My 1/72 scale planes 2nd part - Page 13

**Draco** · #**121** 02-23-2020, 09:51 PM

So, that's why I said that the investigative part was going to be as larger as the actual assembly of the plane.
I found an enlargued picture of the cover of the book, and while the underside of the fuselage seemed to be black, the landing gear WASN'T. Looking better, the underside was a shadowed "Sky" color, not black.
Meaning that my new refference is the one of the 824 Squadron, HMS Illustrious. Meanning too that I must repaint all the black undersides. Well, at least the wings are still detached.
And, on the plus side, all parts are being assembled smootly

**Vinalssergio155** · #**122** 02-24-2020, 04:26 AM

Alejandro, looks great. Getting information is sometimes complicated, there are many differences that you don't know which one is correct.

**Draco** · #**123** 02-25-2020, 05:17 PM

Thanks, Sergio.
Ok, the wings assembly is easy: carving, reinforcing, placing the ribs, gluing and painting.
I think I found the right "Sky" color. I would had gone to a store, but living in Venezuela it's easier to mix my own pictures.
By the way, I keep forgetting to write that the Swordfish has that complex surfaces and cuts in the wings because they fold (yes, like a F8F Bearcat). You can see it here: Favorites - Pedro Luz Cunha: Fairey Swordfish with wings folded
This kit would have allowed me to do them folded, but I like my planes "ready to fly". Even so, this plane opens its wheels when on the floor, and I'm not sure if I'm going to do the langing gear "on the ground" or "flying".

**Draco** · #**124** 02-28-2020, 12:10 PM

The wings are finished. Well, I'm going to sand some corners a bit and repaint that bit once the wings are attached to the fuselage. And add the roundels. But, the assembly and paint is finished.
Now comes the fuselage, off course.
By the way, I made a test with my camera, with and without flash. It's the same picture, taken with seconds of difference. Anyway I'm sure now that the color I applied is "Sky" Humbrol 90, with upper sides painted Matt Sea Grey 27 and Matt Army Green 102 (or Matt Dark Slate Grey 224, both are very similar)

**Draco** · #**125** 03-03-2020, 12:11 PM

Once the wings were finished, I started the fuselage.
So far I haven't assembled the subparts, just the cockpits. And cut the pieces. There were two hollows in each tip of the lower wings, so I filled them but remain without paint for the moment.
Meaning that while the plane is advancing, it doesn't look so.
The Swordfish had an auxiliary fuel tank that looked like a big briefcase over the middle cockpit, and this part is going to be scratch-made.
I'm deciding if the rear machine gun is going to be extended or retracted. Surely extended.
And the pilots... I'm sure that I had at least three, maybe four plastic pilots, but I just can find one. So it's very possible that the plane will be depicted without crew, meaning it's going to be finished with the landing gear extended.

**Draco** · #**126** 03-06-2020, 09:01 AM

The cockpit is being assembled. The windscreens, the auxiliary fuel tank, the only frontal machine gun of the Swordfish.
Reading the book of Charles Lamb, at the beginning of the war the Swordfish were flown without anmunnition, because "it was unnecesary"!!!!!!
There is a pool of goo under the windscreens. It disgust me, but it's the only glue available in Venezuela. The good news is that the glue can be removed easily and replaced with the one I prefear, someday in the future.
I placed the support of the rear gun, but the gun itself will be glued at the end of the assembly to prevent accidental loses.
Of course there are many details to place. There are two struts that will go from the sides of the cockpit to the inner section of the wing. Not a small strut, not a aerodinamic one, but a reinforced, heavy elephant-feet one. Fairey Swordfish Walkaround Gallery
All the preserved Swordfish seems to lack the front machine gun at the right side of the cockpit, I don't know why.

**Draco** · #**127** 03-07-2020, 01:21 PM

And... assembling the rear fuselage.
Still need to make some straightment, probably cut and reglue the join between the cockpits.
Anyway, the rear machine gun is assembled (you needed to exchange the anmunition's drum manually), and the tail unit.
The last picture is the plane after straightening the fuselage, I expect to expend another hour painting. By the way, the tail is diverted to the left. That and the ailerons and elevons position, hint that the plane was parked without care of straightening the controls. Or, the plane is flying with a right bank.