Navy Bird Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) Hi mates, After building two USN jets, I need to model a proper naval aircraft - one with a propeller and some of that lovely Extra Dark Sea Grey (oh, that felt so good to spell grey correctly)! Since I have a psychological addiction to 1:72 scale, and a slightly masochistic frame of mind, I immediately reached for the Special Hobby kit of the Fairey Firefly FR.1, "with ASH radar." Woo hoo! (EDIT - and as we'll soon find out, my fellow Britmodellers have shamed me into concurrently building the TT.4!) I think this kit was one of many that I acquired from my friend Martin in Austria (occa) a few years back. It's a typical Special Hobby kit from the mid-noughts, containing short run plastic, resin, and photoetch. Let's have a look, shall we? First, the box and the grey plastic: There are not a lot of styrene parts as one can see. The panel lines are engraved but not all that consistent, especially as they roll away towards the edges of the parts. In some cases, they nearly disappear. As is typical with short run kits, there are no alignment pegs and the horizontal tailplanes are butt joins to the fuselage. Oh well, it's not like I haven't been down this path before! Now let's drool over the resin (we can just gaze at the photoetch). Although my amateur photography skills don't show it well, the detail cast into the resin pieces is very nice indeed. Since resin casting doesn't concern itself with things like blend radii and draft angles, details can be exceptionally sharp. The entire cockpit assembly is in resin (floor, bulkheads, sidewalls, instrument panels, radio and navigation equipment, seats, etc.). The cockpit floor is twisted a fair bit, and will require a dip in boiling water to flatten it out. Resin is also used for many of the landing gear actuator struts, the cannon fairings - even the arresting hook (but strangely just the hook, the rest of the torque tube is injection moulded). All of the wheel wells are provided in resin, with the main wells having some very nice detail. I have a sneaking suspicion that the main wells will need a LOT of sanding before they will fit properly in the wings. Like I said earlier, I've played this gig before! As you can see, the photoetch fret includes an instrument panel face, oleo scissors, mirrors, carburettor intake guard, pitots, etc. Not a lot, but sufficient finesse for the parts chosen. Lastly, we have the clear parts (unfortunately just for a closed canopy), the decalcomania, the instruction booklet, and a bag of Barracuda Bits. This last item is necessary since the resin tyres supplied with the kit are undersize, and the Barracuda resin replacements are more finely moulded. The aftermarket wheels are five-spoke, those supplied with the kit are four-spoke. My choice of marking scheme will be camouflage "B" from the kit, representing Firefly FR.1, MB464, 272-Y, 837 Squadron from HMS Glory in 1945. It just so happens that this very aircraft is the subject of one of the paintings on the back cover of the Squadron "Fairey Firefly In Action" book: If I can make the model look half as good as that painting, I'll be happy! Cheers, Bill (who has dutifully donned his hazmat suit, clenched his razor saws, gathered up his sanding sticks and is off to remove the resin parts from their pour blocks!) PS. If I do a good enough job on this one, Memsahib says I can build the Firefly TT.4 that is also in the stash. Oh, the joys of yellow and black diagonal stripes! Edited October 2, 2017 by Navy Bird Eradicate Photobucket 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 This will be cool! Great to see you building something again Bill. Martin 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 This one I'm very excited to see you build, Bill! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VG 33 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Another build I will follow and record for my later own work. Instead of building the TT.4 later you should build her along to save time. Patrick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) What's not to like about an early Firefly? I'll be watching. Edited August 7, 2015 by Beard 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 (edited) I shall be watching too, Bill. I have both this kit and the T.T.4 in the stash. I've always been a bit of a Firefly fancier. Regards, Jason P.S. I hope you have Paul Bradley's fine new book on the Firefly to help you along. Edited August 7, 2015 by Learstang 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Hi Bill! Looks like a great subject and a 'challenging' kit - I'm in! If it's not too late could you please do a quick step-by-step for me on removing the resin parts? I'm a newbie with resin and would appreciate any tips you can pass on 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
giemme Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Cooooool! Where's my popcorn? I'm in! Ciao 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 What's not to like about an early Firefly? I'll be watching. What's not to like about any Firefly? Martin 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wellsprop Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Looking forward to this one! Ben 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 What's not to like about any Firefly? Martin True. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawk Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 This is one of the few kits that I've brought to getting major airframe components assembled. My gob was smacked by how perfectly the resin parts fitted and how awesome they looked in place. Some day I might get round to finishing it though painting those rear canopy frames does not appeal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moaning dolphin Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Great choice Bill, will be following this one and I'm sure you'll make it an entertaining one. That resin looks great and by all accounts goes together well. Looking forward to this going together. Bob PS Are you going to 'fold' it? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Nice choice sir Not getting much time to browse the forums lately but glad I caught this one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edge Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Having found a ah, well few..... of these stashed away I shall be watching with interest Bill. Having seen how you fared against their Beaufort I can't wait to see this one! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamden Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Looking forward to watching you beat this into submission - beer and pop corn ordered! Roger 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 Thanks for the encouragement, mates! I shall do my best to live up to it! On 8/7/2015 at 00:17, VG 33 said: Another build I will follow and record for my later own work. Instead of building the TT.4 later you should build her along to save time. Hmm...that's a thought, innit? I shall take that under consideration, but no promises! Thanks. On 8/7/2015 at 01:13, Learstang said: P.S. I hope you have Paul Bradley's fine new book on the Firefly to help you along. Thanks, Jason. I don't have that, but I shall go looking for it. I have the Squadron book (as seen above) and the Warpaint volume. Paul's book is part of the SAM Modeller's Data File series? On 8/7/2015 at 02:21, CedB said: If it's not too late could you please do a quick step-by-step for me on removing the resin parts? I'm a newbie with resin and would appreciate any tips you can pass on I'll do what I can - I've already separated all of the cockpit parts from the pour blocks. I could do the same with the TT resin...it looks to be mostly the same. On 8/7/2015 at 07:07, Seahawk said: My gob was smacked by how perfectly the resin parts fitted and how awesome they looked in place. Some day I might get round to finishing it though painting those rear canopy frames does not appeal. Hey, that's good news. Last night I taped all of the cockpit pieces together and test fit it the assembly to the fuselage. Everything looked pretty good, and when I take that, plus your experience, the apprehension level goes down quite a bit! On 8/7/2015 at 07:15, moaning dolphin said: PS Are you going to 'fold' it? Sorry, I wasn't planning on folding it. That would look pretty cool, though, wouldn't it? That, or maybe lowering the Fairey-Youngman flaps... Again, thanks for the encouragement. This will be a fun build I think, and hopefully won't take as long as the Beaufort. Forward! Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaw Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 If you have a spare Firefly FR1 put away in the stash I would love to hear from you!I have been trying to get hold of one without much success. Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 All the best, I do like Fireflies. I have a number in the stash but the only one I ever made is the Airfix Mk IV. And that was a long time ago. So long I think I painted the upper works free hand and left Airfix's rendition of sky (and definitely a blue)as the the underside. I think there is one in a box somewhere although I do have a number of Special Hobby and I think a Frogspawn somewhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 ... Thanks, Jason. I don't have that, but I shall go looking for it. I have the Squadron book (as seen above) and the Warpaint volume. Paul's book is part of the SAM Modeller's Data File series? ... Cheers, Bill You're welcome, Bill! That book is indeed from the SAM MDF series, and just recently published. I have it for whenever I start on my Fireflies (I have to find the s****ing things first, though - they're somewhere in the black hole I call my storeroom). Best of luck on your build. Regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 On 8/7/2015 at 15:51, jaw said: If you have a spare Firefly FR1 put away in the stash I would love to hear from you!I have been trying to get hold of one without much success. Thanks, John I don't have a spare, but MPM's on-line shop shows the kit in stock: http://www.aeromodel.eu/en/SPECIAL-HOBBY-1/1-72-Fairey-Firefly-FR-Mk-I-ASH-Radar.html?cur=1 Good hunting! Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted August 7, 2015 Author Share Posted August 7, 2015 It's been suggested that I do a "dual build" and tackle both the Firefly FR.1 and the Firefly TT.4. For those who may not be familiar, here is the box for the Special Hobby Firefly TT.4. I have to admit that the silver upper combined with the yellow and black diagonal stripes on the bottom is very attractive! Here are the sprues for the fuselage and wings - all quite different from the FR.1. When it comes down to it, all of the plastic sprues are unique in these two kits with the possible exception of the clear sprue. There is a third sprue of grey styrene that contains the fiddly bits and the stuff that hangs off the bottom. For some reason, it did not show up on time for the photo shoot. Lastly, the bag of resin, the stickers, and the photoetch. The PE fret contains many of the parts for the target tug apparatus, but the resin parts are mostly the same between the two kits. I think we should take a vote to help me decide. Should I build two Fireflies at once by adding the TT.4 to the project at hand? It will take me nearly twice as long, I'm afraid. I'm a serial guy, none of that parallel stuff for me. What do you think? Cheers, Bill 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Procopius Posted August 7, 2015 Share Posted August 7, 2015 Cruel wanton that I am, I think it would be best if you built both for our delectation at the same time. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Two Fireflies but double the time? That's a hard choice for me make for you. Oh, go for it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Two at once without question! It would provide a great contrast! Martin PS: How many times am I allowed to vote for this idea? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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