Bristol/Westland Belvedere

[I-16]

I built a Belvedere as a kid, and it always kind of appealed to me for some reason. I found a stack of them at a salvage store a few months ago, and figured I would try again for old times sake! The kit builds up one of the prototype Belvedere's, with twin vertical stabs. They were very clean and had the 1950's gee whiz look to them. I found some nice pics on the net of production versions, and decided to build one like that. Instead of the twin vertical stabs, they went with a anhedrial stabilzer which is neat looking, as well as hanging a hoist, and changing the chin about a bit. So... out comes the saw.

[I-16]

Airframe with exhaust opened up. I will replace the kits molded on exhaust with tubing. I cut out a section of the tail for the rudder, which will be fabricated out of styrene. No interior added, cant see in through the windows anyway.

[Albert Moore]

Hi I-16,

Welcome to the GB. Looks like an interesting subject. Which kit is this and what scale?

Cheers,

Alby

[Mandrake]

Really looking forward to this one! You certainly don't see many of these built. Considered building one myself a while back, though the updated to a production aircraft put me off.

Hope to see some more in-progress pictures soon!

PS. Kit is 1/72 Airfix Alby

[Albert Moore]

Gracias Senor Mandrake, much obliged.

Cheers,

Alby

[RotorheadTX]

Here's an alternative for those who don't want to 'fix' the tailplanes.

[I-16]

I bought two Belevedere's, I think I know how #2 will look when it's done! Nice picture.

Edited April 8, 2006 by I-16

[I-16]

Got back to the bench after a week of building up a car for my daughter's 16th B-day. Starting on flightdeck next, and then paint and rotors. I think I will make the intake screens out of nylons scrounged from my wife's castouts, unless anyone has a better idea!

Edited April 13, 2006 by I-16

[Mandrake]

Coming along very nicely

Would you mind telling me abit more about how you are updating the kit as it is something I have been considering. In particularly how did you create the anhedrial stabilzer? Also isn't the side door somewhat different on the production variants?

[I-16]

The stabilizers were made using the horizontal section's supplied by the kit, and reworking the verticals to match some photos I had of the anhedrials. I cut them a little shorter, and radiused them, and glued them up. They look pretty close. I cut a section out of the tail, and formed a rudder out of styrene. The door on the production veersions had a hi-vis window, which I will cut out and make out of some acetate. The tires were a low pressure varity, versus the bicycle tires supplied with the kit. Still need to find something which will work. I fabricated lifts out of Evergreen rod, and made a winch housing out of some scrap. The housing under the nose was mae from scrap as well. I was thumbing through a book on the RAF the other day and found a nice pictrue showing antenna placement. Should help a bit. Camoflauge will be dark green, slate grey over light grey.

[Mandrake]

The stabilizers were made using the horizontal section's supplied by the kit, and reworking the verticals to match some photos I had of the anhedrials. I cut them a little shorter, and radiused them, and glued them up. They look pretty close. I cut a section out of the tail, and formed a rudder out of styrene. The door on the production veersions had a hi-vis window, which I will cut out and make out of some acetate. The tires were a low pressure varity, versus the bicycle tires supplied with the kit. Still need to find something which will work. I fabricated lifts out of Evergreen rod, and made a winch housing out of some scrap. The housing under the nose was mae from scrap as well. I was thumbing through a book on the RAF the other day and found a nice pictrue showing antenna placement. Should help a bit. Camoflauge will be dark green, slate grey over light grey.

Thanks for the information, much apprecaited. You are quite right they certainly do look pretty close indeed, might have to try that little trick myself! Look forward to seeing some more inprogress shots.....hopefully soon ;)

[RotorheadTX]

The tires were a low pressure varity, versus the bicycle tires supplied with the kit. Still need to find something which will work.

IIRC, the Scale Aircraft Modelling conversion article recommended Jaguar wheels and tyres.

[Backfire]

Really nice work with the kit and the scratchbuilding, I-16 - it will look really sharp when it is done. :blink:

Keith

[I-16]

A little more progress. Built up fairings for the gear struts out of some resin airfoil material, and used the upper attach point from the kit. Thank heaven for superglue. Belly spine was made out of Evergreen channel, with a scratched cargo hook mid-ship. I cut the door window out, and will add glass after painting. Time to start thinking about the flight deck and masking the one piece glass (or Airfix equivelent) nose.

Edited April 21, 2006 by I-16

[Dandog]

I like that helicopter cos my Grandad helped design it when he was working for Westland .

[I-16]

Here is a bad picture of the completed Belevedere.

Edited July 31, 2006 by I-16

[Mandrake]

Was wondering how you were getting on this one, it is great to see it finished

Any chance of some more pics?

[I-16]

I have been busy with work (which I have determined is NOT condusive to healthy modeling), so I just finished under the wire. Here is another picture, hopefully smaller. Photobucket is a little new to me!