Fleet Air Arm 
Supermarine Scimitar



FAA models in 1/72 scale 


Czech Model Master kit of the Supermarine Scimitar  

The prototype Scimitar shipborn fighter first flew in 1954. Variants were Type 508 and Type 529 : Straight wing prototypes, the Type 525 Swept wing prototype;  Type 544 : Prototype for the F.1 Scimitar. 

The F-1 was a single-seat multi-role fighter aircraft with two Rolls Royce Avon engines. The FAA got about 75 F1 planes and they served until 1969, not being used in any war theatre.

CZECH MASTER from Czechia issued a kit in 1/72 scale. This is a kit with resin parts and it is currently the "only" 1/72 Scimitar kit available (older vacforms and a very rare Frog kit were once the only kits of this type). Although quite expensive, it should be part of the FAA model collection.
Basic accuracy seems OK, except for the forward cockpit section because the canopy looks a bit too small. It was decided to leave this as is. 

The wings are solid and the intakes also have a splitter plate.

The resin parts are fine, except for the aft horizontal stabilizer which is very thin and warped. 
The decals are very extensive and instructions include good pictures of a real Scimitar. 

First, remove the pouring stabs at the fuselage parts. Please take the necessary safety precautions here! Sand wet under water.  Also wear nitrile hand gloves (not rubber) to prevent any chemical resin residue to get into your hand skin when handling and assembling the resin parts! I did not do that and got red irritating areas on my skin.
 warning\

Next, clean up all the resin parts and prepare them ready for assembly.

Inside the fuselage, an intake was made with some bended card.

The wing needs a re-inforcement. Small metal pins were used (paperclip) and holes drilled in both wing root and fuselage.

The basic kit required also the opening of the tail hook bay. 
Next, assembly was done of the main parts. 

The aft horizontal stabilizer was warped and just is too thin to make in resin. using card and an old bomb, a replacement was made which is far better.

The overall assembled model need modest amounts of filler, and after some sanding it was sprayed light grey.

The cockpit is very small, so only some extra details with some rod and sprue is really needed. 
 

The model now got its coat of Dark Sea Grey and white undersurfaces.

The grey continues on the lower leading edge so you will need to do some careful masking. 

The very small cockpit got some details with instruments made from decal paper.

Final finishing was applying the undercarriage, wing pylons and some "stores". I obtained an old Sidewinder A-A missile from the spares box.

The provided kit canopy is in fact too small, but there is not a lot that can be done about it. 


The Czech master kit has some nice decals. Below the roundels I put some white round disk from white decal as they are a bit thin. 

It depicts an aircraft on the HMS Eagle based around 1965 , no. 800B squadron Scimitar F1 

 

 




model put in a real setting...
big

So.... a nice Scimitar in the FAA collection....
 
References:
- International Air Power Review, Vol. 2, pages 158 >

- Web:  Thunder and lightnings

.
Back to FAA models
. 
Back to 1/72 Models.......
 
3KB back to home
(c) Copyright Meindert "designer"/ All rights reserved. Your comments are welcomed by  webmaster

Created this page April 7, 2006