jssel's Red B or hooking a big big fish***finished***

[jssel]

Airfix code 2005-1 Catalog number 285.

Red B serial HS158 Squadron yet unknown.

[jssel]

Queing up for the start.

The subject of choice will be red B, HS158 a Swordfish II of 816 sqdn HMS Tracker 1943. There is some discussion whether the B should be red or black. I love the rockets.

The real deal:



Gee, no cones out stating "slippery when wet."

The box:



The innards. Note to perferated "hanger" where the Airfix logo is.




Not the first issue of the kit but it has to be an early one.

[Dirkpitt289]

Looks like it could be a little challenging

[jssel]

Frankly Dirk, I'm scared.

[PaulBradley]

Not the first issue of the kit but it has to be an early one.

That's a Type 4 box, 1972 to 1975. The Swordfish was first released in 1959.

[JamesPerrin]

Now that's what I call box art!

[MerlinJones]

I'm building the same kit...and it's showing its age.
Hannants have the Airwaves PE set for this kit. I'm not buying it, but I will be using the pdf. documentation for it to see what I could do extra, with plasticard.

Regards,
Bruce

[jssel]

@Paul Bradley. Thanks for the info Paul. Never seen that style before.

@Merlin. My feelings exactly. Alan Hall did it with very little cardstock and sprue. No P.E. on this one for me. Just trying to do a good basic build.

[Dirkpitt289]

Frankly Dirk, I'm scared.

In this case I think its healthy

[jssel]

Ready to start in the morning. Lots of parts to clean up. You have to love the "potholes" around the cowl.

For this build my prime references will be the Swordfish in Action-Squad/Sig.
Paul Bradley is sending me the Alan Hall build article. A couple of cockpit pictures from the Tamiya website of the 1/48 scale kit. I will be calling on the scratchbuilding gods for this. Yes, some proper model building. Finally, I will be watching all the others for great tips and ideas.

[jssel]

According to my clock and calender it is July 1st so the first report is filtering in.

Added to my references is a downloaded copy of the Eduard bits for the Tamiya kit. This is helping me a bunch as to what I may wish to add and where it should go.

First the bench lay out. Everything in easy grasp. Some ref.photos laid out. All ready.



After a little parts nipping, various pieces are looked over for flash (there is a little) sink holes (there is some small dimples except for the cowl piece where they are huge) and clean up commences.



Now Brews is right. We only have a month. So my "to do" list is short. Goal is to make a basic, clean model that highlights what make a Swordfish what it is. First on the list will be to fill that cavern of a cockpit. Even a little will make a huge difference.

When this GB was announced, I carefully took the curled decal sheet and straightening it out, taped it in the south window and let the sun do it's thing. Well, now, I have an old but useable decal sheet.

[jssel]

The Airfix cockpit is, well, non-existant so I have begun work on the cockpit shelving piece. The blank itself fits nicely over the pins and braces already moulded in.

Sorry for the poor photography but here is the work in progress.

[jssel]

Well, I have made a little more progress on the Fish.



Rear cockpit deck has been pre-fashioned out of a discarded plastic picnic plate. Don't worry, you get used to people staring at you while "dumpster diving" for useable stuff. They say, "Oh, there's Jeff, he builds those plastic models, you know." The interior of the fuselage is cleaned out and puttied to fill scars. Wings are assembled and filed down a bit. Torpedo has been modified with a shroud made from a drinking straw(ready to fit).Generally, most parts by now have been cleaned up and made ready to use.

[jssel]

Today included using the photos of the insides of the Tamiya 'Fish to use as reference for some interior work.

First, roughly drawing in the locations of rear cockpit interior tubing with a pencil than stretching the sprue to match. I used black sprue so it would contrast the color of the plastic. In some areas the pieces are over extended so they will be trimmed back so the floor board will fit.

Both sides were done this morning.




Now, please excuse me as it is a CAVU day with temps in the 70'sF. Family and I are stepping outside.

Cheers

[PaulBradley]

On it right now Jeff - hope it isn't too late for you....Sorry!