erniewise Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 (edited) Hello Folks 2022 will be my first GroupBuild and first WIP. I build, more accurately complete, at a very slow rate so will hopefully be able to have the results ready for inspection by June! I see @theplasticsurgeon has already started his build thread for this kit as a Mk.III but I will be completing mine as a Taranto Stringbag: specifically, E5H of 824 Sqn as flown Lt. J. Wellham & Lt. P. Humphreys. Box art and sprue shots below; The more I research I do, the more I see that I need to do. Roll on the 8th January! Cheers. Erik Edited December 29, 2021 by erniewise link to theplasticsurgeon added 12 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Nice choice Erik,one of my favourite Matchbox offering's they really did seem to have a different designer on their Bi-plane kits great fit of parts and a finese missing from most other kits in the range. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted December 29, 2021 Share Posted December 29, 2021 Great choice Erik, can't believe they haven't made a film of the Taranto raid, that would definitely be my choice as well. Best of luck Cheers Pat 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted December 30, 2021 Share Posted December 30, 2021 Great to have you taking part in your first Group Build and first WIP Erik. I'm sure you will enjoy the fun filled experience and end up becoming a seasoned GB member as times goes on. Matchbox's Swordfish is a lovely model and comes with cracking Roy Huxley action packed box art... what's not to like in that overall package? Cheers, welcome aboard and very best of luck.. Dave 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 Hello Folks. An hour or two spent separating parts from sprues and starting to fill some of those unwanted Matchbox trenches with gloop. Much scribing and scraping to come! 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 Hello Folks Some progress. I've regressed the crew area back to a Mk.I set up. Just got to scratch build all the stuff that will be on show now! 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 Good to see - Erik. Genuine 3-colour kit. Mine is a single colour from the days when Revell operated Matchbox, and Made in England has been ground off the sprues. I see you've opened up the observer's position, an additional fuel-tank in there for Taranto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ned Posted January 11, 2022 Share Posted January 11, 2022 That boxart is super, how did I miss building one of these? Perhaps younger me didn't get what the Swordfish was, 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Nice start and I’ll be keenly watching on as I have a slightly later Matchbox boxing on its ‘slow’ way over from Germany. I’m keen to see your improvements and although I have the new Airfix kit, this old clunker still looks quite good to me. Cheers.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 On 11/01/2022 at 16:39, theplasticsurgeon said: Good to see - Erik. Genuine 3-colour kit. Mine is a single colour from the days when Revell operated Matchbox, and Made in England has been ground off the sprues. I see you've opened up the observer's position, an additional fuel-tank in there for Taranto. Thanks. The colours are very restrained compared to some of the other Matchbox offerings on view here! The fuel tank is indeed on the list of things I must make for this build. 9 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said: Nice start and I’ll be keenly watching on as I have a slightly later Matchbox boxing on its ‘slow’ way over from Germany. I’m keen to see your improvements and although I have the new Airfix kit, this old clunker still looks quite good to me. Cheers.. Dave Thank you. I am in fact using the Airfix kit instructions (thank you ScaleMates) as one of my reference points as well as Heather Kay's lovely build of it in the High Wings Group Build of last year. The Matchbox offering is very charming and, considering that it dates from 1974, the fit of parts is pretty good. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted January 19, 2022 Author Share Posted January 19, 2022 Steady progress being made. Aelerons have been corrected, panel lines scribed or filled (ongoing), and the stub lower wings "persuaded" to look a bit more like the real thing. I really need to make start on the interior now! 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted January 19, 2022 Share Posted January 19, 2022 Nice start, looking forward to watching this. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adm Lord De Univers Posted January 20, 2022 Share Posted January 20, 2022 13 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: Nice start, looking forward to watching this. Chris Comprehensively seconded. Finally, a plane this fake admiral can get behind. David 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted January 22, 2022 Share Posted January 22, 2022 Ailerons corrected? I’ll have to take another look at my kit and see what’s going on here. Nice progress, coming along very smartly. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted February 4, 2022 Author Share Posted February 4, 2022 On 22/01/2022 at 00:54, Rabbit Leader said: Ailerons corrected? I’ll have to take another look at my kit and see what’s going on here. Nice progress, coming along very smartly. Cheers.. Dave Yes, the ailerons (I see what you did there!) have a different outline topside as opposed to bottomside; it looks like it is something to do with the mass balancing relative to the hinge points. Things are going a little Dirk Gently on this build in that there are a lot of things that I need to do, that are connected to other things that I need to correct, before I can get on to the next bit that I want to make. But we've all been there right? Despite this I'm still finding this an immensely absorbing project to work on, this is the state of play at the moment. I have to make the seat and gun mount for the TAG, as well as the overload tank, the pilot's seat, control column etc. etc. etc. but still maintaining momentum. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted February 15, 2022 Author Share Posted February 15, 2022 Believe it or not, some work has happened. Gun (partly) and Binnacle mounts scratched and fitted. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 16, 2022 Share Posted February 16, 2022 Looks great Ernie, slow and steady will get the job done. Just keep at it, there's still plenty of time. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted February 22, 2022 Author Share Posted February 22, 2022 (edited) Steady progress. I'm happy with how it is coming on though. Gun mount finished, long range fuel tank scratched up from an old Edding pen and Milliput. You won't be able to see it but there is an approximation of a radio/transmitter set in front of the TAG's seat under the tny tarp! Should be able to button up the fuselage in the not too distant future. I've also made a start on the engine. Lots of little solder slugs have been cut to link to the exhaust collector ring! Cheers. Erik. Sorry if my user name causes confusion! It's a complicated concatonation of Ernie (apparently I sound like Ernie) from Bert and Ernie and Eric, from Morecombe and Wise, that I was christened with by the tea-lady (that dates me!) at my first job. Edited February 22, 2022 by erniewise Last sentence corrected! 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CliffB Posted February 23, 2022 Share Posted February 23, 2022 A nice set of improvements there Erik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted February 28, 2022 Author Share Posted February 28, 2022 The fuselage is now buttoned up. Some basic seat pads made up from Milliput and painted and pilot's sutton harness made from wine cork foil. Though I did of course forget the add the lap straps bfeore closing up!) The harness is a bit out of focus in this piccie unfortunately but you can however see my basic representation of the RT set. I need to get some weathering in there to flatten things down but other than that I'm calling it a day, the lap straps will just have to miss out on this occasion. The solder slugs have all been bedded in to the collector ring and the supporting frame mocked up from brass and plastikard rod. Paint and weathering to follow. Closing the fuselage up allows me to add some detail to the blank canvas offered by Matchbox. Some work still required but I'm happy with this rendition. Need to scratch up a torpedo cradle to hang under this now. Cheers. Erik 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabbit Leader Posted February 28, 2022 Share Posted February 28, 2022 Impressive work Erik, lovely small modifications that will make a bid overall difference. Cheers.. Dave 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 Nearly ready for priming. I've added some detail to the fuselage and fashioned a landing light on the port wing. Need to do some fettling on the undercarriage but I'm happy with it as a first fit. I've also just noticed checking these photos that one of the solder slugs has escaped from the collecter ring! Good job I cut a few spares. Cheers Erik 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Hi @erniewise, I'm intrigued with the little model support unit [vice ? ] that features in your build, something I've never come across before. Any chance you can give me some details please. Thanks in anticipation, Rog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted March 9, 2022 Author Share Posted March 9, 2022 26 minutes ago, roginoz said: Hi @erniewise, I'm intrigued with the little model support unit [vice ? ] that features in your build, something I've never come across before. Any chance you can give me some details please. Thanks in anticipation, Rog. Hello Rog It's actually something I cobbled together from a hand held jewellers vice and "third hand" base. A non cobbled together version https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363173259190?hash=item548ed027b6:g:wOkAAOSw3iBfqY6N is available on Ebay in the UK, obviously not an option for you, but it is manufactered in India so may be available in Oz. Cheers Erik 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roginoz Posted March 9, 2022 Share Posted March 9, 2022 Many thanks for the info, @erniewise, it's a little ripper ! Looked at the Ebay models and I'm sure there's something similar available over here. I'll ask my grand daughter who works in a jewellers shop and see what she can come up with. Thanks for the prompt reply. Rog PS enjoying your Stringbag build and the work you've done to the cockpit ! Carry on !! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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