Xtrakit Supermarine Swift model in 1/72 scale |
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The Swift was a British single-seat jet fighter built by Supermarine during the 1950s. It was to serve as an interceptor for the British Royal Air Force to replace the Gloster Meteor. It had many visual similarities with the navy Attacker but it was the first British aircraft with a swept wing. Many problems were encountered during development although their was much pressure due to the Cold War. The first production variant F.mk1 flew with the Avon engine in August 1952 with a 2 canon armament. Some intermeediate versions were developed with no more than a dozen or so aircraft produced. Also a Swift was developed with a reconnaissance role, the FR.mk 5. It got camera's in the nose and 2 canons. The FR.5 was the last Swift variant to enter service with the RAF and also flew with RAF Germany. It was replaced starting 1961 by mainly the Hawker Hunter. No more than 200 Swifts were produced.
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This is the first Xtrakit kit (# XK72012) that I am making. The kit of the Swift FR.5 was released in 2010. I believe these kits are developed through the famous Hannants modelling supplier in the UK. Older kits of the Swift were issued in 1/72 scale by Testors. Magnamodels and a very old HAWK kit and a vacuform Rareplanes kit. These were hard to find and the Xtrakit looks to be a vast improvement. .. Two sprues in medium blue plastic
are in the Xtrakit which shows it is short run. The plastic is quite brittle
but has engraved panellines.
A good canopy is in the kit but no
stores and no underfuselage belly fueltank. A resin seat in included for
what look to be the Mk.2G seat
Intakes and boundary layer ducts are
nicely done but no intake ducting which is not a problem. A jet pipe is
alo included. The camera windows were not used from the kit, Micro Kristal
Kleer will be used later on.
The lower wing leading edges also show the camouflage, so this means extra work with masking used low tack tape. All colours were airbrushed with the Harder Steinbeck airbrush. The model got after 48 hours drying
a couple of coats of Johnson Kleer/Future/Pledge
again to get a nice glossy shine, ready to get the decals applied. Swifts
always had a gloss finish like many RAF aircraft in that decade. Decalling
was not a problem with the nice decals with no silvering.
Now the detail parts were added. Note that the canopy parts 17 moves with the canopy itself. The main undercarriage inner doors (21 , 24) should be set parallel with the airflow and not aligned with the main gear bay. The bay interior is probably metal color, so was painted aluminium. At the nose leg, add a fork above the wheel. Micro Kristal Kleer was used to close up the nose camera windows. A pitot tube was added made from a household metal needle and set to the right wing leading edge. The canopy got tiny striping of the sealing and warning markings. Finally adding some sprue antennas on the spine and lower aft fuselage completed the model.
A nice little Swift is now in the
RAF 1/72 scale model collection along with the Lightnings and Hunters..
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References:
Swift, Warpaint no. 58 Swift, from the cockpit # 14 Air international magazibne, volume 71, no 5 Scale aircraft modelling, 1997-no 7 Web link: Jever site |
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Created this page April 22, 2013 |