Westland-Fairey Rotocrane HC4

[TheChronicOne]

That's badass!!  This is going to be one hell of a contraption. 

[rickshaw]

Canted tail fins?  According to the book on the Rotodyne, the early effort to make the fin tops fold created instability in the flight regime when they unfolded back up vertical.  So then they were then fixed vertical.   

[PR19_Kit]

Indeed so, but during the Rotocrane's development it was found that the more powerful Tyne's larger props created quite a bit of outwash which was modified by the airflow over the booms which in turn generated unpredictable vortices around the vertical fins. This was found to be minimised by canting the upper part of the vertical fins.

[Any differences in the model can be explained by corresponding updates in the backstory.............. ]

[rickshaw]

Indeed so, but during the Rotocrane's development it was found that the more powerful Tyne's larger props created quite a bit of outwash which was modified by the airflow over the booms which in turn generated unpredictable vortices around the vertical fins. This was found to be minimised by canting the upper part of the vertical fins.

[Any differences in the model can be explained by corresponding updates in the backstory.............. ]

Ah, and excellent explanation, Kit. One I felt was lurking below the surface somewhere but just needed to be articulated. 

[Steel Penguin]

that does look good Kit 
and when painted im certain people will say they have seen them in the wild. 

[kitnut617]

Kit, there's an interesting thread going on in the Secret projects Forum that is all about flying cranes --- there's a couple there that look quite a bit like this ----- 

Love where this is going though 

[scooter]

that does look good Kit 
and when painted im certain people will say they have seen them in the wild. 

You mean you haven't?  I distinctly recall several flying in and out of Camp Speicher, aiding 40th Aviation BDE when I was there in '05.

[Steel Penguin]

Scooter, I have to say, err  not certain.   my airframe recognition skills are rather scattergun,
I can run idents on a great many things, but every so often I hit the problem, that im channelling a parallel me, and then well.....

people say AV8   and I double image the USMC harrier   and the Cyberpunk 2013 assault aerodyne      ( where my rofl smiley?_)

[PR19_Kit]

Glad you're liking it, I've had the idea for some time, and the RAF 100 GB sparked me into actually doing it.

One problem occurred to me this morning, where am I going to put the RAF roundel? The only place would seem to be directly under the cockpit window as there's not enough free area anywhere else. Maybe tiny, Vampire style ones on the booms?

Speaking of booms, the last 1.5" of the starboard boom appears to be stricken with styrene rot.     The starboard canted fin just fell off under its own weight of this morning, taking a chunk of the boom's upper surface with it! The boom end's gone soft and floppy and the only thing holding it in place is the tailplane itself, which in turn is located by the port boom! I may have to cut it away and replace it with some sprue or summat.

[Knightflyer]

stricken with styrene rot.

Sounds disgusting! What causes it? And a ruddy shame as well!

[PR19_Kit]

stricken with styrene rot.

Sounds disgusting! What causes it? And a ruddy shame as well!

Dunno, but that Heller styrene is very weird, it's very brittle when you're trying to cut it, but it goes super soft if you apply too much cement.

I think the latter did for it in this case, and with hindsight I should have just used MekPak on it, not the Revell S type that I usually use.

[scooter]

Scooter, I have to say, err  not certain.   my airframe recognition skills are rather scattergun,
I can run idents on a great many things, but every so often I hit the problem, that im channelling a parallel me, and then well.....

people say AV8   and I double image the USMC harrier   and the Cyberpunk 2013 assault aerodyne      ( where my rofl smiley?_)

One problem occurred to me this morning, where am I going to put the RAF roundel? The only place would seem to be directly under the cockpit window as there's not enough free area anywhere else. Maybe tiny, Vampire style ones on the booms?

Assuming its a tactical rotodyne, small roundels on the booms would work splendidly.

[PR19_Kit]

One problem occurred to me this morning, where am I going to put the RAF roundel? The only place would seem to be directly under the cockpit window as there's not enough free area anywhere else. Maybe tiny, Vampire style ones on the booms?

Assuming its a tactical rotodyne, small roundels on the booms would work splendidly.

Yes, could be right there Scooter. It's meant to be a different time frame Chinook, so that would fit.

I've strengthened up the starboard boom by superglueing a 10 thou styrene strip along the damaged part, and then re-gluing the upper fin to that, and it seems to have worked. Much stronger now.

Next step is to paint the cockpit and the forward fuselage interior, which won't be easy...............

[Cobra]

This is Really starting to Look Awesome Kit looks kinda Gerry Anderson style to Me. Keep up the superb Work,My Friend Dan

[NARSES2]

but it goes super soft if you apply too much cement.

I think the latter did for it in this case, and with hindsight I should have just used MekPak on it, not the Revell S type that I usually use.

I've had a similar thing happen with a couple of recent Airfix kits and Tamiya Extra Thin. It can prove a useful attribute once you know about it.

One problem occurred to me this morning, where am I going to put the RAF roundel? The only place would seem to be directly under the cockpit window as there's not enough free area anywhere else. Maybe tiny, Vampire style ones on the booms?

Assuming its a tactical rotodyne, small roundels on the booms would work splendidly.

Plus avoids the placement of that "target" underneath the pilot