1/72 Supermarine Attacker prototype

[36feet10inches]

This one has taken me literally 10 years to build, on and (mainly) off! It's the AZ Models kit, I think the subject matter's really interesting as it's the very first British naval jet. The kit comes with instructions to build the prototype "post navalisation", which means the addition of cannon, an arrestor hook and (if that's your thing) folding wingtips. I wanted to portray it during its very first trial flight at RAF Chilbolton in 1947, which means no hook, cannon stubs, and no stencil decals - early pictures of TS409 show it carrying roundels, fin flash, big yellow "P" and s/n's but otherwise clean as a whistle. I've seen this plane described as ugly but I love it, it must have looked very space age in the late 40s and it reminds me of the old Buck Rogers/Flash Gordon series I used to watch as a kid. Uniquely (I think) among jets it has tailwheel, and apparently the exhaust blast used to gouge great trenches in grass airfields.

As a build, it was quite challenging. Usual short-run headaches perhaps. The decals were unbelievably brittle and I spent much happy time nudging them back together with a wet brush. One of the underwing roundels fragmented beyond repair so I had to find some spares, which means the colours in the underwings are very slightly different to the others, but no dramas. The undercarriage was a horror story. My "ah crap" moment (there's always at least one) was when I put a hole straight through the upper wing with a hot needle while trying to put a hole in for the wheel strut to be glued into. You can see the slight colour difference on the port wing where I had to fill it and touch it up. the tailwheel took so imagination to get to stay on. And look at the state of that wing leading edge. So, it's a bit of a dog, but one more on the shelf.

 

[Wurger]

 

[buffnut453]

Always had a soft spot for the Attacker. One of those evolutionary dead-ends that, at the time, was a remarkably pragmatic way to improve aircraft performance based on an existing design.

 

[fubar57]

Nice

 

[36feet10inches]

Always had a soft spot for the Attacker. One of those evolutionary dead-ends that, at the time, was a remarkably pragmatic way to improve aircraft performance based on an existing design.

I think it was the Spiteful wing grafted onto a fuselage that could accommodate a jet engine or something? [Looks on Wiki...] Well, the FAA took delivery of 146 Attackers, none of which saw active service and they were all withdrawn from frontline service within three years. Money well spent then!

 

[36feet10inches]

Found this fantastic film in which TS409 features prominently.

 

[buffnut453]

I think it was the Spiteful wing grafted onto a fuselage that could accommodate a jet engine or something? [Looks on Wiki...] Well, the FAA took delivery of 146 Attackers, none of which saw active service and they were all withdrawn from frontline service within three years. Money well spent then!

Yes, the Attacker did use the Spiteful wing. It rather depends what you mean by "active service". Certainly, no Attackers saw combat but it absolutely was used on active service. Here's a pic showing Attackers of 800 Sqn aboard HMS Eagle at Gibraltar:

 

[36feet10inches]

Yes, the Attacker did use the Spiteful wing. It rather depends what you mean by "active service". Certainly, no Attackers saw combat but it absolutely was used on active service. Here's a pic showing Attackers of 800 Sqn aboard HMS Eagle at Gibraltar:

View attachment 579950

Sorry yes, I meant as in never saw combat. That's a fantastic photograph.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice looking model.

 

[Airframes]

Nicely done.

 

[Gnomey]

Good work!