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100 Years #2 - Fairey Swordfish


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Hi All

 

Moving right along, next out of the box is the 1982 interpretation of the MkI Fairy Swordfish, A02071.

 

This aircraft subject was flown by Lieutenant Commander Eugene Esmonde In February 1942, in an operation known as "The Channel Dash".

 

I'm going to be making a couple of assumptions along the way, and would appreciate input from those who know better before I get too far ahead.

 

His plane was a MkI and didn't have any radar trickery, or metal covering the lower wing outers to mount rockets (so I needn't worry about those ejector pin marks on the carriers)?

DSCF5474.jpg

 

Wait, is that meant to be a Lewis...? :doh:

 

That one piece engine and cowling combo is very frugal for the part count, as is the interior

DSCF5473.jpg

 

Eduard has a PE set for the new one, but I'm guessing it still needs the interior detail in there to start with?

 

https://www.eduard.com/store/Aircraft-and-helicopters/1-72/Swordfish-S-A-1-72-1.html?lang=1

 

And can't see any mention of an arrestor hook anywhere... :hobbyhorse:

 

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

Edited by ProfSparks
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It looks like you could have some fun with this kit Steve. 

 

There are a few options for an after market Bristol Pegasus engine, scrolling down this page gives an idea:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/112679-cmk-q72010-bristol-pegasus-british-engine

 

I'm not sure which version of Lewis it would need?

 

There are a few options there too. These are little works of art:

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/292220612293 

 

Looking forward to this :)

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

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Yep, Mk.I couldn't carry rockets and didn't have the radar. Are you all set for colours/scheme? I wrote a book for Osprey 10 or so years ago and the Channel Dash was featured as one of the originally commissioned paintings inside, so I had to provide all of the reference notes for the artist. Who, to be fair, already knew a lot more than I did!

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9 hours ago, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Oh my!  You've got your work cut out there... that engine looks somewhat "impressionistic", shall we say?  

Work cut out? Its more like a "Jack up the aircrew, insert new aeroplane and lower aircrew" sort of job! Seriously, a good model can be made from this kit but as others have already said, it involves an awful lot of work.

 

Martian

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Hi All

 

On 9/3/2017 at 3:41 PM, Ex-FAAWAFU said:

Oh my!  You've got your work cut out there... that engine looks somewhat "impressionistic", shall we say?  

Hmm, yeah, don't quite know what it's doing an impression of!

 

On 9/3/2017 at 4:31 PM, TonyTiger66 said:

It looks like you could have some fun with this kit Steve. 

 

There are a few options for an after market Bristol Pegasus engine, scrolling down this page gives an idea:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/112679-cmk-q72010-bristol-pegasus-british-engine

 

I'm not sure which version of Lewis it would need?

 

There are a few options there too. These are little works of art:

 

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/292220612293 

 

Looking forward to this :)

 

Best regards

TonyT

 

Thanks Tony, those little engines are beautiful! I'll keep the page bookmarked for later, depends on how the rest of it turns out. Also those Lewis are a kit in themselves, again bookmarked.

 

On 9/3/2017 at 6:19 PM, wafu_vasco said:

Yep, Mk.I couldn't carry rockets and didn't have the radar. Are you all set for colours/scheme? I wrote a book for Osprey 10 or so years ago and the Channel Dash was featured as one of the originally commissioned paintings inside, so I had to provide all of the reference notes for the artist. Who, to be fair, already knew a lot more than I did!

You wrote a book on them? Bugger. No pressure then. There's a scheme indicated, but as it shows a MkII (and the Pup scheme was quite a way off too), I may tap you for images and whatnot when it comes to covering up the filler. Bear in mind it will be sprayed with the included lumpy snots...

 

On 9/4/2017 at 12:56 AM, Martian Hale said:

Work cut out? Its more like a "Jack up the aircrew, insert new aeroplane and lower aircrew" sort of job! Seriously, a good model can be made from this kit but as others have already said, it involves an awful lot of work.

 

Martian

Thanks Martian, I'm beginning to see it's not going to be as straight forward as the Pup.

 

However, I'm going to tackle it with the same cavalier approach that saw me through my previous builds, ie a naive belief that nothing I do will have any lasting repercussions.

 

Akin to a kid with a pile of scrap paper and a box of old crayons.

Here I sit with my tongue out, trying to colour between the lines, keeps me quiet on a rainy afternoon.

It might go on the fridge door for a couple of weeks, but if not, then there's another another scrap of paper, another cheap old mould multi boxing, and another rainy afternoon.

 

 

Anyhoo, on with the wrangling :eat:

 

The internals are sparse, and will need some attention as they're quite exposed

DSCF5476.jpg

 

But they can wait. First, that missing hook.

 

Going by photos and some online plans, it looks like it would make sense for it to attach at a strong point on the fuselage, so a guide was marked out.

DSCF5477.jpg

 

The end falls right on the locating lug for the halves. Just as well it's coming off, as the fit isn't that inspiring.

 

Taped over, holes were drilled at the extremes

DSCF5478.jpg

 

And the channel cut out with a junior hacksaw blade

DSCF5479.jpg

 

I figure I can cover over the back inside the fuselage and it should give me enough recess depth to fit the gubbins.

It's not a prominent part when it's on its wheels, but should give an impression of the real thing.

 

A bit like that engine!

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

 

Edited by ProfSparks
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Hi All

 

On 9/4/2017 at 4:38 PM, CedB said:

Nice progress Steve :)

There's some reference stuff here that might be useful? The post by jRatz has a diagram showing the hook and some detail on the cables. HTH.

Thanks Ced, that's the plan I got the hook placement from!

 

Got a couple of resistor leads as the hook 'arms'

DSCF5480.jpg

 

And split a cotton bud shaft for the hooky bit on the end

DSCF5481.jpg

 

So hopefully it'll all come together under a coat of paint

DSCF5482.jpg

 

To be a reasonable whatsit.

 

Going to bone up on cockpits (that doesn't sound right?), back soonish after work.

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

Edited by ProfSparks
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Hi All

 

Those of a nervous disposition should probably look away now, things got a little...         agricultural...          :sorry:

 

 

 

 

Starting from here

DSCF5483.jpg

 

My plan was to replace the pilot's headrest and skin the rear interior to cover the gaps.

 

There again, might as well take the centre bulkhead out and replace it

DSCF5486.jpg

 

However, looks like Eugene is a little low, and so is the rear interior deck

DSCF5487.jpg

(couture headgear for demonstration purposes only)

 

This is where it gets iffy.

 

I cut a piece of plastic card to get a better idea of the level it looked like it should be

DSCF5488.jpg

 

Encouraged, I roughly marked it out

DSCF5491.jpg

 

Drilled a couple of guide holes

DSCF5492.jpg

 

And got an approximation of what I was after

DSCF5493.jpg

 

DSCF5494.jpg

 

Most of the rest of the kit interior was removed, and those ubiquitous resistors were pressed into service again to provide a hint of internal bracing

DSCF5495.jpg

 

DSCF5496.jpg

 

Guide holes sunk into the original floor

DSCF5497.jpg

 

And the bent wire CA'd in

DSCF5498.jpg

 

It sort of looks ok-ish from a distance, and I'm hoping I can live with it at least until I can get a coat of paint on it all and see how it turns out

DSCF5499.jpg

 

I'm hoping not much of it will be seen once it's buttoned up.

 

 

 

Sorry if I've put anyone off their tea.

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

 

Edited by ProfSparks
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I'm enjoying this, I've got this kit in the FAA set too. I think this one is the second one that Airfix did. Afaik, the molds for the 1st one were modified to be the molds for the second one, gives you some idea as to how basic the 1st one was though I can recall some beaut builds of it in Airfix mag back when. I like the look of what you're doing with it so far.

Steve.

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Great stuff! The interior work looks very good. 

 

If this was me, in three days I'd find out that I desperately needed all those resistors :(

 

Looking forward to the next instalment.

 

Best regards

TonyT

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Good work! There is a bulkhead between the pilot's and observer's cockpits. Just on the area above the shelf you have just made. There is a space under the floor of the pilot's cockpit for bomb aiming and that is what the curiously shaped windows on the sides of the fuselage are there to provide light for. The bomb aiming aperture itself is covered when not in use.

 

Hope that helps

 

Martian

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Hi All

 

On 9/6/2017 at 9:12 AM, TonyTiger66 said:

If this was me, in three days I'd find out that I desperately needed all those resistors :(

Hi Tony, let me know if you need any resistors, I've about a gazillion of them. All ISO centres from 1/4W to 10W, and just about anything else you'd need to fix a radio or "Music Centre" from the mid-80's.

 

On 9/6/2017 at 10:35 AM, Martian Hale said:

Good work! There is a bulkhead between the pilot's and observer's cockpits. Just on the area above the shelf you have just made. There is a space under the floor of the pilot's cockpit for bomb aiming and that is what the curiously shaped windows on the sides of the fuselage are there to provide light for. The bomb aiming aperture itself is covered when not in use.

 

Hope that helps

 

Martian

Hi Martian, I'm planning to replace that bulkhead eventually, honest.

 

Those curiously shaped windows, I've seen them on some walkarounds, but not all? Would they be on this MkI for torpedo runs?

 

Airfix make no indication of them on the kit

DSCF5500.jpg

 

But there again, they omitted the entire arrestor hook :huh:

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

Edited by ProfSparks
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They would have been there on nearly all, if not all Swordfish as produced, especially Mk1 aircraft so I don't think you can really avoid them. Nothing a bit of Kristal Klear can't sort out though. The thing I have never, in over 40 years of studying Fleet Air Arm stuff, been able to figure out, is why they are such odd shapes. Doubtless somebody will now come along with some simple and obvious answer!

 

Martian

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Hey up!

 

This might shed some light on the shape (from BM's own walkaround section)

Swordfish Mk.I W5856, of the Royal Navy Historic Flight, pics thanks to Mark Mills.

r%2011.jpg

 

However, from the same thread comes

Fairey Swordfish II HS618 at the Fleet Air Arm Museum. Pics thanks to Mish.

618%2003.jpg

 

What to do?

 

 

Comments and suggestions welcome

 

Cheers

Steve

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