Martian's Choppers

[Martian]

I seem to have been a bit quiet recently. I know, that doesn't happen very often but we had the chance to buy Martian Towers, which the Memsahib's family had been renting since 1939 and the stress involved rather sapped my mojo. That and my Great Eastern build having reached a stage where a lot of work for very little visible return has meant that not a lot of modelling was getting done. A chat with @general melchett for some much needed sane advice, led me to conclude that a nice state of the art kit build would be a cunning plan and the recently released Airfix Sea King HC.4 would fit the bill nicely. So, what in the name of Zarquon's jock strap, you might ask, am I doing hacking away at The old and inaccurate Revell Wessex HAS.3 kit?

 

Well, while I was researching the Sea King HC.4, I was reminded that I have quite a few Fleet Air Arm choppers in my stash and perhaps it is time to try and get at least a few of those build as well. Model-Art recently issued a very colourful decal sheet for the Wessex HAS.1 and I decided to start this theme build with that particular helicopter. I immediately hit a problem in that the Italeri Wessex kit can't be had for love nor money. I could have sworn that I had an example in the stash but it seems that I was mistaken. I did have a Revell HAS.3 kit and it seems that clubbing this particular pile of dog poo into submission is my only option. As there is no aftermarket available for this kit it is very much a case of "Go old school or go without"

 

Thus far I have corrected the shape of the nose, the kit item being too short and opened up the solid nose intake and scratch built the interior of the same. The flight deck and cabin are both being scratch built (the kit cabin does not even have a roof!) and the fuselage has been adapted to  accept the Scale Aircraft Conversions Wessex undercarriage set. The  rear window on the starboard side of the fuselage has been enlarged and a start made on building the sonar suite. The kit does come with some interior structure depicted but this is very wooly and two dimensional so that had to be replaced as well. The sound-proof quilting has been replicated by cutting up some disposable plastic plates.

 

This kit is so bad that I should be hating every minute of the build but, strangely, I find myself having a ball with it. There's nowt so strange as Martians!

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Martian 👽

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS: Martian Towers has now been renamed Martian's Towers and the Memsahib in future, wishes to be addressed as Lady Martian Countess of Wibble and expects everyone to curtsy to her.

[Bandsaw Steve]

Nice work.

 

I like seeing Wessexs on this forum because when I finally get to build my, long intended, helicopter build they will make my subject look all the more attractive! 🤣

[Bigdave22014]

"A chat with @general melchett for some much needed sane advice"

 

Now then children, can anybody spot the mistake in this sentence?

[hairystick]

*curtsey on arrival to the room*

 

The thread title lured me in, with the prospect of seeing an inter galactic chopper... 

As for sane advice from His Melchettness, goodness knows what he conveyed to a young and impressionable Martian?

[Pete in Lincs]

9 hours ago, Martian said:

 

This kit is so bad that I should be hating every minute of the build but, strangely, I find myself having a ball with it. There's nowt so strange as Martians!

Nuff said. Especially ones that take advice from raving senior Officers. Still, it takes all sorts.

So I can only say, Martian is back, building a whirly thing and all Britmodellers heave a Collective sigh (see what I did there?)

Given the number of Airframes available, you'd think that there would be an accurate, from the box Wessex in any scale by now. Sadly, it's not to be.

Paying rent since 1939? It's been bought many times over already! Come the revolution etc etc :👾

(Drat, can't find the raygun emoji)

 

[anders1970]

I'm hoping someone will release a 1/32 MH53 before I shift off this mortal coil.

 

[heloman1]

Oh Martin, what were you thinking! It's a dog of a kit. 

Rather you should have gone for an Italeri HAS 3 then all you would have had to do was replace the exhausts.

Anyway, you're making great progress.

I too was looking for a HAS Mk1. I've built one but a second was on the cards as a SAR cab. I haven't seen the Model Art decal sheet as yet but will order one soon.

I'll follow your build with interest.

Once the later marque/version of the AMP kit is released, you'll have to add one to the stash. I'm sure Model Art will upscale some of their Whirlwind sheets

 

Colin

[anders1970]

I'm always really impressed by the amount of additional work some of you do to the kits, especially the structural stuff. I've had a good day if I get the oob bits to fit together 

 

[general melchett]

Quote

As for sane advice from His Melchettness, goodness knows what he conveyed to a young and impressionable Martian?

'sane advice' is a very loose term young hairystick. I can assure you his intergalactic tentacleness has been wrestling with this quandary for a while now. After a long and deeply meaningful conflab about life, the universe, buying and selling property and proposed changes to the LBW rule, he chose to completely ignore any of the proffered 'sane' advice and proceed with this 'monstrosity' with gusto . Exactly what I would do in the circumstances.  

 

Quote

There's nowt so strange as Martians!

Never a truer word.....especially those from the Yorkshire division of Mars.

[silverfox63]

5 hours ago, Bigdave22014 said:

Now then children, can anybody spot the irony in this sentence?

There, corrected it for you.

[Pete in Lincs]

Page one and already graced by a visit from the bunker at Melchett towers. What a lucky happenstance. It must bode well for the rest of the build. Either that or it'll degenerate into the usual madness 😄

[gingerbob]

9 hours ago, Martian said:

 

 

This kit is so bad that I should be hating every minute of the build but, strangely, I find myself having a ball with it. There's nowt so strange as Martians!

 

 

 

 

 

Am I seeing a family resemblance, or is it just the angle?

 

5 hours ago, Bigdave22014 said:

"A chat with @general melchett for some much needed sane advice"

 

Now then children, can anybody spot the mistake in this sentence?

 

I was thinking much the same when I read that!  But Melchie's explanation makes perfect sense, in a Douglas Adams universe.

[Martian]

6 hours ago, Bigdave22014 said:

"A chat with @general melchett for some much needed sane advice"

 

Now then children, can anybody spot the mistake in this sentence?

I did say that mojo was particularly (read in minus figures) low.

5 hours ago, hairystick said:

As for sane advice from His Melchettness, goodness knows what he conveyed to a young and impressionable Martian?

That I cannot reveal as this is supposed to be a family show and it is before the 26.00H watershed.

3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Nuff said. Especially ones that take advice from raving senior Officers. Still, it takes all sorts.

So I can only say, Martian is back, building a whirly thing and all Britmodellers heave a Collective sigh (see what I did there?)

Given the number of Airframes available, you'd think that there would be an accurate, from the box Wessex in any scale by now. Sadly, it's not to be.

Paying rent since 1939? It's been bought many times over already! Come the revolution etc etc :👾

(Drat, can't find the raygun emoji)

 

That joke is so bad, I think it deserves suitable recognition. Let me think; I know! a couple of weeks in the Naughty Corner to allow you to improve said jokes. You know the way, @corsaircorp will let you in.

2 hours ago, heloman1 said:

Oh Martin, what were you thinking! It's a dog of a kit. 

Rather you should have gone for an Italeri HAS 3 then all you would have had to do was replace the exhausts.

Anyway, you're making great progress.

I too was looking for a HAS Mk1. I've built one but a second was on the cards as a SAR cab. I haven't seen the Model Art decal sheet as yet but will order one soon.

I'll follow your build with interest.

Once the later marque/version of the AMP kit is released, you'll have to add one to the stash. I'm sure Model Art will upscale some of their Whirlwind sheets

 

Colin

Sadly the Italeri HAS.3 kit isas unobtainable as the HAS.1 and the example I have in the stash is earmarked for an err, HAS.3. Some sonar parts have been ordered from @hendie and it will be appearing later in this thread. This still left the Revell kit the only option. Still, I think I have now got the worst of the problems on the run and have solutions lined up for those I haven't started on yet.

1 hour ago, general melchett said:

'sane advice' is a very loose term young hairystick. I can assure you his intergalactic tentacleness has been wrestling with this quandary for a while now. After a long and deeply meaningful conflab about life, the universe, buying and selling property and proposed changes to the LBW rule, he chose to completely ignore any of the proffered 'sane' advice and proceed with this 'monstrosity' with gusto . Exactly what I would do in the circumstances.  

 

Never a truer word.....especially those from the Yorkshire division of Mars.

The "clarity" of the advice was such that it seemed a cunning plan to tackle this kit first.

25 minutes ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Page one and already graced by a visit from the bunker at Melchett towers. What a lucky happenstance. It must bode well for the rest of the build. Either that or it'll degenerate into the usual madness 😄

The usual madness seems more realistic but hopefully we will get a build or two completed. After all we have managed that with the Zeppelin builds without adversely affecting the usual standard of silliness. I think I am safe in saying that usual standards will be upheld.

16 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

 

Am I seeing a family resemblance, or is it just the angle?

The box top art is probably the best thing about this kit. Or, are you suggesting that I look like a Wessex?

 

Martian 👽

[hendie]

25 minutes ago, Martian said:

Some sonar parts have been ordered from @hendie and it will be appearing later in this thread.

 

ah... I didn't realize you were intending to gently fondle the Revell kit, Martian. I've designed everything around the Italeri blobs so have no idea how it is all going to fit. Or not. You may have your work cut out for you.

 

 

[Martian]

58 minutes ago, hendie said:

 

ah... I didn't realize you were intending to gently fondle the Revell kit, Martian. I've designed everything around the Italeri blobs so have no idea how it is all going to fit. Or not. You may have your work cut out for you.

 

 

Fret ye not Hendie. The sonar suite I have on order is slated to go into my Italeri HAS.3 kit. The HAS.1 had a completely different fit, so that has to be scratch built.

 

Martian 👽

[hopkp]

3 hours ago, Pete in Lincs said:

Either that or it'll degenerate into the usual madness 😄

I reckon that's what everyone's hoping for.....

[hopkp]

2 hours ago, Martian said:

The usual madness seems more realistic.....I think I am safe in saying that usual standards will be upheld.

Excellent news!

[general melchett]

Quote

this is supposed to be a family show and it is before the 26.00H watershed.

 

That's Martian time, of course.....

 

Quote

The usual madness seems more realistic but hopefully we will get a build or two completed. After all we have managed that with the Zeppelin builds without adversely affecting the usual standard of silliness. I think I am safe in saying that usual standards will be upheld.

 

Well, I sincerely hope so.......there's a lot more to building plastic kits than building plastic kits .

[heloman1]

I'm sure with your tenticled skill you will wrestle this junky thing into a good representation of a Wessex.
I too was suckered into purchasing the kit but not just once, five times. I did it the belief that this might only be the Wessex we ever saw!

In it's defence, some of the decal sheets are usable and was even contemplating using the Green Parrot set until Xtra-decals came along with a better product.

However, being an ex Wessex Grubber, it falls short! Then so does the Italeri kit/kits. I suppose, I could use them to make Goo but actually how much Goo does one need in a lifetime?

 

Colin

[Martian]

1 hour ago, heloman1 said:

I'm sure with your tenticled skill you will wrestle this junky thing into a good representation of a Wessex.
I too was suckered into purchasing the kit but not just once, five times. I did it the belief that this might only be the Wessex we ever saw!

In it's defence, some of the decal sheets are usable and was even contemplating using the Green Parrot set until Xtra-decals came along with a better product.

However, being an ex Wessex Grubber, it falls short! Then so does the Italeri kit/kits. I suppose, I could use them to make Goo but actually how much Goo does one need in a lifetime?

 

Colin

 

1 hour ago, heloman1 said:

I'm sure with your tenticled skill you will wrestle this junky thing into a good representation of a Wessex.
I too was suckered into purchasing the kit but not just once, five times. I did it the belief that this might only be the Wessex we ever saw!

In it's defence, some of the decal sheets are usable and was even contemplating using the Green Parrot set until Xtra-decals came along with a better product.

However, being an ex Wessex Grubber, it falls short! Then so does the Italeri kit/kits. I suppose, I could use them to make Goo but actually how much Goo does one need in a lifetime?

 

Colin

Five times? That is bordering on the criminally insane. Quick, who has got the BM straightjacket at the moment? I did try and tell @Mike that we needed more than one to go round but he claimed we could  only afford one and would just have to take it in turns to wear it.

 

Martian 👽

[LorenSharp]

"Nurse Ratchett, Nurse Ratchett, Report to  Martian's Towers STAT. Bring the Robin Williams Horse Sedatives and extra "jackets", That is all"

[Martian]

25 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

"Nurse Ratchett, Nurse Ratchett, Report to  Martian's Towers STAT. Bring the Robin Williams Horse Sedatives and extra "jackets", That is all"

Good idea, except that @heloman1 is in South Africa not Poole.

 

Martian 👽

[Pete in Lincs]

This strait jacket does have the optional very long sleeves...

[LorenSharp]

1 hour ago, Martian said:

Good idea, except that @heloman1 is in South Africa not Poole.

 

Martian 👽

I was meaning for you Dear Ol' One. You are working on a Revell Westland you know. I have the same kit. But I've only gone as far as looked ot it, shuddered, than carefully put it back in the stash knowing what would happen should I start on it.

 

1 hour ago, Pete in Lincs said:

This strait jacket does have the optional very long sleeves...

And it comes with .... Pockets!!

[Martian]

23 minutes ago, LorenSharp said:

I was meaning for you Dear Ol' One. You are working on a Revell Westland you know. I have the same kit. But I've only gone as far as looked ot it, shuddered, than carefully put it back in the stash knowing what would happen should I start on it.

Perhaps you should start on it so that we can all see what does happen.

 

Curious of Mars 👽