Author Topic: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale  (Read 5968 times)

Offline robunos

  • Can't afford the top wing of his biplanes...
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #25 on: June 16, 2020, 02:52:20 AM »
This has the makings of something special . . .


cheers,
Robin.
By the pricking of my thumbs, Something Whiff-y this way comes . . .

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #26 on: June 20, 2020, 09:34:12 AM »
Hi all

Well, after a lot of PSR and achy fingers I'm nearly ready for priming, I just need to finish off the tail planes.

by Robomog, on Flickr

by Robomog, on Flickr

.........and probably treat a few anomalies in the finish  ::)

More when it happens


Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
  • Would you buy a used kit from this man?
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #27 on: July 01, 2020, 12:18:30 AM »
Hi all

First pass through the paint shop and looking good..........

by Robomog, on Flickr


Currently working on the back story and sourcing decals.......

Thanks for looking

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #28 on: July 01, 2020, 03:11:29 AM »
Looks fast.
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #29 on: July 01, 2020, 06:16:44 AM »
Working for me

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #30 on: July 01, 2020, 07:50:03 AM »
Looks fast.

It does! And maybe high-altitude?
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #31 on: July 01, 2020, 09:14:05 AM »
Does, indeed, look good! :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
  • Would you buy a used kit from this man?
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #32 on: July 11, 2020, 08:49:41 AM »
Thanks guys, and now the final reveal

The Speedfire

by Robomog, on Flickr

The Supermarine model 391 came out of the need for another jet aircraft to compliment the Gloucester Meteor and to find an answer to the Me 262 threat. Using captured German plans and data it was decided to design a new swept wing and marry it to an available Spitfire Fuselage.

by Robomog, on Flickr

Because of the narrow fuselage they could not to use the available centrifugal jet engines but instead selected an axial design by the newly set up Prescott-Farage Company, based on captured details of the Junkers Jumo jet engine.

by Robomog, on Flickr

The design continued apace, the new wings were married successfully to the Spitfire fuselage, together with new tail planes and a bigger canopy.

The story with the engine was not so good, performance proved disappointing and was plagued with technical faults. It was soon evident that it was producing a lot of noise and gas but was severely lacking in thrust. In desperation the aircraft was hastily redesigned to accept two engines but that meant moving them down and outside the fuselage creating unwanted extra drag.

by Robomog, on Flickr

When it came to the flight trials the results were a mixed bag. The aircraft took a lot of runway to get off the ground but once in the air it had good flight characteristics and handled well, however it did not get anywhere close to it’s designed top speed or cruise height. Unofficially dubbed the ‘speedfire' by the servicing crew it was thought this was a bit of a tongue in cheek moniker than a reflection of its performance as it was barely keeping up with its propeller driven contemporaries.

by Robomog, on Flickr

The Speedfires demise came one hot summer's afternoon, ballasted for its intended cannon armament the pilot taxied the Speedfire to the end of the runway and started his take off run as usual. He had probably used up half the runway when he realised the aircraft was not beginning to rise, the engines were going flat out but the extra weight and hot day was robbing the aircraft of lift. In desperation he eased back the stick and retracted the undercarriage in hope of reducing the drag, but the Speedfire would not break from ground effect and he had no choice but to chop the throttles and let the aircraft sink back to earth. Shortly after it passed the end of the runway the Speedfire scraped down the overrun area and onto the grass in what one observer described as the most elegant air crash he had ever seen, fortunately the airframe was well constructed and the gutless engines took the brunt of the impact, once the aircraft had slid to a stop the pilot walked away from the aircraft shaken but unhurt.

by Robomog, on Flickr

This was the final straw for Supermarine, the project was cancelled and the model number deallocated, all paperwork and files were destroyed, in fact anything to do with this project was disappeared except anonymous flight data that was later used on the Swift and Attacker projects. Even the serial was reallocated to a Swift prototype in order to expunge this aircraft from history.

by Robomog, on Flickr

Nothing remained of this aircraft except this proof of concept model and to this day so called “experts" refuse to believe this aircraft ever existed, stating that it is an invention of a deranged what if modeller, however we know different don’t we ?


And a couple of money shots to finish


by Robomog, on Flickr

by Robomog, on Flickr


Well definatly not has good as Brian's, he had a natural flair for bashing two kits together with a minimal amount of filler, something I have not yet quite mastered. However I'm still happy how this one has turned out, except maybe the canopy. In retrospect I think it should have been lower and more streamlined.

I'll let you decide, as always all comments and criticisms greatfully accepted

Thanks for looking................

Mog
>^-.-^<

Mostly Harmless...............

Offline finsrin

  • The Dr Frankenstein of the modelling world...when not hiding from SBA
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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #33 on: July 11, 2020, 04:12:07 PM »
Supermarine Speedfire fits in with post war jet testing.  More BdB like than I could have done.    :-*
 "so called “experts" refuse to believe this aircraft ever existed, stating that it is an invention of a deranged what if modeller" -- however I feel BTS does know better.

Offline Frank3k

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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #34 on: July 12, 2020, 12:48:22 AM »
It came out great! The British answer to the Yak-15 (or Mig-9, since it has two engines). At least the pilot wouldn't have to worry about cabin heat or a warm seat...

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #35 on: July 12, 2020, 04:19:21 AM »
Nothing remained of this aircraft except this proof of concept model and to this day so called “experts" refuse to believe this aircraft ever existed, stating that it is an invention of a deranged what if modeller,

Just like Brian would have ended it. :smiley:
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
  • Would you buy a used kit from this man?
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #36 on: July 12, 2020, 05:51:26 AM »
Thanks guys

GTX - I'll be honest -  it is borrowed from Brian but I wanted to make this one a homage to the master, the "money shot" is also classic Brian too

Really am gonna miss that guy..........

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............

Offline apophenia

  • Perversely enjoys removing backgrounds.
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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #37 on: July 13, 2020, 03:39:50 AM »
Nailed it 'Mog  :smiley:  Including "Even the serial was reallocated to a Swift prototype in order to expunge this aircraft from history." Very Brianesque  ;D
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Buzzbomb

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Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #38 on: July 13, 2020, 08:59:25 AM »
Worked out nicely

Offline Old Wombat

  • "We'll see when I've finished whether I'm showing off or simply embarrassing myself."
  • "Define 'interesting'?"
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #39 on: July 13, 2020, 05:17:16 PM »
Just all-round Brian-ness! 8) :smiley: :smiley:
"This is the Captain. We have a little problem with our engine sequence, so we may experience some slight turbulence and, ah, explode."

Offline Robomog

  • ...had a very bad experience with [an] orange...
  • Would you buy a used kit from this man?
Re: Supermarine Speedfire - A classic fail in one seventy two scale
« Reply #40 on: July 15, 2020, 04:19:00 PM »
Thanks guys, much appreciated

Mog
>^-.-^<
Mostly Harmless...............