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Airfix 1/144 SRN4 Hovercraft - Swift & Sure


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Great work on my favourite piece of machinery! I really like the deflated skirt idea, the open doors would never work with the inflated skirt. Still a great model after all these years ( dodgy fit here & there accepted) I build one several years ago & was my first posting on here, still get pm's about her now & have had 3 offers to buy it. Roy Crosses Hoverport artwork doesn't seem to look like any of the Hoverports though, certainly not Pegwell Bay at Ramsgate, so be careful if you are looking for accuracy. Here is a link to mine if you fancy a look & keep up the great work, look forward to seeing them finished.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16183-airfix-mountbatten-class-srn4-hovercraft-images/

Mac

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Hi - I see some comments about the skirts - I used fimo putty to replicate the deflated skirts - at the time of taking these pictures the result was not looking too good but once painted and highlighted they look satisfying to my standards

Your model is very nice and the tip on using fimo interesting: I was wondering though how you got it to harden? If I'm not mistaken it must be put in an oven at around 100°...

Fabio

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Is it me or is this hovercraft small? Ive seen pictures and videos of the srn.4 and they seem considerbly longer? Were they lengthened at some point in there life?

Mark

The 2 Seaspeed versions, Princess Anne & Princess Margaret were lengthened in the late 70s, designated "Super 4s", the Hoverlloyd versions remained their original length. The 2 princess served until October 2000 when the service was axed, they now reside at the Hovercraft Museum at Lee on Solent.

Mac

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Great work on my favourite piece of machinery! I really like the deflated skirt idea, the open doors would never work with the inflated skirt. Still a great model after all these years ( dodgy fit here & there accepted) I build one several years ago & was my first posting on here, still get pm's about her now & have had 3 offers to buy it. Roy Crosses Hoverport artwork doesn't seem to look like any of the Hoverports though, certainly not Pegwell Bay at Ramsgate, so be careful if you are looking for accuracy. Here is a link to mine if you fancy a look & keep up the great work, look forward to seeing them finished.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/16183-airfix-mountbatten-class-srn4-hovercraft-images/

Mac

Hi Mac

Thanks for the link - what a small world we live in as it was your build that inspired me to make these 2 - I ran a google search and found a number of SRN4 builds but it was yours in the water that nudged me most - thanks for linking our projects together

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Your model is very nice and the tip on using fimo interesting: I was wondering though how you got it to harden? If I'm not mistaken it must be put in an oven at around 100°...

Fabio

Hi Fabio

I just left it on the bench for a week - my workshop is normally very hot in the summer months and is like walking into a kiln at first so I guess the putty just went naturally hard

Excellent build of a kit I always wanted as a kid.

One question, were the cabin seats really such a mix of eye wrenching colours or was this a bit of artistic license to reduce boredom while painting?

Thanks - I just chose a colour and added lib thereafter

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More waves of nostalgia on seeing thos ebox tops!!. A pity I never saved myself one of these. My first job on leaving school was in a model shop. We had lots in stock but they hardly ever sold!!!

My one and only Hovercraft trip was in one from Calais to Dover. A late night one and the channel was getting a bit choppy but OK for the crossing. I recall the car stalling as I was about to drive up the ramp. Many hands came over and pushed me up the ramp before clsoing up for the trip!! A deserved stiff drink was had by me and wife after that and a very long drive from the South of France(Languedoc region). I don't recall which one it was but it was around the mid 80's to mid 1990's.

Would love to get hold of the kit now!

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What magnificent machines these were.

Last time I was on one was coming back from a rugby tour in the early 90s. For some reason, the captain or someone decided we might be trouble, despite us being pretty tame by any standards. A huge engineer from "below decks" or something was sent to watch over us, armed with a large wrench. In fact, he was a very pleasant Geordie who couldn't see what the problem was, so just chatted with us for the duration of the crossing. Still annoys me to be treated like that though!

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Hi Mac

Thanks for the link - what a small world we live in as it was your build that inspired me to make these 2 - I ran a google search and found a number of SRN4 builds but it was yours in the water that nudged me most - thanks for linking our projects together

Nice to know you were inspired to build from my images! You never see enough of these built although its always a popular seller? Still the model I get asked most about!

Keep up the great work.

P.S I have a piece of Swift from when she was scrapped at Lee on Solent, sad, sad day.

Mac

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  • 2 years later...

Hi there, I just signed up with you guys as I researched SR-N4. Your model  and photos are a real pleasure to view. Thank you. I am finally building my own kit which has been sitting in a closet for the last 10 years. Having not built an Airfix model in about 35 years, I was pleasantly reminded at how Airfix create their models very differently from say Monogram, Revell etc. I am having grave problems with the stern section of the craft and have had to modify many parts to make them fit. Also the clear overhead deck is very marred and I will see if I can get the plastic clear with grinding compound. I purchased this model on Ebay because I have been on this vessel going from Calais to Dover. But I was on the Seaspeed version hence mine will have the blue trim. Thanx again for the photos. I will post some when mine is out of shipyard. 

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5 minutes ago, PandO said:

Also the clear overhead deck is very marred and I will see if I can get the plastic clear with grinding compound.

There are polishing compounds designed for plastic; I'd suggest trying one of those instead of "grinding compound." Also, you can sand out imperfections using progressively finer grades of sandpaper. I'd start with something like 400 grit and working your way up, sanding perpendicular to the previous sanding. When you finish sanding, then use a plastic polish. Then buff it with an old piece of denim, then dip it in Pledge Multi-Surface Floor Finish, place it a dust-free environment, and allow it to dry.

In a pinch I've used a kitchen abrasive cleaner (i.e., Comet) as a polishing compound. Toothpaste can also be used.

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Space Ranger, Thanx for the info. I have ordered Tamiya's set of Polishing Compound (Course, Fine and Polish). I'll give that a go first. I thought about toothpaste as we use that for removing scratches on plastic used for diver's equipment. It doesn't look great on the surface but at depth the gauges look like brand new.

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