Supermarine Swift FR5(AT) - SORTED!

[PR19_Kit]

They'd make a good pair for sure Dave. 

[PR19_Kit]

Hmmm, the paint job could be better. While the main areas of red, white and blue are OK, the demarcation stripe between the red and blue on the fuselage sides is rubbish. Masking it was so difficult, as explained above, and the result just isn't good enough.



I'm going to try and improve it by overlaying a true parallel strip of white decal and hope that it's dense enough for the poor paint not to show through.

The underside looks pretty good though, a plus point.

[scautomoton]

I have to say, the scheme works for it though. The Swift isn't a particularly graceful design to my eye, but this hides some of the odd curves.

[PR19_Kit]

Thanks Stuart, that was part of the idea of the striped version of Raspberry Ripple scheme on the model.

It's a rather strange shape for what's meant to be a supersonic aircraft, and has almost NEGATIVE Area Ruling, thus the 545 I suppose.

[Weaver]

Thanks Stuart, that was part of the idea of the striped version of Raspberry Ripple scheme on the model.

It's a rather strange shape for what's meant to be a supersonic aircraft, and has almost NEGATIVE Area Ruling, thus the 545 I suppose.

Well it's based on a fuselage originally developed for a fat centrifugal engine, which is why it's thick around the midrift. Really it's an Attacker stretched beyond the point of diminishing returns.

[PR19_Kit]

Well it's based on a fuselage originally developed for a fat centrifugal engine, which is why it's thick around the midrift. Really it's an Attacker stretched beyond the point of diminishing returns.

Exactly. See my 'Defender' from 4 years ago.



https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=50553.105

Being wedded to a particular design at that stage of aviation history just wasn't a good idea. It's a pity they didn't pursue the 545, it would have been interesting to see how much better it went than the Swift.  It was at Cranfield when I did my HND Auto, and I remember it as being surprisingly large.

[PR19_Kit]

After a couple of trials, I've successfully replaced the red/white stripe with a suitably coloured decal stripe, on one side anyway. Naturally I'm waiting for the varnish on the second set of stripes to dry off before doing the other side.

It occurred to me that lots of modelling time is actually spent waiting, waiting for the glue to set, waiting for the putty to cure, waiting for the paint to dry, waiting for the varnish to dry too. When you think about it, we're not doing a lot are we, even in a One Week GB, we're just waiting............. 

[NARSES2]

It occurred to me that lots of modelling time is actually spent waiting, waiting for the glue to set, waiting for the putty to cure, waiting for the paint to dry, waiting for the varnish to dry too. When you think about it, we're not doing a lot are we, even in a One Week GB, we're just waiting............. 

And it gets really infuriating when you have 3 models on the go at once so that there is "always something to do whilst waiting" and you find yourself waiting for paint to dry on all of them 

[PR19_Kit]

The decal stripes worked sort of OK, the starboard one being a lot better than the port one. I've started decaling the roundels etc. now, using the Airfix kit stuff as it's from an FR5 anyway, but they do take an AGE to come off the backing paper!

I've cross-decaled the serials as XD971 was an FR5 anyway, so I chopped the '1' off their 'WK281' and used it instead of the '2' with the Airfix XD972.  I'll have to print some new fin flashes as the red on the Airfix flash is EXACTLY the same shade as the red paint on the FR5(AT) and you can't see it at all! I've noticed that every type that had a red fin in the Raspberry Ripple scheme had a white background round the fin flash, so I've drawn some up for that.

Lots of detail decals to go on too, and I may not use all of them.

I've also been doing my most hated job, painting the ruddy wheels! 

I SO detest doing that, grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...................

Getting there now.

[PR19_Kit]

Here's the just about passable starboard side of the FR5(AT). The port side is MUCH worse, but it'll have to do.

I'd like to do a Raspberry Ripple Swift again, but properly next time, having learnt lessons this time.



It's nice to do a model with a gloss varnish finish for a change, like going back to my airliner days I guess. It makes a change from matt and satin varnishes.

[Weaver]

Fantasy Printshop do sheets of white circles and squares for backing RAF roundels and fin flashes. They also do one with white star-n'-bars for USAF roundels.

www.motorworks.co.uk so decals for racing cars, some of which are black or white circular numbers boards, which could be used in a similar way.

[PR19_Kit]

I've got some of their stuff, yes. I had them for the Op Downfall GB that I failed to meaningfully enter.

The Swift FR5 has swept fin flashes to match the sweep angle of the fin, so they were effectively custom made! I've manged to print some white outlined ones, but was hampered by a devious scanner. 

See Kit's Khaos for details..............

[PR19_Kit]

If I never see another stencil decal it'll still be too soon! 

Compared to a Phantom the Swift is positively NAKED of stencils, but there's still too many of them for me, and they're so TINY! I've manged to get as few of them on there as I think I can get away with, but the rest are in the bin.

Just getting the wheels on now, and then I'll have to repaint them AGAIN now that they're in position, and some parts will be invisible, thank goodness. Then it'll be the gear doors, the pitot and the PROP! 

Almost there, and more than 24 hrs to go too.

[PR19_Kit]

And it's done, with over 24 hrs still to run. 

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XD971 was flown out to II(AC) Sqdn. at Jever in Germany from RAF Benson in early 1956, and flew operationally with II(AC) for  some five years, being replaced in that role by the much more capable Hunter FR10 in 1961. Along with all the other 2 (AC) Sqdn. FR5s, and those of 4(AC) and 79 Sqdns. too, '971 flew back to Benson, and while most of the other FR5s went off to various MUs to be scrapped, '971 was 'borrowed' by the A&AEE at Boscombe Down for experimental work with some new revolver cannons being developed. Both of the Swift's ADEN cannon were removed, just one being replaced by the test weapon, and the other gun bay being used for test instrumentation. This work went on for 3-4 years when '971 was 'put out to pasture' in the Collection Hangar at Boscombe, and there she laid until the mid-70s, when RAE Farnborough were looking for a supersonic airframe with which to test advanced airscrews.



RAE were interested in the shock waves generated by propellor tips at greater speeds than M 1.0 and at that time there were no such aircraft available. The fastest airscrew driven aircraft in the UK then was the Short Belfast, which had a Vne of 352 mph, and the fastest ever prop driven aircraft flown by the RAF was the Supermarine Spiteful at 483 mph. '971 was moved to Farnborough by road and modified extensively for its new role, all of its weapons test equipment being removed and the gun troughs faired over. The taller fin developed for the missile test Swift F10s was fitted and the entire nose cone removed, being replaced by a double roller bearing enabling a test prop shaft to be mounted in the extreme nose.



Over the next few years a large number of different propellor configurations were tested, with the Swift being able to accelerate to over M 1.0 in a slight dive, with the aid of its afterburning Avon RA.7R. Instrumentation and a number of different cameras were used to determine the characteristics of the shock waves developed during these trials, most of which took place over the English Channel well clear of the coast, the reasoning being that numerous sonic booms would be likely to be developed!  While nothing notable was published of the trials, lots of information was gathered, and confirmed the industry's belief that a supersonic propeller was inherently impractical, and nothing further took place in that area. '971 itself remained at Farnborough for many years, and was eventually taken into the Farnborough Air Sciences Trust (FAST) collection where it remains to this day.

Although never flown in that scheme, in the mid '80s '971 was painted in the well known Raspberry Ripple colours, and remains thus at present.



It should be noted that the test props were never powered, being rotated by the airflow developed by the Swift's flight. Most such props were painted in the old 'black with yellow tips' pattern as this was far more visible by the camera systems, and in any case the props were never rotating until '971 was airborne, so there was little chance of ground crew walking into an 'invisible' prop.



The not so good port side...................

[RAFF-35]

What a magnificent build! I reeeeaally like this concept