Profile Photo
Steve Oakson
31 articles

Westland Wyvern

July 15, 2019 · in Aviation · · 12 · 2.3K

This is the ID kit. I have built nearly every scale kit of this aircraft starting with the Frog kit years ago. This kit however challenged me from the very start- and I have built a number of 1/32nd scale Vacs.
I used the following details to get this to the finish line:
True Details Hawker Hunter cockpit
Paul Fisher Sea Fury landing gear, Sea Fury drop tanks that were modified to create larger capacity
ones, and Meteor rocket set
prop blades that I carved and Darren Roberts of Steel Beach cast for me
aluminum tubing for the exhausts
vacuformed a new canopy after developing a new master
scratched up a new tailwheel and used a landing hook from a Sea Fury

Paints used were Model Master, Tamiya, Alclad
Decals are from Paul Fisher, and the spares box
This was finished as a Wyvern that was used in the Suez crisis
Thanks to Robert Irving for providing the kit , Paul Fisher for his input and products, and Darren Roberts for the prop blades

Reader reactions:
9  Awesome

8 additional images. Click to enlarge.


12 responses

  1. Anyone who builds vacuform kits certainly has MY vote - and this one's a beauty.
    Welcome aboard, sir.

  2. A very convincing replication. This is one of my favorites. Good show.

  3. Vacuforms are evil, but you have done a tremendous job taming this unruly form of model building and come up with a really great looking plane. Dealing with a 1/32-sized model can't have been easy, either. You certainly have my appreciation of a great model.

  4. Wow, a serious victory of skill, tenacity and talent over a real p i g. I don't know why I like the Wyvern so much, but I have since the first time I saw a photo of one in the first "serious" airplane book I convinced my dad to get me - William Greenj's "All The World's Aircraft - 1954" (which I still have).

    I remember 30 years ago building the 1/48 ID vacuform Wyvern, and having the world's dumbest and loudest "Modeling Gnu" proclaim it a "what-if" model. (When you see the "handle" Sierrabob anywhere in the scale modeling internet, that's the dodo).

  5. If I ever bought a1/32 vacform I would mail it to you straight away as I would have no chance of a result like this. Really well done.

  6. Hello Steve,
    Like mentioned above: "Vacuforms are Evil". But nevertheless you succeeded in making it into a superb representation of the real aircraft. My highest compliments on this achievement, supported by numerous company's to make it all work.
    Regards, Dirk

  7. great job getting this one over the hill...my hats off to you

  8. Wow Steve, for a kit that was a challenge, your Wyvern sure turned out nice. It looks superb!

    Cheers,

    Scott

  9. A great job! Always liked the look of the Wyvern. Vacuform and resin kits scare me, even conversion kits.

  10. Hard to believe that's a Vac - looks great! I also love the Wyvern - such an odd duck - a purpose-built torpedo truck. Nicely done.

  11. Awesome, Steve!

    I haven't the nerve to try a vac kit, especially after seeing this beauty! (Beauty = your model, NOT the actual aircraft, which is in line for the "Fugliest Aircraft Made!" Yes ... I wrote Fugliest on purpose.)

    Fugly = F ... ing Ugly!

    Bravo!

  12. (I hope I didn't "step" over the line there ... )

Leave a Reply