1/72 Swordfish Airfix

[Tim K]

On my quest to my first Wingnut model I decided to try my hand at the Airfix Swordfish with rigging. My Airbrush is still in storeage so had to be brush painted using Tamya Paints.

Things I've learnt along the way.......

1) BiFocals from spec savers 2.5 and 3.5 times magnification have worked really well

 

 

 

2) I read some where of putting the colour call outs down the side fo the modelling mat.

This prevented a lot of time wasted trying to find the correct colour form either the instructions or the side fo the box.

 

3) Rigging can be really simplified and predictable! I used a set of drills for the holes, stretched sprue to fix superglue and an accelerator to fix the Uschi item code 4007 0.001O.D. line to the stretched sprue.

 

Not shown is the 2mm stretched sprue already in the white tack and the Uschi line already cut in 3-4 inch lenghts. One pot is accelerator and the other superglue.

Superglue applied to the tip of the stretched sprue by cocktail stick and the end of the Uschi line brushed on the accelerator and the two brought together with the tweezers, (£22.00 from boots and worth every penny.

 

Onto the builed

Cockpit first 

 

Then two fuselage halves brought together... and brush painted

 

The painting I found soul destroying because much as I tried I couldn't get a smooth deep finish. The fuselage received more coats and was rubbed down with wet and dry but all I seemed to do was remove the the delicate shape of the fabric covered longerons!

Ploughing on to the wings, I eventually did get a good finish but this was crackled by spraying Tamya varnish on from a rattle can! I ploughed on...

The rigging was applied at this stage but my technique mentioned above hadn't been refined at this stage.

 

With the wing rigged al I needed to do was fit it to the Fuselage.

 

Calamity, CALAMITY CALAMITY.

The wings didn't fit the body!!! I thought put them in a cooking oven and soften them to bring them back into shape. I tested the oven with a thermometer but that only went up to 50degrees Centigrade - to cool to enable me to bring about any wing warping!!

As I type this I can't help but laugh...

So the gas oven was set at Gas Mark 1/2 Googled that, this would be about 150C decided I would time the wings in the oven by minutes.

Got my phone to do the timing and by the time I had opened the oven door, the wing struts had melted on one side and the top wing had slumped forward and the struts that were straight formed a beautiful "S" curve (must remember that for when I need an S curve in a strut!?)

 

I decided to fix to the fuselage the best fitting wings and then sort out the warped side. To do this I had to remove the lug on the Starboard lower wing. But the rigging was still in place.

 

 

 

Thought long and hard decided to cut the S curve struts out and make some new ones with two filaments of stretched sprue sanded into some where near the correct shape.

Using a jig made with wooden stirers  fixed the Starboard wing into place. Even after all this manhandling I only needed to replace 2 lines.

 

 

 

That done fitted the the four new struts sanded and painted. 

 

 

The control lines at the rear of he fus' took a little time to discover which control horn they went to but using my modified technique this was completed in next to no time.

Pushing the 2mm stretched sprue plastic end into the body and glueing then gluing onto the control horn.

 

So nearly there...

 

Here is a photo comparison of the Uschi line and a human hair

 

 

[Beard]

!Ay Carumba! I'd have scrapped it but nice save on the wing (although I don't think I'd've put them in an oven in the first place).

[billn53]

Neat trick gluing the Uschi line onto bits of stretched sprue. I’ll add that to my toolbox... sooner or later I’ll get the courage to build a rigged aircraft. 

[jean]

Hi,

IMHO, Tamiya paints brush painted suck!!!!!!

It would appear that using alcohol to dilute them a tad makes them easier to use, but mental hospitals are full of Tamiya paint brush aspiring artists!

You have been warned!

But at the end of the day, your Swordfish is rather good.

 

Have fun.

 

JR

[Beard]

It is possible to brush-paint Tamiya acrylics without being sectioned, I've done it (albeit over an enamel undercoat): you need to take your time and don't make multiple passes.

[Marklo]

Ohh I’ve tried this many times as a lad but never finished one. I do have one in my stash and it, like the HP O/400 I’m building ( aka the pink thing) is one of my modelling demons that I intend to confront soon  

[Andwil]

That must be the save of the year.  I strongly recommend that you don’t put your WnW kit in the oven when the time comes!

 

AW

[Wince]

Tamiya brush painting. I shudder at the memories....,,,get the cheapest screen wash you can and lay it on thin. It can be done as I used to use their semigloss black as a lad with great success. But you need to not overbrush it. Great save though. I used to work on converting action figures and used boiling water to fix warped parts. As airfix plastic is softer, could boiling water work? More control and less “gourmet” cooking of models! But well saved. It looks great.