Looking at a nice picture on the wall, nicely sent by a friend here :) , I decided to build a plastic Sea-Vixen FAW2, and to what-if her, I planned Forward Swept Wings (FSW2, Famous Sea Wixen Mk2...) :) I considered also a low tailplane, in titanium right behind the jet exhaust, to provide vertical thrust for STOL (PolluxD7 way, thanks... :) ).
I opened the Revell 1/72 box of mine and... problem: one frame of parts is in double, and one is lacking. :(
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FExtra1%2Fr_122-2261_IMG.jpg&hash=9be600478c2c6634f8fe67cdc4fc252b89ce1924)
A few years ago, I would have been very sad :( , writing complaint :angry: or something, but now I am a happy what-iffer, and I can handle the situation with a smile: :P
- which part is missing? Tailplane! All right: no tailplane, just a flying wing, with booms for the rear fins :blink: :D
- which parts are in double? Wings! All right: this will be a X-wing freak (or >--< wing...) wiXen, yes! :wacko: :D
Maybe in one week, it may be done...
Looking forward to seeing the result.
Regards,
Greg
One of my main problem with 1/72 planes (1/144 was not common when I bought all those kits in the 1980s-90s...) is the size which is too big :( , mainly the span. So everything that reduces span is positive for me :) . Here:
- the angle of external wings in anhedral/dihedral will reduce the horizontal span :)
- I have removed the little part of the main wing outside the booms :) on one side below:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FExtra1%2Fr_122-2262_IMG.jpg&hash=c405bef550f117c9231ff4a95cca0b2a974632bc)
this will reduce the span by 1 inch. The X-wings can be fixed directly on the booms, that will even be more easy to attach them, and will simplify the aspect, with forward sweep for all outside the booms :)
(In the frame of parts which is missing was not only the tailplane: also the canopy support, so this model cannot be perfect at all, just trying to provide me with a smile...)
On the way to completion: :)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FMaquettes%2Fr_122-2265_IMG.jpg&hash=69bef8caf359d2fce603c9b0e8c36bf81ed76a00)
Still remain to glue: the low wings, then yellow paint all, then add a black canopy, and this is all. Without putty and sanding, as this is just a very quick build, not intended to be perfect, just a therapeutic way to remind me modelism is plain fun... :P
The freak is born... (thanking BlackOps' X-wing Gripen http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...?showtopic=9567 (http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index.php?showtopic=9567) once again...)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FMaquettes%2Fr_122-2267_IMG.jpg&hash=89314d56729197aca945cbf7ed116cb0d34e93cc)
At last, I completed the "X-wing from front" by a "X-wing from above" layout, rather than all FSW. This is the Sea-^viXen 2, simply.
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FMaquettes%2Fr_122-2266_IMG.jpg&hash=d4826b18d03736c54178be98eabbdea6ac5d6757)
Tophe, that is fantastic! Great idea to use the Sea Vixen as an X version :)
Jeff G.
Cool, Love the forward/backward swept wings.
:cheers:
Patrick
Nice to see that my postcard inspired something!
You know I think this would also look really good with a rounded nose rather than the pointed nose. Seems like it would fit in with the aircrafts natural curves.
Jeff G.
You are very right, while this is not further what-ifing, as the Vixen was like that at first:
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.icarusbooks.com%2Fimages%2FMatthews-DH110.JPG&hash=344e4f8d4dd2024f018b374bd028e019d86de4bd)(book from http://www.icarusbooks.com/hpm.htm (http://www.icarusbooks.com/hpm.htm) )
But I will probably not do this change as my Sea-Xixen is a very-quick minimum-pain build, without putty nor sanding at all...
By no means did I think you should change it, just thinking out loud...And it's always good to have a minimal-pain build :) For some reason everything I'm currently working on seems to need a ton of putty.
Jeff G.
Just the canopies remaining to paint and glue and this will be done!
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FMaquettes%2Fr_122-2271_IMG.jpg&hash=13716a56456b9040d2d4348b1c0cb7eeede85da2)
Too Cool! I love the color choice :)
Jeff G.
The colour is pleasant while not completely what-if :( see http://www.dehavilland.net/seavixen.html (http://www.dehavilland.net/seavixen.html)
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dehavilland.net%2Fsidebar%2F12.jpg&hash=4bd4dcb4f6bec2fca8bf4793ebac490ec0387bc7)
I have painted the canopy. Finishing is scheduled for tomorrow evening...
The picture above (of the Sea-Vixen) made me dream of a Zwilling Vea-Vixen Mk 2Z (below)... :wacko: :
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FExtra1%2FViVixen.jpg&hash=34d5b44b72e8a369f5a924f8ff0feef28a872250)
The question is: as there are 2 tailplanes, this is a twin-tail plane, somehow, but as there are 4 booms, does this count as twin-tail-boom or quadruple-tail-boom?
--Tophe, the crazy twin-boom taxonomist...--
Fi-nished... less than catastrophic with 1/4th of the parts that were missing. There is only one rudder, I know, but this is to increase asymmetry, opposite to the port canopy... :wacko: :D
(https://www.whatifmodellers.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv670%2FTophe2712%2FMaquettes%2Fr_122-2274_IMG.jpg&hash=c06d2f619ad38ff9472b224bfdb5a376b33c116d)
I like the sci-fi look of that Tophe
Chris
How did I miss this great idea? It is like a british Xwing. Congratulations Tophe I´m glad to read your post, although five years later. :cheers: :cheers:
Thanks Tophe for pointing me to that amazing project! Did you ever paint it? Or were you just satisfied with building the concept?