Westland Wyvern SF.4 (A.S.) and S.6c

[kitnut617]

I'm going to build a piston engined Wyvern using the CMR kit. Although it won't quite look like what's on the box by the time I'm done with it.

So, here's the box:



And the bits in it:



At the beginning, Westland had offered three versions for the Wyvern to the N.11/44 spec. Version one was to be a cockpit forward with mid engine, second version was engine forward and cockpit in the more traditional style, and the last version was to be turbo-prop powered.  The piston engine was to be the RR H24 cylinder (Eagle) but which turbo-prop is unspecified (there were two engines in the running).  My plan is to do the first version ----

If anyone is interested in what this will look like, it appears on the back cover of Tony Butler's book,  'BSP. Fighters & Bombers 1935-1950' First Edition.  There's a 3-view of it on page 185. In the 4+ Publications bookazine, are some very nice 1/72 scale 3-Views.

[Captain Canada]

Cool. Looks like a pretty decent kit from the box contents !

[kitnut617]

It's very good for an all resin kit Todd, the wing is cast all in one too. There's not too many tiny bits either.

[NARSES2]

Cool. Looks like a pretty decent kit from the box contents !

Their latter ones are lovely kits Todd.

[kitnut617]

I've just been checking the overall shape of the main kit bits with the 1/72 drawings in the 4+ Publications book. The outlines are very, very close to being the same. However I have spotted one thing, the kit has the slot for the exhaust stubs a bit low and also angle down at the front end, the drawing however, shows the slot for the exhaust stubs higher up, but also angle 'upwards' by a degree or so (not measured it yet). There's also a few of the forward panel lines from about mid canopy to the front, on the kit also angled at the same angle as what the slot is, whereas the drawing have 'all' the vertical panel lines perpendicular to the datum center line.

But a moot point for me anyway, as I'm cutting the slot out and moving it back down the fuselage.

[kitnut617]

So, the plan of attack is to get the fuselage modifications done first. The first part was to cut out the fuselage hump where the cockpit/canopy is along the top. In the 4+ drawing it shows where the fuselage datum line is, and there just happens to be a panel line just above the wing on the fuselage sides where this datum line is.  I marked off a parallel line to it further up the side, then picked a couple of vertical panel lines and then out came the razor saw ----





Then it was on to what was to go back in which had a flat top line in profile. This just happened to be much easier than what I had expected. A few days ago I had posted in another thread photos of my A.S. Python nacelle which will go on a Lancaster wing, and I just happened to have it on hand. Looking at it I realized that it's shape was just what I was looking for and knowing what I used to make the nacelle, part of an old Attacker fuselage, I made the decision to use another old Novo Attacker I had already built many years ago, as the donor for the new fuselage plug. The razor saw made quick work of it, and after fitting it into place, I soon saw that I couldn't have wished this any better, it fit almost perfectly. The radius of the Attacker fuselage matches the radius of this Wyvern fuselage to a Tee ----



The 3-View drawing in the BSP book shows that the bottom edge of the canopy to be at a panel line which is also the rear end of the nose radiator. Cutting out the Wyvern vacuform canopy and then placing it in its location, I see I have to stretch the forward fuselage about 9-10mm so the rear end of the canopy finishes where it shows in the 3-View. This is approximately where the front end of the new fuselage top is showing in my photo.

Here you can see the canopy in place, but before I add the short plug in.

[Captain Canada]

That sure changes things ! Not sure I like it, but that's none of my business lol. Great to see you working in 'real time' Robert ! Cheers

[kitnut617]

The idea is it will look like this ---- eventually --- 

[zenrat]

If only all resin kits were this good...

[NARSES2]

If only all resin kits were this good...

If only.

You can really see what you intend already Robert 

[kitbasher]

It's good, isn't it!

[Tophe]

Interesting

[kitnut617]

Thanks guys ---

All is not rosy with this kit though, I had spot glued the fuselage halves together so I didn't have to fight it while cutting out the fuselage. I've noticed something wrong with the horizontal tail surface locations, especially at the rear end of the tailplane root fairing ------  they don't line up    One side seems to be rotated downwards at the rear, although it could be the other side rotated upwards ---    Anyway, the very rear end of the root fairing has a step of about 3/32" from one side to the other  ------ 

I'll un-glue the fuselage sides and rectify it later ---

[Captain Canada]

Sure looks like a happy plane in that line drawing lol

[kitnut617]

Yeah! one of those 'Go ahead, make my day' grins ----