Beyond The Sprues

Modelling => Ideas & Inspiration => Aero-space => Topic started by: dogsbody on October 17, 2013, 10:06:13 PM

Title: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: dogsbody on October 17, 2013, 10:06:13 PM
Wellesley's extended canopy.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4370/36127799250_50f2e22bc1_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4411/36127799270_3b4252a9c3_b.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4380/36127799280_845357778b_b.jpg)



Chris
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 18, 2013, 01:02:39 AM
I was thinking today that the Wellesley would look great in the Coastal Commands grey & green uppers, white undersides as a patrol / general reconnaissance bomber, or even a torpedo bomber.

Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 18, 2013, 02:27:35 AM
I was thinking today that the Wellesley would look great in the Coastal Commands grey & green uppers, white undersides as a patrol / general reconnaissance bomber, or even a torpedo bomber.

I am with you there!
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 18, 2013, 02:41:17 AM
I have long loved the Vickers Wellesley...especially that long wing with weapon pods:

(http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcms/mediafiles/C51A75C0_5056_A318_A834930CD979ADA5.jpg)

Makes me think of doing a high altitude PR variant.  some sort of turbocharger or similar for engine + cameras in pods + PRU Blue all over.... :-*
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 18, 2013, 02:43:11 AM
I also like the variant with the Bristol Hercules engine:

(http://www.airwar.ru/image/idop/bww2/wellesley/wellesley-14.jpg)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: dogsbody on October 18, 2013, 02:46:58 AM
More Wellesley material.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4336/36387186891_0a71804491_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4433/36387186901_b122c6d3df_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4376/36387186871_2f30f5fe34_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4331/36524597435_6e25e1ca73_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4407/36524597415_b3d8bcfc10_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4412/36524597405_9ca6d16254_c.jpg)



Chris



Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: dogsbody on October 18, 2013, 03:10:34 AM
More.

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4339/36524597395_5d5f54e926_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4411/36127799270_3b4252a9c3_z.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4367/35690967644_833d805c55_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4441/36526085465_e653ef78c9_c.jpg)

(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4338/36526085475_77824945f4_c.jpg)



Chris



Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: father ennis on October 18, 2013, 07:20:40 AM
WoW !!!!!!!   I'm really wanting one now ...
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: dogsbody on October 18, 2013, 07:50:05 AM
I have a bit more material, but this is about the best of it.



Chris
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Jeffry Fontaine on October 18, 2013, 08:07:41 AM
Prewar or postwar Wellesley bush plane on floats plying the back routes of the Yukon and Alaska delivering parcels and mail to lonely fur trappers :)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 18, 2013, 08:38:37 AM
Napier Sabre, dorsal turret, ventral gondola and radar in one of the under wing pods.  Maybe a Molins gun in each of the pods and an under fuselage torpedo, does the torpedo run pumping 57mm HE into the AA gunners all the way in.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: finsrin on October 18, 2013, 09:59:14 AM
Confession:  Over decades of being an aircraft/model enthusiast, never gave Vickers Wellesley a second look.  Barely a first look and name was not in my vocabulary.

Thanks to you guys thatz changed.  Now find it interesting.  Is like a one engine cousin of the B-10.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: The Big Gimper on October 18, 2013, 06:15:07 PM
Thanks for the pictures. The cockpit shots are useful as I can use a P-38 control columns.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Chris on October 18, 2013, 06:46:41 PM
I was thinking today that the Wellesley would look great in the Coastal Commands grey & green uppers, white undersides as a patrol / general reconnaissance bomber, or even a torpedo bomber.


Just finished a FAA one circa 1938. That and a couple of Coastal Command ones are posted over on the What If Modellers site


http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37728.0.html (http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37728.0.html)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: dogsbody on October 18, 2013, 06:54:36 PM
A Wellesley on torpedo dropping trials.


(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4363/35691168014_6a539f019e_c.jpg)


Chris
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 18, 2013, 07:53:19 PM
I was thinking today that the Wellesley would look great in the Coastal Commands grey & green uppers, white undersides as a patrol / general reconnaissance bomber, or even a torpedo bomber.


Just finished a FAA one circa 1938. That and a couple of Coastal Command ones are posted over on the What If Modellers site


[url]http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37728.0.html[/url] ([url]http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,37728.0.html[/url])


Just had a look, outstanding, it really suits
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 18, 2013, 07:55:57 PM
Ha ha, and here I was thinking I was being original.

I used to have a Wellesley, not sure if I still do somewhere.  I Build it from the box and remember being particularly proud of it although who knows what I would think of my efforts from back then if viewed today.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 20, 2013, 06:01:37 AM
I wonder...twin engined Wellesley with glass nose?

(http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e68/GTwiner/Vickers_Wellesley_zpsc148c362.png)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Chris on October 20, 2013, 06:51:02 PM
Twin engine Wellesley works quite well.

One of the aviation magazines has just issued a "special" on the Wellington and the first chapter deals with the Wellesley. Hopefully get it tomorrow.

Was thinking of one in desert camo scheme, was then told it actually happened the profile is in the Warpaint profile on the type which I'l hopefully get at Telford
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Daryl J. on October 21, 2013, 01:44:18 AM
Conversational aside only:  I'd love it if Airfix did the Wellsley in 1:48.   It's so unique.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 21, 2013, 01:56:55 AM
Conversational aside only:  I'd love it if Airfix did the Wellsley in 1:48.   It's so unique.

I am with you there!  I have two of the Sanger Vacuform kits in 1/48 but would adore an injection molded one.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Weaver on October 21, 2013, 02:06:45 AM
Old idea of mine which I'll get around to one day: Wellington wings on a Wellesley. Three engines and about ten feet more span.... ;D
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 21, 2013, 02:17:25 AM
 :)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 22, 2013, 02:38:08 AM

One of the aviation magazines has just issued a "special" on the Wellington and the first chapter deals with the Wellesley. Hopefully get it tomorrow.



That would be this one I presume?

(http://shop.keypublishing.com/images/wellylarge.jpg) (http://shop.keypublishing.com/product/View/productCode/WELLY/Wellington?dm_i=4JU,1X6O5,1QE9XW,6WC4F,1)

I will probably buy it as well.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Chris on October 22, 2013, 09:55:46 PM
Yup that's the one Greg. Got it yesterday along with the Junkers company profile "Bookazine". Both very good
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 23, 2013, 08:31:18 PM
They are not a bad series I have a few but need to wait for permission before buying this one or any more...... :(
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: apophenia on October 24, 2013, 10:15:55 AM
Old idea of mine which I'll get around to one day: Wellington wings on a Wellesley. Three engines and about ten feet more span.... ;D


Not a Wimpy-winged variant but a Wellesley trimotor nonetheless:
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11593#msg11593 (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11593#msg11593)

Twin-engined Wellesley
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11302#msg11302 (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11302#msg11302)

Tophe did some variations too:
http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11478#msg11478 (http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=351.msg11478#msg11478)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 24, 2013, 09:33:05 PM
wow how did I miss those?
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 25, 2013, 02:28:28 AM
Deserve to be reproduced here in full!

Thanks lads. Now just a bit of silliness based on the Wellesley...

The first is the Type 294 Wellesley PR Mk III, immediately distinguished by its Rolls-Royce Merlin I engine. But the Type 294 was actually a twin-engined design. Where the observer's cockpit had been, sat a 'slave' Rolls-Royce Kestrel XVI driving a large Bentley blower to boost the Merlin's high-altitude performance.

A less successful Type 294 descendant was the Vickers Wellington (aka 'Twin Wellesley'), a twin-engined bomber. Intended as a fast bomber, the Wellington proved anything but. By the time the Wellington began reaching RAF squadrons in 1937, the type was already obsolete.


(http://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=351.0;attach=2029;image)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on October 25, 2013, 02:29:20 AM
I would have kept the wing containers for cameras.  I love your twin engine one though - much better than mine!
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 29, 2017, 05:46:34 PM
I didn't know there were Valom Wellesely kits, maybe this thread needs another look.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: arctic warrior on October 29, 2017, 11:41:19 PM
I would have kept the wing containers for cameras.  I love your twin engine one though - much better than mine!

Second this; would be a great colonial/MR long-range PhotoRecce A/C.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: Volkodav on October 30, 2017, 08:28:16 PM
I'm imagining Vickers expanding Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney, connecting it to the mainland, probably via Spectacle Island, and establishing an aircraft and engine manufacturing facility on the reclaimed land, the first type produced being the Wellesley.  ;)
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: GTX_Admin on January 02, 2024, 01:44:54 AM
What about a civilian one almost akin to the Boeing Monomail?
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: upnorth on January 02, 2024, 01:39:55 PM
I'm in the midst of reading the book, "Winged Crusaders", which tell the history of RAF's 14 Squadron from its initial formation until the end of WWII:
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Winged-Crusaders-Hardback/p/3627 (https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/Winged-Crusaders-Hardback/p/3627)

I'm at the point in the book where the Squadron has Wellesleys and it's quite interesting to read what that aircraft was like.

At one point, it mentions how they made a field modification to increase the defenses of the aircraft by engineering gun brackets that could fit in the frames of the fuselage windows at the navigator's station. It was quite an effective modification that increased the aircraft's survivability until the squadron was re-equiped with Blenheims.

They also removed the bomb pod doors permanently with no ill effect on the performance of the aircraft.

Putting it in Coastal Command colours, as a someone mentioned earlier, wouldn't be too far off the mark. The Wellesley had very good range and the book details how 14 Squadron trained for coastal patrol during their Wellesley period.
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: apophenia on January 03, 2024, 05:53:14 AM
Well, ericr's Wellesley & Reaper hybrid in 1/48 needs a mention here:

-- https://beyondthesprues.com/Forum/index.php?topic=4100.msg214447#msg214447
Title: Re: Vickers Wellesley Ideas and Inspiration
Post by: ericr on January 03, 2024, 04:24:35 PM

Thanks,
I just felt it could do with longer wings ;-)