Thanks very much Matt, glad you like it.
The interior work is almost complete, with the cockpit finished, apart from a few items to add around the top of the instrument panel, and the roof switch panels, which can't be done until later in the construction stages, and the cabin interior is in place in the port fuselage half. Some items of equipment, such as winch strops, 'monkey harness' straps and para-medic gear will be added later.
The main task has been getting the cockpit seats sorted, as these are suspended over the open area above the main cabin.
PIC 1. The kit instructions show how the kit parts are supposed to be used, with box-like mouldings for the seats, which fit onto the floor. The latter, of course, has been removed, so some further surgery was required.
PIC 2. First step was to cut down the main frames for the seat backs.
PIC 3. This is one of the seat bases, which was used to form the bottom of the seat.
PIC 4. Each seat base was cut in half, and the top section turned upside down, to form the seat pan.
PIC 5. With the top now the bottom, plastic card was cut, shaped and filed to form the PSP.
PICS 6 and 7. After painting the seats and the main cockpit components, the co-pilot's seat was fitted in the folded position, which is standard for most Wessex operations. The pilot's collective lever has also been painted and fitted, and the seat harnesses, made from foil, plastic rod and stretched sprue, fitted and painted.
PIC 8. A rear view showing the 'quilted padding' painted, and the main electrical board cover gloss coated.
PIC 9. The cockpit complete, with the map case, complete with wording and latches, Graviner fire extinguisher and cyclics fitted, and awaiting the instrument panel.
PIC 10. A decal on clear film is provided for the instruments, and this was applied over a dark grey background, with the panel coaming in black. The dials were given a spot of 'Future', and the lower panel switches were added from stretched sprue.
PICS 11 and 12. The instrument panel in place. The angle as intended in the kit is a touch too severe, so this will be brought more towards the vertical, but still angled forward, once the cockpit is fitted into the fuselage, and a cowl constructed, with further switch panels, once the fuselage halves are joined.
PICS 13 and 14, The main cabin interior in place, with the wiring passed through the rear bulkhead. Also shown here is the extra support for the cockpit section, constructed from plastic card, just in case!
Once all this has fully set, the rescue and para-medic kit will be made and installed, and the cockpit section fitted, along with the cabin roof, before joining the fuselage halves. The rear cabin frames and tail rotor shaft tunnel will also be added at this time.
Then it's time for the difficult bits - getting the exhausts correctly angled and cut from brass tube, then fitted, and making that longer nose filter.
Thanks again for your continued interest and compliments, and I'll post another up-date soon.