Graham T Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Just got my example & notice that the drop tank pylons are molded on the clear sprue.......why would they do this? They are doing me a confusion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 (edited) Because apparently Tempests actually had clear drop tank fairings! I didn't know until this came up on the kit. bob Edited October 13, 2016 by gingerbob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham T Posted October 13, 2016 Author Share Posted October 13, 2016 How strange! Presumably it was a maintenance issue requiring visibility? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don149 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Those fairings were attached to the droptanks , not the wing ! . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ossington 2 Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Arthur Reed & Roland Beamont: Typhoon and Tempest at War, Ian Allen, 1974, p.152. Best shot that I could find in a hurry. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted October 13, 2016 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Which is also the shot that I linked to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Thomas Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 I've looked into this before and not come up with any answers. Photos in service use are not too helpful, showing very dark streaks along the top and bottom of the fairings. I could not tell whether this was a deposit of some kind (probably internal) or a dark overpaint which had worn off, typically at the front of the fairing and full length down the middle. Some late war examples seem to have been overpainted in msg. CT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warhawk Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 35 minutes ago, Chris Thomas said: I've looked into this before and not come up with any answers. Photos in service use are not too helpful These clear fairings have also intrigued me during my 1/72nd Tempest build. My purely logical assumption would be that they provided view for inspection of those pipes (between drop-tank and the wing)... Just taking a peek and seeing that there are no leaks, instead of removing it and putting it back every time, saves time immensely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenshirt Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 They look to be made of the same heavy/thick clear plastic sheet used between the walk in reefer and the kitchen of a restaurant I once worked in. Flexible, but heavy. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Interesting that you say that, maybe this allowed some 'sway' in the tank, but forming an aerodynamic shroud around the coupling/pipes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 The Spitfire had problems with the fit of the pipes of the belly slipper tank, so possibly this was considered a means of checking this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plasto Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 Maybe given the Shape of the fairing is relatively complex and given the disposeable nature of drop tanks and that the plastics industry was in its infancy in the late 1940's these factors combine to produce a moulded fairing which is an easy way of replicating a complex shape cheaply and repeatably. Using plexiglass which was a known technology of the time. Just a theory... Plasto 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted October 14, 2016 Share Posted October 14, 2016 5 hours ago, Plasto said: Maybe given the Shape of the fairing is relatively complex and given the disposeable nature of drop tanks and that the plastics industry was in its infancy in the late 1940's these factors combine to produce a moulded fairing which is an easy way of replicating a complex shape cheaply and repeatably. Using plexiglass which was a known technology of the time. Just a theory... Plasto That is what I thought too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Aero Posted October 15, 2016 Share Posted October 15, 2016 Perspex and thick celluloid (Rhodoid I think) were about the the only blow or vacuum able light plastics available, Perspex was used for Lanc H.2.S radomes, DF loop fairings and Mosquito NF.30 radomes. The plastic on the tanks I think is Rhodoid. John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 The transparency of fairing was likely also very helpful in proper mounting of tank to the wing. J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sinnerboy Posted October 16, 2016 Share Posted October 16, 2016 On 13/10/2016 at 8:26 PM, Ossington said: Arthur Reed & Roland Beamont: Typhoon and Tempest at War, Ian Allen, 1974, p.152. Best shot that I could find in a hurry. glad to see Lofty got a job after Eastenders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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