Popular Post Booty003 Posted July 3, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted July 3, 2021 1/72 Sword EF-10B Skyknight, VMCJ-1, Da Nang, South Vietnam 1965 Just finished this challenging kit from Sword. The usual short run kind of kit, needs a lot more attention than your usual mainstream model and involves a lot more swearing than usual..... The intakes were a particularly massive PITA....! The canopy was in 3 pieces and every edge needed sanding down to fit..... It does look good once its all together and is an important piece of history in the air war over the skies of Vietnam. Finished using Tamiya acrylics and a Flory wash. Cheers all. Phil 94 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Superb Skynight , excellent modelling and presentation. I did not know they were used in Vietnam, you learn something new every day ! Wulfman 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Very nice indeed! I would like the Skynight both for my Korean War and Vietnam War collections. I have built dozens of limited-run kits over the years, so I'm rather experienced when it comes to the 'charms' of these types of kits. How hard to build is this kit? I'm not scared of a little fitting, fettling, and sanding (it's called modelling). I've heard some scary things about this kit, but then I've heard scary things about limited-run kits that I did not personally find all that challenging (the AML La-5F comes to mind). Regards, Jason 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Beautiful job on this aircraft! It's really a tribute, both to the Marines--who were stuck with flying old equipment like this--and to your skills as a modeler. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinpin Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Excellent 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mig88 Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Superbly finished! I always think of the Skyknight in black and it's nice to see it in a different scheme. Well done! Miguel 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted July 3, 2021 Share Posted July 3, 2021 Looking at the completed model, it's hard to guess there were issues building it. I'm very impressed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 Beautiful Skyknight with just the right amount of hinted weathering, IMHO. Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted July 4, 2021 Share Posted July 4, 2021 That's really nice work on a seldom-seen type - great job Phil! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcello Rosa Posted July 5, 2021 Share Posted July 5, 2021 Congratulations. This is a great looking plane and your skills make it justice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Looks great now it's finished, awesome job 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roberto Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Lovely work!!! Way beyond my skills, this kit...😥 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ c Posted July 6, 2021 Share Posted July 6, 2021 Beautiful Skyknight there Phil, awesome job. Sounds similar in build to the Czech Models `48th one. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booty003 Posted July 7, 2021 Author Share Posted July 7, 2021 On 7/3/2021 at 6:05 PM, Learstang said: Very nice indeed! I would like the Skynight both for my Korean War and Vietnam War collections. I have built dozens of limited-run kits over the years, so I'm rather experienced when it comes to the 'charms' of these types of kits. How hard to build is this kit? I'm not scared of a little fitting, fettling, and sanding (it's called modelling). I've heard some scary things about this kit, but then I've heard scary things about limited-run kits that I did not personally find all that challenging (the AML La-5F comes to mind). Regards, Jason Cheers guys. With previous experience of these little charmers then you will be absolutely fine Jason. The intakes are an awful fit and the compressor sits too far forward. I had to grind away loads of the fuselage so that I could fit in a longer intake and then blend it in. There are also external wiring ducts that need to be removed from both sides of the upper fuselage. A bit of guesswork and dry fitting is needed for the entire cockpit and IP area. Canopy needs sanding on 10 sides and loads of dry fitting...!! Nose wheel leg is too long and needs fitting to the well floor for the correct height. Gun ports need drilling out. Scribing all over for better panel lines. Give me an Academy F-8 any day of the week...!! 😂 Phil 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted July 7, 2021 Share Posted July 7, 2021 (edited) Sanding, fitting, and more sanding. And guesswork. Sounds pretty much par for the course for a limited-run kit. I think I shall buy me two of these beasties and have at them. Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts! Best Regards, Jason Edited July 7, 2021 by Learstang Additional comment added. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julien Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 Nice job there 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Keg Posted July 8, 2021 Share Posted July 8, 2021 You slayed the beast ( Sword kits ) with impressive results Phil!!!!!! Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh G Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 Great job on a charming plane. Did you find the resin cockpit too big to fit in the fuselage properly? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy54 Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 Very nice I really like what did with that kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 You wouldn't say you had any issues looking at the completed article - lovely work! On 7/3/2021 at 7:05 PM, Learstang said: I would like the Skynight both for my Korean War and Vietnam War collections. Well, good luck finding one... I've been looking for ages for the Vietnam boxing (and Swords TF-9 Twogar). I'm not sure of the amount of kits produced by Sword in a typycal production run, but it appears to be a matter of "when tey're gone, they're gone". Cheers, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Learstang Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 2 hours ago, Hook said: Well, good luck finding one... I've been looking for ages for the Vietnam boxing (and Swords TF-9 Twogar). I'm not sure of the amount of kits produced by Sword in a typycal production run, but it appears to be a matter of "when tey're gone, they're gone". Cheers, Andre Unfortunately, that is often the case. I've had some luck looking on eBay for 'old' Sword kits. A quick search I just did on eBay pulled up four kits of the F3D-2 (Korean War), priced from 30USD to 38USD. I've had problems finding the FJ-3M Fury, however, which I would love to have. I feel your pain about the Twogar - another kit I want for my Vietnam War collection. Best Regards, Jason 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted July 9, 2021 Share Posted July 9, 2021 (edited) Very nice, and the result was worth the fight! I am impressed you knew to remove the external cable ducts that ran on both sides of the kit fuselage, as the airplane Sword used for research was one of the two airframes bailed to Raytheon for missile testing, and the ducts connected the instrumentation installed in the fuselage. Although painted as a Marine Korean War night fighter while on display at the Flying Leatherneck Museum, Sword was unaware that the cable ducts were not present on an operational airplane when they molded the kit. (Matchbox got this right, but the Sword kit was much better.) It's a BIG airplane up close and personal- ask me how I know! Mike Seer the linked photo that shows the cable ducting on the museum aircraft. Good save! https://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Marines/Douglas-F-10B-Skyknight/1686599/L Edited July 9, 2021 by 72modeler added link 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted July 10, 2021 Share Posted July 10, 2021 21 hours ago, Learstang said: A quick search I just did on eBay pulled up four kits of the F3D-2 (Korean War), priced from 30USD to 38USD. The Korean War boxing turns up sometimes - I have one in the stash - but not the Vietnam era boxing. Unfortunately. I live in hope for a combined Vietnam-era Marines VMCJ-sheet in 1/72nd... RF-4B, EA-6A, EF-10B... some HM&MS FAC Skyhawks, while they're at it... Cheers, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted July 10, 2021 Share Posted July 10, 2021 Very nice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hook Posted July 15, 2021 Share Posted July 15, 2021 On 7/9/2021 at 6:16 PM, Learstang said: I've had problems finding the FJ-3M Fury, however, which I would love to have. Well, I just noticed on the Aviation Megastore site that it looks like the FJ-3M is being reissued: https://www.aviationmegastore.com/north-american-fj-33m-fury-expected-august-2021-sword-sw72139-scale-modelling/product/?action=prodinfo&art=180890 Cheers, Andre 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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