1:48 Tamiya Swordfish

[colin m]

My Tamiya 1:48 Swordfish float plane now completed. I started this on the 21st September, finished today - that's actually quite a quick build for me.
It's a well documented kit with many reviews all over the web, so there's no point in me doing another one.
The biggest issue are the Tamiya rigging 'bars'. Do they look correct ? I'm not sure, I think they are too wide, but I haven't measured them so I'm just going off the Mk1 eyeball. They are certainly more difficult to fit than my more preferred method. As the STBD wing didn't want to slide into place too well, you might notice a couple of bars are a bit 'wonky' this wouldn't have happened if I had used EZ line for rigging.
There are two options in the kit, this is the pre-war one. All paint is Vallejo with a touch of Alclad for the collector ring.























One surprising thing about the completed build is, it doesn't half weigh a bit ! Any questions or comments, fire away.........

Colin M..

 

[Doug Hughes]

Looks superb, Colin. The rigging may (or may not) be a bit overscale, but it's a balancing act isn't it? - if it's exactly to scale, it sometimes almost invisible, even in 1/48. This build certainly captures the 'stringiness' of the Stringbag, and the finishing and detail are fantastic. It looks a lot bigger than 1/48!

 

[yak face]

Beautiful job colin , its such a characterful aircraft the old string bag . The rigging looks spot on to me , the actual bars used on the real thing were quite meaty . Cheers tony

 

[Tony]

Colin, its looks brilliant and the rigging looks fine to me.

If its by Tamiya i think you could almost bet money on it being correct.

Very nice paint finish.

 

[Gern]

Beautiful.

 

[dave]

Cracking job, the rigging looks ok to me.

 

[Dave W]

Superb build Colin. And as I have said before, you are the rigging master!.

 

[Polux]

Magnificent work! That’s a beauty :eek:

 

[colin m]

Thank you all for having a look. It's quite an imposing model when built (it must be all that metal work) so if you fancy one, do it. I don't recall any fit issues, except fitting the STBD wing, which was a pretty major one, but maybe it was my own doing somewhere earlier in the build.

but it's a balancing act isn't it?

Exactly, and also a bit of trust that the manufacturer done their homework - so I don't have to.

the actual bars used on the real thing were quite meaty

Yes, I'm just looking at the real thing again and you're right, they are quite prominent - so yes, they probably are accurate.

If its by Tamiya i think you could almost bet money on it being correct

Thanks Tony, I am getting more and more convinced that they are correct.

 

[flyjoe180]

Stunning job Colin. Enjoyed watching your build, the result as seen here is A1. Beautiful work, one to be proud of.

 

[Builder]

Colin mate.. one word.. Masterpiece

 

[papa 695]

Nothing wrong with that build Colin, great work.

 

[john i am]

Beautifully done I've been considering one for awhile. Well done mate.

 

[BarryW]

That is one beautiful build, nice work...

 

[John Rixon]

Fantastic! The weathering on the floats is absolutely spot on, and the overall build is, as someone else said, a masterpiece. You've set the bar high on this one, quite a standard to match!

 

[Rupert Carss]

That's just fantastic.
The rigging is top notch. Overscale? Don't think so, but who cares? We want to see it as it's an important part of the aircraft.
These "Tamiya rigging bars" of which you speak... is that part of the kit or aftermarket?
Top job mate. That's a level of skill I can only aspire to.

 

[colin m]

Thank you all for your comments.

The weathering on the floats is absolutely spot on

Thanks John - pastels and a ladies tiny sponge make up thing. That easy.

These "Tamiya rigging bars" of which you speak... is that part of the kit or aftermarket

In a strange way, both. They don't come with the kit, you have to buy them separately, but they are made by Tamiya specifically for this kit. I don't believe the float plane version of the rigging is available, so I've just used the normal rigging set, with a bit of EZ line for the floats.

That's a level of skill I can only aspire to

Now then Rupert, you will. I returned to this hobby in 2008, and no one has ever seen my first or second build - what does that tell you ? I think I've still got them - shocking. I've seen lots of people join this forum, and like me, watched their builds improve all the time. It's a great thing to see.

 

[Ian M]

Love it. A very good build, great paint and rigged perfectly.
When I did my one I to had issues with the Tamiya rigging bits, but got there in the end.
She does look good in the silver dope scheme.

 

[colin m]

Love it. A very good build, great paint and rigged perfectly.
When I did my one I to had issues with the Tamiya rigging bits, but got there in the end.
She does look good in the silver dope scheme.

Thanks Ian. The Tamiya rigging wasn't plain sailing for me. Now I've done one, I think I would be ok with another - but that's not going to happen.

 

[BigZimmo]

Strike, Colin......looks awesome......absolutely well done, mate!!!!