Historical References

For either boxing of the new-tool Airfix Swordfish.
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JohnRatzenberger
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Historical References

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

A good place to ask historical questions and to post historical reference material.

Please observe our FAQ re copyright, etc.


I'll lead off with the Swordfish specific stuff on my bookshelf:

First, the two must-read books which, in truth, should just be kept on your nightstand nearby, just in case ....

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And these, not in any particular order ....

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PaulBradley
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Re: Historical References

Post by PaulBradley »

This month's Flypast magazine has an 18-page profile on the Swordfish - some interesting stories and photos.
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jssel
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Re: Historical References

Post by jssel »

John, you are ready, sir. I have the in action plus stuff from the original group build. The local Book World carries FlyPast. Will check it out. Thanks Paul
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Re: Historical References

Post by splash »

I took this photo at RNAS Yevilton 2011 airday, I thought it might help with the rigging.

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Regards Splash
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jssel
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Re: Historical References

Post by jssel »

Nice. You guys are sure fortunate to have this stuff around.
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beany
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Re: Historical References

Post by beany »

Below are some photos I took at the Malta Aviation Museum in 2011 of their "basket case" Swordfish. Here are some extracts of the museum blurb:

"Restoring the Aircraft

On Thursday 16 September 2004 a forty foot long container arrived at the Malta Aviation Museum in Ta' Qali. Inside was the skeletal fuselage and wing parts of Swordfish HS491, which had been purchased by the Foundation from Mr Bob Spence of Canada. Bob is the proud owner of a functional Swordfish Reg No HS554.

The Fairey Swordfish, one of the rarest World War II airplanes is awaiting restoration as another long-term project to be undertaken the museum as soon as the restoration of the Hawker Hurricane MkIIA is completed.

The restoration of the Swordfish would take about 10 years and cost close to half a million liri. The museum is extremely grateful to its volunteers who carry out painstaking restoration which commercially costs about Lm30 an hour.

The aircraft parts were purchased for 50,000 Canadian dollars, or Lm13,000. The money came mainly from a hefty donation by David Dalton, a British flying enthusiast. The proceeds from the sale of a 1982 Cadillac donated by the late Charles Puglisevich, former honorary consul general of Malta in Newfoundland, also went towards the purchase.

Only 12 of this plane remain worldwide and the Aviation Museum will give its plane pride of place with other aircraft at the Battle of Malta Memorial Hangar which the museum is planning to build by September 2005.

Out of the 12 surviving Swordfish in various stages of restoration, one is in flying condition in Canada, two are in the UK with the Fleet Air Arm and there is another also at the Fleet Air Arm which is being restored to flying condition.

The Swordfish, HS491, which the museum bought, was made in February 1943 for the Royal Canadian Air Force. It had been dumped in a scrap yard after it was written off in 1946. Mr Spence bought it in the 1970s, cannibalising it to restore another Swordfish.

The Swordfish the museum will restore had not operated in Malta. The third model ever produced in Britain, the K5934, was delivered to the anti-aircraft cooperation unit in Malta, along with another good number of Swordfish planes. "


My apologies for the blur/camera shake but the lighting really wasn't brilliant in this part of the museum (the canopy seen in some of the photos positioned behind the Swordfish is that from an Aichi Val).

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Also, here is a scan of a print I took at Middle Wallop Airshow back in the mid 90's, just for good measure.
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I have the float plane box in the stash so may take a stab at that one later today and join in.

Cheers
Al.

EDIT: That last photo reminded me that I actually posted a short clip of the Swordfish on Youtube (it was 1994 by the way - analogue footage and horrible sound but worth a look I reckon).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YX0WCEveGYs;
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Re: Historical References

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Thank you, great interior shots.
I shall have to drill out the underside of the gun ring now ....
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Re: Historical References

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Swordfish rigging.

I won't insult anyone's intelligence by giving a full diagram, the incidence wires (X fore-aft between each pair of struts), the landing and flying wires are all pretty obvious in the box art and in numerous photos.

Here are some of the finer points.

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There are two tail brace wires, shown in a purple color. Airfix has put little dimples on the fin in the appropriate place, but no marks on the stab - they should attach right where the brace meets from underneath.

Control cables. Airfix has molded on 3 control cable openings on the fuselage, although they aren't opened up and the upper one is a bit small. If you look at the colors, you may see that:
-- the cable from the top hole (light green) goes to the lower control horn on the stab.
-- the cable from the middle hole (dark blue) goes to the control horn on the rudder.
-- the cable from the lower hole (light blue) goes sharply up and then over the top of the stab to the upper control horn. This should be run last so as to be on the outside of the other two.

Moving to the front of the model, see the purple wire coming from the outside front of the center section down to a panel join on the nose. About half the completed models I have seen, to include kit reviews, seem to leave this wire out. Airfix provides no dimples for this wire.

Last, there is also a wire (orange) coming down from the inner front strut to a place about 1/3 along the leading edge. That's usually easy to see, but I have seen people leave it off. Airfix provides no dimples for this wire.

Happy rigging !!!
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Re: Historical References

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My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
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Re: Historical References

Post by PaulBradley »

Just remembered this:

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Re: Historical References

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My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Historical References

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Thanks, Splash - Bob Pearson's research & artwork is excellent; I've had the Flower page book-marked for years. He has a couple books on WW1 aviation that are standards now.
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Re: Historical References

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My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Historical References

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Thanks, Splash, these are great !!!
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Re: Historical References

Post by jssel »

Can anyone tell me if all the 'fishes on the Taranto Raid carry the extra fuel tank in the cockpit and drop the extra crewmember? i am readding information on it that indicates the truth in that but just curious.
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