came out, no comparison to the amount of effort you've put into, doesn't even look like the same model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daneel Posted January 14, 2023 Share Posted January 14, 2023 like Michelangelo used to say, "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it"... I guess the same goes for Matchbox kits, and you have really revealed a great kit that was inside waiting 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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