1/72 Gloster P.376 Thin-wing Javelin 3d Print

[PR19_Kit]

Not necessarily: the MLG wouldnt be shortened all that much so there would still be a "nose up" stance.  In any case, I'm inclined to think the Red hebe was a dead end and the Firestreak  was a clear next step.  Red Top wouldnt be that much further down the road.

But he said he wanted to use the Red Hebe, and the gear legs would be shortened by 1/4 of the fuselage height, not inconsiderable. I was just pointing out something that ought to be taken into account.

[The Wooksta!]

I'm curious to see how this comes out, but it's not for me.  I've always thought the Javelin to be a horrendous and clunky piece of junk.

[scautomoton]

I felt like that too until I did a lot of digging into it for the FAW.4 conversion I completed recently. Ultimately, the requirement was for a certain time to altitude, a high ceiling, and to intercept bombers. Eventually, it achieved all of these. So it was designed to spec. Also, none of its contemporaries were carrying 4 missiles initially. So for its time it was actually cutting edge.

But yes, its quite a stumpy thing, but it has grown on me.

[NARSES2]

Must admit always liked the Javelin, but that's down to seeing them at airshows when I was still a very young, impressionable nipper. They just looked modern. 

[scautomoton]

Slow progress on this due to attention being given to personal builds (not that this won't be a personal build as well of course). 

 

I've imported the Red Hebe missile from the AW.169. I appreciate the Red Dean was the originally prescribed missile for this, but a) I expect the Red Hebe development would have happened anyway and, b) I'm not wasting time drawing up a marginally different looking missile when this one is effectively the same. I've also put quite a bit of time and effort into the landing gear and bays, as well as the various flaps, air-brakes and so forth. For the air-brakes I ended up going with a split version of the original Javelin's brakes. I spent too long worrying over what the drawing was trying to show, so just went with a reasonable interpretation.

 

 

The outstanding items before a test print are the compressor faces, jetpipes & nozzles really. I'm still undecided on the best way to break this down for print and assembly. I expect there may be a couple of different attempted solutions. Once I'm happy with how it goes together I'll worry about final detail such as panel lines, canopy rails etc..

[Captain Canada]

That's pretty wild ! Defo an interesting way to carry missiles ! Thye details are starting to look great.

[Gondor]

That's pretty wild ! Defo an interesting way to carry missiles ! Thye details are starting to look great.

Early MiG-17s also carried their missiles in a similar way

[PR19_Kit]

'Reasonable interpretations' are what we're all about anyway, so long as it's OUR reasoning!   

[jcf]

The next big task was the cockpit. By scouring various reference material I was able to determine that the Radar would have been AI.18 notionally. Otherwise, there was little to go on. So I've mostly copied the Javelin interior, but with certain aspects simplified for ease of modelling. Since it was supposed to be missile-armed only I've omitted the gunsight and repurposed that space (I mean the Lightning seems to have had a new panel layout with every marque, so why not with a new Javelin?). Historic image courtesy of flight-manuals-online.com.

In the rear I've worked from some images kindly shared by @TeeELL, but with the radar scope replaced with an AI.18 unit as found on some images from a Sea Vixen. I think its good enough. And, no, I couldn't be bothered to try to accurately replicate the crow bar, the blobby shape will do.

And finally a 3/4 shot to give it some perspective. Working on the basis it was to go into service in the early 1960's I've given it some MB Mk.4 seats rightly or wrongly.

Since taking these images I've also started on the wing detail. Airbrakes, ailerons, main gear bays, and flaps are in progress. I'm undecided whether to add the pitots as seen on the FAW.9 since they're not in any of the drawing of the P.376, yet they are shown on later designs for the GA.8 Guardian. I'll worry about that much later on I think.

Being Gloster with their documented history of not listening to their testpilots in regards to the
Javelin's problems, fatally refusing, it's probable that they would not have done anything to improve
the horrible cockpit design. UK manufacturers had a history of evidently not being able to grasp the
concept of proper ergonomic design, somewhat ironically as the main manufacturer of ejection
seats had demonstrated how to do it with the MB.5 back in the mid-'40s. The Vulcan is an exception
that stands out because the company actually listened to Roly Falk when it came to the design of
the cockpit and controls.

[scautomoton]

As usual, once the design is somewhere near, but before panel lines are applied, I do a trial print & assembly to check the tolerances I've used, and to check whether my assumptions for parts breakdown and print orientation are feasible. My ethos is to ensure that all assembly joints are suitable first, then I worry about print artefacts, then surface finish (which can always be easily prepped). I personally hate messing around with filler, so try to ensure the bare minimum is needed. Any minor banding or surface grain can easily be rectified with a light sanding, which is far more preferably personally. Yet I still aim to get the quality as high as possible to reduce prep time.

 

 

A quick, dirty assembly later and here it is compared to it's forebear. I must admit, once printed its bigger than I expected, but I checked the measurements and I'm within a couple of millimeters scale size which I put down to the quality of the scanned drawings I used, and then the aligning and scaling of the 3 different views.

 

 

A quick look over it shows some improvements needed to a few areas: the airbrake recesses need increased tolerances to account for print orientation; there is some gapping between the wing and body in a single area; the mid-wing joint needs some thinking about to get the print surface perfectly flat; the weapon pylon needs a better key-way for assembly; the exhaust fairing join to the fuselage needs better tolerancing and location features to align the body surfaces better; the hole for the jetpipe to slide in needs opening up a tad; etc etc etc

 

But, overall, I'm quite happy thus far.

[Gondor]

Me like the look, me want one.

[The Wooksta!]

It's alreet, I s'pose...

[DeeBob]

That looks bloody lovely!

[PR19_Kit]

I like the overall look of that, and of those intakes especially. 

[NARSES2]

Must admit I'm rather taken aback by the size difference between the two. I'd assumed they were much closer in size, but then I've never compared them directly.

She does look nice