BillL Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 I finished Tamiya's 1/48 Fairey Swordfish tonight. This was a VERY disappointing kit. It is simple, and overpriced ($75 retail !). The PE set they produced was awful. All the pieces were flat, with no relief detail. I'll take an Eduard set any day ! Their method for attaching the struts ensures that a beginner won't screw up the alignment, but it leaves gaps that need to be filled. This means that the top & bottom wing have to be joined before painting. For what I paid for the kit & PE, I'd rather have a few Hasegawa kits with Eduard PE ! I realize that a lot of modelers like Tamiya kits, but I'm not one of them. Fit and ease of assembly are pretty low on my list of requirements for a kit. I'll take Hasegawa, DML, Accurate Miniatures, or Eduard any day. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wing_Nut Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Holy Crap!! Stunning finish, especially the feathered edges of the camo!! Never a big fan of this aircraft but i'm quickly changing my mind. I think you did a brilliant job on this kit Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nev Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 1) You're the first person I've ever heard criticise the quality of the Tamiya Swordfish (plenty complain about the price!). In fact, at first I thought you were being sarcastic. 2) Amazing job, she looks stunningly beautiful :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sebastijan Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Looks great! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Migrant Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 Looking at your photos I'm not sure what you mean by describing the kit as 'simple'. There looks to be lots of detail in the cockpit, in the engine, armament etc. Perhaps you're just too close to it- your model looks really good, very nice finish and attention to detail. I like your use of two shades of metallic on the cowling ring, and the highly polished spinner. Can I ask what paints you used, as the colours look just right to my eye. The only thing I don't find too convincing (on any Tamiya Swordfish builds I've seen) is the use of photo-etch for the rigging. I realise the actual rigging wires were aerofoil section but PE always looks over-scale to me and the slightest kink or bend in the PE wires destroys the illusion. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scooby Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 1) You're the first person I've ever heard criticise the quality of the Tamiya Swordfish (plenty complain about the price!). In fact, at first I thought you were being sarcastic.2) Amazing job, she looks stunningly beautiful :) Ditto to what he said! Nice build! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillL Posted February 2, 2005 Author Share Posted February 2, 2005 Thank you Habu, Wing_Nut, Nev, Sebastijan, Migrant, and Scooby ! Habu - I only build 1/48 WW II aircraft. Post-war or large-scale subjects don't really interest me. I've built their Mosquito, He 219, Corsair, Seiran, Fw 190 D & F, P-51D, George, Betty, Dinah, and Beaufighter. All were very easy kits. To give you an idea of what I like in a kit, my favorite of all time is Trimaster's Me 262. It's everything I want in a kit. Nev - "quality" is a subjective word, and opinions differ between people based on your experience and expectations. To some, fit of parts and ease of assembly constitutes quality. My definition is different. I really enjoy complex builds where I have to think, plan ahead, and do some reworking of parts. They just engineered most of the work, and consequently all the fun, out of it for me. Migrant - I had spent the money on the PE when I bought the kit after it was first released. On a disability income, I really can't afford to waste things that I buy, so I used it. The front of the cowling was painted with Alcad Copper, and the ring behind it is MM Metalizer Brass. The torpedo was painted with Alcad Dark Aluminum, then lightly oversprated with Alcad Steel. The spinner was brush painted with MM Chrome Silver. This is a very easy kit to build, and I expect most modelers would achieve the same results. The only real challenge presented with this kit is the painting. Thanks again ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaptainErik Posted February 2, 2005 Share Posted February 2, 2005 I think it's great work you did, even if it's an easy kit, you still have to get it finished in the first place, and do a good paintjob in the second :) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
volzj Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 (edited) Looks great to me Bill. If you didn't like this you won't like their Corsair or Mustangs either to quote a few expamples. You can just about throw those up in the air and finished model will land. Edited February 3, 2005 by volzj Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Icehound Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Well you certainly did an awesome job on the kit That is great paintjob. Regards Mark Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bill B Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 I have to agree with everyone else, you have done a great job on the Swordfish. The interior is just right and the exterior paint and finish is superb! Another beauty from your workbench! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillL Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 Thankyou CaptainErik, volzj, Icehound, and Bill B ! volzj - where's the fun in that? Maybe it's because I started building kits in the early 60s. Plenty of Aurora, Hawk, Pyro, Renwal, Revell, etc. kits. I stopped building around 1970, and returned in '93. Filing, filling, and sanding went with every kit. One of the things I enjoy most about building is getting the parts to cooperate with each other. I guess I just like the journey more than the destination. Icehound - the camo for FAA aircraft at this point in the war was Dark Slate Gray and Extra Dark Sea Gray over Sky. These are the colors I used. Tamiya suggests RAF Dark Green and RLM 75 Grayviolet (!) over Medium Sea Gray. I'm glad I did the research ! Thanks again ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Barneydhc82 Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Bill: I found the Swordfish to be an excellant kit...simple No Way...You've done a very nice job with this one. I started building models in the Stone Age...1940s ...and the box scale kits were a nightmare. I can now appreciate a quality kit from Tamiya or a limited run kit from Classic Airframes and by switching around, my building is more fun. Barney...http://www.barneysairforce.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Marcin_S Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 COOL B) Great work Bill. Regards Marcin Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Nev Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Nev - "quality" is a subjective word, and opinions differ between people based on your experience and expectations. To some, fit of parts and ease of assembly constitutes quality. My definition is different. I really enjoy complex builds where I have to think, plan ahead, and do some reworking of parts. They just engineered most of the work, and consequently all the fun, out of it for me.! Ah OK, I understand your POV now. I don't agree with it but I understand it Even you found the kit easy to build, you still have to paint it, and that is an amazing paint job you have done Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillL Posted February 3, 2005 Author Share Posted February 3, 2005 Thank you Barney, Marcin, Habu, and Nev ! Barney - ah, yes. The box scale kits. I sure wish I had some of those kits now ! If for nothing else, the raised rivets on the aircraft would act as an excellent sandpaper ! I remember buying an aircraft kit in the mid-sixties, and opening it up to find that it had an interior ! No blanked off cockpit or pilot's head molded to each fuselage half ! Habu - I guess I'm just not a fan of easy to build kits. I don't find much sense of accomplishment in building one. I'm disabled, and I can't justify spending an entire month's grocery money just to look at pieces of plastic that would never be put to use. If the kit is what you like, by all means build it. I'm just saying that I'm a modeler who finds pleasure in doing the hard work needed to build some of the less-popular kits. Neither philosophy is better than the other - only different. Have fun your way, and I'll have fun my way. There are enough kits to satisfy us all. Nev - the painting was done freehand with my trusty old Badger 150. The Dark Slate Gray and Sky are Model Master enamels, and the Extra Dark Sea Gray is Gunze acrylic. Thanks again ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Launch_code_sequence Posted February 3, 2005 Share Posted February 3, 2005 Wow! This is a awsome looking plane! Your attention to detail is fantastic! I see nothing wrong with this kit. Another winner from Tamiya! Thanks for posting the beauty! :) Vaughn Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillL Posted February 4, 2005 Author Share Posted February 4, 2005 Thank you Vaughn ! It's just a little easier to build than most models, and that's not much fun for me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted February 4, 2005 Share Posted February 4, 2005 Excellent work, Sir! I only build in 1/72, so I will never sample the kit itself, but what you havbe done here is a pleasure to look upon. I understand your complaint about the thing lacking challenge of a sort, but sometimes, much as I enjoy the hack and hew and making teeny tiny things the kit does not provide, it would be nice to have something that just falls together and includes everything. Again, Sir, excellent work on this build! Happy modeling! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Zactoman Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Sweet ;) . I love the paint work. To some, fit of parts and ease of assembly constitutes quality. My definition is different. I really enjoy complex builds where I have to think, plan ahead, and do some reworking of parts. They just engineered most of the work, and consequently all the fun, out of it for me. Stay away from any future releases from Zactomodels! :D Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BillL Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 Thank you Old Man and Zactoman ! Old Man - I used to build everything OOB, which I find difficult now. If I add a detail set, I usually don't find myself saying, "Gee, I wish I had added this gizmo and those cables . . ." Zactoman - Whatch got up your sleeve? B) Thanks again ! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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