Jump to content

Dynavector 1/48 Westland Wyvern


scvrobeson

Recommended Posts

I was recently browsing eBay looking for a first vac-form project, and decided Dynavector was a good company to look for. I've always like the looks of the Wyvern, so jumped at the chance to get one cheap. Upon receiving though, I was in for a HUGE surprise. The kit came with not only the kit, but also the Compass Rose interior and exterior set, a re-done spinner, and the Airwaves wingfold set. Needless to say, I was quite happy about my deal purchase.

 

 

Work recently has been getting to grips with cutting and trimming out the fuselage bits, and getting the cockpit painted up. The Compass Rose resin is miles ahead of the kit parts, so I'm quite glad to have gotten it.

 

 

 

Pictures will be posted over the weekend, I just wanted to get this posted up as a start on here.

 

 

 

Thanks everyone. Hope everyone enjoys my trials and tribulations of vac-form building.

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

following this with interest......

 

 

Thanks Shepard. I just hope I don't screw anything up. I've never worked with a vac-form before, so this is all a learning experience for me.

 

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Never seen one of those before Matt nor can I imagine what it looks like but sounds good.

 

So for that reason gonna tag along ,

 

:popcorn:

 

 

It was a large turbo-prop powered FAA aircraft from after the war. Much larger actually than I first expected. I'll try and get some photos up later to explain what I'm on about.

 

Thanks for reading in, hopefully the build will be enjoyable.

 

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here are the photos. The first ones just deal with what comes in the kit, while the rest of the posts will deal with the add-on parts, and my first bits of progress.

 

 

 

Kit comes in a nice box, but the cardboard is a bit flimsy. At least it's not an end-opening box.

 

 

001_zps23462376.jpg

 

002_zps93698b49.jpg

 

 

Instructions are interesting, using mostly text on how to assemble the kit, with a few line drawings and diagrams.

 

003_zpsa3c48e0f.jpg

 

004_zps11e818e5.jpg

 

 

Big heavy bag of white metal bits, and I'm not a fan of white metal bits. Luckily most of these are getting replaced, although some parts, like the landing gear will be utilized. The rockets and their rails are mostly bent with some broken fins, so I might just leave those off all together.

 

009_zpsd36d8091.jpg

 

 

Resin bits were just the spinner and baseplate. There are two options for the spinner, depending on how you want to build it. I will probably use the one-piece spinner, because the aftermarket detail parts include new prop blades that are nicer.

 

010_zps84d5bdd7.jpg

 

 

You're given two vac-form canopies, but one is an early version and one is a late version. Does mean though that you can't make any mistakes, because none of the kit options are for the early canopied version.

 

011_zpsd7ff3d72.jpg

 

 

Nice 1/48 profiles are given for the color schemes, and they also include top and bottom views on other sheets. Decals look a little sketchy right now, but I will test them and see how they go. Might need to put them up in a window to bleach them out, or find replacement roundels.

 

012_zpsd4250fae.jpg

 

013_zpsc19c9736.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The kit came with the added Compass Rose resin parts, mastered up by Roy Sutherland of Barracudacast fame. The exterior set gives the option of lowering the flaps, but also replaces the dive flaps, exhausts, intakes, wheels, spinner, and various other exterior bits. All very well cast, the flap bays are translucent on the end because they are cast so thin. Great work to Compass Rose here.

 

 

014_zps4f661c9e.jpg

 

016_zps11e06687.jpg

 

 

Also included are new sets of prop blades, so these will easily replace the kit ones, which aren't as high quality as these.

 

015_zps0402fb2a.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also started on the Compass Rose interior set. The set is very, very well detailed and cast, and really is much better than the kit. The kit has a vac-form tub with white metal panels. They're not bad, but this is so much better.

 

 

Started everything with a base coat of Nato Black, which was lightened with some Tamiya XF-66 Light Grey. I didn't want it too dark, because it will be hard to see everything in there. Then I detail painted everything with Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics, then gave it all a few dry-brushes of various greys. I wanted to give it multiple tones and layers, hence multiple colors. The instructions for this are a bit confusing, but should get everything put together nicely.

 

017_zps81fe4cc3.jpg

 

018_zps7e98d98c.jpg

 

019_zps04e7ba10.jpg

 

020_zpsc2795251.jpg

 

021_zpsf115d45b.jpg

 

022_zpsc23e3118.jpg

 

023_zpsaca9c6d8.jpg

 

024_zpsa78465bd.jpg

 

025_zps2d78945b.jpg

 

 

The cockpit doesn't looked as washed out as the pictures make it look. It is more subtle in real life, but my camera can't really capture the detail I wish it would.

 

 

 

Hope everyone likes how it's going so far. I'm hoping to learn how to build vac-forms from this, so I can join the group build when it comes around.

 

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks a great project Matt (did you ever finish the F-89?). Looks like those profiles have been copied from an issue of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

 

Kev

 

 

Thanks Kevin. No, the F-89 got shelved because the re-scribe job came out very poor on it. I intend to finish it at some point, but for now it's shelved.

 

 

I'm not sure what the origin of the profiles are, all I know is that they showed up in the box, so I assumed they were from Dynavector.

 

 

Thanks for stopping in.

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not sure what the origin of the profiles are, all I know is that they showed up in the box, so I assumed they were from Dynavector.

 

Nah, they're definitely Mike Keep's work, and the layout style is exactly that of SAM during his era. I might even see if I've got that issue (got rid of quite a few a while back).

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I might even see if I've got that issue (got rid of quite a few a while back).

 

Looks like I don't have it Matt, but Volume 14 Number 2, from November 1991, covered the Wyvern in the "Aircraft in Detail" section. Which is exactly what those drawings look like. It's not an issue (pardon the pun!), just a interesting intersection of information.

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's cool then that you found where the drawings came from. I've been using the profiles for when I'm sanding, so I don't remove too much material. I can just lay the parts over the drawings and hope for the best.

 

 


Thanks for stopping in and commenting. Hope the model show went well for you

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for stopping in and commenting. Hope the model show went well for you

 

Thanks Matt. It's not over yet (3-day event), but judging has been concluded and the results are in, and I did as well as expected. Our own Eric though did quite well indeed!

 

Keep the photos coming Matt.

 

Kev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Matt. It's not over yet (3-day event), but judging has been concluded and the results are in, and I did as well as expected. Our own Eric though did quite well indeed!

 

Keep the photos coming Matt.

 

Kev

 

 

Did not know it was three days long, that must be fun. Hopefully you did well, I thought your Hughes looked great.

 

Congrats to Eric as well for his accomplishments.

 

 

I will try and get more done. I'm currently trying to decode the instructions on where exactly the cockpit fits into the whole puzzle of the aircraft.

 

 

 

Matt

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...