Here is my second model for the
recently completed FAA Group build. This is a Westland Dragonfly HR3 from HMS
Eagle in 1954. Made from the Belcher Bits kit, it was a neat build. Like
the Belcher Lynx I posted last year, this is a fully resin kit with the
necessary individual add ons. It was quite a challenge in some parts but looks
great now completed. An essential addition to the history of Naval helicopters.
Click on
images below to see larger images
Construction was helped by excellent
kit design and the picture 3 shows the nose weight is the cockpit floor. Thanks
to this innovation she sits on the nose wheel without at other support. The hard
part was definitely the assembly of the 3 piece glazing over the nose. I
reinforced the joins from the inside with plastic strip and lots of super glue.
The job was made a lot easier with the masks provided and the neat design
of the kit.
Quite a bit of additional detail was
needed around the winch and rotor head and for this the references came in very
handy. I discarded the kit winch and made a new structure from brass and bits in
the spares box. Likewise the doors and exterior needed a few additional items.
All the machines I found had an additional radiator on the port side which was
not captured in the kit.
The main part missing from the kit
was any reference to the tail rotor guard structure. This is very prominent and
I'm surprised we didn't even get a drawing. I had to estimate the size from
pictures I took over the years.
One good feature in the kit was the
rotors. Its always good to see them spread but being resin I know they
will soon bend so really need to be built folded. Fortunately Mike gives us 2
sets so I built the correct rotors folded and the other set spread.
I used lots of brass in both so they are each strong structures in their own
right and can be fitted and removed easily.
I don't don't normally go for kit
decals and was tempted to do the Thai version but on this occasion the kit
decals were for the machine in the "RN Aircraft after 1945" book I
usually for schemes use so I decided to give them a go. They went on beautifully
and it was a shame to use so few!
The Dragonfly has done well for
preservation and lots are preserved. I used the pictures of machines at RAF
Cosford, RTAF Museum Don Muang, Weston Helicopter museum, RNAS Yeovilton and HM
Dockyard Chattham for reference.
Hope you enjoy the pics as much as I
enjoyed the Group Build.
Colin
Click on
images below to see larger images
|