SoftScience Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 Whoa boy...I started in January and didn't finish until October of 2021. This is built from the Sword kit, and it was a fight from start to finish. Like any short-run kit, the parts were clunky, and imprecise. Fit was mediocre at best, and a lot of details were missing. The clear parts are very thick and fit especially poorly. What really made the whole experience unnecessarily frustrating were the poor instructions. Not only were they vague on where smaller parts should fit, they also had contradictory directions on landing gear doors (they want you to fit both kinds that are in the box, at the same time), and allude to details which are not part of the kit (e.g., drop tank sway braces). Its as if the left hand didn't know what the right hand was doing, as the kit was being manufactured. Disappointing as the kit and the project were, I'm happy I pushed through, as the final product is hideous and cool, and now I can say I successfully finished a short run kit. 69 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 Excellent build of one of my favourite aircraft,great work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cardiff guy Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 a fight but worth it, well done. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Bradley Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 That turned out very nicely, Ralph! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dave S Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 Superb 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin-42 Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 It doesn’t look short run. So that’s a win! Great work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted December 20, 2021 Share Posted December 20, 2021 Niiiice stuff 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 The result does not betray any of your difficulties - you definitely tamed it. Looks brilliant! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJP Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Excellent work - looks great 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberraman Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Looks lovely - glad you won the battle to get it done so well! Mark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Lovely looking Skyraider , great modelling ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 An excellent model, particularly given the degree of difficulty you experienced. Click HERE for my AD-4W post with links to others (also with links) including some notes on the kit. I would like to include your comments and one or two photos of your build with your permission in a new post. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinpin Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 You have overcome the problems well and the Skyraider looks absolutely fantastic. I bought the Sword T2V Seastar and FJ3Fury some time ago... I really struggled with the T2V but it was posted on BM a few months back. The main problem was that I could not position the two cockpits plus the front undercarriage bay that goes on to the front cockpit, correctly so that the fuselage halves would close around these parts. I had many attempts at this and the kit came very close to the bin several times.. I sent an email to Sword to get clarification on some of the instructions but no reply. The FJ3 is still incomplete, It got off to a bad start when I could not assemble the nose undercarriage. and decided to build it wheels up and put it on a stand. Not something I really wanted to do.. No more Sword kits for me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 5 hours ago, Tailspin Turtle said: An excellent model, particularly given the degree of difficulty you experienced. Click HERE for my AD-4W post with links to others (also with links) including some notes on the kit. I would like to include your comments and one or two photos of your build with your permission in a new post. Absolutely! I'm glad to be a part of this great resource Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Looks good! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted December 21, 2021 Author Share Posted December 21, 2021 3 hours ago, twinpin said: You have overcome the problems well and the Skyraider looks absolutely fantastic. I bought the Sword T2V Seastar and FJ3Fury some time ago... I really struggled with the T2V but it was posted on BM a few months back. The main problem was that I could not position the two cockpits plus the front undercarriage bay that goes on to the front cockpit, correctly so that the fuselage halves would close around these parts. I had many attempts at this and the kit came very close to the bin several times.. I sent an email to Sword to get clarification on some of the instructions but no reply. The FJ3 is still incomplete, It got off to a bad start when I could not assemble the nose undercarriage. and decided to build it wheels up and put it on a stand. Not something I really wanted to do.. No more Sword kits for me I feel your pain. I took great inspiration from the builds of others as I struggled with this one. @Navy Bird 's many tricky build logs were a candle in the darkness many times over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted December 21, 2021 Share Posted December 21, 2021 Excellent result that was well worth your effort! You can be proud of this one - if Tommy wants to include some of your photos on his fantastic website(s) then you know you have a winner. I love it! And it's in one of my favourite colours. 👍 Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 Wonderful build, looks superb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted December 23, 2021 Share Posted December 23, 2021 On 12/21/2021 at 3:04 PM, Navy Bird said: Excellent result that was well worth your effort! You can be proud of this one - if Tommy wants to include some of your photos on his fantastic website(s) then you know you have a winner. I love it! And it's in one of my favourite colours. 👍 Cheers, Bill With SoftScience's approval: http://tailspintopics.blogspot.com/2021/12/sword-172-ad-4w-redux.html 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
112 Squadron Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Desipte all the difficult issues of this short run kit you achieved an excellent result. I really hope that some major manufacturer will offer a complete series of Skyraider subtypes in 1/72 one day. So far the only kit in that scale that is available is Hasegawa´s A-1H/J which can only be used to create Vietnam era Spads. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoftScience Posted August 26, 2022 Author Share Posted August 26, 2022 4 hours ago, 112 Squadron said: Desipte all the difficult issues of this short run kit you achieved an excellent result. I really hope that some major manufacturer will offer a complete series of Skyraider subtypes in 1/72 one day. So far the only kit in that scale that is available is Hasegawa´s A-1H/J which can only be used to create Vietnam era Spads. Thanks! I'm surprised this kit that I hated so much is still getting attention a year after posting. And I would be thrilled if we could get good quality spads in 1/72. My money is on Clear Prop or Wingsy, or Modelsvit. One of the daring (in so many ways these days) Ukranian firms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maginot Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 Beaten into submission for a good result. Ungainly looking beastie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russmeister 101 Posted August 26, 2022 Share Posted August 26, 2022 That's an excellent finish on a kit that you've had to battle!! Bravo that man!! 👏🏆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheyJammedKenny! Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Bravo! This is an excellent job on your part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
825 Posted August 29, 2022 Share Posted August 29, 2022 Despite the challenges you had building this the outcome is absolutely stunning. There's no indication that you had such a struggle. Brilliant looking Skyraider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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