**** DONE: GB-37 1/72 Airfix Westland Scout (RAN) - Helicopters / Military a/c of BoB 1940

[Wurger]

Great pic and info on the filter system. THX for sharing, Michael.. Not too many references for the helicopter can be found.

 

[parsifal]

I agree, hard to find information on this chopper. It was never a mainstream type for us though it was seen quite regularly because of our close ties with the RNZN who operated quite a few Scouts.

As always you guys have been marvellous, but especially to Wotjek

ive recommenced some small fabrication the elevators/stabilizers for the main rotor sour sourcing some PE parts to install as part of the engine upgrade. photos soon guys,

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice when a mystery is solved.

 

[Airframes]

Great info, and a quick response from the museum, which is excellent service. Good to know my guess was more or less in the right area too.
So, no IPS - let the build go on !

 

[parsifal]

yes I should acknowledge that your suggestion was right terry.

I am actually going to fit the IPS guys. it was used on occasion, and we do now have quite a bit of photographic evidence now to show it. if my scratch build is cr*p, things might quickly change.....

I painted the engine module and the deck assembly tonite. Earlier I had fashioned the IPS boxes from some 3/16"square styrene onto which I had glued some tube and shaped the result with bog filler. I also sanded the edges of the styrene box section to round the edges a bit. I'm waiting for some fine metal gauze as the filter, over which I will glue some PE scrap to simulate those metal verticals.

I also made some elevator struts or control arms out of 0.3mm metal tube and attached those struts to a small brass collar that I had carefully sliced off the end of a length of brass tubing. I think the rotors look a lot better as a result of that effort.

I painted the turbine a base colour of black and then dry brushed over that trying to create a dirty bare metal. I think what ive done ids quite successful, but the turbine halves are showing a lot of seam and I will have to apply filler and careful sanding to overcome the problem. I lightly dry brushed the decking to try and create a slightly grimey look

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Doesn't hurt to try Michael

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking good. Any shiny, silvery finish is going to magnify imperfections so prep is very important.

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Michael.
If it's not too late, or if you have to do more work to the exhausts, see if you can ream the insides of each end of the exhaust pipes, to thin the edges a bit. Once painted in a dark colour internally, they'll look more to scale.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[parsifal]

Good stuff Michael.
If it's not too late, or if you have to do more work to the exhausts, see if you can ream the insides of each end of the exhaust pipes, to thin the edges a bit. Once painted in a dark colour internally, they'll look more to scale.

Great idea Terry and not too late. Engine is not yet fitted. After I posted that photo last night I went to work on the seam. First there was an area of the exhaust pipe (not visible in the pic) that had lifted apart (the engine halves have some warping due I think to the kit age), I rectified that by gluing the lifted section back together and clamping. After it dried, I removed the clamps and carefully sanded around the engine plug to reduce the unsightly seam as much as I could. It reduced a lot but was still visible. So I worked up a slurry of Tamiya filler mixed with a bit of acrylic thinner….makes it very "liquid"-ie when you do that. Applied the slurry around the joint with the thinnest "utility" brush that I have (Im not going to use one of my good hair sticks spreading that slosh around). Sanded the applied slurry again with 2000 grade sandpaper, attached to a very narrow stick. Once everything was dry I applied with high quality brush a top coat of primer, to act mostly as a final filler.

I went to bed before everything was dry, and the paint will shrink a bit when it does dry (im sure you know that already), but as at application last night looked fine. Will see I guess, but I will need to repaint the whole sub engine plug again……

To hollow out the exhaust pipes and make them thinner, my plan is to tape around them at the end, to keep the two halves secure and reduce the likelihood of splits or breaks. I have a dremel extension that is conically shaped and fits into the space nearly perfectly. I would not attach the dremel bit to the dremel…..the machine is far too rough for a delicate piece like this but I can use the bit as a tiny hand tool , or I could hold it in position in the desk vice and rotate the plug around it to reduce the amount of meat surrounding the exhaust points. The material thicknesses are already very tiny, so the overwhelming issue here will be to be careful and gentle….

 

[Airframes]

Sounds good Michael.
The Dremmel reaming head might work, but you'll have more control if the initial reaming is done with a scalpel blade. Hold the edge of the blade against the part, and rotate it within the 'pipe', rather like a key in a lock, sort of filing off the surface bit by bit. It will act like a drill bit, but not as severe. The final trimming can be done with the Dremmel bit, by hand, gently, and then see if it's possible to sand inside.
The inner edges of the pipes, at the extreme end, can be carefully shaved with the scalpel, thinning them to give the illusion of thinner 'walls'.

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Nice work Michael, I used synthetic snake skin for my air intakes on a RAH 66 Comanche. Its that stuff used to cover and protect wire bundles. I had shaped it, then used white glue to hole the shape. Once dried, I fitted it into the intake cowling. Came out ok. I can send a picture if you like.

 

[parsifal]

so a bit of an update. ive been plugging away at the scratch building of the engine deck. Thinned out the exhaust walls a bit, repaired the seams and splits on the turbine. Added some external fuel lines and stuff, not fully accurate but better than how the kit depicts these elements.

I painted and attached what I think is a blower and some pipe along the top of the engine.

Small detail for this aircraft....the dorsal roundels are on back the front FAA display, I don't think this is an error though. There are several photos of this bird later in its career showing the roundel incorrectly applied.....

​

 

[Wayne Little]

That's looking good Michael.

 

[Wurger]

 

[turbo]

Scratch building looks great Michael!

 

[KiwiBiggles]

the RNZN who operated quite a few Scouts.

The RNZN operated the Westland Wasp, which was the navalised version of the Scout. Main distinguishing difference was the wheel-at-each-corner undercarriage replacing the Scout's skids.

 

[Wurger]

True.

 

[parsifal]

cant progress much further until the stuff on order arrives.

One thing I am unsure of kiwi biggles...when did the RNZN finally retire their Wasps?