Hello All,
Received this rather atractive item through the post today. Can anyone provide any further details about its origins. It was described by the seller as a manufacturer’s model. I am unsure if thats true or not but rather an atractive item non the less.
Many thanks in advance
By: Arabella-Cox - 27th February 2011 at 12:05
Jim,
If you go to www.model-plans.co.uk this guy sells the plans so you could have another crack at making one.
For those into R/C, Rubber Power, Free Flight, Jetex etc this website is a gold mine. He sells what must be 1000’s of plans.
What a great site Martin! Other KK models I built were Gannet, Bf109, Javelin,Cub and Provost but the best balsa model I ever had was a Lancaster which must have been 1/48 scale but still had rubber powered engines. My uncle made it for me for Christmas 1945 and I think it was painted as S for Sugar, now at Hendon, as I remember it had an Indian’s head and bomb tally on the ff. However, as I was only 4 years old I’m afraid it didn’t last long!
Jim
By: Martin Garrett - 26th February 2011 at 12:47
In answer to your question re dimensions Pagen, I hope this is what you were looking for.
Fuselage Length 20.5cm
Wingspan 16cm
Base at widest points 19cm
Max height (tip of nose) 23cm
Ive attached a couple more pictures. The pictures are not mine but taken from the listing. A much better photographer than I shall ever be.
By: Martin Garrett - 23rd February 2011 at 12:03
Jim,
If you go to www.model-plans.co.uk this guy sells the plans so you could have another crack at making one.
For those into R/C, Rubber Power, Free Flight, Jetex etc this website is a gold mine. He sells what must be 1000’s of plans.
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd February 2011 at 11:51
The first balsa model I made, ca.1954, was KeilKraft’s Swift. Sadly it ended its days ignominiously when I placed a twopenny “banger” in the fuselage, stuffed a rocket up the back end and fired it over a small building at a group of kids. Spectacular! Wish I still had it though!
Jim
By: pagen01 - 23rd February 2011 at 10:52
When I first saw that pic I thought, my gosh he’s got the actual model used in the film!
The aircraft manufacturers always had models of their products made for company desks, and display stands etc, and what with Supermarine bringing out a few prototypes on a similar theme I can imagine there was a few produced, I can only guess but would think that these were used in the film rather than ones being specially produced for it.
I also think that it is the 535 in the John Justin shot, the intakes look slightly too far back to be the Swift model to me.
But notice the mounting stalk etc, all looks very similar to Mr Garrett’s model, which is persuading me to think that he has an original manufacturers display piece.
Sounds like you got a good deal Martin, Piece of cake!
By: Martin Garrett - 23rd February 2011 at 10:47
I am not at home at the moment but when I get back I will measure up for you. I think the Swift was about 8 inch’s long.
Yes I took the plunge seeing the sellers high feedback. I gambled on the fact that the seller may not have a clue what a Swift was and managed to knock the price down by well over half what his original buy now was. 😀
By: Sky High - 23rd February 2011 at 10:42
The other thought is seeing that picture of John Justin – might it have been made for the film? Perhaps several models were made as props and found their way into circulation eventually.
By: pagen01 - 23rd February 2011 at 10:34
It is, it’s my most played DVD!
I seemed to remember the model being on EBay and wondering why it was in the States, that might be why I didn’t bother bidding, at least you took the leap and have ended up with a very nice item.
How tall is it and what is it made of?
By: Martin Garrett - 23rd February 2011 at 10:29
It looks pure Swift F.1 to me, fantastic model and find and certainly looks like it could be a company display item.
I also would say pure Swift. Im glad you like it. There certainly appears to be a period charm about the item.
Would you believe I found it on Ebay USA of all place’s ? If it is a company display item I wonder how it go out to the States.
Ive not seen The Sound Barrier for year’s. Really must see if it’s on DVD.
By: pagen01 - 22nd February 2011 at 18:22
Talking of which and other Supermarine models!
The other two pics are of a 510 wind tunnel model (Getty Images) and John Justin admiring a 535/Swift (hard to be sure at that angle) display model.
By: Sky High - 22nd February 2011 at 15:22
Yes, I do!! And I think you are right about a forum member owning “the” chair.
By: pagen01 - 22nd February 2011 at 14:33
Definitely, does anyone here recall the scene from ‘The Sound Barrier’ when John Ridgefield openes a box and pulls out a display model of the VS392 as they all gaze at in wonderment!
Dosen’t someone on the forum have one of Joe Smith’s design office chairs?
By: Sky High - 22nd February 2011 at 14:26
You can picture that on Joe Smith’s desk, can’t you?
By: pagen01 - 22nd February 2011 at 14:16
Definitely not the 510 or 517, which had a straight trailing edge to the wing and a swept fin without a fillet or any blending into the fusalage, also the leading edges of the wing met right under narrower and taller engine intakes which are about half way back from the canopy area.
Also the model seems to have a nosegear bay door inscribed, something the tailwheel 510 didn’t have.
The 535 was similar to the 510 but obvious features it introduced were the extended nose, kink in the wing trailing edge, and the tricycle undercarriage.
The Model, and the Swift, had a defined kink in the wing trailing edge, the fin fillet, and the shorter fatter intakes extend well past the wing leading edge to almost below the windscreen area.
It looks pure Swift F.1 to me, fantastic model and find and certainly looks like it could be a company display item.
By: Amarok - 22nd February 2011 at 13:47
It looks like a Supermarine 510
During 1946, in response to a contract to build two prototypes of a single-seat high-speed fighter to Specification E.41/46, Supermarine combined sweptback wing and tail surfaces with what was essentially an Attacker fuselage to create the Type 510. This retained the Rolls-Royce Nene 2 engine and tailwheel undercarriage of the Attacker, and the first prototype was flown on 29 December 1948. No armament was fitted, but provision was made for four wing-mounted 20mm cannon. The second prototype, designated Type 528, flew in similar configuration on 27 March 1950, and, on 8 November of that year, the Type 510, fitted with an Attacker-style A-frame arrester hook, made a series of landings and take-offs from the carrier HMS Illustrious. Later, the first aircraft (now redesignated Type 517) was fitted with a movable rear fuselage permitting the incidence of the integral tailplane to be varied. Meanwhile, the Type 528 was fitted with an afterburning version of the Nene, a lengthened nose and a tricycle undercarriage as the Type 535, flying in this form for the first time on 23 August 1950, and providing the basis for the development of the Swift.
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February 22, 2011 at 12:07 pm