Have to admit to some disappointment.

[Waspie]

I have looked forward for years to finally settling down. In my mind has been the plan to build many of the helicopters I have either flown in or encountered in my years in aviation.
The venerable Westland Wasp. Sadly I find that acquiring a model is like finding hens teeth.
'A' Sea King - Have that box ticked. In the garage awaiting build. However, the ASW version, (HAS), Mk's 5 and 6 are proving elusive.
Wessex Mk5 - available and on my wish list.
Westland Whirlwind - first helo I worked on. Only the Mk 1 seems to be available although there may be a possibility to modify it!!!
Those are the one's I have flown in or worked on.
The ones encountered. Soviet Hip, Soviet Hind C, Apache LB. Hormone and Helix An embarrassing Jet Ranger!!! (Long story). Finally Merlin.
I either find they are out of stock or as in the Wasp's case - not made anymore!! Shame.
However, it does keep me going as I'm sure they'll pop up some where!! (I hope).
Until then, I will start with my RAF Sea King as a starter and add to it as models become available.

 

[Jakko]

Always the problem if you want to build models of fairly specific things: chances are that no model at all has ever been sold of it, that a model was available once but not anymore, that one is available but requires a lot of work to put together and/or correct — or, if you’re really lucky, that there is one of the exact version you want to build

In my case, I have an interest in (among other things) building models of all the vehicles that were used in my area during the Second World War, especially November 1944. That includes, for one, a Churchill AVRE tank carrying a bridge. Until about a month and a half ago, that meant going to a good deal of trouble to build that bridge: there were two small-scale manufacturers of conversion kits (the tank itself is available in plastic), but both need a lot of work just to build them — and I bought one of those sets last year, but hadn’t started it yet. And then, happily, a plastic kit of the tank with the bridge came out

If I were you, I would start with the helicopters you can simply buy plastic kits of. Those will be simplest to build, and will build up your basic modelling skills before tackling conversions, as those are always more involved. While you do, you can wait for someone to release models or conversion sets of the others.

 

[Dave Ward]

I have looked forward for years to finally settling down. In my mind has been the plan to build many of the helicopters I have either flown in or encountered in my years in aviation.
The venerable Westland Wasp. Sadly I find that acquiring a model is like finding hens teeth.
'A' Sea King - Have that box ticked. In the garage awaiting build. However, the ASW version, (HAS), Mk's 5 and 6 are proving elusive.
Wessex Mk5 - available and on my wish list.
Westland Whirlwind - first helo I worked on. Only the Mk 1 seems to be available although there may be a possibility to modify it!!!
Those are the one's I have flown in or worked on.
The ones encountered. Soviet Hip, Soviet Hind C, Apache LB. Hormone and Helix An embarrassing Jet Ranger!!! (Long story). Finally Merlin.
I either find they are out of stock or as in the Wasp's case - not made anymore!! Shame.
However, it does keep me going as I'm sure they'll pop up some where!! (I hope).
Until then, I will start with my RAF Sea King as a starter and add to it as models become available.

Gordon,
you'll just have to haunt ebay & other pre-owned sites, of course, scarcity drives up the prices as they become collectors' items, but you can but hope. If you limit to one scale, then your choices become very limited.
I assume you know Scalemates? https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ this site will tell you what kits were made & when, but sadly not how to get them!
Dave

 

[Waspie]

Gordon,
you'll just have to haunt ebay & other pre-owned sites, of course, scarcity drives up the prices as they become collectors' items, but you can but hope. If you limit to one scale, then your choices become very limited.
I assume you know Scalemates? https://www.scalemates.com/kits/ this site will tell you what kits were made & when, but sadly not how to get them!
Dave

Thanks for the Scalemates site. I have tripped over it but never really looked too closely. Off there now for a mooch!!!

 

[Scratchbuilder]

Reference your Wasp.
There is an Airfix Scout 1/72 scale on ebay now.
Air Graphics do a conversion set for the Wasp - expensive, but if you want it you pay (ARK-001 Westland Wasp Full Resin Kit) from Air-Graphics.com.
Hope this helps.
Mike

 

[rtfoe]

Fujimi should have a 1/48 Wasp HAS Mk1 in their inventory. I know I have one. Don't know if it's still in production. As suggested build what you have now as an exercise to better things to come.

Cheers,
Wabble