Swordfish Floatplane

[ThreeGreens]

My fascination with 1930’s/40’s floatplanes continues with this build of the Swordfish floatplane. This is the SMER 1:48  (1:50) version - it’s very basic and on reflection I wish I’d invested in the Tamiya model which is streets ahead on detail. But we are we’re we are...

The areas needing most work are the cockpit and engine both of which are oversimplified. So here are a few shots of my scratch build work.  The pilots instrument panel is non-existent so I’ve been experimenting with producing my own transfers - not perfect yet but getting there.    Of course I could just order one from Eduard but that wouldn’t be so much of a challenge!

Equally this kit has no detail for the mount for the Vickers K machine gun - this seems critical so I’ve scratch built that. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dogsbody]

On your engine, the rods you've added to the front of the cylinders should go all the way down into the central gear casing area.

 

Here is a photo of a restored museum Bristol Mercury, which is the smaller brother of the Pegasus used on the Swordfish.

See how the black rods come up from the centre to the top of the cylinder. These are the valve pushrods.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chris

[Marklo]

Yay. Nice to see yet another Stringbag on the bench, but having almost completed the Airfix kit which is very well engineered but still tricky , I reckon you will really have your work cut out for you, hood luck, will follow along with interest.