Wellington build and re-build

[Steve Vodrey]

Well today was the time to bite the bullet and test fly the Wellington.
Took off with very little power and climbed up in a similar way.
All good in the air with no vices whatsoever and no trim change needed either.
Flaps make it pitch up slightly but I had anticipated this and already had some elevator mix ready to counter it.
Wasn't over happy with one of the engines and once committed to landing declined the option of going around again so landed long but successful.
Karl may put some video on youtube so will provide a link for anyone who is interested.
May well bring it along to Bruntingthorpe.
Thanks to everyone who has helped me with this project.

[Alan Cantwell 1131]

Well done Steve, congrats

[Karl mander]

The maiden flight has been posted on YouTube this is the link.

https://youtu.be/VFbbdP7D_5w

Please excuse my camera skills, trying to zoom in with a phone isn't easy.
Well done Steve, a top job all round, he's now moving on to his Lancaster.

[David Brown]

Nice one Steve

[Steve Vodrey]

Thanks gents.
Bit more engine tuning and it will be fine. I can then finish off the decals and fit the cowls.

[Steve Vodrey]

After doing more flights and getting both engines right I set about fitting the cowls.
I purchased a made to measure set from Vortex and they fit perfectly. I cut a wooden disc to centre them properly and used a trusty square prop for the clearance. When refitting them the holes will line up again as I no doubt will have to take them off at some point.

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Painting them was straight forward but scale enthusiasts will note that the front part of the cowl had a rusty looking appearance. Being aluminium it wasn't rust of course. What happened was the metal was overheated by the exhaust collector ring just behind it resulting in a copper/bronze colour. Anyway I have done my best to get it about right with some enamel painted over silver on black so rubbed down a bit should weather it in reasonably well.

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Masks for the decals are being completed this week and can hopefully be airbrushed on in a few days.

[Andy ward]

Excellent work well done Steve

[david whiston]

Was lucky to see the model flying off our club site, must say she was "extremely well behaved" and looked very nice in the sky, you have done a top job on this one Steve, she will be a great model to fly at the shows this year!

[Steve Vodrey]

After flying locally I took the Welli to the fly in at Southport and got a couple of pictures of it in flight. I am not allowed to disclose the cameraman's identity as he says the pictures are sub-standard...

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[Steve Vodrey]

Today I finally got hold of the spray masks for the decals and set about the job with my Badger...

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[Freddy Vandermeeren]

Hi Steve,
Super tread...bought myself a kit from SLEC and I'm looking forward to use your valuable input.
In yr. Tread ypu mention VORTEX as the supplier for fitting cowlings. I didn' t find them on GOOGLE. Can you give me a link? Cheers mate!

[Scott Edwards]

Hi Freddy,

Vortex is 'Vortex-Vacforms' run by Steve Davis in Leicester, easy to find on Google. A set of full length cowls, dummy engine covers and air intakes is £45 posted. Steve's stuff is excellent quality and superb value.

I'm starting a big Welly too! I'm sorted for most bits, but finding 7inch wheels that don't cost the earth is proving a challenge !

[Freddy Vandermeeren]

Hi guys,
finally received my Wellington cowlings from Vortex. Really great stuff...good value for money!

[Timothy Huff]

I love the geodetics on the fin, beautifully done! Is it any particular marque you've built? With the trapezoidal windows for the beam-gunners, and lack of long fuselage windows above the wing, it would suggest a Mk III or later, but then it ought have intakes on the top surface of the cowls. Unless it's a MK IV and has the double-baked "Wasp"? (not a happy choice of engine for the Wimpy, many were lost on early missions due fuel exhaustion, as the Wasp was very very thirsty, and a complete bugger to start in European winters.) Really nice model, I look forward to seeing it in flight!

[Steve Vodrey]

Vickers Wellington III BJ666

This aircraft was built within the Serial Range BJ642 - BK675. 34 Wellington Mk.111. Part of a batch of 600 Wellington Mk.111. BJ581-BJ625; BJ642-BJ675; BJ688-BJ730; BJ753-BJ801; BJ818-BJ847; BJ876-BJ922; BJ958-BJ991; BK123-BK166; BK179-BK214; BK234-BK281; BK295-BK315; BK330-BK368; BK385-BK408; BK426-BK471; BK489-BK517; BK534-BK564 series continued with BJ582-BJ991 delivered by Vickers (Chester) between May42 and Dec42.

BJ666 (JN-S) was one of three No.150 Sqdn Wellingtons lost on an operation to Bremen. The aircraft was airborne at 23:10 on 27th June 1942 from Snaith. Crashed at Surhuisterveen (Friesland) 9km NNE of Drachen. S/L B.J.Hooper DFC PoW Sgt T.T.S.Larson RNZAF PoW Sgt J.A.Griffiths PoW Sgt L.M.West PoW Sgt E.Tilley PoW Sgt J.A.Griffiths was interned in Camps L1/L6/357, PoW No.928. S/L B.J.Hooper in Camp L3, PoW No.471. His DFC was awarded for the 63 operations he completed. Sgt T.T.S.Larson in Camps 8B/344, PoW No.24978. (Awarded MBE 28Jun46 'for sabotage activities') with Sgt E.Tilley, PoW No.24991. Sgt L.M.West in Camps 9C/L6/357, PoW No.39733. "

[Steve Vodrey]

Thanks for the comments Tim. The geodetics were time consuming but worth it. I get to take the model to a few events each year (mostly LMA shows) and fly it locally in the North West. I plan to do a bit more scale detail over the winter when my workshop is up and running. The windows need cross members and the guns need fitting.

[Timothy Huff]

If you're interested, I have some very good plans of the "12 & 1/2 frame", ie the frame immediately aft of the pilot, which could be used as the basis for cosmetic detailing work. If I can lay hands on it I'll post here. Unfortunately I've not yet drawn this in CAD, so I can't yet provide anything that could be 3d printed. I also have a lot of parts for the turrets which have been superceded or which proved to be too weak for my purposes, but which would be ideal for anyong making FN5's at 1:4.5 scale.

Hmm, I think it's too big to post here, can you pm me an email address?

[Timothy Huff]

Steve, I've all but finished the CAD work on my turrets, and could now spend a day or so drawing up the 12 and a half frame (immediately aft of pilots head) as either a single 3d printable part, or, as printable component parts. The latter is much more time consuming, as unless the geometry of your extant fuselage is bang on, one may encounter fitting problems, as it's a tight fit within the geodetics normally. The other possibility would be for you to supply me a shape which will fit internally (perhaps 1mm undersize?) in your fuselage and I'll attempt to modify the original shape to conform with that?

I forget now, did I ever supply you with the original Vickers drawing? I think I have but can't recall now.

[Manish Chandrayan]

Gent's,
I have started the build on my Wellington. Need advice on size of hinges to use on the tail feathers. Should I use the 1/8 or 3/16 Robart dowel type hinges?
Asking this as the 3/16 type looks too large to use towards the tip of the tail feathers. Can I use 1/8 for the tip and 3/16 for the rest?

[Timothy Huff]

Does anyone recognise this model? I'd quite like to contact the builder..

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