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1/48 Fairey Firefly question


ReccePhreak

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I have a Special Hobby 1/48 Fairey Firefly Mk.I 'Home Fleet' kit, that I want to do in Royal Thai Navy markings. The aircraft I plan to do is carrying the underwing fuel tanks. Those parts are in the kit, bet there is no indication where exactly to mount them, including where to drill the mounting holes. Does anybody have any version of the Fairey Firefly (Special Hobby or AZ models) that shows where/how to mount the tanks? Could I get a scan of the relevant instruction page? You can send the scan to my email address of lengesath(AT)cox(DOT)net.

Larry

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Here's the relevant page from the instructions of Special Hobby kit 48136 Fairey Firefly Mk.4/5 "Korean War":

48136_08.jpg

Tanks (on sprue F) are a butt joint; why drill holes? :oops: my mistake.

However the only two known photos of Fireflies in RTN markings are these two and none is carrying external tanks:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1346628/

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1319966/

Did you find another one???

And BTW I hope you know that they were never operated in Navy markings once in Thailand... :whistle:

Edited by Panoz
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Those aren't the tanks I was talking about. I thought those are the Radar pod & counterweight. Look here, and notice the 2 color photos at the bottom of the page:

http://www.wings-aviation.ch/35-Thai-Navy/200-Aircraft/Fairey/Firefly.htm

Of course, since it's a museum bird, it might not be totally accurate. But why would they install the tanks on a museum aircraft, if they never used them operationally? :shrug:

Larry

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Those aren't the tanks I was talking about. I thought those are the Radar pod & counterweight. Look here, and notice the 2 color photos at the bottom of the page:

http://www.wings-aviation.ch/35-Thai-Navy/200-Aircraft/Fairey/Firefly.htm

Of course, since it's a museum bird, it might not be totally accurate. But why would they install the tanks on a museum aircraft, if they never used them operationally? :shrug:

Larry

Wait wait I didn't say the tanks were not used operationally, I said that there are no photos of an aircraft in Navy markings carrying tanks because they were not operated in Navy markings in Thailand (save for test flights after reassembly). The aircraft were test flown in the UK, crated and shipped to Thailand. The Naval Air Arm was disbanded after an unsuccessful coup attempt and the aircraft entered service with the RTAF.

No point using them if you do an aircraft in (non existent) Navy service.

As for the wing tanks you are correct; brain fart... :doh:

The wing tanks are parts I3,I4; they are shown as not for use... :whistle:

I also have the export Firefly kit 48151. Ditto... :(

Edited by Panoz
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Sorry if my reply sounded confrontational. :banghead:

I guess I can always do my Firefly in RTAF markings. As long as it's in some kind of Thai markings. Now I just have to source the 1/48 Thai Firefly decals.

Larry

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Sorry if my reply sounded confrontational. :banghead:

I guess I can always do my Firefly in RTAF markings. As long as it's in some kind of Thai markings. Now I just have to source the 1/48 Thai Firefly decals.

Larry

Larry

you just got the wrong boxing!

SH48151.jpg

Someone will have the RTAF ones spare, I'd ask on Hyperscale, my guess would be they will end up in spares box of one of you Canadian neighbours ;)

...or ask Special Hobby?

HTH

T

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Larry

you just got the wrong boxing!

SH48151.jpg

Someone will have the RTAF ones spare, I'd ask on Hyperscale, my guess would be they will end up in spares box of one of you Canadian neighbours ;)

...or ask Special Hobby?

HTH

T

Yeah, I bought my kit LONG before I heard that Special Hobby was releasing a version with Thai markings. I did put a "wanted" post on both Hyperscale and ARC. No nibbles, so far. :weep:

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  • 2 months later...

Hi Larry,

I'm just in the process of building a couple of these Special Hobby Fireflies myself, (using the Mark IV and V boxing) and on one of them I wanted to add the "drop tank" style tanks that I think you are referring to (I don't know whether they could actually be dropped or not...)

Assuming the sprue is the same for all versions, and as you might already have discovered by now, it seems that Special Hobby have moulded all four parts as the same side of each tank! As they are asymmetrical, this makes it rather more difficult to assemble them than it should. My solution was to cut the "pylon" part off two of the halves, glue the tanks together, then re-attach the half pylons in the right place. Needless to say, all the sanding to correct this meant I had to re-do the strapping that runs round the circumference of each tank...

As for locating them, essentially the answer is "just inboard of the innermost cannon ejection port" - if you look closely at the pylon part of the tank there's a small cut out that was intended, I think, to clear the ejection port rather than cover it up.

I hope that helps (you probably finished the kit weeks ago...!)

Nick.

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Go with what Nick says. Although it includes the tanks in all kits it tells you not to use them, including in the "Foreign Post War Service " one which shows them on the boxart????

HTH
Andy

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A link to a review of the kit I did, the tanks in question are noted about half way down the page

http://www.aussiemodeller.com.au/pages/Reviews/acft%20kit/Long_SHFireflyMkV.html

I dont understand the above comments about the tanks being asymmetrical, the only difference is in the fairings

being handed for the ejector port chute cut out, the tanks are identical and interchangeable.

All the tanks (and the radar) are jettisonable, I have a quite brutal scar on my right hand from resetting the locking mech

on VX-388's outer tank.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Navy870,

I don't think I described what I was trying to say very well....

Referring to the 90 gallon long range tanks (of which you have included an excellent photo in your linked article) - Special Hobby have moulded these in halves. But (in my two copies of the kit at any rate) the four tank halves (i.e. two per tank) are all of the same half. My "not symmetrical" comment was meant to refer to the tank halves, rather than the whole of the tanks themselves...

Perhaps the easiest way to explain what I'm trying to say is "have a go at gluing the tank halves together" and I think you'll see what I mean!

Your reference article is excellent. I love the Firefly and the Australian TT scheme is very attractive.

Nick.

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Hi Navy870,

I don't think I described what I was trying to say very well....

Referring to the 90 gallon long range tanks (of which you have included an excellent photo in your linked article) - Special Hobby have moulded these in halves. But (in my two copies of the kit at any rate) the four tank halves (i.e. two per tank) are all of the same half. My "not symmetrical" comment was meant to refer to the tank halves, rather than the whole of the tanks themselves...

Perhaps the easiest way to explain what I'm trying to say is "have a go at gluing the tank halves together" and I think you'll see what I mean!

Your reference article is excellent. I love the Firefly and the Australian TT scheme is very attractive.

Nick.

Apologies Nick I didnt read correctly what you said.

SH have pooched the tanks as you say, very annoying as our AS birds used them a lot.

Not an easy fix.

Thanks for your comment re my article, I'm quite proud of it and VX-388 is a lovely aeroplane.

Just to be mean, I've got about 20 hours flight time in the back of the RAN Historic flights TT-6 B)

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How would you compare the PP Aerokits Firefly 4/5/6 to the SH kit? Leaving aside the difference between vacuforms and injection molded kits for the moment.

Edited by Don McIntyre
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Just to be mean, I've got about 20 hours flight time in the back of the RAN Historic flights TT-6 B)

hi

Just to make you drool.......

my buddy in the UK has an almost a complete firefly in his garage, one day it will be complete.

It looks quite nice, i saw it last year when i was in the uk.

1:1 scale building

Cheers

Jerry

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  • 2 years later...
On 7/28/2014 at 8:49 PM, Nickthebrief said:

Hi Larry,

I'm just in the process of building a couple of these Special Hobby Fireflies myself, (using the Mark IV and V boxing) and on one of them I wanted to add the "drop tank" style tanks that I think you are referring to (I don't know whether they could actually be dropped or not...)

Assuming the sprue is the same for all versions, and as you might already have discovered by now, it seems that Special Hobby have moulded all four parts as the same side of each tank! As they are asymmetrical, this makes it rather more difficult to assemble them than it should. My solution was to cut the "pylon" part off two of the halves, glue the tanks together, then re-attach the half pylons in the right place. Needless to say, all the sanding to correct this meant I had to re-do the strapping that runs round the circumference of each tank...

As for locating them, essentially the answer is "just inboard of the innermost cannon ejection port" - if you look closely at the pylon part of the tank there's a small cut out that was intended, I think, to clear the ejection port rather than cover it up.

I hope that helps (you probably finished the kit weeks ago...!)

Nick.

Hi Nick,

 

I actually just started on the kit this month. :whistle:

 

I get distracted easily, and tend to set aside projects I was working on, and  start new projects all the time.

 

I did discover what you said about all the tank parts being left side. My friend just bought the Korean War version, and it appears that Special Hobby realized their mistake, because his "I" sprues each have a complete tank on each sprue. He didn't plan on using them on his kit, so he traded them to me for a set of sheet plastic copies of the metal rocket plates that I made.

In the Aircraft in Action book on the Fairey Firefly, there is a good period photo of a RTAF Firefly on pg 49. It is carrying 2 1,000 lb bombs on bomb racks that look like they were modified from the fuel tank pylons. That is what I plan to do with my kit.

 

Based on some of the other replies here and on other forums, I know that the rear cockpit on the SH Firefly kit is sadly wanting detail. I just don't have enough references to add that detail to my kit.

 

Larry

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Better late than never, Larry!

I really enjoyed the kits - I know Special Hobby require a bit more effort than, say, Tamiya, but as providers of 1:48 Fleet Air Arm types they are second to none. I've recently finished a couple of their Skuas - a bit more challenging that the Fireflies, and am currently working on an Albacore...

I'm glad you've managed to obtain some tanks with left and right halves - that will save a bit of effort!

My recollection of the rear cockpit is that it's not too bad - and in any event it's glazed with so many small panels that seeing into it is very difficult - unless you plan on opening the hatch?

The area I found most difficult was fairing in the wing root radiators to the leading edges the wings - if I remember correctly the radiators are a bit thicker than the wing and so quite a bit of sanding was required - otherwise they go together quite nicely and the result is one handsome looking aeroplane...

I shall follow your progress with interest!

Nick.

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8 hours ago, Britman said:

What was the question? .........just getting my coat! 

Obviously you did not read the thread, so in your case "There's nothing to see hear, just move along". :bobby:

Larry

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8 hours ago, Nickthebrief said:

Better late than never, Larry!

I really enjoyed the kits - I know Special Hobby require a bit more effort than, say, Tamiya, but as providers of 1:48 Fleet Air Arm types they are second to none. I've recently finished a couple of their Skuas - a bit more challenging that the Fireflies, and am currently working on an Albacore...

I'm glad you've managed to obtain some tanks with left and right halves - that will save a bit of effort!

My recollection of the rear cockpit is that it's not too bad - and in any event it's glazed with so many small panels that seeing into it is very difficult - unless you plan on opening the hatch?

The area I found most difficult was fairing in the wing root radiators to the leading edges the wings - if I remember correctly the radiators are a bit thicker than the wing and so quite a bit of sanding was required - otherwise they go together quite nicely and the result is one handsome looking aeroplane...

I shall follow your progress with interest!

Nick.

Thanks for the info Nick,

If I find some detailed info on the RCP, I may try to add some fiddly bits to tart it up. I don't plan to open the hatch.

Concerning the wing root radiators, are you talking about the large ones on the Mk.IV/V? The Mk.I doesn't have them. Of course I always dry fit and tape pieces together, before applying glue, especially on these "limited run" kits, and now on all my Hobby Booboo, KittyHawk and Kinetic kits. They mostly look nice, but seem to have horrible fit. :angrysoapbox.sml:

 

Larry

 

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Hi Larry,

Yes, I was referring to the Mk IV/V re the radiators... I forgot yours is Mk i, so that's one less bit of aggro for you to worry about!

I also have the later version (Mk 7? It's been so long since I looked at the kit I've forgotten!) with the "bubble" type canopy over the two seat rear cockpit... I shall save that for when I feel the need for a challenge!

I built the Grand Phoenix Mk I a few years ago - also quite tricky but turned out ok in the end.

Nick.

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Well, based on this SH Firefly kit, and other SPECIAL Hobby kits, I have come to the conclusion that Special Hobby's "INSTRUCTIONS" are not to be followed religiously, but only to be used as general "suggestions". You really need to sand, dry fit, sand again and continue the process multiple times before you ever get around to applying any glue. :wall:

 

Larry

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18 hours ago, ReccePhreak said:

Obvierestingy you did not read the thread, s o in your case "There's nothing to see hear, just move along". :bobby:

Larry

Well Larry , I read the lot and very interesting it was too! I genuinly lost the thread as one can on some threads. Good job I have my coat on isn't it!

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