Supermarine Attacker FB1 & FB2

[Magua87]

Hi, team. 

 

I'm trying to determine what the external differences are between the Attacker FB1 and FB2. The FB2 has rocket rails, but that's about all I can find. 

 

The reason I ask is because I can find an AZ Attacker FB1, but I can't find an FB2! I've got the Modeldecal sheet 56 and am keen to build WZ283. Was the FB2 flown without rocket rails at times? Or am I best to simply whip something up from plastic card?

[BritJet]

The FB2 had an uprated engine, both the FB1 and FB2 could have rocket rails fitted.

 

Steve 

[rs2man]

As far as I'm aware , the main visual difference is the canopy - the FB1 has a canopy with much less framing than the FB2 .  Sadly , it seems that AZ only give you one canopy in each kit so you can only build the one variant

[Work In Progress]

You can either crash=mould one pretty simply off the AZ F1 canopy or use the one from the Falcon set. It was designed for the Frog kit but should be ok, especially if you separate the rear section and slide it back.  It's in Falcon 1/72 scale Set No.19: Fleet Air Arm.

[Courageous]

5 hours ago, rs2man said:

As far as I'm aware , the main visual difference is the canopy - the FB1 has a canopy with much less framing than the FB2 .  Sadly , it seems that AZ only give you one canopy in each kit so you can only build the one variant

If it's only a framing issue, could one not edit/ add framing with paint or decal?

[Work In Progress]

He needs to remove framing rather than add it, to go from the FB1 to FB2. I don;t have the AZ kit but imagine it will have the frame area marked out with some kind of engraved lines that would have to be filled (which isn't really possible with clear plastic) or a raised or frosted area denoting the area to paint.

[rs2man]

15 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

He needs to remove framing rather than add it, to go from the FB1 to FB2. I don;t have the AZ kit but imagine it will have the frame area marked out with some kind of engraved lines that would have to be filled (which isn't really possible with clear plastic) or a raised or frosted area denoting the area to paint.

No , the FB2 canopy has more framing than the FB1 . I can't remember if the two canopies are  the same shape other than that - I have a nagging suspicion that the windscreens are different. 

[Work In Progress]

Oops. I stand, or in this case slouch, corrected.

In that case, in 1/72, I would tend to agree with Courageous and let the windscreen take care of itself.  Other people are are enititled to be pickier modellers than I (and mostly are)

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

I've just had a scan through the three books I have on the Attacker and I don't think the windscreen was any different,I certainly can't see any written reference to them changing it but as usual am open to correction.

I traced the F1 canopy in 1/72 and superimposed it on an FB2 drawing and they were the same. Obviously I cannot say if the drawings were 100% accurate but in 1/72 I would suggest that the later FB2 hood could be obtained by painting that of the kit's F1

Note that later production FB2s (of which WZ283 is one)had two faired intakes on the top of the rear fuselage either side of the fin fillet.

I also noticed that the F1 preserved at the Fleet Air Arm museum has an FB2 canopy rather than the proper bubble type. Strange how I never noticed that before!

Hope this helps

Richard