Westland Weka ASR

[NARSES2]

First the real history courtesy of Lonewulf Models -

The Baynes Heliplane was a tilt rotor VTOL combat aircraft design dating from the 1937 - 1939 period. Its designer was L.E.Baynes who was responsible for several inovative aviation designs through the wartime years. Like many of his designs the Heliplane was considered to advanced for its time.

The aircraft itself was a high-speed design which carried a crew of three in the glazed nose. It had small wings (less then 20 ft span) with nacelles on the tips that could swivel to point vertically upwards. These contained advanced gas turbine drive units, which were supplied with hot high pressure gas via staniless steel pipes from Pescara gas generators. A big advantage of this system was, that it was lighter and less troublesome then drive shafts.

The aircrfat was designed to be able to take off and land verticaly on water , using the sealed fusalage as a float, with stability provided by the wing tip nacelles. It was estimated that a complete aircraft would weigh 6,000lbs and reach a speed of 365 mph.

Now in reality this design never got any farther then that but in my world Baynes is a member of the same Club as Churchill and over a couple of glasses of brandy one night manages to convince him of the benefits of the  design. Churchill through various family ties manages to persuade Westlands to look at the feasability of the design and they start to make some slow progress albeit they arn't particularly convinced about the practicalities. Anyhow eventually Churchill becomes First Sea lord and is able to put pressure on Westlands to come up with a prototype. On becoming PM he applies even more pressure as by now he is totally convinced on the suitability of the design for Army Co-operation and ASR duties amongst others.

So in late 1940 the first prototype of the Westland Weka (the name is that of a New Zealland flightless bird and whether it was a comment on the designs practicalities or not has been lost in history) was ready for flight. The rest as they say is history. The first production aircraft were issued in in early autumn 1941 to various ASR flights based around the British Isles and saved countless lives with their quick reaction times and ability to land on or hover over water. The Mk II became the RAF's standard army co-operation type and proved incredibly useful during the campaingns in Burma where it was used for casulaty evacuation, artillery spotting and armed recconasance. The Mk III was as an ASW aircraft for the RN small escort carriers.

Post war Westland pursued the concept and today they are world leaders in the design of this type of aircraft and their Winchester heavy transport heliplane and Wildcat attack Heliplane have just entered service with the RAF and Army respectively. Numerous NATO countries are expected to either purchase them directly or build under license and the US Marine Corps is showing immense interest in the Wildcat. A huge British sucess story.

Historical footnote from the Stratford Conneticut Thimes of April 1947. Local businessman Igor Sikorski enters bankruptcy.

Anyway here is a Westland Weka of the RAF's 1827 ASR flight based at Shoreham in November 1941. Built from the Lonewulf resin and white metal kit. I really enjoyed this and may get another one to do as a FAA ASW aircraft.

[Martin H]

nice one Chris.
good to see one of these built up 

love the Historical foot note

[Hobbes]

Well done Chris, and an interesting aircraft.

[Weaver]

Never heard of that one before! Nicely done sir! 

[Mike Wren]

nice one Chris 

[Taiidantomcat]

Very neat! 

[GTX]

 

[AXU]

Interesting machine, I ,well done Chris...unfortunately the pictures are too small

Alex

[The Wooksta!]

Nice.

I've one of those somewhere in the loft at me Mam's.  I think it's still available.  Have a word with Adrian at Telford, Duncan.  Even if he doesn't have that, I'm sure he'll have something to tempt you.

[Pablo1965]

a curious choice, a very interesting convertiplane. congratulations! 

[Ed S]

Very creative and well done.



Ed

[Cobra]

Super Cool i can just picture somewhere in England,an Air crew sends out a Mayday, the Base Speakers start Blasting out,"Aircraft in Distress,Air Sea Rescue Alert Crew,Scramble,Scramble!" Great Paintwork,Great Decals,Overall Great Model! Dan

[NARSES2]

unfortunately the pictures are too small

Alex

I'll have to look at the options on Photoshop - anyone know the op

  I think it's still available.  Have a word with Adrian at Telford, Duncan.  Even if he doesn't have that, I'm sure he'll have something to tempt you.

timum ?

Last time I was chatting with him he still had some in his box of goodies 

[rickshaw]

Good one, mate.   

[Martin H]

unfortunately the pictures are too small

Alex

I'll have to look at the options on Photoshop - anyone know the op

  I think it's still available.  Have a word with Adrian at Telford, Duncan.  Even if he doesn't have that, I'm sure he'll have something to tempt you.

timum ?

Last time I was chatting with him he still had some in his box of goodies 

It still showing as available on Adrian's own web site  lonewulf