Supermarine Swift FR5(AT)

[PR19_Kit]

Yellow bands were only for RAF trainers.

The RAE used dayglo areas on the nose, tail and wing tips in the 60s, but I'm saying the FR5(AT) carried on well past its sell-by date as it was the only game in town for a fast prop tester.

[Gondor]

Of course, Rule 2.   

[Accidental Loggie]

Nice 👍.

[The Wooksta!]

Yellow bands were only for RAF trainers.

Not quite, post war Mosquito target tugs had yellow bands on the upper surfaces, going to day glo later on.

[PR19_Kit]

Not quite, post war Mosquito target tugs had yellow bands on the upper surfaces, going to day glo later on.

Did they have yellow and black stripes underneath too?

[The Wooksta!]

Yes.  Both TT schemes had yellow and black undersides.

[zenrat]

Nice idea Kit.

[PR19_Kit]

The Swift is all primed now, after a small amount of PSR. The starboard wing root ended up with a step that needed to be filled, but that was really the only serious PSR that was required.

There are a zillion different versions of the Raspberry Ripple scheme, I doubt they actually painted two types the same, but if there was a fleet of them, like the Andovers, Hunters and Bassetts, they tended to be done the same. But as there was only one Swift FR5(AT) I'll do it the practical way, with white wing undersides. Otherwise I'd need some white underwing serials, and  that's not easy.

[PR19_Kit]

I've just found a bit of the instructions that do mention a nose weight, sorry Airfix, I did you wrong.

But they suggest 2 gms. crammed into the tony space just above the nose wheel bay. Presumably they mean to use depleted uranium, and even then I doubt 2 gms. would be enough.

Just now I'm testing some paint for the Raspberry Ripple scheme on an AZ MB6 fuselage, as the MB6 comes with a complete FB5 fuselage anyway, so lots of bits are going spare. Won't be long before I'm getting the first colour coat on the FR5(AT) hopefully.

[PR19_Kit]

Like Fred, I HATE masking up, and while normally it's just a pain, for this Swift it's GHASTLY!   

It being a Supermarine design it's all over curves, no straight or parallel bits anywhere, so getting the rule to stay in place when trimming off the tape for a straight line is horrendous. So far it's taken me three attempts to get it right and maybe 2.5 hrs of time I won't get back.



And that's only for the blue bit, I've still got the red parts to mask up and paint later on.............

[zenrat]

Now here's a thought for next year, a NO MASKING GB...

 

[Weaver]

I've just found a bit of the instructions that do mention a nose weight, sorry Airfix, I did you wrong.

But they suggest 2 gms. crammed into the tony space just above the nose wheel bay. Presumably they mean to use depleted uranium, and even then I doubt 2 gms. would be enough.

I thought it did, but I couldn't find the instructions from mine so I wouldn't argue with you. Not on the basis of my memory...

[Weaver]

It being a Supermarine design it's all over curves, no straight or parallel bits anywhere, so getting the rule to stay in place when trimming off the tape for a straight line is horrendous. So far it's taken me three attempts to get it right and maybe 2.5 hrs of time I won't get back.

Have you tried the Tamiya bendy tape?

[PR19_Kit]

Have you tried the Tamiya bendy tape?

Yes, but that doesn't help. Because the Swift is such a curvy shape, getting a straight stripe along the side is very difficult. You have to adjust the tape position up and down as it goes along the fuselage to make it look as if it's straight from side on. And of course it isn't straight from any other angle.

I can quite see why the RAE never had any Swifts, and certainly why there never were any in 'Raspberry Ripple'!

All three colours are on now and my fingers are crossed while the red dries..................

[kitbasher]

Keep going, Kit!

We should put the FB5(AT) alongside my Folland Foghorn at Telford.  Need to come up with joint backstory for the pairing ahead of the show.