discussion Doug's Westland Wasp by LF, the build!

[Guest]

Having skids when operating from ships is simply not practicable

Doesn’t stop the Americans and others from using UH-1s and AH-1s from ships, though. OK, the AH-1s usually operated from helicopter carriers (AKA “amphibious assault ships”) but UH-1s would also be carried on smaller ships with just a basic helicopter deck and hangar at times.

 

[Steve-the-Duck]

I agree Chris. I will NEVER build another LF kit ever!! I would rather bang a hit stick on a previous build and rebuild that than build another LF model!!

We'll see how my LF Ro.1 biplane goes when I get to it!

 

[Waspie]

Doesn’t stop the Americans and others from using UH-1s and AH-1s from ships, though. OK, the AH-1s usually operated from helicopter carriers (AKA “amphibious assault ships”) but UH-1s would also be carried on smaller ships with just a basic helicopter deck and hangar at times.

But with big limitations to take offs and recoveries, they have to turn the ship quite considerable to get a flying wind. Whereas we can help by rotating the helicopter to minimise the ships movement. Quite a plus in a tactical environment!

Edited bit.
US Small ships, frigates and the like, in the Wasps era, their helicopter of choice was the Sea Sprite. (Quite a habit of ditching). Also, I don't see the advantage of the UH1 on ASW or AAW vessels. They have a good weight carrying capability but no where to hang weapons. DC's Torpedoes!!!

 

[Guest]

I suspect that’s why they too seem to have preferred shipborne helicopters with wheels

 

[A_J_Rimmer]

But with big limitations to take offs and recoveries, they have to turn the ship quite considerable to get a flying wind. Whereas we can help by rotating the helicopter to minimise the ships movement. Quite a plus in a tactical environment!

Edited bit.
US Small ships, frigates and the like, in the Wasps era, their helicopter of choice was the Sea Sprite. (Quite a habit of ditching). Also, I don't see the advantage of the UH1 on ASW or AAW vessels. They have a good weight carrying capability but no where to hang weapons. DC's Torpedoes!!!

Interesting discussion Doug - I have to say my thoughts wandered over the USMC AH-1 and how they manage as well, but as you say, they're operated off much bigger ships that the Wasp.

Personally I think you're being far too hard on yourself - that Wasp's undercarriage would be a challenging build ion most scales, even with a decent kit. The fact that you've got this far with it is credit to you.

 

[Waspie]

Thank you Arnie, I wish I was as happy with it as I perhaps should be - but I'm not!

Anyway I managed to get some primer on it!!. Sorry no pics, too busy yesterday. I had a bit of an experiment with my primer as in the past I haven't been happy with Vallejo Grey Primer. So!! I decided to really thin my usual mix. (50/50). Today I mixed 10 drops of primer, 15 drops thinning agent and 4 drops flow improver, (all Vallejo). Applied several thin coats and left overnight!!
Boy did it show some awful stuff. A nasty scratch. Joins that need filling and sanding, an awful round 'something' on the underside that I have been working on. But at least the thinned primer seemed to have worked.
Today I started addressing some of the nasties using my newly acquired magnifying headset!!
Pic 1


Pic 2
You may be able to see the round 'something' on the darker grey area, nearly there.


Pic 3
Cockpit and rear cabin, primer applied. I also primed the engine, the floatation clamshells and canopy!


Loads to do around the house tomorrow (sand the block paving - then put down the bonding sealer - all 70+ ltrs of the stuff! However I may be able to grab some 'me' time to assault the Wasp yet again!!!

 

[Allen Dewire]

Sorry Doug, I thought I had commented on this build, but I haven't. I can't add much as the others have said it all. I can say that I have learned a whole lot about helicopters from your build and think you are definitely taming this beast. It's also good to see your Chinese torture device is helping you in the build. Please take care when using it. For such a tiny thing, your skills are tremendous as well as your patience. Looks great to me Sir!!!

And here I was thinking, if you turned a copter up side down, you could scramble your eggs for breakfast with it...What do I know........

Prost
Allen

 

[Waspie]

Yeah, egg whisks they are, no doubt!! I thank you for looking in and your comments Allen. Much appreciated. When such esteemed people comment positively I feel something must be going right. Then I ask myself - 'why don't I see it'?
I look at my previous four builds and didn't experience half the trouble I have had with this one. The Beatle I didn't enjoy but that was me trying to get ahead of myself. The rest, I learned from them and even improved as I went on. Now I seem to have taken giant steps backwards!!

Oh, I've been upside down in a Lynx belonging to TWA, (Teeny Weeny Airways), what a buzz. However, it's still not right looking at Mother Earth through the rotor blades and having your harness dangling in front of your eyes!!!! Luckily, no eggs near us to scramble!!!

Doug

 

[Tworrs]

You’re too hard on yourself Doug, we are our own worst critic as they say.
I think she is looking great.

 

[Waspie]

You’re too hard on yourself Doug, we are our own worst critic as they say.
I think she is looking great.

Thank you Garry, I see critical of my work as realistic. However, as I say, it will be finished!! Best I can say!!!

Not much going on right now, House has taken up all my time over the past few days. We have loads of block paving and I like to look after it. SO!!
It has all been cleaned. Then re-sanded, took longer than estimated. This year I decided to splash the cash and get a seriously up for the job sprayer to apply the sealer. Worth the investment, made a messy job, (usually), a lot better. A better spray pattern and a bigger tank really helped.
Sadly, I cocked up on the after use clean up!! I banged the wrong cleaning agent through it, Totally destroyed the Vitol seals!! I used acetone!! Avoid at all costs!! I should have used xylene!! Doh. Another £16 for a replacement handle as you can't obtain replacement vital seals separately!!!!

Anyway, Wasp. All I have achieved, thanks to the new magnifying headset, is I have now filled in the gaps on joins and tidied up a bit of uneven joins. I managed to sand down the circular blemish. So tomorrow's work or more than likely, Sundays work. Will be to clean up today's filling in the re-prime!

That's it for now.
Doug

 

[Tworrs]

Thank you Garry, I see critical of my work as realistic. However, as I say, it will be finished!! Best I can say!!!

Not much going on right now, House has taken up all my time over the past few days. We have loads of block paving and I like to look after it. SO!!
It has all been cleaned. Then re-sanded, took longer than estimated. This year I decided to splash the cash and get a seriously up for the job sprayer to apply the sealer. Worth the investment, made a messy job, (usually), a lot better. A better spray pattern and a bigger tank really helped.
Sadly, I cocked up on the after use clean up!! I banged the wrong cleaning agent through it, Totally destroyed the Vitol seals!! I used acetone!! Avoid at all costs!! I should have used xylene!! Doh. Another £16 for a replacement handle as you can't obtain replacement vital seals separately!!!!

Anyway, Wasp. All I have achieved, thanks to the new magnifying headset, is I have now filled in the gaps on joins and tidied up a bit of uneven joins. I managed to sand down the circular blemish. So tomorrow's work or more than likely, Sundays work. Will be to clean up today's filling in the re-prime!

That's it for now.
Doug

So, a very busy time for you, we have concrete pavers and concrete slabs, and all that gets is a once a year cleaner sprayed on to everything and hey presto, good for another year. Same goes for the wooden decks, once a year spray.
We designed for minimal maintenance. :smiling2:
I hope that you manage to get some bench time in this weekend mate.
ATB
Garry

 

[Waspie]

So, a very busy time for you, we have concrete pavers and concrete slabs, and all that gets is a once a year cleaner sprayed on to everything and hey presto, good for another year. Same goes for the wooden decks, once a year spray.
We designed for minimal maintenance. :smiling2:
I hope that you manage to get some bench time in this weekend mate.
ATB
Garry

It's only high maintenance once every two years Garry. (Sadly, this was the second year). I use a drive algae removal chemical which I have found to be the best at cleaning the blocks after pressure washing which is a nightmare). If you'd seen this place when I bought it the whole of the paving was black!!!! years and years of being left to nature! Took me a while to get back to its usual colour. Then I did what I did this year, sand and seal.
TBH, the hardest part is lifting and shifting all the pots, garden furniture and such. Three Olive trees in massive tubs!! They made the muscles twinge!! It's a hell of an expanse to do but once done - looks the business. Only two outside jobs left. Gutters and replace the galvanising on an ornamental gate. (Spray and leave I hope).
Tomorrow's looking busy now SWMBO has had a nap. Looks like it's a catch up on work in the home that wasn't done due to the garden!!! Will it ever end??
If I work it right I may be able to wangle a few hours.

 

[Tworrs]

It's only high maintenance once every two years Garry. (Sadly, this was the second year). I use a drive algae removal chemical which I have found to be the best at cleaning the blocks after pressure washing which is a nightmare). If you'd seen this place when I bought it the whole of the paving was black!!!! years and years of being left to nature! Took me a while to get back to its usual colour. Then I did what I did this year, sand and seal.
TBH, the hardest part is lifting and shifting all the pots, garden furniture and such. Three Olive trees in massive tubs!! They made the muscles twinge!! It's a hell of an expanse to do but once done - looks the business. Only two outside jobs left. Gutters and replace the galvanising on an ornamental gate. (Spray and leave I hope).
Tomorrow's looking busy now SWMBO has had a nap. Looks like it's a catch up on work in the home that wasn't done due to the garden!!! Will it ever end??
If I work it right I may be able to wangle a few hours.

I feel for you Doug, anyway, I don't want to wander too far of topic here.
I'm pleased that your new vision assistance is helping (when you get some bench time) mine is a god send.

 

[Waspie]

Sunday news flash.

Main rotor blades painted.
Spider arms fitted to the rotor head, (four in number. (OK, that's main rotor blade control arms). They transfer the pilots inputs to the rotor blades for directional control. They are tiny, I am so glad I bought the magnifying goggles!! It was so much easier. No fiddling and straining to see if I could place them correctly.
I also rubbed down the filler I used yesterday. Cleaned them off once happy. Then the airframe was primed again. Seems looked better after a few hours.
Engine has been painted an amalgam of gun metal and aluminium. The unique Wasp bifurcated exhaust, (That's twin in English). Received a mix of Aluminium and gun metal but in different measures this time, more aluminium this time. All rather virgin coloured right now so tomorrow I will try and add a wee bit of corrosion, (posh rust), to the exhaust and dabble with trying to get a blueish tinge to replicate the heating effect!!! (Emphasis on 'try'.
Can't believe I spend so much time filing, then rubbing down with 800 dry - wet & dry! Then 1200 W&D to finish.

Again no pics - sorry!! Life's busy busy right now. Grabbing minutes here minutes there when I can.

Should have more time tomorrow. (Think I've said that before!!)

Doug

 

[boatman]

HI Doug my freind dont worry about pics fit them when you can sir an take it easy as we all gettin old now
chrisb

 

[Geoffers]

Just catching up Doug :flushed:

Stirling work mate you are doing a great job. It looks more like a short run kit with suggestions rather than instructions :surprised:
I was tempted to get the Scout version but will give it a miss I think after following your build.
Keep it going, little and often to preserve your sanity. It will look good and be worth the effort when you finish :thumb2:

Geoff.

 

[Guest]

Came across this yesterday:

A Westland advertisement for the Wasp

 

[Waspie]

Came across this yesterday:

A Westland advertisement for the Wasp :smiling3:

Thanks for posting Jakko. I have lost count of the number of times I have watched that video. And - Yes - I watched it again. HMS Nubian was the first frigate they tested the Wasp on. It was also prior to the fitment of flotation bags. Not considered until they lost a test aircraft off Chesil Beach and sadly the pilot didn't survive although the flight test engineer did!
HMS Nubian. A Tribal class or Type 81. The hangar was 'different' being below the flight deck, or to be pedantic, part of the flight deck. It also formed part of your days fitness for the flight crew. Some 13 huge metal covers sat over the top of the hole the Wasp submerged into.

Pic 1.
From this, Wasp on deck. (In this case a Type 81 - HMS Ashanti)


Pic 2
To this. Rotated 90 degrees to port. Positioned by some permanently placed chock and a short metal channel to guide the starboard front wheel into. The guy by the rotor head is preparing the rotor head for folding prior to 'going down'.


Pic 3
Half way down. Just one of the advantages of having a lift. (No pole to lift the rotor blades prior to removing a pin and folding the rotors along the tail of the helicopter. Notice the tail of folded and the tail rotor is positioned laterally. Space saving. The red cradle by the Royal Navy is the device the rotor blades sit on once folded.



Pic 4
In bed!! Notice just how little clearance there is either side of the flotation clamshells!. Not the best working environment of you had a major bit of servicing but the living quarters on board a Tribal were far better than other classes of frigate. (Leanders and Type 21's)


Next can the metal covers over the top of that 'hole'. Unfortunately I have no pics of them!!

 

[Waspie]

Canopy is now 9/10ths complete. All I have to do now, is drill a hole in it to accept the M260 optical sight!!!
Of course, no instruction on where or how big the hole, so it’ll be verniers time!! Then, eeny, meeny, miny-mo time for the hole placement!! I have left the masking in place for the drilling!

Rotor blades have been repainted! Like a fool I followed the instructions and painted them black!! BUT. As you may have seen on my pictures above, they are grey!! So that has been corrected and the rotor head painted blue grey!!

 

[Tim Marlow]

When drilling the canopy take it really slowly and use minimal pressure Doug because clear plastic is very brittle. I would also put a square of masking tape on it to mark the hole and minimise the chance of the drill slipping. That last one works for ceramic tiles as well if anyone is interested…..