My 1/72 scale planes 2nd part - Page 14

**Mike1158** · #**131** 03-08-2020, 04:08 AM

Nicely done mate.

**Draco** · #**132** 03-11-2020, 03:01 PM

Thanks, Sergio, thanks, Mike!
The inboard struts are made, helped with stalks of grass to give it volume. The arrester hook was placed, too.
The model allows to place the arrester hook extended, if you like.
Placed the landing lights... some planes have only the port light, some both. I believe that the Mk II model had just one.
I've been curiout for some days about the exagerated size of the plane. So I took a rule, and there is a difference between the real size and my model. A difference around 4 milimeters, less than 2%. It means that the real plane WAS big.
What now? Definitely the engine.
Ah! By the way, the Q of Queenie was lost on January 10, 1941, when a squadron of Stukas bombed the HMS Illustrious while the Swordfish was attempting to land. The plane was filled of bullet holes and one wing support sheared, so Lt Lamb had to ditch the plane near a destroyer.
Unfortunatelly, the plane was carrying a deep charge, and once the plane reached the predermined depth, the charge exploded. At that moment, the crew of the plane was on board of the HMS Juno, so there was nobody hurt.

**Draco** · #**133** 03-16-2020, 03:56 PM

Enjoying.. (???) the coronavirus quarantine. I liked the meme that said that me modelers have been preparing for this day all of our lives.

Anyway, I placed the tail struts, the oil cooler and started to assemble the engine. I'm not used to assemble radial engines, each time I have made it has been less detailed than this, just a frontal view of the engine.

The Swordfish includes a full detailed design of the engine from any direction and luckily, allows to install a rotative propeller. The instructions are a bit confusing, so I'm making the parts with a lot of test and try, but once finished the result is going to be worthy.

**wireandpaper** · #**134** 03-16-2020, 11:55 PM

Thank you for sharing!

**Draco** · #**135** 03-17-2020, 04:37 PM

Yes, the engine has a lot of details.
Here is almost finished, need to complete the cowl and the frame joining the fuselage with the engine mounting ring.

**Draco** · #**136** 03-19-2020, 07:57 PM

And the engine was glued and is drying up now.
The cowl... the cowl was a pain in the "head". I had to rebuild it twice. My fault, I glued parts of the cowl inverted or in the wrong location.
Thanks to saint-print-everything-twice, at last it's assembled. Had to apply a layer of varnish and sand it to obtain the rounded aspect.
Now the landing gear, or at least the landing struts, are required.
If you have been readint this trend, you know that I've had problems finding information of the "Q" of Queenie on the Taranto raid. Two days ago I found this page https://modelingmadness.com/review/a...ichaelsswf.htm
and if you read the bottom of the page, you'll find that Charles Lamb was in Taranto but not in his plane.
He was, trully, just for one day, piloting the 5B of the 819 Squadron, the one I was using as a guide at the beginning of the assembly in the Matchbox instructions (top half). I'm finding it funny! Surprise!
Anyway. I said I'll do the "Q" of Queenie and that's the plane I'll do.
So, engine ready, going to the next part

**Draco** · #**137** 03-23-2020, 06:17 AM

Years ago, to end the world you needed to steal an atomic bomb. Now you just need to eat a bat.
I finally made the landing gear in the extended, "flying" position. That's why the wheels look inward, and that's why there is a gap between the external strut and the wing.
The struts are made of paper over a wire that fits inside holes made in the fuselage and wings. Taken literally from the real plane
Now comes the exaust, or the tail wheel, of the upper wing.
And by last, the wiring, the rear machine gun and the radio antena.
And the markings!

**wireandpaper** · #**138** 03-23-2020, 04:06 PM

Nice progress

**Vinalssergio155** · #**139** 03-24-2020, 06:45 AM

Great work Alejandro!

**Draco** · #**140** 03-26-2020, 04:02 PM

Thanks, wireandpaper, thanks, sergio!

This is the first biplane that I have assembled after my last tube of Testors glue emptied.
I'm used that the upper wing stays firm even without wires. But this one I'm assembling the wing and struts with white water glue.
And it needs the reinforcement wires.
Well, that and this biplane is the biggest that I had assembled.
Anyway, if you want to assemble this plane, you need to place the struts between the fuselace and the wing before placing the upper wing. Better yet, place all the struts on the fuselage and lower wing before cementing the upper one.
The fuselage struts, the ones ahead of the cockpit that totally clutters the vision of the pilot, aren't perpendicular to the wing, but "A" shaped, joining under the central rib.
As allways, see the pictures, see the pictures.
Today I'll place the middle struts and aply the last layer of paint before starting to knit the wires.
Few parts remain...