**** DONE: 1/48 Fairey Swordfish MK.I - Defense of Britain/Atlantic.

[fubar57]

This is the ERTL/AMT kit Vic and though I haven't gone into very detailed review reading yet, it seems there are some profile and detail issues. Depending on the reviewer, you either love it or loathe it. Frankly, to me, if it says A-10 on the box....it's an A-10.

Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks George, I was curious as I'd picked up a cheap kit at a jumble sale (minus decals only….I hope) and wondered if they would be the same kit. Mines a Tamiya and as you say, an A-10, a favourite of mine. They used to fly low, very low over my house in England, pilots waving to us.

 

[parsifal]

Geo, looks good to me. if there are problems, they are not apparent in the photos. press on my man, press on

 

[rochie]

I lime it Geo, though it has strengthened my no Biplanes rule !

 

[ozhawk40]

Looking good Geo!

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Geo.
That A-10 kit looks like it was originally from ESCI - the ground support stuff on the box was also issued by them, before being acquired by what was Italieri, later Italeri. As it was from the late 1970's, it's very probably modeled on an early prototype, hence the inaccuracies, if any.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks guys and Terry, I'll have to keep that in mind when I get around to building it. Today is that day when it was a bad time to get out of bed...

...I was attaching the last of the P.E. braces when my super glue bottle decided to spring a leak. As I was wearing gloves to protect the finish, I never felt the leak. Fortunately the new Airfix spitfire kit I just acquired contains the only roundels I have that matches this one.


Geo

 

[Airframes]

B*gg*r !

 

[Vic Balshaw]

What a bummer Geo. What is the diameter of that roundel, I've a couple of differing size spares of that pattern I can send you rather than using your Spitfire ones.

 

[Gnomey]

That's a real bummer, just as well you have the spare set Geo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Dr. Gnomey and thanks for the offer Vic but I'm good on the roundels. The one I'm going to use is for the pre war 19Sqn. and won't be building that. I may have used some words a tad stronger Terry. On the plus side, attach some small parts, antenna and some minor touch-up, she be done.



Geo

 

[fubar57]

Sigh.....it was inevitable; the tail mast for the antenna finally detached itself after threatening to do so since Day 1 and disappeared into the void. Using some stretched sprue and a piece meant to cover the stabilizer in the event that the P.E. rigging wasn't used, I managed to eke out a facsimile.

Geo

 

[Wurger]

 

[Airframes]

Nice one !

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Glad I'm not the only one having problems with those silly little aerial masts George. I know it's related to economical production but I would much prefer them being an add on part. My solution is usually to replace them with a drilled in metal rod, flattened if need be. Much more robust.

No worries about the decals, still there should you need them.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Vic and I agree about replacing the antenna but for the life of me, I couldn't get the drill or pilot hole to work.




Geo

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Not sure if this will help you George but for drilling small holes I use a very sharp scribing tool to mark the point of drill entry, it is so sharp that the point is protected by a bit of heat-shrink tube. The drill is micro 0.35mm (#80) and needs to be used very gently as they do break if applying too much pressure, I usually let the drill bit pull itself in with minimum added pressure. Lastly of course, the pin vice.

 

[Crimea_River]

This one's fighting you to the end Geo.

 

[fubar57]

Thanks Vic, normally I use a pin to start a pilot hole but I think all the superglue I added trying to save the antenna may be the culprit. I have one of those pin vices but the shank of the micro drill would only seat about a ¼" down. Mostly my doing Andy; end is near, not paying attention, eight thumbs. To further put you off the P.E. rigging, the last 6 pieces(tail braces, center wing braces and torpedo bar sight) weren't even close to fitting. If I were to find a Mk.II as cheap as this one or another Mk.I to convert to a Mk.II(very easy to do) I would add my own rigging. Either way requires some forethought as when to add the rigging. Not shown in the instructions is to add the sight bars AFTER the center wing braces. The sight bars would be the hardest to scratch build due to their shape - either side of A...

...the little bumps on the tops of the bars were light bulbs used for sighting...

Geo

 

[fubar57]

Replacement tail mast. I elected to attach the antenna wire first so I wouldn't knock it off while trying later.

Geo