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

[kitnut617]

Cheers Tom

[kitnut617]

Still no sign of the decals I ordered, the tracking number info ends when it got put on the plane in the UK --- on the 5th of May --- some investigation at the post office at my end reveals if there's no more tracking info, it's because it's in Canada Customs, along with thousands of other mailed items ---   

So --- tumty tumty tum --- what to do -----  I know -- I'll start another one   

But this one will be a later variant powered by a turbo-prop --- specifically a RR Tyne.  In this photo the exhaust nozzle has still to be moved further to the rear.



This photo shows I started moving the exhaust nozzle but not glued in position yet.







These are early photos of the concept but since these were taken I've been refining it. I've used a part-started Frog Wyvern for this project, it had become 'surplus to requirements' when I got hold of a Trumpeter S.4 just recently. Quite a bit of it fits into my story about it.

[NARSES2]

 

[kitnut617]

Thanks Chris, my idea is this would be a S.6c (the S.5 was the Python engined version which wasn't successful). The S.6 got built in blocks which coincided with the development of the Tyne, the S.6a having the first production engine producing about 4800hp. The S.6b had an improved engine of around 5900hp and the S.6c was powered by the most powerful engine of 6800hp. The story is that the RN did not decommission their carriers so the Wyvern had a long career being used in the Strike roll, the last variants taking part in the Falklands conflict.

I'm thinking for this variant the scheme will be XDSG over white (just before they went into action for the last time), Oerlikon 35mm revolver cannons were retained, and I'm keeping with the missile line of thought and going with MARTELs or Sea Eagles.

The two 3-Blade wide chord props were a development of the De Havilland 3-Blade contra-props which had paddle blades, trialed on the Clyde powered prototype and (as I've just discovered in a photo) on one of the TF.1's

[63cpe]

Very interesting concept. I'd love to see that painted and decalled..

David aka 63cpe

[kitnut617]

Thanks David.

I've shortened the forward fuselage by 6mm, so it is now the same measurement from the rear of the spinner to the wing root leading edge as my first Wyvern.

[Scotaidh]

That looks great!  Where did you get the prop?

[kitnut617]

It came from a Combat Models 1/72 Convair Tradewind vacuform kit, the detail set you can buy with it. When I got the kit and saw the props I had asked the owner of Combat Models (that's in the USA btw), if I could buy a couple of sets of props separately, and he said I could -- so I did ---

I had to modify it though, the original props have a 16 foot diameter, but I wanted it around 14 feet (the new forward fuselage raises the prop center up a bit). But I had to take the blades off the rear spinner anyway, they had been cast on the wrong way around but mainly because for this prop I needed the blades that are attached to the rear spinner to be on the front one and vise versa for the front blades.

[AndrewF]

This is looking really good.

[kitnut617]

Thanks Andrew.

The fuselage is all glued together now, and the first round of PSR is almost complete. I've got to make my mind up where the exhaust nozzles will be re-positioned, the Tyne is just a tad over 9 feet long (same as the Eagle 22) but I don't want the nozzles too close to the rear end of the engine, although being close would be better as you don't want too long of a tail pipe.

[kitnut617]

Still no sign of the decal sheet I ordered --- 

I have been progressing with the S.6c, most of it is glued together although I'm still working on where (and how) the exhaust will go.

This set of pics show I've got an undercoat on so I can see more easily what needs to be fixed up, you can see in the top pic I've glued the exhaust fairing on, all though I have to repair one side of it and the nozzle still has to go in. Looking at the different Tyne nacelles I've got, one thing became obvious --- apart from the engine air intake around the spinner (under the spinner for this project), the nacelles have a whole collection of other air intakes, big and small. So I've added a few ---









After the undercoat went on I started having a rethink on what scheme to paint it in, and considering my alternative time line where the Wyvern's last action was the Falklands, I'm thinking maybe overall Barley Grey -----

[kitnut617]

Further enquiries at the post office yesterday, the lady behind the counter said that as my letter has come from the UK, it probably landed in Quebec, and since the provincial government there has practically shut down, not to expect anything until the covid has been declared over.

It means I'm not going to finish either of my builds (as both will need white lettering and numbers) so I asked Chris to move my thread to here.

Thanks Chris 

[PR19_Kit]

That's a pity, I was looking forward to seeing them finished.

[kitnut617]

They'll get finished Kit, I just don't know when at the moment --- I thought moving the thread to this section, it wouldn't get buried in the 'past' GB listing.

[chrisonord]

I can't  believe that I am only just seeing these for the first time.    I  don't know how I have missed them. They are absolutely brilliant  Robert  they really are. I am liking the  "rockets " that you  have made for the first  aircraft,  I am  thinking  some of those would  suit  a future project of mine 
Nice one Robert 
Chris