8 replies to this topic

[Chuck1945]

My Airfix Swordfish is ready for some exterior color application. However I am a little confused regarding the fuselage underside. Airfix's painting diagram shows a mid-fuselage section of the underside as fabric with aluminium dope while the forward and rear portions are Cerrux Grey metal. However, the way the underside part is molded, it would appear the entire underside was metal and therefore Cerrux Grey. The photos I have really don't add any clarification here, so perhaps someone here can sort me out?

[deecee]

Hi Chuck1945

Interesting comment.

I have been working on the Airfix Swordfish too, but I hadn't got round to looking at the paint finishes yet - and I might not even have looked at Airfix's colour chart, because I am planning to do a scheme from Hannants new decal sheet.

I suppose it all boils down to how the under surface is constructed and that's not easy to work out. I have been looking through all my references and that's quite a few, but it's rare to come across a picture showing the underside clearly.

If the undersurface is fabric then it almost certainly is Silver. If it has a metal finish then you would assumes it to be painted Cerulux.

I've rounded up a few pictures here and they may give a clue as to what's going on.



This first one is probably the best because it shows that darker shade under the fuselage which I think must be the silver as on the wing undersurfaces. I think that the remainder of the underneath is Cerulux. I know it's the RN Historic Flight aircraft and may not be Cerulux , but it does show that fabric area.



This picture is not really very helpful, but it does show the underside.



I've included this shot because it looks as though the lacing is visible around the rear half of the hatch. This is where the metal front section changes to fabric right across the centre-line of the hatch.



Two pictures showing the metal rear under section which starts just forward of the arrester gear housing and finishes at the sternpost.



Also the metal side-panel either side under the tailplane.



These two shots are interesting because they show a removable panel (metal) across the whole underside for access to the torpedo gear or arrester gear? Not sure. You can also see where the fabric is laced to the framework. I believe this is a very early aircraft because I cant see evidence of this panel on later machines.

As you may gather, most of this is guesswork. I haven't got an accurate scale drawing to refer to. But I am sure there is a ribbed/fabric covered section between the circular hatch and the arrester gear metal panel. It would have helped if Airfix had moulded the under surface part (23) with more accurate detail showing the panel line infront of the arrester gear and perhaps a hint of ribbing (although it's hard to discern this on the real aircraft) up to the metal forward section which starts half-way across the circular hatch. I notice there is a faint raised line there, but it doesn't reach the hatch.

In conclusion I would say that Airfix's colour guide is correct.



I've included this shot because it shows that important bomb aimer's window that Airfix unfortunately missed. You have to put it in!!

Not an expert, but I hope this has been of some help.

deecee.

[deecee]

Sorry about the mis-spelling - it should of course read 'Cerrux'.

deecee

[therollercoaster]

These two shots are interesting because they show a removable panel (metal) across the whole underside for access to the torpedo gear or arrester gear? Not sure.

I'm sure I've read that the arrestor-gear fairing could be swapped out for a plain flat fairing to prevent water getting sprayed up off the floats when fitted.

[swordfish fairey]

This shows the fabric area on the RNHFs MkII LS326 I hope it helps........Tony

PS The black dots on the underside of the wing are clear inspection panels...

Edited by swordfish fairey, 15 May 2012 - 05:04 PM.

[Chuck1945]

Thanks for all the help. From Airfix's painting guide, the rear end of the fabric underside is indicated with some accuracy, but not the forward edge.

I've included this shot because it shows that important bomb aimer's window that Airfix unfortunately missed. You have to put it in!!...

oops

[NZKIWI]

Can anyone list what areas are painted in Cerrux Grey on the floatplane ? Are the floats and their struts included in this colour?

[Jonathan Mock]

My Airfix Swordfish is ready for some exterior color application. However I am a little confused regarding the fuselage underside. Airfix's painting diagram shows a mid-fuselage section of the underside as fabric with aluminium dope while the forward and rear portions are Cerrux Grey metal. However, the way the underside part is molded, it would appear the entire underside was metal and therefore Cerrux Grey. The photos I have really don't add any clarification here, so perhaps someone here can sort me out?

The kit diagram is correct, there is a section of fabric between the forward and aft metal sections on the underside of the fuselage.

[Nick Millman]

Just to interject some pedantry "Cerrux" is not a paint colour. Cellon Ltd were a British firm of long standing who manufactured aircraft coatings but were especially known for their various varnishes and dopes. 'Cerric' and 'Cerrux' were trade names used by them to designate paints of particular formulation and the words were a branded prefix to colour names like "grey", "green", etc. "Cerrux" was used to denote synthetic finishes whilst 'Cerric' was used to denote cellulose lacquers. Just before the war Cellon had developed a special grey zinc-rich coating to resist and arrest the corrosion of light metals in the aeronautical industry. It was known then as "Cerrux grey" but I don't know for certain that this was exactly the same as the Cerrux grey used by the Fleet Air Arm or whether that was a subsequent colloquial naming convention like "hoover".