No 56 Squadron, RAF, 'The Firebirds', 1918 - 2008.

[rochie]

looks great Terry

 

[Will_Derby]

Great tempest Airframes!!! Still now sign of my mate just yet : (

 

[Airframes]

Thanks very much indeed guys.
Zenstar, although I have heard of this equipment, and seen it mentioned in the text of some books, I haven't actually seen one (to my knowledge anyway). I don't really know where to begin to help, although there was a book around some years ago dealing with flight instruments from the period, the title of which I've long fgorgotten. I can only suggest perhaps contacting the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, Technical Section, to see if they can provide any info. This can also be done 'on -line', although some subjects might requirea personal visit.It maight be that some of th UK members here might have some snippets, if you post a request in the relevant section of the forum.

 

[zenstar1974]

Thanks again, Airframes!

 

[A4K]

That is one beautiful Tempest Terry!!! Love the effect of the camo work especially.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Hey Terry, did you see that HobbyBoss have advertised the Tornado ADV 1;48 scale. Gives you the s**ts don't it.

 

[Airframes]

What?!! I've seen the ads showing they've released the Tornado IDS, which was announced around the same time as the ADV, but haven't yet seen anything for the latter. The IDS kit is priced around £38 IIRC - a bit steep, but probably a bl**dy nice kit. I'll have to have a look around, although I have been keeping my eyes open for news of the ADV.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

T, it's shown in the Tamiya Model Magazine Issue 174 Apr 2010 under the Creative Models Limited ad, though I note the web site has not been updated yet.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Vic.

 

[Airframes]

As a slight diversion from the complexities of scratch-building for the 1/32nd scale Mosquito, I thought I'd add to the line-up of 56 Squadron birds, as it's been a long time since the Tempest build.
So, for the second model in the build, I'll be starting work soon on the SE5A, chronologically the first aircraft type used by the Squadron as part of the RAF ( From April 1st, 1918 )
The kit is the old and fairly basic 'Smer' offering which, unlike some of their kits, seems to scale out at 1/48th and not 1/50th scale, which is good news. Although very basic, it provides a sound basis for what I hope will be a decent model, and a good practice area for rigging, as I haven't tackled a biplane for around 30 years!
The pics show those areas which need 'seeing to' before contemplating construction, with the moulded roundels, serial and code numbers, something I haven't seen since the 1950s!
I'll post some progress shots once I get started, which should be in between sessions on the 'Mossie'.

 

[Crimea_River]

Very good Terry. I'm looking forward to your magic being worked on this one. So the SE 5 didn't have raised details for the fatiry workers to roll on the colours?

 

[Airframes]

Ah, never thought of that! Or maybe it's a form of Braille, for the benefit of blind Imperial German Air Service pilots in Jasta 11...!!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Looking forward to it.

 

[T Bolt]

I'd forgotten that kit had the raised detail like that. I don't remember it being too hard to take off. A needle file and sanding, although I left the lacing in the fuselage sides.

 

[Catch22]

"Komm hier so ich kann fühle you up!"

I wouldn't know what to do to go about removing those roundels on the tops of the wings with all the detail that's supposed to be there. Good luck Terry!

 

[Airframes]

No problem Cory - just slice it off, a light sanding, and, if needed, some fine stretched sprue to replace any 'rib' detail lost on the wings. Similar job on the fuselage, fin and rudder. There are also a few ejector pin marks to fill, and some large pins to remove here and there on various parts of the kit.

 

[rochie]

nice one Dogsbody, i think all kits should have those raised details on them then at least i wouldn't put decals on in the wrong places !!!!!!!!

 

[Airframes]

He He ! I remember doing a F84 or something, in an odd scale slightly bigger than 1/48th I think, from Aurora, back in the early 1960s, and painting the markings inside the raised detail. A few years later, I got another kit with the raised marking, and sanded them lightly, applying the decals where the feint marks showed through the paint - cheating, or what?!!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Looking forward to you doing this one, I have the Roden kit sitting in my stash which is to be a replacement for the one I already have in the 56 Sqn line up. My rigging was Heath Robinsonish way back so I'm hoping to improve on it.

Have you worked out who's machine you are doing. I have the WWI biography of 56 "High in the Empty Blue" which has some good detail pics as well as profile and plan drawings. If you are looking for something or needing detail just let me know and we will see what can be conjured up.

 

[Airframes]

Thanks Vic. I haven't decided on a particular machine yet, although I do have basic details of the marking changes after March 1918. I thought of getting either the Roden kit, or even the Revell kit, but for the cheap price of the Smer I thought I'd give it a whirl.
I've got the Squadron Signal book on the SE5, and I think a Mushroom book, but any pics you have of the Squadron's SE5s after 1st April 1918 will help, and anything on the cockpit - I have some pics, but nothing showing the seat, control column or sidewalls.