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A 1/72 Gloster Javelin that isn't rubbish


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1 hour ago, 71chally said:

This seems like the perfect solution for correcting the FAW.9 kit, or even for creating an FAW.8 version, as found be @Procopius!

https://www.hpmhobbies.com/high-planes-gloster-javelin-exhaust-correction-for-airfix-heller-accessories-1-72/?ctk=1d4b7f8f-32fb-4381-b0ce-b24979a9727d

Thanks for that .  I never even knew this existed .  I've just ordered one so I'll report back once it arrives from Singapore .

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1 hour ago, 71chally said:

This seems like the perfect solution for correcting the FAW.9 kit, or even for creating an FAW.8 version, as found be @Procopius!

https://www.hpmhobbies.com/high-planes-gloster-javelin-exhaust-correction-for-airfix-heller-accessories-1-72/?ctk=1d4b7f8f-32fb-4381-b0ce-b24979a9727d

Looks nice in the picture. And heavy when you check the specs (50 grams). It looks that the top surface is flat (look at the shadow) when it should curve down just in front of the jet pipes... Luckily Javelin's fuselage is long and there is plenty of room for ballast in the nose. The same goes for the Airfix 1/48 scale kit if you use (like I do) AlleyCat FAW.4 conversion set. Let's hope those landing gear legs will cope😉

 

Cheers,

Antti

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I know what you mean, in the last 2-3 feet there is a very gentle change in angle downwards, I don't think that would be barely noticeable in this scale and painted up.

Can't remember if even the Airfix 1/48 kit features that?

 

Just ordered a pair!

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Hum,

 

I think the best book about unit markings (the paint scheme remained unaltered) is "Gloster Javelin - RAF's first delta wing fighter" by Richard A. Franks. Lots of colour profiles by Richard Caruana. However many of these profiles have a detail or two wrong. This book also has some technical drawings from Javelin Air Publications. Both B+W and colour photos; many of them previously unpublished but then not of so great quality.

 

Another good source with colour profiles (mainly about the tails!) is "Gloster Javelin - an operational history" by Michael Napier. This book is filled with very detailed information about the units, crew names, locations and dates. Unfortunately only B+W photos although many of those photos were originally shot in colour.

 

Maurice Allward's "Gloster Javelin" explains all the nine fighter variants and little about the T.3 as well. It also gives an overall history of operations and units. Black and white photos only, except on the jacket. Really nice feature is the listing of serials with modification histories. You can check which FAW.9 was converted for aerial refueling and further on up to FAW.9R standard.

 

Warpaint series "Gloster Javelin" by Tony Buttler gives you the basic info about the variants, nice colour profiles and lots of both B+W and colour photos. There is also a simple three view drawing (I wouldn't put much on that).

 

Peter Caygill's "Javelin from the cockpit" takes you up into the air. It gives you the pilot's view and some history on the variants. This really isn't a modeller's reference.

 

Profile series' old "Gloster Javelin" by J. Partridge gives you basically the same data and photos as Allward's book but on less pages. The book is divided into two volumes and hard to come by. I wouldn't put much effort on chasing it down.

 

Then of course the Pilot's Notes and technical training manuals for "Hard Core Fans" (like myself).

 

I have all the books mentioned. So what would be my choice as a first purchase for a Javelin model builder? I would buy the Warpaint book (filled with photos and enough of technical data. However Allward's book (with less photos is also very good. Then I would buy Napier's book. And so on😉

 

RAF Seletar association has an excellent web page giving Movement Card histories for every Javelin in the Far East. Another great online source is "Forgotten Jets - Gloster Javelin" it gives also histories for all Javelins built! This site was formerly known as "Millionmonkeytheater". It also has histories of Phantoms(!).

 

 

Hope this helps, even a little.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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Thanks Antti, I have some of those, but really looking for something that lists all the aircraft built by serial and ties them up to squadron/unit codes and their use within that unit?

The Seletar page is a very good one, but cant find "Forgotten Jets - Gloster Javelin"?

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Good morning James,

 

then I suggest that you buy either Allward's or Franks' book. They both have the listing. As usual there is more information about aircraft X and far less on aircraft Z. A listing is also available on Napier's book but that is very superficial. It won't give you much data.

 

I can scan a few pages for you, so you can check it yourself and then decide what to do. PM me if you are interested.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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spacer.png

 

Hello,

some pictures from Duxfords FAW 9. You can clearly see the aft end of the fuselage has quite complex curvatures. I don't think the HPM insert got it right, but I will buy one anyway just for the beautiful afterburner cans...

I you search Flickr for "Gloster Javelin" you will find pictures of XH767 without jet engines and get a good impression of it's fuselage  cross section when the exhaust pipes start.

 

Best Regards,

 

Martin

 

P.S.:  A big version of the picture is available one Flickr. Just search for "Javelin FAW.9 Duxford".

Edited by MVW
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Hello Martin,

 

and thank you for sharing those photos. I think that Airfix has done a very good job on their 1/48 Javelin. The rear end looks just like it should. Your photos also show the interior of the jet pipe; there is a "step" visible. Airfix got also this right but parts fit isn't the best possible.

 

A good reminder about the interior colour as well: don't paint the jet pipe interiors with gunmetal (or metallic paints in general).

 

Cheers,

Antti

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On 8/13/2019 at 11:31 PM, 71chally said:

Thanks Antti, I have some of those, but really looking for something that lists all the aircraft built by serial and ties them up to squadron/unit codes and their use within that unit?

The Seletar page is a very good one, but cant find "Forgotten Jets - Gloster Javelin"?

If I remember correctly the Warpaint book lists all the serials with their histories. Like Antti, I have all those books so might be getting confused.

I have also ordered 3 of those conversion sets this week, HPM must be wondering what caused the sudden rush for them :). Just hope I don't get clobbered for Customs ransom.

 

Duncan B 

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Thanks Duncan, I have the Warpaint one, but boxed away somewhere.  Antti has very kindly provided me appropriate scans and in amongst them is the answer I've looking for for some time!

 

@Gondor44 has put some good pics up on another thread showing the back end,

48513584532_4785bbe009_c.jpgreceived_2434614779965767 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

48513585467_03672b4120_c.jpgreceived_447321255998712 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

48513586087_c0197a3afe_c.jpgreceived_353714022206131 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

I think that downward curve on the top rear is so subtle that it would be barely noticed on a 72nd painted model, if one is fussy it looks like it is possible to lightly file that area.

I have ordered two sets as they are far superior to what we get with the kits.

 

 

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Duncan and James,

 

I'm waiting for your comments once you got your hands on the work😉 I still got that old Novo model in storage somewhere... Got a boost of inspiration when I was looking at the pictures of a re-built one that dushix posted earlier.

 

Cheers,

Antti

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6 hours ago, 71chally said:

Thanks Duncan, I have the Warpaint one, but boxed away somewhere.  Antti has very kindly provided me appropriate scans and in amongst them is the answer I've looking for for some time!

 

@Gondor44 has put some good pics up on another thread showing the back end,

48513584532_4785bbe009_c.jpgreceived_2434614779965767 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

48513585467_03672b4120_c.jpgreceived_447321255998712 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

48513586087_c0197a3afe_c.jpgreceived_353714022206131 by Alastair Macfarlane, on Flickr

 

I think that downward curve on the top rear is so subtle that it would be barely noticed on a 72nd painted model, if one is fussy it looks like it is possible to lightly file that area.

I have ordered two sets as they are far superior to what we get with the kits.

 

 

Okay, what's wrong with those photos? Not being very knowledgeable of the Flying Flatiron. I'm confused. Is that what the back end looks like without the afterburner cans?

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15 minutes ago, Space Ranger said:

Okay, what's wrong with those photos? Not being very knowledgeable of the Flying Flatiron. I'm confused. Is that what the back end looks like without the afterburner cans?

In a word , yes .

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  • 5 months later...

What the photographs show is the tail end of the aircraft without the engines.  So that is airframe essentially.  The re-heat nozzles of the jet pipes would not connect to any part of what you see other than the rear engine supports.

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54 minutes ago, TeeELL said:

What the photographs show is the tail end of the aircraft without the engines.  So that is airframe essentially.  The re-heat nozzles of the jet pipes would not connect to any part of what you see other than the rear engine supports.

Got it. Thanks.

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On 8/13/2019 at 10:53 PM, Antti_K said:

Hum,

 

I think the best book about unit markings (the paint scheme remained unaltered) is "Gloster Javelin - RAF's first delta wing fighter" by Richard A. Franks. Lots of colour profiles by Richard Caruana. However many of these profiles have a detail or two wrong. This book also has some technical drawings from Javelin Air Publications. Both B+W and colour photos; many of them previously unpublished but then not of so great quality.

Hmm.  Lots of profiles but you can't trust them?  Thanks for the comprehnesive overview of Javelin-related literature though.

 

I think for unit markings the information in  pp 211-306 of Vol 3 of Roger Lindsay's Cold War Shield will take a lot of beating, largely compiled from the personal observations of the author or his mates.  Very detailed info on the evolution of markings within squadrons, both within marks and from mark to mark.  Also tables listing which serials served with each squadron together with codes, dates arrived/departed and where they went next.  This book takes a squadron by squadron cut.  I imagine pretty much the same information is included in his earlier self-published Service History of the Gloster Javelin: Marks 1 to 6 (1976) and Service History of the Gloster Javelin: Marks 7 to 9R (undated) which give the general history followed by airframe by airframe histories in a style akin to Ray Sturtivant's FAA books.

 

Pictures in Cold War Shield are a bit murky, TBH (those in the earlier volumes are better) but I'd trust the info implicitly.

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I have received my 1/72 resin replacement ‘rear end’ for improving the Airfix FAW9.  It is a fair lump of resin and, apparently, weighs in at 50gms; that will require a fair bit of weight in the nose - hope the U/C legs can take it.  I now just have to dig out the model and get stuck in improving it - to replace the one I constructed previously.

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For those who don't want to send off half way around the world, I've just noticed that the HPM rear end replacement including burner cans is also now available in the UK from Freightdog. 

https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/military-products/military-aircraft-conversions/high-planes-1-72-gloster-javelin-faw-9-exhaust-correction-for-airfix.html

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11 minutes ago, Work In Progress said:

For those who don't want to send off half way around the world, I've just noticed that the HPM rear end replacement including burner cans is also now available in the UK from Freightdog. 

https://www.freightdogmodels.co.uk/military-products/military-aircraft-conversions/high-planes-1-72-gloster-javelin-faw-9-exhaust-correction-for-airfix.html

I and a few others from this site, purchased and found the conversion not to be ideal  The 2 x cans are too big to fit onto the provided rear fuselage plug - you can try to fit them(its a butt fit and theirs no deflection for the cans to point downwards.  When eventually fitted BOTH cans touch each other, not space between either of them(as there should be) and the outer edges of the cans touch the outside of the rear fuselage...…….no room to separate or jiggle the cans to an appropriate  place.  To exactly what I mean, check out this Javelin build on this site that tried to use them...………….it starts at thread  #174 and continues for a few pages

 

 

 

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3 hours ago, rayprit said:

To exactly what I mean, check out this Javelin build on this site that tried to use them...………….it starts at thread  #174 and continues for a few pages

 

To be fair, I have not tried to use them yet. I've just purchased them. The exhausts are too big, for sure, but if you align the outer edge with the outside of the fuselage, you can force a small separation between them. But just barely. Angling both down slightly is not a problem, it's the angling of them towards each other where you run out of room. But you can see that I made a couple of swipes with the sanding stick to angle them towards each other, and I was able to get a wee bit. (Please note that the exhausts have not yet been cut to their correct length; I've just removed them from the casting block.)

 

IMG_5315

 

On the actual aircraft, there is just a small gap plus the thickness of the skin at the outside of the fuselage, so even with this missed opportunity by HPM, the resin set is much preferable to the Airfix FAW.9 kit with its squashed rear end.

 

Thrust1

 

The other error in the HPM set is the air scoops on the exhausts. The one on top should open aft, the one on the bottom should open forward. On the HPM parts, they both open aft. Someone wasn't paying attention to the photos.

 

The exhausts on the Frog kit seem to be the right size, but they have a lot of other problems that would require quite a bit of work to rectify.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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