Modelling > Allies '46 GB

The Westland Whicker - A Cryptic Tale in 1/72 Scale

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Brian da Basher:


After the failure of the Whirlwind,



the Air Ministry provided the Westland firm with a consolation prize in the form of a contract for a high-speed transport.





The new aircraft was certainly very sleek and looked fast just sitting still. Powered by two Merlin engines, it was able to out-pace even the famous De Havilland Mosquito in tests.





This speed led to the prototype being given the moniker Whicker which was a misunderstanding of a bystander's rural vernacular for "She's wicked fast!" 



While never produced in great numbers, the Westland Whicker was appreciated nonetheless for its dispatch in delivering high-priority, often top-secret, cargo. Many clandestine missions were flown for the Special Operations Executive.



The Allies had advanced steadily on all fronts after the D-Day landings. Much of their success was due to cracking the German Enigma machine codes.



The Germans were so convinced of their own infallability that it took them two years to figure out their "unbreakable" codes had been compromised.



This would force them to deploy a device of bewildering complexity.



This may have been why the fronts stalemated in Europe as 1946 began. Or it could have been the bulk shipments of alcohol to the theatre, but correlation does not necessarily equal causation.



The allies were stalled at the Oder river in the east and at the Rhine in the west. Clearly the new enemy codes had to be broken and this meant stealing an E-Stigma. Some serious spying was called for. Luckily the Special Operations Executive felt they had just the right man for the job.



At first recruiting a journalist for a secret mission might seem risky, but perhaps this particular individual was chosen for his uncanny ability to blend in.



This man of incredible diction and ability managed to obtain an E-Stigma from resistance contacts inside the Deutschefunkenradgeschellshaft (gesundheit). He then personally took delivery of the machine and boarded a Westland Whicker which landed in the dead of night behind enemy lines for the pick-up.



The aircraft soon arrived back on Allied territory and now the enemy codes could be broken.



However, by mid-1946, the Allies had broken through on all fronts after the alcohol dried up. Unable to withstand this onslaught of sobriety, Germany surrendered unconditionally just as the analysts at Bletchley Park figured out the E-Stigma.



Despite this notable role in the war effort, the Westland Whicker was soon forgotten as it was replaced by more newer types. However, this high-speed transport's brief moment in the spotlight would presage the greater fame of its lone passenger by two decades.



No Westland Whickers survive today and the so-called "experts" insist this all must be the cryptic inner workings of some dark imagination they cannot decipher.



Brian da Basher

Brian da Basher:
This one is a real Frankenplane and the parts are spread across the three main scales.



I used the fuselage from a 1/72 Ju-88, wings from a 1/72 Me-210, nose, engines & props from a 1/72 Mosquito, front canopy from a 1/72 Blenheim, fin & rudder from a 1/48 P-40 and horiz stabs from a 1/144 B-17. Here's how it all looked before paint.



Speaking of paint, here's the state-of-play just before I put the markings on.





The old hairy stick was trotted out and loaded up with Model Masters Light Sea Gray acrylic. The windows were done in Insignia Blue with a gloss top coat and the props with Black and the tips in Insignia Yellow. Model Masters Jet Exhaust was used on the exhausts.





The decals were a mix from spares and spanned all three major scales as well.



The wing roundels and white fuselage codes are in 1/48, the fin flashes, fuselage roundels and black codes are 1/72 and the windows and hatches in 1/144.



I had a blast putting this beast together over the past week. I'd like to thank Mr Gimper for passing along the 1/48 parts & decals when we met up last fall.







Before I forget, here's a couple of "money shots" (U.S. penny for scale):





I'd like to thank Mr Gimper for the parts & decals, Mr Tomcat for moderating this GB and those of you playing along or just stopping by to take a look.



I hope you enjoyed the Westland Whicker and reading about another forgotten aircraft that's been whicked into the dustbin of history.





Brian da Basher

Robomog:
Absolute masterclass in in whiffery and plastic surgery, really good looking result, nice one Brian  :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza:

Mog
>^-.-^<

elmayerle:

--- Quote from: Robomog on March 18, 2018, 12:58:29 AM ---Absolute masterclass in in whiffery and plastic surgery, really good looking result, nice one Brian  :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza: :icon_alabanza:

--- End quote ---
+1

kitnut617:
Love it -----   :-* :-* :-*

Whicker's World --- now that brought back memories ----   :smiley:

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