Airfix 1/72 Fairey Swordfish ( the old one! )

[1275GT]

Hi all. After finally finishing off the Wildcat, I thought I'd jump straight in with the next one out of the box and came up with this. Looks like the usual basic Airfix fare, so I splashed out on a few treats for it, though that engine looks like it's going to be fun, and I'm not really sure where I'm going to start with those leading edge flaps - any suggestions would be gratefully recived.

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Cheers, Neil

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[colin m]

The swordfish is a great looking plane, I've never built one but it's certainly on the to do list. Looking forward to see how this 'old' offering from Airfix comes out.

Regards

Colin M...........

 

[Dave W]

If your not confident you can replace the leading edge slats dont bother with them.The replacement engine should be a big enough improvement on its own.

 

[1275GT]

Wakey, wakey at the back !! Yep, still doing this !! Got to grips with the PE set and is looking quite good, I think - I need to try and find some good reference shots of the rear cockpit for the gun mounting, etc, but I think I can get on with the basic construction now, as most of that will be fairly accessable.

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Cheers, Neil

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[colin m]

Yes, erm still awake, even at this time on a Saturday night. Well actually having a break from 1:72 scale PE....................specsavers - soon !! Well I'm glad to see this one moving along. As I sort of said before, I need one of these (well maybe the new tool)

Colin M..........

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Always a treat to see an old kit brought up to date and done using modern techniques and materials. This is looking the business and the additional detail is going to look perfect.

I love old Airfix anyway but seeing them built this way really does make me smile.

 

[1275GT]

Right, I'm not sure how these things are viewed on this forum, but I've cheated !! I wanted to do the MkIII version, and was quite prepared to have a go at making up the required bits. However, on a Fleabay trawl, I noticed the old Matchbox kit listed as a MKI/III, so I thought I'd give it a go and see what it was like, hoping I'd at least get the red code letters and serial numbers I want to do the RAF version.

So I find one, win it ( for the princely sum of £4 all in !) and it arrived today. Happilly, while I get the decals I wanted, I also get a much nicer lewis gun & rockets/launchers & prop, the radome and a couple of small detail parts missing from the Airfix kit - happy days ! It's funny, as the rest of the kit is a bit pants, tbh, but I'll have enough left over fo some sort of project - maybe a forced landing/battle damage experiment, perhaps..........

I'll bung some pics up when I've fleeced the relevant bits.

Cheers, Neil

 

[papa 695]

Hi Neil i wouldn't say cheating i would say using your initiative ive got the same kit to do next i dont want to seal your thunder but could you tell me where you got the engine for it from many thanks

Ian

 

[1275GT]

Hi Ian, "seal" away !! At my pace, I suspect you'll be finished way before me !! I got mine from Hannants, but other good modeling retailers are available.............. :P

Cheers, Neil

 

[papa 695]

Thanks for the info Neil ( "seal" ) missedout the T should be steal your thunder

 

[yak face]

Great start neil, nice to see an old airfix kit getting some love too! Its in no way a cheat using the two kits to get a better result, just a means to an end. looking forward to the stringbag coming along, cheers tony

 

[1275GT]

Hi all, the tortuse has returned !! Got a few bits done, including nicking the first bit of the Matchbox kit. Got the windows cut in that, and in both sides of the fuselage - not sure if the shape is correct on the starbord side, but it at least give the right impression. Made a start on the Lewis gun mounting, only to realise it's too far rearward!! But I'm sure a small "adjustment" will have it back where it should be....!

While I'm here, I'm not 100% about how to go about filling the window holes - I was thinking contacta clear, but are they too big? The other option I though of was clear epoxy.........I figured on sticking something to the outside to give me a flush flat edge, but can anyone suggest something it won't stick to???

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Cheers, Neil

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[yak face]

hi neil, micro Kristal Kleer is perfect but if you havent got any, pva glue should do fine. Just thinit a little and use a cocktail stick to rub a drop round the edges of the opening then try and draw it across so it forms a seal over the opening . Once dry it should be perfectly clear, you can do this after all the painting and decalling has been finished , and another bonus is that its water soluble when wet so if you make a mess you can wipe it off and try again. hope this helps , cheers tony p.s great progress on the stringbag!

 

[Vaughan]

Hi Neil

I've used Humbrol ClearFix in the past. Works on the same principle that tony has explained and on the bottle it says that it is suitable for creating small windows. I used it on my Trumpeter 1/24 BF109G6 to create the bullet-proof glass behind the pilot and it worked very well considering the size of nearly 1cm. Here's an image hope this helps.

Vaughan

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[1275GT]

Thanks for the hints, gents............sounds like some experimentation is in order !! Might slow the build down a bit though - if I go any slower I'll be glueing bits back onto the sprues !!

Cheers, Neil

 

[1275GT]

Hello again....the snail returns !! Pretty much finish the cockpit construction now I think......now to ruin it all with some paint !!

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Cheers, Neil

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[colin m]

Well, I've well and truley lost all claim to being the slowest builder on this forum. Nice to see it moving along again.

Colin M.........

 

[1275GT]

LoL......do I get a prize, Colin??? Just don't make it a kit - if it goes to the back of the stash, it'll never get made...

 

[papa 695]

Hi Neil coming along nicely Theres nothing wrong with steady away

 

[1275GT]

FINALLY.....interior complete and fuselage together. The seams are pretty awful and are going to need a lot of work, as is the lower wing join. Headrest needs re-shaping, the buldge and faring for the forward firing machine gun need to go, and I'm going to try and do something with that nasty seam in the rear cockpit.....next update around Febuary, then

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Cheers, Neil

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