Griffin Engined Tempest Light Fighter

[Gondor]

I know that sever members of this forum do not buy some if any modelling magazines, however I do as research material, a list of kits that are due to be released and ranges of additional details and outlets as well as a source of inspiration.

This build is defiantly of the latter flavour. June this year saw the publication of an article in Model Aircraft entitled "Hawker Fury Rhinoplasty". The basis of the build was to use either a PM or Airfix Sea Fury as well as a DB Models/Flightpath Merlin 85 power egg and simply replace the Centauraus of the Fury with the new power egg which had a contra rotating prop added to it.

Sounds simple you may think, and in fact the build in the magazine was. However, don't you like howeverer's as you know something has gone wrong, there was an accompanying article which had two of the three photographs I know of the aircraft in question which shows from the side view that simply adding the power egg in place of the Centauraus was not exactly what was done in reality.



The decision to use the Merlin 85 power egg for the Griffin is based on the following. The engine cowling used for the MkVI Lancaster's was called "The Universal Cowling". The cowling was designed for use with either the Merlin or Griffin engines hence it being called the Universal cowling. I know there was a similar cowling designed for the Shackelton, but that was several years after the time frame of the Griffin engine being mounted in the Universal cowling on the Tempest Light Fighter airframe. The picture bellow also shows a similar front to the Universal as opposed to the Shackelton.



Gondor

[Gondor]

So now that I have established why I am using the engine I have chosen for this build and my reasoning behind the decision, lets get on with the build shall we?

The Major components..  or is that combatants ?





The propeller in the top image is from a CMK Seafire 47 if I remember correctly.

The other main difference is the inner wing leading edge radiators. I only have clear evidence of the Port side wing root, as in picture 2 of the previous posting, and am lead to believe that the Starboard inner wing had a similar radiator.



Fortunately as I am going to be building a Sabre VII powered version as well as the Griffin version I will have the second smaller radiator available from that source.

Gondor

[kitnut617]

You're right Gondor, it was more like the Universal power egg.  What I did on my conversion was to cut the front off the Centaurus cowling and substituted it with a Shackleton's cowling front as it comes from the Frog kit (which just happens to be the same diameter).  I then suitably modified the Shackleton part to look like the Fury's.





Props are the Aeroclub replacement set, the spinner was the Shackleton spinners plus what was left of an Airframe MB5 spinner to make the front one more pointed. The Seafire prop is not big enough in diameter, you need something around 12'-6" and the Seafire is only 11'-0" plus they're the wrong shape altogether.

[Gondor]

The decision about what to do with the join area took several days of thinking. but I finally came up with an answer which I think and hope will provide an accurate depiction of the real aircraft.



First I will remove the hook attachment area as depicted by the red circle. Next I will remove the red shaded area at the front of the aircraft. This corresponds with a vertical panel line behind the louvres and exhausts of the Sea Fury. The remaining raised area above the wing root will be sanded down to become flush with the rest of the fuselage in the area as this feature is not apparent in any photographs that I know of.



The above photograph shows where I will be removing material from the power egg to correspond with the photographs of the real aircraft.the cooling flap on the underside of the power egg will also be removed as I can not see such an item being present on the real aircraft nor can I believe there would be one fitted when there are large outlets below the rear of the exhausts!

Gondor

Next time, actual cutting  

[kitnut617]

The PM/Airfix Sea Fury kit is not correct though, photos in Hawker Sea Fury in Action clearly show that there was an air intake on both sides of the cowling, the Griffon was the same and you only have to look at a Firefly to confirm this.  The Griffon Fury didn't have the oil cooler in the leading edge.

[Gondor]

Thanks for the info on the propellers Kitnut617. I have found a plastic set of contra rotating props from a Seafang that I intend to modify to take a set of Shackleton props  

I think for the intakes in the wing leading edges I will go with what was modelled in this article http://modelingmadness.com/review/allies/gb/hobbinsfury1.htm which has the smaller intake in both wing leading edges.

Next to no modelling time tonight so I am hoping to get something done tomorrow, even if it is just adjusting the wings and intakes.

Gondor

[Gondor]

On further reflection I am going to stick with my original choice of propellers for several reasons, though I am willing to be proven wrong and there defiantly has to be proof!

1) The lower photograph in my first posting of this thread and holding up the engine with propellers together look very very close to being the same.

2) If I stick with what I was going to use it is less work for me.

3) Its a set of props from a Spitfire which when powered by a Griffin engine so they are likely to be similar if not the same.

4) It's my build and I will build it the way I want to.

4) I have no information to say what propellers were used so I will go with numbers 1 and 3 followed closely by number 2

Gondor

[kitnut617]

There's no problem with that Gondor, but here's something to keep in mind, the Tempest/Typhoon had a prop of 13'-9" diameter and the Sea Fury's was only a tad smaller.  12'-6" is already quite a bit on the small size and I believe the contra-prop on the Griffon Fury was the same as the Martin Baker MB5's.

[The Wooksta!]

Few pointers with regard to the PM Sea Fury:

Fill the wing fold lines, sand the trailing edges down before assembling the wings (dreadfully thick otherwise).  You may want to open out the u/c bays and IF you can get the Aeroclub Sea Fury u/c, I'd advise it.  Failing that, replace the wheels.  The Special Hobby two seat Fury will give you a nice resin cockpit tub.

Prop.  Not 100% certain but I think the one in the photo of the real thing is a De Havilland whereas the Seafire 47 used a Rotol.  The blade shape is very different.  IIRC, the Shackleton used De Havilland contraprops and I used one for my SEAC RAF Wyvern F1.

[Gondor]

Found that I had the Airwaves Hawker Sea Fury etched brass set so the interior will now be covered for both this build and the Sabre version I will be building later. I will have a look to see if I can find the Aeroclub Undercarriage set as I agree that would be a vast improvement Lee.

Gondor

[Gondor]

Nothing happening for a while now unfortunatly. What was supposed to be a quick build has stalled 

Gondor

[Pablo1965]

 It will be a powerfull plane, surely with  high performances. 

[Gondor]

Progress has finally be made! I have started removing the rear part of the donor engine. As usual progress is slow but at least its some progress.

Gondor

[Tophe]

Wow!

[Gondor]

Very little work done on this today which has been spent looking at the other Hawker Fighter builds I have from roughly the same time frame which also includes LA610 with Sabre VII and a Tempest I.
Much cutting has taken place today which has resulted in the working area of my modelling bench being very cluttered today. In a way I am glad that a purchase I recently made of an A3 sized cutting mat was not as shown on the website so it will be sent back after a phone call to the seller on Monday. I prefer making more mess on the modelling bench rather than clearing up the whole table and sorting out what is there. Who knows what I will find on the rest of the table when I get the correct cutting mat and have to clean up the bench 

Gondor