1:72 Wessex HC.2 Tail hinge for Airfix

Wessex HC.2 Tail hinge 1:72 (Clear Prop Models, resin detail)

This is a small resin detail set from Clear Prop Models in 1:72 scale. It is not a helicopter kit but an accessory that replaces the less faithful plastic parts of the matching Wessex HC.2 kit with a precisely cast reproduction of the hinge of the folding tail boom. The Wessex had its tail section arranged so that it could be folded and the machine would fit into ships' hangars and onto a deck; that is exactly the joint this set works out in detail.

The real subject

The Westland Wessex was the British licensed version of the American Sikorsky H-34, in which turbine powerplants replaced the piston engine. The HC.2 variant served with the RAF as a transport and rescue machine and was in service for several decades. The folding tail boom was one of the characteristic structural features of the whole Wessex family.

Building and painting tips

First wash the mold release agent off the parts, carefully cut them from the casting blocks and glue them with cyanoacrylate glue (super glue). Protect your airways when sanding resin. Apply a primer before painting, which evens out the surface of the resin with the plastic of the kit.

Who the set is for

• Modelers building the Wessex HC.2 in 1:72 scale
• Anyone interested in higher fidelity of the tail section
• Modelers with experience of working with resin
• Collectors of British helicopters

The accessory is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package.