Swift FR.5 - Airfix 1/72

[Biggles87]

 

10 hours ago, keefr22 said:

Thing with a lot of 'new' Airfix kits is they seem to be consistently inconsistent with fit issues - I'm just at the decalling stage of a 48th Gnat which I found to be a horrible thing to build with awful fit issues but two of my model club mates built theirs with no fit problems at all. And both of them had built an Airfix 48th Lynx when it came out, one went together beautifully, the other went in the bin as the fit issues were so bad....

 

 

I bought an Airfix 48th Gnat a couple of years ago thinking it would be a quick build to compensate for some of the more frustrating ones. Wrong! It’s still sitting in the box, largely structurally complete and covered in putty.

 

John

[Timmas]

This is one of the joys of being part of BM is that we can watch some brave soul take on the most daunting of tasks and then take notes. It's a selfless task Ced but you are getting it together pretty well.

 

I must admit, I'm having second thoughts about getting my Swift out of the stash now. I had a similar experience while building the Airfix Shackleton MR2 recently. I was really looking forward to doing it, and had seen some great build threads, but it turned into a real pain in the a*se due to the tightness of the tolerances (as you say, a layer of paint makes all the difference) along with a number of other annoying things such as sink marks all along the top of one fuselage half, a missing part which took Airfix almost three months to replace cos-ov-covid, and a warped upper wing half.

 

Still, I'm following this with interest and am sure there will be a great Swift at the end of it!

[Marklo]

Personally, while it can be nice to have a kit that falls together and builds into a wonderful replica, I also enjoy the bad kits that make me test my modelling skills too.

 

I must admit though, every single Airfix kit I’ve build recently has had some issues, ( even the FW had a few fit problems around the nose area, again that could just have been me) that said I’ve enjoyed the builds.

 

Nice work on the Swift btw.

Edited February 10, 2021 by Marklo

[CedB]

Thanks Simon, Mark, Heather, Bill, Meatbox, Mr T (nice build), Johnny, Keith (welcome!), John, Timmas and Mark  

In summary…

 

2 hours ago, Mr T said:

What I have found and I think Ced has mentioned is that the new Airfix kits are generally well engineered, but that the moulding leaves something to be desired. Certainly they need a lot of dry fitting as even tiny amounts of flash or mould lines can throw the fit out to a surprising degree. I am currently building the Gladiator and so far it has gone together well, but the forward fuselage was not an easy fit. The rear fuselage went together well, but forward of the cockpit didn't line up at all. I cemented the rear fuselage together and once dry strongarmed the front fuselage into place and suddenly it lined up and fitted, although it needed clamping until the cement cured, the whole fuselage seems square and the lower wing went on with no real problems. 

I am sure Ced will manfully wrestle the Swift to the ground and it will submit to his will. 

 

Thanks Mr T - I agree entirely. Nice build of yours

 

So we come to the conclusion that some 'new Airfix' kits, even of the same subject, suffer from moulding problems BUT the kit design is pretty good - up there with the best IMHO. IF Airfix sort out their moulding problems / quality control I think they could match Eduard. Perhaps they need to change their plastic too.

In the meantime I think Heather has a good point - none of the problems I've had are insurmountable and the irritating problems are just that.

 

Like the trunking fit, now resolved with some sanding and clamping:

 

 

Also, under close inspection, the top gap wasn't bad enough for the thin sprue gloop so I use Vallejo:

 

 

A touch on a couple of bits of the bottom (fnaar!) and a wet sanding should have us a result.

Soon.

[giemme]

I said you were going to prevail already... and I was right     

 

Apart from the putty, that top join looks very good though, with all the panel lines aligning properly. That's always a big plus, if you ask me, and also accounts for good engineering.

Ciao

[2996 Victor]

58 minutes ago, CedB said:

A touch on a couple of bits of the bottom

 

58 minutes ago, CedB said:

and a wet sanding

 

Fnaar, fnaar! 

 

Hat, coat.....

[keefr22]

4 hours ago, Marklo said:

Personally, while it can be nice to have a kit that falls together and builds into a wonderful replica, I also enjoy the bad kits that make me test my modelling skills too.

 

I fully agree - I really enjoy working on limited run kits, but then I expect to be doing fitting and fettling - I don't really expect to do as much (or even more) with an Airfix kit (unless it'a as old as me....!! )  

 

But having said that the last Tamiya kit I finished was beset with warprd and ill fitting parts - so it's not just good old Airfix!

 

Keith

 

 

[Lewis95]

Wet sanding a water based Putty? 

 

Brave sod. 

 

Must admit, I've had success on applying PPP, letting it cure and then hitting it with wet cotton buds afterwards. 

[TEXANTOMCAT]

I agree with Lewis- that's the way I do it - you can always use Mr Surfacer over the top once the PPP has done most of the work. What I do find though is PPP can still be porous so I brush over some liquid poly when I'm happy with the finish to seal it

 

TT

[CedB]

4 hours ago, giemme said:

I said you were going to prevail already... and I was right     

 

Apart from the putty, that top join looks very good though, with all the panel lines aligning properly. That's always a big plus, if you ask me, and also accounts for good engineering.

Ciao

Thanks Giorgio  Now the tub fiddling is out of the way it's going together pretty well!

 

3 hours ago, 2996 Victor said:

Fnaar, fnaar! 

 

Hat, coat.....

indeed, good man Mark, Finbarr would be proud  

 

1 hour ago, keefr22 said:

 

I fully agree - I really enjoy working on limited run kits, but then I expect to be doing fitting and fettling - I don't really expect to do as much (or even more) with an Airfix kit (unless it'a as old as me....!! )  

 

But having said that the last Tamiya kit I finished was beset with warprd and ill fitting parts - so it's not just good old Airfix!

 

Keith

 

I think you've hit the nail on the head Keith - it's the expectations that set the mood. Just ask Mrs B!  

 

1 hour ago, Lewis95 said:

Wet sanding a water based Putty? 

 

Brave sod. 

 

Must admit, I've had success on applying PPP, letting it cure and then hitting it with wet cotton buds afterwards. 

1 hour ago, TEXANTOMCAT said:

I agree with Lewis- that's the way I do it - you can always use Mr Surfacer over the top once the PPP has done most of the work. What I do find though is PPP can still be porous so I brush over some liquid poly when I'm happy with the finish to seal it

 

TT

Ah, now then you two… when I say wet it's really 'damp' - the sanding stick dipped in water and wiped on a paper towel.

This gives you (with light sanding) a sort of 'soup' on the surface that fills any minor blemishes then, once you're done, wiped off with a paper towel.

Works for me but YMMV  

 

[CedB]

Like this:

 

 

NOW the 'new Airfix' shows its colours - lovely wing join:

 

 

 

But then, back to 'how do I clean THAT up?':

 

 

Scraped with a blade, of course.

 

All I have to do now is get the tailplanes at 80º. Out with the Lego:

 

 

Another pause while they dry:

 

[giemme]

Fancy protractor you have there, Ced   

 

Ciao

[Biggles87]

If I ever do get one in 1/48 I won’t be fitting that fuel tank, it’s horrible and completely destroys the lines of a very aesthetic aeroplane. Well that’s what I think anyway, but don’t listen to me, what do I know anyway? And another thing ............

[AdrianMF]

9 minutes ago, Biggles87 said:

it’s horrible and completely destroys the lines of a very aesthetic aeroplane

It can't be doing the aerodynamics much good either. It must undo the Whitcomb area rule goodness they got from reducing the body cross section after the intakes (if indeed that was even deliberate).

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Beard]

1 hour ago, CedB said:

 

I assume, in due course, there'll be the sound of a little Swift.*

 

 

* I thought they laid eggs. Every day is learning day.

[Marklo]

3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

it's not just good old Airfix!

I love Airfix and wouldn’t say a bad word about them. I grew up on Airfix and Matchbox, with Heller, Hasegawa and Tamiya only turning up in my teens.

 

 It just so happens that most of the kits I’ve built recently have been Airfix. I found the  Roden DH4a kit, the trumpeter F117a and the special hobby Ju87a were all much more difficult than majority of the Airfix kits ( HP O/400 I’m looking at you)

 

So I suppose based on my very unrepresentative sample I’ve found Airfix to be one of the best kit manufacturers, and if you look at price to performance they are probably way ahead of the rest. Anyhoo soapbox put away now  

Edited February 10, 2021 by Marklo

[perdu]

I need new glasses again, the fin looks to be about 3°off to the right, maybe 2°. So the fancy protractor is not showing an accurate angle.

 

Boots opticians here I come.

[CedB]

2 hours ago, giemme said:

Fancy protractor you have there, Ced   

 

Ciao

Ah, my multi-use gauge - first time I've used it I think  

 

2 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

If I ever do get one in 1/48 I won’t be fitting that fuel tank, it’s horrible and completely destroys the lines of a very aesthetic aeroplane. Well that’s what I think anyway, but don’t listen to me, what do I know anyway? And another thing ............

1 hour ago, AdrianMF said:

It can't be doing the aerodynamics much good either. It must undo the Whitcomb area rule goodness they got from reducing the body cross section after the intakes (if indeed that was even deliberate).

 

Regards,

Adrian

I know John and Adrian, it does spoil the lines a bit but it's still a fine looking aircraft IMHO  

 

1 hour ago, Beard said:

I assume, in due course, there'll be the sound of a little Swift.*

 

 

* I thought they laid eggs. Every day is learning day.

 

1 hour ago, Marklo said:

I love Airfix and wouldn’t say a bad word about them. I grew up on Airfix and Matchbox, with Heller, Hasegawa and Tamiya only turning up in my teens.

 

 It just so happens that most of the kits I’ve built recently have been Airfix. I found the  Roden DH4a kit, the trumpeter F117a and the special hobby Ju87a were all much more difficult than majority of the Airfix kits ( HP O/400 I’m looking at you)

 

So I suppose based on my very unrepresentative sample I’ve found Airfix to be one of the best kit manufacturers, and if you look at price to performance they are probably way ahead of the rest. Anyhoo soapbox put away now  

Agreed Mark, entirely, especially considering the price point. I build loads and they are a British company!

This won't be my last I assure you  

 

1 hour ago, perdu said:

I need new glasses again, the fin looks to be about 3°off to the right, maybe 2°. So the fancy protractor is not showing an accurate angle.

 

Boots opticians here I come.

Perspective Bill, it's perspective  

[CedB]

Tailplanes dry now so…

 

Flaps up - trusty #9 to the rescue:

 

 

They settled very well with a soaking of TET.

Now, the nose door. Evil_Toast had warned about it here so:

 

 

Knowing it's probably excess plastic I carefully sanded the edges until:

 

 

The wheels up main doors (thank you Airfix) fit with a little sanding but needed clamping to settle:

 

 

I was hoping to get the canopy on tonight but I forgot to paint the internal bit so it'll have to wait.

I might get it done before bed.

Maybe.

[Beard]

You're nearly there and it looks good.

The question is: did you enjoy it? I'm currently gluing an Airfix Harrier GR.1 together and I'm really enjoying the way it goes together. I'm now looking forward to starting the Swift, when it arrives.

[Lewis95]

With the moving of my airbrush to the office after passing a "Will it wake the baby test", I'm hoping to achieve something near Ced speed on my builds! 

 

Albeit, I did build a Me163 in under 60 minutes the other night. Just awaiting some Model Air to arrive for safer spraying! 

[Marklo]

I still have about a dozen Airfix kits in the stash, but they’re all 1/72 and the plan is to Dutch it as a scale, also now that I look at it Airfix don’t do too many 1/48th scale WWI and interwar subjects so from 2022 on they may be absent for me  

[stevehnz]

Well that'll teach me not to have fun weekends, by the time I catch up with this, its page 4 time & wall to wall riff raff other geezers.    A very instructive build here Ced, I bought one of these a few months back in a fit of "what can I buy now?" & am beginning to feel it may not have been the best idea after all, hell, I've never liked the Swift but they do look good in a uniform, especially with PRU Blue knickers. Now I just want to go & rip mine out of the bag to see if I've bought one with duff moulding.  I'll hang around if I can elbow my way to a decent vantage point.

Steve.

[keefr22]

2 hours ago, Marklo said:

I love Airfix and wouldn’t say a bad word about them. I grew up on Airfix and Matchbox

 

Me too and by far the majority of them were Airfix, I've built at least 90% of the aircraft range in my time - but that doesn't mean I won't say a bad word against them when they have awful quality control issues (I bought four of the 'new' EE Lightnings when they came out - all had really bad defects in the canopy. Requested replacements from Airfix, when they eventually arrived they were even worse! Bought four Sword Lightnings when they were released and all had perfect crystal clear canopies), moulding problems, warpage, horrible soft plastic that sometimes delaminates when you're trying to sand parts to make them fit etc.... 

 

But whatever, Ced has shown with skill and tenacity even a flawed Airfix kit can be turned into a cracking little model! 

 

Keith

[hendie]

5 hours ago, CedB said:

Now the tub fiddling is out of the way

 

Ced, your bath time antics are of no interest to us y'know.   

 

S'coming along very nicely and your bottom looks very smooth on the photos above