Swifter: The Swift F7 in Operational Service

Captain Canada · January 16, 2016, 08:04:28 PM

Looking good. Love the wing on this aeroplane....can't wait to get my grubby little hands on one or two !

Gondor · January 18, 2016, 03:54:32 PM

A little progress today when I have not felt like doing much at all.

Started to fix the shrinkage of the new wing tips.

I found that I had some half round plastic strip so I glued a couple of lengths to the front of the extensions. The idea being that the plastic would be less likley to fall off than filler would and it would be easier to produce a leading edge than a super-glue leading edge.

Hope to get the components faired in together tomorrow which probably means by this time next week

Gondor

Gondor · January 19, 2016, 02:25:41 PM

The filler was applied late yesterday or it could have been just after midnight so this morning

So a quick ten minutes of sanding and the job is done.

It's not perfect but as long as it looks good that will be good enough for me.

Next I will work on the missiles as I have a feeling that they will be a p*g

Gondor

Captain Canada · February 05, 2016, 08:27:36 AM

Maybe not perfect but pretty darn close ! Good stuff.

Gondor · February 20, 2016, 12:20:05 PM

Some progress to report on this build.

Now I have something to show as the main part of the construction is getting close.

Had to drill out some of the inside of the new nose to get it to fit but then that's part of modelling

Once the wings are securely in place and the glue has dried properly I will glue the nose into place.

Filler has still to be applied to the missiles and then all the little bits of brass need to be applied to them. Not looking forward too much to that!

Gondor

Captain Canada · February 26, 2016, 04:38:40 AM

Looks like a Lansen on steroids lol.

Love it ! can't wait to see more. My kit is pretty much all together now, just have to think up a scheme

Dizzyfugu · February 26, 2016, 05:28:33 AM

Funny, I have a Swift on the bench at the moment, too - the Xtradecal FR.5, which will end up as a reconditioned 2nd hand aircraft in Middle East use. Not certain if I can post it in the GB, though, but there seem to be some of these aircraft to enter the hardware stage these days?

DogfighterZen · February 26, 2016, 05:27:41 PM

That conversion looks like it's a lot of work, but as you say, it's part of the fun. That Swift's looking very good!

Gondor · February 27, 2016, 03:25:43 AM

Quote from: DogfighterZen on February 26, 2016, 05:27:41 PM
That conversion looks like it's a lot of work, but as you say, it's part of the fun. That Swift's looking very good!

Not really. There are a lot of kits that are far worse straight out of the box, so far all I have had to deal with is nothing out of the ordinary for some resin conversions. A little shrinkage here and there is no big deal. Hopeing to get the PSR done this weekend.

Gondor

Captain Canada · February 27, 2016, 07:08:40 AM

We're hoping so as well

Gondor · March 12, 2016, 04:10:20 PM

Some small progress on this build. I found that removing the nose parts prior to glueing the fuselage half's together has produced a gap in front of the windscreen. I am sure that the clear parts will still fit correctly nut maybe they won't. However I have plugged the gap with some scrap plastic which has been sanded to shape and the combing has been painted black so tomorrow I will get the majority of the glazing in place. Not sure what to do with the control column as it broke when I installed it weeks ago. Ok, it's black and so is the rest of the cockpit so will anyone notice if it's a little bit short? such as half the hight it should be and without a grip?

Gondor

PR19_Kit · March 12, 2016, 05:10:04 PM

Quote from: Gondor on March 12, 2016, 04:10:20 PM
Ok, it's black and so is the rest of the cockpit so will anyone notice if it's a little bit short?

No...........

Gondor · March 13, 2016, 11:44:37 AM

So a few parts have been glued to the fuselage, the front glass work is in place though I need to do some polishing as I got some glue on the forward side panels?

Started work on a couple of missile launch rails and pylons after looking around for the actual missile and rails to use. Firestreak rather than the horrible Fireflash missiles. I am using the launch rails for the Firestreak equipped Hunter as the basis for the launcher although its not going to be exactly the same. The missiles and launch rails are from a Trumpeter Lightening F-6 kit.

Also glued the undercarriage legs into place so it can at last stand on it's own three feet

Gondor

Gondor · March 21, 2016, 05:12:58 PM

Ailerons, Rudder and tail plains are now in place so the darn thing wants to sit on its donkey

Guess who forgot to add nose weight

All is not lost, I hope $:-\$ as I have stuffed the front of the external fuel tank with some small weights. With luck when I add the missiles, their launch rails, the ejector seat and canopy the weight problem will have been solved. Still got the flaps to add though which will put more weight behind the centre of mass

Gondor

Gondor · March 22, 2016, 04:25:44 PM

For a change some progress pics, mainly of a few bits I have thrown together.

You would have seen the inspiration for these in a previous posting but these are the finished, or as near as I am going to both, item

Here is one of the Starboard pylon fitted in place

And one of the Port pylon in place

I had held one of the Firestreak's onto its pylon to help me guestimate where the pylon needed to go. The rear of the pylon is against the panel line which I believe represents the panels joining onto the main wing spar. The Firestreak is being held in place with a drop of white glue as I need to paint almost everything on the aircraft.

Here is the aircraft with Firestreak on its undercarriage sans wheels. As you can see there is enough clearance between the Firestreak and the ground.

Still tones to do, a little filler to be added at the front of the missile pylons to help hide a slight gap, but nothing serious so tomorrow I should be getting the Aluminium paint out, otherwise known as Humbrol 56.

As mentioned in a previous posting, the Firestreak's and their launch rails are from a Trumpeter Lightening F6 which may end up as 60 Squadron, the pylon is based on the Firestreak pylon for the Hunter but turned upside down. I looks a lot like the pylons used on the Sea Vixen, certainly I think it looks period which is what I am after.

Gondor

Edit: Just did a tilt test, rotating the aircraft on the main undercarriage, to see if the rear of the Firestreak's would hit the ground. Yes they do as the model is at the moment. Guessing a couple of millimetres for the main wheels and the tail of the aircraft hits the ground before the Firestreak does.