Xtrakit 1/72 SR.A1 jet fighter flying boat

[Sabrejet]

 

Back in the post-war era, it seemed that in terms of aviation, anything was possible. As a result, many off-the-wall projects made it into the hardware stage, and so it was with the Saunders-Roe SR.A1, a twin-jet flying boat fighter, three of which were made on the Isle of Wight. 

 

Even more amazing, a number of kits of this machine have been produced, with Xtrakit latest to offer it in 1/72 (note that Xtrakit calls it the 'SRA-1', but I think SR.A1 is the correct nomenclature). It's a nice little kit, which includes beaching gear, canopy masks (2 types of canopy), a small PE fret, decals for all three machines and a lovely 3D decal sheet for the instrument panels.

 

 

I didn't mean this to be a WIP, but having spotted a few useful points already, I thought I'd start one now. So please forgive the lack of 'before' sprue shots, but here at least is the parts map:

 

 

 

I aim to build the first prototype, TG263, which first appeared thus:

 

 

It soon gained an 'acorn' fairing at the junction of the fin and tailplane (highlighted) and retained its clear-view canopy (arrowed):

 

 

Later still, it gained a reinforced canopy, arrowed below:

 

 

And also paraded in 'B Condition' marks as G-12-1:

 

 

The second prototype (TG267) crashed and I can't find any photos of it, but this is the #3 machine, TG271:

 

 

And this is the #1 SR.A1 when I saw it at Duxford a while back (I'd also seen it years ago at the Skyfame Museum): it's now at Solent Sky in Southampton.

 

 

To the kit. Just a short intro. It's typical short-run, with a bit of flash on parts (no issues) but the engraved panel lines are really delicate and nicely done.  Before starting I had a look at the parts and one area I wanted to tackle was the gun muzzles, which are quite shallow-cast on the kit (Part 10). I drilled them out:

 

 

Also there are some prominent ejector pin marks, and those which occur on mating faces (fin-to-fin half; tailplane-to-tailplane half for example) will need to be sanded flat. There are also a few less obvious ones which need to be removed (not all do), including this one (arrowed), which I've removed as it will interfere with the installation of the intake assembly (instructions step 5):

 

 

[invidia]

Got mine in the stash, to many projects on the go to start it yet,  

  Going to follow this, although I might have to vac form a canopy so it slides back, kit one looks a little thick.

[Rabbit Leader]

So good to see a WIP thread of this kit so soon. Best of luck with it, I’m sure you’ll do a great job. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Courageous]

Excellent, I'm sure you'll do an excellent job on it.

This is the second thread on this new kit, the other is down in the Prototypes...GB.

My build thread using the Planet kit is here.

 

Stuart

[heloman1]

An interesting subject, a friend of mine in Johannesburg quite a few years ago, produced a kit in1/48th. It may have been under the I&E label or TC Models. At the time, I had a little interest in the subject or would have picked up a copy.

Thanks for starting this post/thread/build. I'll follow with interest.

 

Colin

[Jonny]

Oh wow!

 

As a (very) young boy my father, who worked at RAF Felixstowe, took me to see (and hear!) this aeroplane.  The 'hear' bit amazed me, used as I was to Sunderlands, Sea Otter, Seagull and the like.   I remember standing watching - at a suitable distance - this strange whistling 'something' on the apron.  I dimly remember seeing it take off and fly during an airshow!  I remember that because three Lincolns beat up the station and the noise terrfied me!

 

Many years later, during my first happy visit to Duxford I saw the aeroplane there, and then, some years later, seeing it again  at Solent

 

Oh nostalgia!!   Apologies for hijacking Sabrejet's thread!

 

I wish someone would produce a kit in 1/48 scale!!  Some hope

 

Jonny

[Sabrejet]

24 minutes ago, Jonny said:

Oh wow!

 

As a (very) young boy my father, who worked at RAF Felixstowe, took me to see (and hear!) this aeroplane.  The 'hear' bit amazed me, used as I was to Sunderlands, Sea Otter, Seagull and the like.   I remember standing watching - at a suitable distance - this strange whistling 'something' on the apron.  I dimly remember seeing it take off and fly during an airshow!  I remember that because three Lincolns beat up the station and the noise terrfied me!

 

Many years later, during my first happy visit to Duxford I saw the aeroplane there, and then, some years later, seeing it again  at Solent

 

Oh nostalgia!!   Apologies for hijacking Sabrejet's thread!

 

I wish someone would produce a kit in 1/48 scale!!  Some hope

 

Jonny

 

Must've taken off from the water though? The wheeled beaching gear was just that: not for take-offs!

[Sabrejet]

One thing I did note was the instructions, which are a bit of a minefield. I started with the intake area and the instructions show a number of plastic items and a PE screen. It's quite a fiddle to get together and I elected to replace the PE with brass wire. However, there are two engine compressor faces (parts 68) that need to go in the green area highlighted, but they are not shown in the instructions:

 

 

Step 6 has you attaching the whole assembly to the fuselage, still with no parts 68 fitted:

 

 

Adding to the confusion, the instructions tell you to attach parts '68' incorrectly in the exhaust areas each side! These should in fact be parts 69. Not a major issue but if you don't spot it before gluing the fuselage halves together, you'll get a bit of a see-through look.

 

 

This is how it looks - should look!

 

 

And with the PE replacements in place.

 

 

Cockpit next, which is Step 1. It's what you expect. I imagine the rest will be in the correct order, but I make no guarantees!

[Terry1954]

Great choice of subject Duncan. Very much looking forward to seeing this one come together.

 

I still struggle to accept the concept of turbojets operating from water!

 

Terry

[stevehnz]

Nice going with this Duncan. I'd like to think I'd have sorted the intake exhaust thing out for myself but that doesn't come with a guarantee either, so it is good to be forewarned. Maybe a heads up to Hannants who could include a correction note with each kit  or at least correct the instructions in a further run of these should that occur.

Steve.

[Learstang]

One of my favourite oddball aeroplanes! I didn't realise Xtrakit did this kit. From the plastic (shiny, bluish-grey), it looks like a Sword moulding. I will follow this build with some interest. This is definitely a kit for my to-buy list, and maybe at the top.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

[Jb65rams]

@Learstang You are correct, the moulding is by Sword.

The kit itself was only announced/released last week.

[Jonny]

5 hours ago, Sabrejet said:

 

Must've taken off from the water though? The wheeled beaching gear was just that: not for take-offs!

Yes, of course it did.  RAF Felixstowe was an RAF Station based at Felixstowe, Suffolk - on the coast! I didn't see the need to spell that out in words because I also referred to SUNDERLAND, SEA OTTERs and SEAGULLs!!!  One flying boat and two amphibians.

 

So sorry if that wasn't clear.  One tends to think that places one lived in andknew as a small child afre known to most.

 

Hope this removes any confusion.

 

Jonny

[Sabrejet]

9 hours ago, Jonny said:

Yes, of course it did.  RAF Felixstowe was an RAF Station based at Felixstowe, Suffolk - on the coast! I didn't see the need to spell that out in words because I also referred to SUNDERLAND, SEA OTTERs and SEAGULLs!!!  One flying boat and two amphibians.

 

So sorry if that wasn't clear.  One tends to think that places one lived in andknew as a small child afre known to most.

 

Hope this removes any confusion.

 

Jonny

 

Yes it was the three Lincolns that had me  I know Felixstowe from waaaaay back when it was an experimental station in WW1. I'd just assumed the Lincolns/SR.A1 must have been at a different station. 

[Sabrejet]

Mmmm...🤔 Xtrakit would have you paint the cockpit Interior Green with black instrument panels. While I agree on the black panels, the Interior Green doesn't agree with photos, which either show a pale colour (B&W shots), or in colour, something akin to mid grey.

 

 

 

These are the cockpit parts; it's all a bit fiddly to put together, but I added the parts to the port side part (throttle and trim wheel), the starboard side part (instrument panel), headrest to seat to bulkhead and control column to cockpit floor first, then put these subassemblies together as fewer overall bits to stick together.

 

 

And after paint. The 3D decals were a bit of a pain to get adhered and so I soaked them off the decal sheet, let them dry and then attached them with CA. To my mind the belts and cushions (3D decals) are a bit pale: I'd suggest painting the cushions and replace the belts with PE.

 

 

Then the whole lot attached to the port fuselage side. Sadly you won't see much of it, but it is a little gem of an assembly.

 

 

And I took this shot just to show how tiny the cockpit is when compared to the vastness of the nose section. I have seen references to 'a second crew member' being an option, so I assume this second person would have had their own games room, library and study somewhere in there.

 

 

[Back in the Saddle]

Great choice of model, I shall watch this with interest. It’s coming together nicely so far!

[npb748r]

this aircraft more than any other takes me back to being a young kid in the 60's. There's a black and white picture of the plane taken whilst in flight banked over and from underneath on page 62 of the Wonder Book of the RAF, my favourite book as a child and I was drawn to this photo every time I opened the book.  I was fascinated by the look of this aircraft and the fact that it could land on water.  Not sure what the decals are like on the kit but TG263 is on the underwings in big letters of the picture I have, directly below the roundels. Enjoying the build, whilst I only build 1/32 aircraft, I might have to buy and build this one !

neil

[matford]

The seat is grey

 

but the interior is green

 

 

 

[Sabrejet]

Interior on all shots appears to be very pale - certainly not 'interior green' as I've experienced it. Mmm.

 

Anyway onwards. The kit decal placement guide gives one the impression that the #1 SR.A1 without fin/tailplane 'acorn' fairing can be modelled:

 

 

However to do this version you'll need to file that area flat, and since the 'acorn' on the kit is hollow, you'll need to back it with plastic card or filler before you start filing. So that's what I've done. Good job too because as you can see, there's not much holding it together otherwise!

 

 

 

I put the tailplane on just for a quick fit check. Obviously I will need to fill the resultant gap, but that's no biggie

 

 

 

[gunpowder17]

http://hud607.fire.prohosting.com/uncommon/aircraft/sra1/sra1_15.jpg

 

Found at this web page

http://hud607.fire.prohosting.com/uncommon/aircraft/sra1/index.html

[Terry1954]

Coming along great. Nice work on that tail modification. As you say, not much left holding it together!

 

Terry

[Sabrejet]

Another strange bit in the instructions: the schematics for both port and starboard jet pipe assemblies show what looks like a small fairing underneath each. However all images I have show nothing like it there. Stranger still, this part isn't on the kit parts anyway!

 

 

 

Also we have the issue of parts 68 actually being 69, but we covered that already.

 

 

Another thing I noticed when looking at that area is that TG271 spent much of its short life with pen-nib exhaust fairings, whereas TG263 did not. So that's another thing to consider when doing the different machines:

 

 

 

[Eric Mc]

All very interesting. It shows how experimental these aircraft were.

[RidgeRunner]

A nice project, Duncan. I'll be watching

 

Martin  

[Sabrejet]

Things have progressed a bit. But first off, one tip I'd like to pass on: make sure you attach the jet pipe parts 6&9 and 7&8 plus the jet pipes 69 ('68' in the instructions) BEFORE you glue the fuselage halves together. It's not impossible to fit them afterwards, but it will be a lot easier if you can get to both inside and outside of each fuselage half to be able to place them correctly rather than have them fall into the fuselage interior. They won't fall all the way in, but i was a bit of a fiddle pulling them into position while trying to run glue down the seam.

 

Anyway primer's on:

 

 

 

 

Time for some re-scribing and then wings on.