+++++ Supermarine Scimitar F1 +++++ Finished

[825]

Here is my contribution to this GB. The Scimitar had a short service life of about 10 years from 1956. Although limited by the 40/50s technology in its design it was an important aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm and a pioneer in many ways. It was the FAA's first true swept wing fighter, first to be truly trans-sonic and the first capable of delivering a nuclear weapon. It was also for a period in the 60s the FAA's first and only dedicated tanker aircraft, being used to allow underpowered Mk1 Buccaneers to get off Carrier decks with a full weapons load. Scimitars were deployed in the Med, North Sea and North Atlantic as well as in the Far and Near East (out of scope, I know but completes the story.

 

I've made an Xtrakit SHAR and Meteor in the past (and I think there's a Sea Vixen sitting on the shelf of doom) and the former was a challenge and a half so I suspect this will take me to November to finish. However it will be worth it for this iconic British naval aircraft.

 

 

sprue shot

 

 

I'll be making this one from HMS Eagle's 800B Squadron 

 

 

Edited November 11, 2018 by 825
Add photos

[Hardtarget]

This may be of use to your build as she isnt straight forward but in good hands will be a delight.

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234943641-hts-172-scimitar-f1/&tab=comments#comment-1363060

[Col.]

Lovely subject choice sir  

With a couple of these in my own stash I'll watch your progress with particular interest.

[825]

17 hours ago, Hardtarget said:

This may be of use to your build as she isnt straight forward but in good hands will be a delight.

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234943641-hts-172-scimitar-f1/&tab=comments#comment-1363060

Thanks, a useful thread. I've had a fair amount of trimming and tidying to do already. It's very much a limited run kit with quite restrained panel lines but a lot of large ejector pins, some in awful places such as the interior of intakes and fairly chunky sprue gates. There are some seams along the undercarriage legs and the wheels look odd. Overall it is well moulded and as you say it will need a bit of careful handling. 

[HansReggelsen]

Hi 

 

I just saw this, having moments before added a new tread with the Scimitar myself! 

I'll be making the 807 Sqn. option in the same kit! 

 

Cheers 

Hans J

[825]

The worst moulding flaw I see in the nose wheel well where there is a sizeable ejection pin half over the depression for the wheel when retracted. This will not be easy to sort due to the size of the flaw, the space to work in and the shape of the depression. But I'll have a go.

 

 

The wheel centres are a bit devoid of detail.

[825]

Not perfect but looks a lot better. Will look a little better under a coat of paint. And absolutely brilliant if nobody picks the plane up and looks underneath. 

 

[Col.]

Well done getting into that area. I'd have been, and likely will when getting around to my own example, tempted to ignore it.

[825]

50 minutes ago, Col. said:

Well done getting into that area. I'd have been, and likely will when getting around to my own example, tempted to ignore it.

I probably should have done so as well. But once I saw it, the 'get it fixed' bug got me. 

[825]

Intakes trimmed and fitted. 

 

 

I found this in the stash and thought I've got the fuel delivery pod sorted out and can replace one of the tanks. 

 

But now I'm thinking that it's a Rushton target towing pod. I'll have a look in my resources but any advice would be welcome. 

[825]

Cockpit finished, also tail pipes.

 

 

 

[stevehnz]

On 8/31/2018 at 6:11 AM, 825 said:

I'm thinking that it's a Rushton target towing pod.

The shape says Rushton to me but I'm not familiar with what the FAA used for buddy pods, were they the same as the USN ones, I can recall seeing our Skyhawks demonstrating them at air shows, in the good old days.

I'm liking what I see here. Its looking like I should try & find one of these kits even though I do have a Skybirds 86 one squirrelled away. Two Scimitars have got to be better than one.

Steve.

[stevehnz]

I'm revising my opinion on this one, i think it could well be a RAF/Royal Navy Buccaneer/Sea Vixen 'Buddy' Refuelling Pod . Rushton winches seem to have more lumpy bits on them or towed target recesses. The tail end of your gizmo looks rather like the stowage for the refueling receptacle.  You may well be good to go with this.

Steve.

[Learstang]

I just won one of these on eBay, so I will be following your build with great interest. I had this kit before, but sold it (I needed the quid), so I know what I'm in for. I've built dozens of limited-run kits, however, so I don't shrink from the challenge (I rather enjoy it, or I wouldn't keep purchasing limited-run kits). Nice start and best of luck on your build.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Col.]

1 hour ago, Learstang said:

I just won one of these on eBay, so I will be following your build with great interest. I had this kit before, but sold it (I needed the quid), so I know what I'm in for. I've built dozens of limited-run kits, however, so I don't shrink from the challenge (I rather enjoy it, or I wouldn't keep purchasing limited-run kits). Nice start and best of luck on your build.

Regards,

Jason

Will we have the pleasure of you and your Scimitar's company in this GB Jason?

[Learstang]

5 hours ago, Col. said:

Will we have the pleasure of you and your Scimitar's company in this GB Jason?

 

Sadly, no Col. Large mountain ranges rise from the ground and are eroded back into the soil in the time it takes me to complete a kit. If I'm true to form, I will feverishly work on this kit for week or so upon receiving it, then like the small child I think all modellers are at heart, a shiny new object (a new kit) will draw my attention away and the Scimitar will be gently put away, to be found again some years later whilst I'm reorganising my stash. However, if there is ever a GB just featuring partially-completed models, then I'm in.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

[Hardtarget]

2 hours ago, Learstang said:

 

Sadly, no Col. Large mountain ranges rise from the ground and are eroded back into the soil in the time it takes me to complete a kit. If I'm true to form, I will feverishly work on this kit for week or so upon receiving it, then like the small child I think all modellers are at heart, a shiny new object (a new kit) will draw my attention away and the Scimitar will be gently put away, to be found again some years later whilst I'm reorganising my stash. However, if there is ever a GB just featuring partially-completed models, then I'm in.

 

Best Regards,

 

Jason

We do its called KUTA!!! The tempation to start a new kits is all too raw.

 

[825]

On 9/3/2018 at 3:15 AM, stevehnz said:

I'm revising my opinion on this one, i think it could well be a RAF/Royal Navy Buccaneer/Sea Vixen 'Buddy' Refuelling Pod . Rushton winches seem to have more lumpy bits on them or towed target recesses. The tail end of your gizmo looks rather like the stowage for the refueling receptacle.  You may well be good to go with this.

Steve.

Thanks Steve. I've had a look at a few pictures of Scimitars in refuelling mode and it definitely looks like a buddy pod. I will use it. 

 

On 9/3/2018 at 5:42 AM, Learstang said:

I just won one of these on eBay, so I will be following your build with great interest. I had this kit before, but sold it (I needed the quid), so I know what I'm in for. I've built dozens of limited-run kits, however, so I don't shrink from the challenge (I rather enjoy it, or I wouldn't keep purchasing limited-run kits). Nice start and best of luck on your build.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

It's not too bad a kit Jason and apart from the weirdly complex, interlinking intakes, compressor blades and cockpit it goes together pretty well. Mind you I still have to close up the fuselage and that might tell another story. 

[825]

Insides all complete, along with the wings and the external fuel tanks. Only three as the fourth will be the buddy refueling pod.

 

 

I was about to apply cement to it and close up then remembered that some weight is needed in the nose. The instructions don't indicate how much so it will have to be a guesstimate. The Scimitar has quite a broad footprint with the main wheels reasonably far back. And all that plastic around the intakes, etc. Is in front of them. So hopefully a bit of weight in the form of Liquid Lead in the nose should suffice. There isn't vast amount of room but enough. 

 

[HansReggelsen]

52 minutes ago, 825 said:

. So hopefully a bit of weight in the form of Liquid Lead in the nose should suffice. There isn't vast amount of room but enough. 

Looks good so far!  I put the weight in above the front wheelwell. The enginefront and cockpit will hold it in place.

 

Cheers 

Hans J

[Grey Beema]

As an alternative to adding the weight could you build it in in-flight mode.  Then you would have to build either a Sea Vixen or a Buccaneer tanking?

 

Just a thought......

[825]

8 hours ago, HansReggelsen said:

Looks good so far!  I put the weight in above the front wheelwell. The enginefront and cockpit will hold it in place.

 

Cheers 

Hans J

Thanks Hans. That's what I've done as well. I just hope I've put enough in. 

 

8 hours ago, Grey Beema said:

As an alternative to adding the weight could you build it in in-flight mode.  Then you would have to build either a Sea Vixen or a Buccaneer tanking?

 

Just a thought......

Great idea but probably a bit beyond my time scale. 

[HansReggelsen]

4 minutes ago, 825 said:

Thanks Hans. That's what I've done as well. I just hope I've put enough in. 

Me too, but - Alas - only time will tell! 

 

Cheers 

Hans J

[825]

Fuselage closed up. Took a bit of work to get the front end to fit. Needed to remove material from the port intake interior to get to t to mate. Overall fitted well 

 

 

but the nose is far from perfect despite my best efforts 

 

 

and will need a bit of filler and sanding. The rest of the seams are pretty good and should need minimal cleaning up once the tape is off. I'll leave it to harden up over night and attack it again tomorrow. 

[Col.]

Bit of a mismatch on the nose but hopefully there's enough material that will allow you to get it cleaned up and sorted without any dramas.