This is Airfix's recent tooling of the Supermarine Swift FR.5 in 1/72nd scale. It is a very well detailed model, as with all of the new tooling that are coming out of Airfix's design department. The only issue that I had was with the cockpit tub fitting into the fuselage. A little bit of sanding and filing was needed to the outer surfaces of the interior tub to allow the fuselage halve to close up properly. Otherwise, a trouble free build with such a wonderful kit.
Airfix have given two options on schemes with this kit. The first is of the RAF No.79 Squadron based in Gutersloh, Germany in April 1956 and the second is of RAF N0.11 (AC) Squadron based in Jever, Germany in 1956. I went with the 79 Squadron version with the PRU Blue underside, because I thought it looked different from the normal grey versions you usually see. I used Xtracrylix paints for the scheme on the model, cleared it with Alclad Aquaclear gloss before decaling and finishing with Alclad's flat clear.
In all, a very nice kit to build, as with all of the new tooling kits from Airfix that I have built, a pleasure to build them. I can highly recommend this kit of the Swift and hope that Airfix release some different versions of the Swift at some point.
This is the old Aifix tooling from the 1970's, which had originally been started by my grandson's friend who lost interest in it after one day. So as it was lying around, I decided to not let it go to waste and finish it off.
I wanted to do something different and first decided to have the Spitfire flying. But this had been done so many times, so I went down a different path and had the aircraft taking off after a Scramble. Construction was as normal, par the instructions. But I did a few cuts on the wings and rudder to position the aerolons, tail-planes and rudder as if the aircraft was doing a steep climb and turn. The undercarriage was altered to represent the struts retracting into the wings after taking off. I had thought about motorising the prop, but then realised that it did not warrant the cost of the motor for this model, so after a few attempts, I used a disc of clear acetate and painted the spinning blades on it . These will do for now, but I may replace it with either a better version of it or some photo etched ones instead.
The model was painted using Alclad 2's Mil-Spec paints and one of the kit decal options, sealed with Alclad's flat clear. I mounted the model on a length of acrylic rod glued to a hole in the underside of the fuselage which was then glued to a piece of routered MDF. The base was stained, varnished and the top was finished with some scenic scatter before mounting the aircraft to it. A quick build for an old kit to have a break in-between some other project, but with a little bit of imagination added to it.
Hi everyone.
All I can do is apologise for the lack of updates on WIP's and finished projects. The last six or so months have been a little hectic with one thing and another. The club I started last year with two other people has been the biggest interruption with my general life. There has been some problems caused by these two people which has ended up with me leaving the club along with several others, with us starting a new one in its place. I will get to this new club later.
Okay, on to the backlog of finished projects and some current WIP's on the bench at the minute. I will do individual post on here for each completed build to bring you all up to date things. This will start with a Supermarine Spitfire which was finished last summer, followed by the Supermarine Swift, a Volkswagon "Beetle" 230 Gas Generator, a FV101 Scorpion tank and finish with a F-117A Nighthawk. Once these have be done, I will start on the WIP's which are ongoing at the minute and hopefully keep up to date with them as work progresses.
Another thing, I have also given up my website which I had. This has mainly been down to lack of time to do anything on it for the last few years. It seemed to be a waste of money paying for the hosting when it was not getting updated . So I will slowly start to do some changes on this blog and add some of my best early builds to here in their own sections. All additions will be announced on the main posting page here.
So let's get updating things.
