British Airways Fairey Rotodyne! Red Tail Delight!

[woody37]

Couldn't resist this one! One of the classics, but wanted to go off-piste and do a What-if scheme. I'll add the story when it gets to RFI, but for now, it's rivet bashing! There are some deepish sink marks in the fuselage halves so removing them would of destroyed the rivets anyway so why not take them all off? That's what I'm up to now. The plan is to have the British airways text across the rotor gearbox fairing with the tails in the red tail markings, other than that, there is no plan, simply learning about this aircraft as I go! There's even going to be some subtle weathering from years of faithful service reaching the more remote parts of the UK!

 

 

 

more later,

 

[cngaero]

I'd like to book a seat if I may.

This should be good.

Good luck.

[perdu]

Riding along with you, going to be good.

[Gondor44]

I am so following this as I have plans to do an RAF Transport Command version.

 

Gondor

[bentwaters81tfw]

It scrubs up OK for an oldie. I did mine in BEA red square.

[Turbofan]

Hi Neil,

Should be interesting! When you say 'red tail' do you mean Negus?

Are you going to add an interior? You'll see lots through those massive windows!

Cheers,

Ian

[perdu]

I saw one in the Local Model Shop today, tempted. Truly tempted...

[Paul J]

2 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

It scrubs up OK for an oldie. I did mine in BEA red square.

As I did with an original issue; something like 30 years ago.

[psdavidson]

I'll tag along as well

You'll find me in the kitchen lurky corner

 

/P

[rayprit]

You may find this helpful in your build

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNH1HK4ezzs

[woody37]

8 hours ago, cngaero said:

I'd like to book a seat if I may.

This should be good.

Good luck.

 

Absolutely, welcome aboard!

 

6 hours ago, Gondor44 said:

I am so following this as I have plans to do an RAF Transport Command version.

 

Gondor

 

Please do share when you start, I was considering this scheme too

 

6 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

It scrubs up OK for an oldie. I did mine in BEA red square.

 

Feel free to share some pics if you have any

 

 

5 hours ago, Turbofan said:

Hi Neil,

Should be interesting! When you say 'red tail' do you mean Negus?

Are you going to add an interior? You'll see lots through those massive windows!

Cheers,

Ian

 

Hi Ian, Yes, the Negus scheme. I wasn't intending to add an interior, but having quickly looked at the video that Rayprit shared, I may just add some seat shaped profiles. Probably add a few assumed exterior details that it may of had if in service, creative license and all!

 

3 hours ago, perdu said:

I saw one in the Local Model Shop today, tempted. Truly tempted...

 

I'm half way to rotordom with this Bill, I'd love to see your take on one

 

 

3 hours ago, Paul J said:

As I did with an original issue; something like 30 years ago.

 

Have you got any pics Paul?

 

1 hour ago, psdavidson said:

I'll tag along as well

You'll find me in the kitchen lurky corner

 

/P

 

Welcome aboard, the more the merrier!

 

1 hour ago, rayprit said:

You may find this helpful in your build

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNH1HK4ezzs

 

Thanks, that is a brilliant reference, lots of good tips in there that I'll be using

 

Cheers

Neil

[bentwaters81tfw]

Only got a rough one cropped out of a Telford shot.

[woody37]

21 hours ago, bentwaters81tfw said:

Only got a rough one cropped out of a Telford shot.

 

 

That looks stunning. It may be a little left field in design, but looks so right in that scheme!

[woody37]

Managed to get some more....well sanding done today! I'm going to cheat on the inside copying what Gregg did in the video shared by Rayprit above and cut out some seat shaped profiles. The strip of plastic below the windows is to glue them to.

 

 

The door has been filled. My plan for this is to paint the door shape with the reverse colours that are often used to highlight doors and exit windows. 

 

 

Doing the engines has been fiddly. I've tried to retain the raised detail so care had to be taken smoothing the seams. I've also re-rivetted the surfaces of one of the wings although you can't really see here. The other wing is still in progress...

 

 

 

Whilst things dry, the tail feathers are getting treated as well.

 

 

There's a hole in the top of the wing at the rear, does anyone know what they are? 

 

Thanks

Neil

 

[AV O]

24 minutes ago, woody37 said:

Managed to get some more....well sanding done today! I'm going to cheat on the inside copying what Gregg did in the video shared by Rayprit above and cut out some seat shaped profiles. The strip of plastic below the windows is to glue them to.

 

 

The door has been filled. My plan for this is to paint the door shape with the reverse colours that are often used to highlight doors and exit windows. 

 

 

Doing the engines has been fiddly. I've tried to retain the raised detail so care had to be taken smoothing the seams. I've also re-rivetted the surfaces of one of the wings although you can't really see here. The other wing is still in progress...

 

 

 

Whilst things dry, the tail feathers are getting treated as well.

 

 

There's a hole in the top of the wing at the rear, does anyone know what they are? 

 

Thanks

Neil

 

Could it be an intake ?

Revell wings look different :

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234953371-revell-178-fairey-rotodyne/#comment-1513804

 

Look for #7 :

https://www.pinterest.se/pin/361906520038114948/visual-search/?x=16&y=16&w=532&h=223&surfaceType=flashlight

Air Intake Auxiliary compressor

 

Edited February 11 by AV O

[woody37]

1 hour ago, AV O said:

Could it be an intake ?

Revell wings look different :

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234953371-revell-178-fairey-rotodyne/#comment-1513804

 

Look for #7 :

https://www.pinterest.se/pin/361906520038114948/visual-search/?x=16&y=16&w=532&h=223&surfaceType=flashlight

Air Intake Auxiliary compressor

 

 

Quite different from the Revell kit, it's as though there should be another part to go over, but there's nothing in the box or the instructions, strange one! I wonder if it was just left open to the elements?

 

Thanks

[AV O]

22 minutes ago, woody37 said:

 

 I wonder if it was just left open to the elements?

 

Thanks

Looks like it :

https://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/Visschedijk/3299.htm

https://www.mediastorehouse.com/mary-evans-prints-online/royal-aeronautical-society/photographic/fairey-rotodyne-xe521-upper-quarter-9886553.html?nochkip=1&pid=7046

[MrB17]

This will be a treat to watch Neil. The one kit I’ve had in my hands many times but never left the shop with. I still haven’t seen a good photo of the decals from the new boxing, hoping the blue is a little darker than previous ones. Happily following along.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

[TheyJammedKenny!]

What a treat!  You're making fast progress on this worthwhile WHIFF.  

[Dave Swindell]

12 hours ago, woody37 said:

There's a hole in the top of the wing at the rear, does anyone know what they are? 

 

12 hours ago, AV O said:

Could it be an intake ?

It's the intake for the compressors for the rotor tip jets, the compressor was on the back of the engine so the ducting below the intake goes down and curves forwar. One compressor suppliedprovided 2 jets diametrically opposite each other, the other compressor supplied the other 2 jets.

 

[woody37]

11 hours ago, MrB17 said:

This will be a treat to watch Neil. The one kit I’ve had in my hands many times but never left the shop with. I still haven’t seen a good photo of the decals from the new boxing, hoping the blue is a little darker than previous ones. Happily following along.

 

Cheers

 

Jeff

 

Thanks Jeff. The decals are very nice, but not sure how dark the previous ones were. I'll take a pic later today hopefully. I would call them a mid blue rather than dark blue.

 

1 hour ago, Dave Swindell said:

 

It's the intake for the compressors for the rotor tip jets, the compressor was on the back of the engine so the ducting below the intake goes down and curves forwar. One compressor suppliedprovided 2 jets diametrically opposite each other, the other compressor supplied the other 2 jets.

 

 

Brill Dave, thanks for that. 

 

1 hour ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

What a treat!  You're making fast progress on this worthwhile WHIFF.  

 

Thanks, being a What-if, I can get a way with a bit more!

 

Last night, I sanded the windows flat, the only problem is, you can see inside now! Rather than cheating with seat profiles, I've ordered some seats and passengers from Ebay (well, actually a rail carriage interior!). They will be near enough for what can be seen!

[Heather Kay]

5 minutes ago, woody37 said:

the only problem is, you can see inside now!

When I built mine for the last Airfix Classic GB I cheated and painted the insides of the windows black!

 

 

The cockpit glazing bars above the sliding panels are wrong on the moulding. The box art gets it right. There are runners for the side windows, too, an easy fix.

 

Why, oh why, am I so tempted to get a new boxing of this thing and have another go at it? 

[woody37]

2 hours ago, Heather Kay said:

When I built mine for the last Airfix Classic GB I cheated and painted the insides of the windows black!

 

 

 

The cockpit glazing bars above the sliding panels are wrong on the moulding. The box art gets it right. There are runners for the side windows, too, an easy fix.

 

Why, oh why, am I so tempted to get a new boxing of this thing and have another go at it? 

 

Thanks Heather, I hadn't noticed that, another learning for the day! Go on, have another go! That is a lovely build, more inspiration 😀

The colours on yours appear lighter than the new decals, so I reckon @MrB17 will be happy with them. They seem to match the real thing quite well.

 

 

Had a bit of time so got a bit more done today. The windows are polished although could benefit from some Klear over them. A few are still not fully flat, but I didn't want to over sand them. Also, a bit of creative licence (OCD Warning!), some of the blinds that were fitted to commercial service Rotodynes have been left part down!

 

 

 

Another bit of creative licence was to add some mesh over the rotor tip jets to fill the hole that looks lacking in purpose!

 

 

[Heather Kay]

1 minute ago, woody37 said:

The colours on yours appear lighter than the new decals

Mine was an old Humbrol-era boxing. The transfers were rubbish.

 

You are tempting me to get another one… so many things I’d do differently to the old build.

[perdu]

It is blooming tempting isn't it, rather than a mesh cover which the Flight™ picture  doesn't show I think I would/may(maybe) make a couple of intake-y ducts for it to make the duct vanish inside the wings to the front.

 

Rectangular Plastruct-y type tube await, conveniently in my parts box...

 

 

Neil, you are awful... But...