Airfix 1/72 westland whirlwind

[yak face]

HI colin, the special hobby kits will be a lot more complete in the detail side of things,ie. cockpit /undercarriage etc. but the trade off is the double price.If you just want to do a quick build but arent too bothered about it being superdetailed (theres only so much you can see through a 1/72 canopy anyway!) then the airfix one isnt bad at all, and you should be able to get one cheap,either the new issue or an older one off e-bay. When i get round to posting some more progress you should be able to get a good idea of what the airfix kit is like, and what it can turn into. cheers tony

[spanner570]

Cracking subject Tony, I'm sure it will make up into a great model......

Here's a little add-on about the Whirlwind.

When WW2 kicked off my dad joined the R.A.F. Regiment and his first posting was to De Havillands at Broughton nr. Chester (now aerospace) where they were making, amongst others the Wellington bomber. The Mosquito came later as you know...

He was very keen on aircraft recognition and would make models of them, British or German, out of solid wood. These were used to teach the ack- ack gunners which was which! One day a strange, and very secret aircraft arrived, the Westland Whirlwind.

My dad made some sketches and made a model of it. He tried to take it off the aerodrome to show my mum, who he was courting at the time. At the main gate he was searched, (as always was the case) the model was found and he was promptly arrested as a suspected spy!

All was explained and no harm done. Mum never got to see the model!

Slightly off thread Tony, but being a mucker and all I hope you don't mind!

Cheers,

Ron

[colin m]

Building models is great. But the story behind the machines really fascinate me - I only wish I had something interesting to add !!

Regards

Colin M.........

[stona]

Building models is great. But the story behind the machines really fascinate me - I only wish I had something interesting to add !!Regards

Colin M.........

You could write a book on the "what ifs" of 1930s British fighter development. It was as much by luck as judgement that we ended up with and all remember the Merlin powered Spitfire and Hurricane. Many fell by the wayside. I'm no expert on British aircraft but the GlosterF5,Vickers Venom and Bristol types 133 and 146 spring to mind. These could have been powered by an alarming array of unimaginatively named engines. Mercury,Taurus,Perseus,Aquila,and Hercules to name some of them.

I read an interesting thread about this somewhere but can't find it now...sorry.

Cheers

Steve

[yak face]

Well, progress has been a bit slow, ive been a bit busy elsewhere, but heres a bit more done.Ive managed to build a passable cockpit to replace the empty space provided by airfix, working to a few hastily sketched drawings i copied from t'internet. I have started making the belts for the seats in the same way as i did for the dh88 comet, wine foil pierced to make the eyelets on the sutton harness, and had to make another control column with guitar string and stretched sprue as i dropped the other one and couldnt find it!The wings have had the flaps scribed onto them, including the very awkward rear of the nacelle which hinged down with the flaps in real life. I have also made the distinctive radiator faces from plastic card and stretched sprue and inserted them into the slots on the wing leading edge and drilled out the landing light lense holes and exhaust shroud fronts and rears. The gun camera has been cut off the wing and filled and is to be re-attached next to the cartridge case collector where it should be on production aircraft. Ive got a bit of a dilemma though, with all this work in the cockpit its a shame to cover it all,so i might cut the canopy and have it open, i dont know yet. Any hoo ,here are the (not very good! ) pics

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[Guest]

They show whats needed Tony, quite impressed with it so far, turning a basic model into a detailed bit of art really

I've had my first real go at 1/72 aircraft... will sum up courage to post pictures soon.

I might have another go and follow your lead from this to be honest, anything for more detail

[stona]

I doff my cap to you Tony,detailing in this scale is beyond my old peepers these days!

Cheers

Steve

[yak face]

Cockpit painted up and seat harness fitted, just got the instrument panel to sort out. I think ill probably adapt a decal one or maybe some self adhesive paper ones ive got , the plastic card one i made was too big and looked a bit naff! All thats left is to make a reflector gunsight and the cockpit is done, then the rest of it should come together a lot quicker. cheers tony

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[Guest]

Stunning work

[yak face]

Bit more progress today, got the wings and tailplanes on and stuck the canopy on temporarily to keep dust out, ill take it off and cut it later on in the build. While waiting for the glue to set ive been looking at the problem of the cannons. The kit supplied items are (understandably ,due to the moulding limitations) not brilliant, and this being such a prominent feature i thought id better try and make something a little better. I started by getting some thin brass tubing (cant remember the gauge but its about 1.0mm external dia) and supergluing a single strand of copper from a 13 amp electrical cable wire in the end. Then when it had gone off i wrapped it around the brass tube about 8 times and cut it off,securing the end with a tiny spot of superglue. All i had to do then was add the flanges from wrapped around bits of tamiya tape , sealing these with superglue also to prevent them unwinding , and cut to length and clean up the hollow end . Sounds complicated but it took me all of 5 minutes and i reckon its an improvement over the kit ones. See what you think , here are the pics, cheers tony

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[Guest]

"an improvement" is a bit of an understatment !! Loving those barrels and the cockpit details - this is where I get my insperation from !

Class work, Tony.

Cheers, Neil

[yak face]

thanks neil , its one of the most noticeable areas of the whirlwind so its got to look right, cheers tony

[Guest]

Looking very nice, I'll have to bookmark this thread for when I build my Whirlwind

[colin m]

Comming along nicely. This sort of detail in a 1:72 always makes me smile.

Regards

Colin M.........

[Centurion3RTR]

Nice work so far Tony, i'm likin' what you've done with the cannons. They look %100 better.

Have fun, John