Supermarine scimitar By Janx

**CMDRTED** · #1 03-31-2012, 08:35 PM

Howdy all, I volunteered for beta testing Janx' supermarine scimitar in 1/33 scale. Since the design thread is still on going Janx (Nik) sent some parts to be beta built. To start this is one quality design and render job. 16 pages of parts were emailed and printed and laid out for study. luckily Janx's design build gives a bit of a clue as how to start. That and a couple drawings! The formers were laminated on 1mm xray cardboard and the long process of cutting them out began. The coloring and rendering of the parts is excellant, Nik (Janx) was worrying about this being worthy of marketing, believe me this is as good as Mareks later download kits and after a few small bugs get worked out should be a great 1st endevour into the market...

**CMDRTED** · #2 03-31-2012, 08:48 PM

With no clear cut start point the cockpit seemed a good 1st starting point. The parts were cut out scored and edge painted and the fun started. The parts went together with not fit issues, the only gripe being another 2d flat control stick! This isn't really an issue as it tucks away neatly forward udter the hud/gunsight assembly. It is just a personal issue with me not a bad design. The seat was pretty cool, very color contrasted, with a separate seatbelt assembly and separate ejection hood handles. The parts fit perfectly. The entire tub was built with 2 arm rest style control panels and a 3 piece fwd control panel. My printer made the parts seem too black and alot of the outstanding detail was kinda lost. also the file was locked so I couldn't crop and print extra panels to punch out the gauges for a more depth effect. Also the two edge panels on the fwd instrument panels have a solid backing that looked a little awkward so I didn't use the backing. I mis folded the hud/sight fairing but It looks like it might not give me problems down the line...

**Tim Crowe** · #3 04-01-2012, 12:16 AM

Looks like a really nice kit and a decent scale too.

Thank you for sharing this test build.

Tim

**eatcrow2** · #4 04-01-2012, 07:25 AM

Nice work, and this will be fun to follow!!!

**CMDRTED** · #5 04-01-2012, 09:13 AM

Thanks guys, so far any issues with the kit were mine...
Next up is the nose piece. This was designed separate from the fwd fuselage so that a hinge joint can be added to show the nose in the open position. This build I didn't add it but you can see the detail that will be covered later. The only issues so far in one or two pics by the arrows the grey colour doesn't match on the port side. The panel lines are correct so the piece fwd of the fuse number needs to be brought up @ 1mm. I eyeballed the apiece from the front and it would be symetrical if the fwd piece' colour was raised instead of the number piece lowered. The only other concern I have is the internal former structure is an exact fit if you do not use any connector strips on the skin sections. I butt glued all the skin segments then inserted the skeleton structure inside. You need to sand a bevel on the parts to match the sloping contours of the skins. About the skins, they are exactly perfect in contour and sizing, butt gluing them is easy when they fit that good!

**CMDRTED** · #6 04-01-2012, 03:10 PM

Next up is a continuation of the cockpit the fwd fuselage assembly. pic one is all teh included inner parts, the other is the assembly. Only 2 things about this, I would bring bulkhead 6 up to meet the bottom of the cockpit floor. Also take poetic license and extend the fwd wheelwell aft to meet up with bulkhead 8. not sure why but mentally it would add a little more support to the after bulkhead and allow it to square up. I kinda squished the well into place, will have to fix this little foul up, (my bad). The parts fit well again, next up is the entire fuselage framework....

**CMDRTED** · #7 04-01-2012, 08:45 PM

Next up is the fwd fuselage frame work. As this is a beta a couple sections needed trimmed. The coloured wheelwell horizontal pieces were a touch too long but a little sanding with an emory board cleaned that up. moving fwd pts 31 were @ 1,5 mm too short, and the after part that butts up against piece 12 was a little too big by @ 1mm. I recut them on a scape of card I brought with me to the beach house. (yes I'm in overcast Cape May New Jersey, in between rain and spurts of sun I managed a little kayaking between build sesssions). The next fwd parts #30 just needed a slight sanding. I haven't done the after frames as Janx sent me a renewed section and I'm not at the printer.

**Wilfried** · #8 04-02-2012, 04:13 AM

.. convincing graphics at the ejection seat and brilliant work, Commander! It's a pleasure to follow your progress.

With lovely greetings
the Wilfried

**Don Boose** · #9 04-02-2012, 06:53 AM

Beautiful airplane! Looks like a fine model and I appreciate the detailed construction images and narrative.

You tend to build models of things that are bang in the middle of my areas of interest, in this case Fleet Air Arm 1945-60. So, once again, you have my very close attention.

Don

**rmks2000** · #10 04-02-2012, 07:18 AM

Great build thread. Isn't Cape May a bit of a hike from Avondale?