DONE @ p.8 +++ Saab J31B, Flygvapnet F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, late Fifties

[Dizzyfugu]

I may have a BAC 1-11 that I could donate to the cause, if you're interested Dizzy.

Thanks a lot for the offer - I wait for the B-47 to arrive, I have high hopes in its wings, but will call if I need assiatance. Problem is that postage has become dizzyingly expensive, so that international parts/material exchange is severely hampered. 

Besides, a few updates, even though not much hardware work has been done. First of all, a look into the WiP cockpit - seats are still on the work bench, and the dahsboard needs some fine tuning, but it looks comfy, esp. in the new greyish green. the white-on-black instruments date back from an older creative phase of mine, but I retained them, because they also match well with the Tornado dashboard style. And later, thorugh the canopy, things will hardly be recognizable, anyway.


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

And there's a recent pic of the engine pods, after some serious PSR sessions:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

"We get there", but until I have found suitable wings there will hardly be more progress. In the meantime I have been worring on the tandem landing gear, and this looks promising - forgot to take a WiP pic with the intended nose-up stance, but will post it later.

[Dizzyfugu]

Hello, little news to show. First, the cockpit is about to be populated and closed. The crew consists of a pair of ugly vintage pilot figures that found a new home in the J31; only dry-fitted yet, they will receive a coat of matt varnish, too:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

And here's a look at the intended stance on the ground:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Under the tail the cavity for the arrester hook has been PSRed away, gun ports have been drilled open, and I will add a ventral display adapter for eventual flight scenes later, too.

[Dizzyfugu]

Good news! The vintage Revell B-47 kit arrived, and the gamble on its wings paid out! They are all I need, with the benefit that I will use/recycle their tips as stabilizers. 
Here's a look at the planned cuts to reduce span (someone pls. re-animate Kit at this point... ) and sweep angle, and the planned place for the undersulng engines:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

After trimming things down we got this, with a 20° sweep back.


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

With these, the wings' new shoulder position on the F3D fuselage could be defined - there will be cutouts to hold them:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Start of the next PSR mess: blending the nacelles under/into the swepts wings:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

However, as can be expected, the detail and esp. the fit of the B-47 wing parts is ...poor. The whole upper surface had to be treated/levelled up with putty, the engraved lines for the flaps etc. is utterly soft and shallow, I think that I will also have to do some re-engraving work, at least for the ailerons, flaps and slats on the outer wing sections.    However, we are moving again, into the right direction.

[PR19_Kit]

Good heavens, I must have eaten  something that didn't suit me, I've just come over all faint.................. 

That's looking more and more Vautour-like in the wings as you go on Thomas. 

[Pellson]

Agreeing with Kit here. It's more and more looking like a side-by-side Vautour. That is however not necessarily a bad thing.

I've started looking more in depth at the Il-28 wings and engine pods, and how close they actually are to that jet B18 sketch. Basically, a Canberra B(I).8 fuselage, Il-28 wings and something unexpected in the back, and we'll be there. And I just might have all the parts needed.
Another project idea in the already too long queue, then..   

[Dizzyfugu]

Yes, it's like a fat Vautour, but only superficially. The initial Yak-25 a/w fighter is another "benchmark" - all from the same era, when engine and aerodynamic technology apparently dictated much of an aircraft's layout in this weight/size class. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Nothing new to show yet, PSR around the engines is still in progress.

[Dizzyfugu]

A visual addendum for yesterday's post, after a layer with Presto to create a finer surface finish:


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

...and in the evening I was able to mate the wings with the hull - starts to look like an aircraft, and there are strong S-2 vibes? The span appears a bit wide (Kit will probably like that?  ), but I will leave it that way.


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 SAAB J31B 'Val'; 'Blue T/Blå Tore (s/n 31014)' of the Swedish Air Force (Flygvapnet) F1 Västmanland Flygflottilj, 2nd Squadron; Hässlö AB, Västerås (Central Sweden), 1956 (What-if/kitbashing) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Still a long way to go, and more PSR to come soon... 

[NARSES2]

Coming together really nicely 

[PR19_Kit]

The span appears a bit wide (Kit will probably like that?  ), but I will leave it that way.

It's impossible to have the span '....a bit too wide......;!

[Dizzyfugu]

Unfortunately not much progress here, despite some efforts. Mostly more PSR all over the hull before I might turn to details like land gear covers, the planned outrigger wheels under/in the engine pods, and underwing hardpoints plus drop tanks.

However, my dad is in hospital, serious issue. He had an intestinal operation and now even pneumonia, and this ...distracts.

[zenrat]

The span appears a bit wide (Kit will probably like that?  ), but I will leave it that way.

It's impossible to have the span '....a bit too wide......;!

I'm tempted to try and build something to prove you wrong...

[Old Wombat]

The span appears a bit wide (Kit will probably like that?  ), but I will leave it that way.

It's impossible to have the span '....a bit too wide......;!

I'm tempted to try and build something to prove you wrong...

You may convince the rest of us but you'll never shake Kit's Belief in his Faith!   

[PR19_Kit]

Somewhere I have a 1/32 Revell kit of a Duo Discus sailplane (mainly because I flew one once.....) and that has some SERIOUSLY long wings! Specially if I use them to Whiff something else in 1/72. 

[Old Wombat]

Somewhere I have a 1/32 Revell kit of a Duo Discus sailplane (mainly because I flew one once.....) and that has some SERIOUSLY long wings! Specially if I use them to Whiff something else in 1/72. 

A Wellesley?