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1:72 AZ Model Supermarine Attacker


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So here is where she sets at the moment:

 

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I've done some subtle post shading on the fuselage using my favourite Gunze H95 Smoke Grey. I didn't want to do a lot since photos show these birds fairly clean. The tape has come off the windscreen so now at least the pilot can taxi over to the Officer's Club and find a nice parking spot. The sliding portion of the canopy is not yet attached, I just posed it for the photos. The gear doors have gone on, along with a couple of short pieces of thin wire on the front gear legs. You can see these in photos - I'm not sure what they're for, but I'm guessing perhaps some kind of stiffener/anti-twist linkage of some kind. Which reminds me, I forgot to take a shot of the underside...next time!

 

The Airwaves PE fret includes some pieces to represent the pylons used to carry the rockets. I think I'll add these to give the model some more interest. I have a bunch of leftover rockets from the CMR Scimitar kit, and I wonder if these would be appropriate for the Attacker? CMR describes them as Mk.5 rocket projectiles, both 12 lb. and 25 lb. What do you guys think?

 

The folded wings are also ready to go on, but I'm going to leave that and the delicate antennae and pitot sensors on the nose until last.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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On 02/12/2018 at 05:47, perdu said:

20/10 OK?

 

If this is in reference to my vision, it's not even close!!     :)

 

17 minutes ago, giemme said:

Did you post shade with smoke grey on top the Sky areas too?

 

Yes, you can just see some "smudgy" looking spots in the photos. It's easier to see in real life. When I get around to taking a photo of the underside it will probably be more visible.

 

Anybody have a thought about those rockets?

 

Cheers,

Bill

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That is looking rather gorgeous. There’s something about the early post war EDSG/Sky combo that looks very attractive.

 

I’ve been aware of RNAS Stretton from my days involved in a local historical aviation society. The airfield has been cut in half by the M56 motorway that runs from Wirral to Manchester and I’ve passed it many times on my way to Manchester Airport.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNAS_Stretton_(HMS_Blackcap)

 

Always thought it was in a good spot. On high ground and within a stones throw of other war time airfields such as Speke (Liverpool), Burtonwood, Ringway (Manchester) and Hooton Park (erm....Vauxhall Astra!).

 

Trevor  

 

 

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13 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

Yes, you can just see some "smudgy" looking spots in the photos.

Now that I see them on a big screen, yes :thumbsup: Very effective (as usual)

 

Ciao

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15 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

Anybody have a thought about those rockets?

In Pilot Notes on Attacker not specified type of rockets used?

 

B.R.

Serge

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Hello Bill - I found this photo of an Attacker in a book "Supermarine Attacker, Swift & Scimitar by Philip Birtles- the photo caption says it is an export version on display at Farnborough in 1951 - they look like the standard 60lb rockets of that era - someone on BM may be able to advise?

 

IMG-8126.jpg

CJP

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42 minutes ago, CJP said:

Hello Bill - I found this photo of an Attacker in a book "Supermarine Attacker, Swift & Scimitar by Philip Birtles- the photo caption says it is an export version on display at Farnborough in 1951 - they look like the standard 60lb rockets of that era - someone on BM may be able to advise?

 

IMG-8126.jpg

CJP

StandardBritish  inert   3" RP with 60 lb heads, and  what looks like  the wartime type 1000lb bombs (drum tails are a givaway) obviously not live ones as this is a public display! The bands on the stores are most probably white (practice inert) not  yellow by the way, that NATO standard marking did not appear on UK weapons until 1964.

 

Selwyn

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Some bits of photoetch this afternoon - the rocket pylons and pitot probe thingies for the nose. The forward probe under the nose always looks odd to me, but the probe tube itself has to be in line with the airflow I guess. You can see it (and the rocket pylons) in this photo of may gal's sister ship:

 

WP290

 

AZ provided injected parts for these nose probes, but they seemed to be too big in diameter and rather clunky. The Airwaves photoetch, on the other hand, is too thin, being two-dimensional. But I decided to use it since most folks won't be looking straight down the axis of the beast. In order to get these photoetch parts to stand up and stay attached to the fuselage, I drilled some tiny holes, 0.015" diameter, as if the parts had an alignment peg. Then, on the PE fret, I left a bit of the fret attachment point at the appropriate spots, and used that as the alignment pegs which I superglued into the holes. I think this makes a much better joint, and they all seem pretty solid.

 

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I borrowed some rockets from the Airfix Typhoon Mk.IB kit, and the paint is drying as I type this. I'm also building an arresting hook and putting some Alclad on the exhaust. I think there may be some more whip antennae, but the location seems to vary a lot. I'll probably use my Nitinol wire for that if I can figure out where to put it.

 

What else is left? Control column in the pit, sliding canopy, wing tips...that's about it I think. And, of course, the nit-picky things that gnaw at me when I step back and look at what I've wrought. There are already a few things in that basket...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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9 hours ago, Dave Swindell said:

Aren't those radio altimeter aerials?

 

Yes indeed, and if I had bothered to look at the cutaway drawing that I have of the Attacker, they are clearly designated as such. They are also one of those nit-picky things I mentioned in the last post. I just plain don't like what I've done with these.

 

If we look closely at one of the photos from the Attacker walkaround here on Britmodeller, we can see that there are two posts, not one, and that they are black.

 

at02.jpg

 

In some period photos, they look like they might even be unpainted. I have to say that I don't know - although many aerials that I've seen have stenciling nearby stating "do not paint." So I shouldn't have painted them Sky!    :doh:

 

I went back to my Magic Box of Misfit Photoetch Frets, and found some goodies that look to be dead-ringers for these babies. They look to be the correct size as well.

 

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These are a bit thicker since it's actually two pieces folded on top of each other. I've popped off the other ones and will replace with these. I've also made a new arresting hook which is perhaps not completely authentic but it seems to match the size and shape of the bay I built for the hook to retract into. Looking at my photos, it seems the hook doesn't retract completely and a good portion of the hook itself remains in the air stream.

 

Airwaves provide a PE piece for the deck landing alignment sight, which is the tall post on top of the nose. Due to its precarious perch, it's best to leave this for the end of the build. Maybe I'll get those wing tips on yet today...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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5 hours ago, Beard said:

She's looking rather fabulous Bill, although I was thinking that the wings were a bit 'stunted' until I realised that... D'oh!

 

She's the clipped wing version, intended to outperform those pesky Fw 190s in low level combat.   :)

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Well, I didn't get the wing tips on, but I succeeded in just about everything else. I switched over to the proper radio altimeter aerials, added the deck landing alignment sight, dropped in the control column, attached the arresting hook, and loaded up four 60 lb. rockets.

 

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Oh, I popped in the tail pipe when no one was looking (keep it clean fellas):

 

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I think all that's left are the wing tips, and the sliding canopy. Perhaps an ejection handle or two for the bang seat...

 

Cheers,

Bill

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