Fairey Swordsman 33

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I've now done enough on the drawings to start the build.

I obtained a copy of the drawings from the 1:12 Aerokits kit but the templates had been very badly drawn and weren't even symmetrical and so I didn't have any confidence in them. The cheeky s*d who drew them even put his name and copywrite on them!

Fortunately, having the original kit drawings for the plan and side meant I could redraw the bulkheads and cabin/cockpit from them.

Whilst at it I've modified some of the parts to make the build easier to align and to make the cabin/cockpit as one so that I don't need any access hatches.

This has been useful, being my first build, as I now know what all those lines on the plans mean (!) and how models go together.

Also it makes me realise just how much work DM etc. have to put into the whole process of designing and producing plans.

At least I haven't got to do construction details and isometrics etc.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Chris

It would be interesting to see the drawn changes/modifications that you are making to the design so is there any chance of seeing them.

Model boat design is a very small world and I am curious as to who the 'cheeky s-d' is?

Paul

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Hi Paul

Yes, I'll post them up. Will probably be tomorrow as they're on the PC.

Nothing earth shattering as I was adapting an existing design. After receiving some good advice I've added a temporary spine that will make positioning the bulkheads etc. easier and keeping the keel in line. Hope it works!

I've altered the shape of the side windows to more accurately follow the originals, but the biggest change is the removable superstructure. I haven't drawn much of that yet as I want to build the hull first. Also it will mostly be built on the fly, but as it's having the rear cabin (within the coamings) it will be built along the lines of the Huntsman 31 kits.

Chris

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Chris

A few pics of my Sea Commander built on the same idea.

Very easy to work on and the cabin locked down by double 10mm magnets

Harry

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Also it makes me realise just how much work DM etc. have to put into the whole process of designing and producing plans.

I've just finished drawing the plans for the Huntress for publication in Model Boats. It took a whole working week, and that was starting from my working draft plans. From scratch you're probably talking 50-60 hours even on CAD. I now have the article to write this week….

I've no idea who the *** was who drew around the Aerokits kit parts (badly, I gather) and called it the plan that Chris has, but that's not what I'd call designing a model.

Dave M

Edited By Katy Purvis on 16/02/2017 12:32:54

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Glad to see you've pulled your finger out at last Dave!

Surprised it only took you a week really given all the extra info. you have to put on for building.

When I get home I'll post an example of one of the template "drawings".

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

I've added a spine and modified the templates slightly to suit.

Having to convert to JPEG the quality isn't good I'm afraid.

Edited By Chris Fellows on 06/02/2017 17:48:36

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Increased the quality but probably not much better.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Posted by harry smith 1 on 05/02/2017 22:59:18:

Hi Chris

A few pics of my Sea Commander built on the same idea.

Very easy to work on and the cabin locked down by double 10mm magnets

Harry

Thanks Harry, yes that's similar to how I'm going to do it.

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hello Chris

Your drawings look very familiar but I will wait for comments from a person with a greater knowledge on this particular subject.

Paul

[harry smith 1Participant @harrysmith1]

Hi Chris

I have a PDF from my mates original Aerokits Swordsman plan which he only finally finished before Christmas.

He bought the started kit in 1969 !!!

Harry Smith

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

I've not seen Chris's drawings before, Paul. They are very faint and lack much detail, and I've no idea who drew them.

Dave M

Edited By Dave Milbourn on 07/02/2017 12:58:38

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Dave – I drew them! The ones I bought were the Aerokits ones with the templates traced/drawn around which I had to redraw.

As said, I've had to convert to a JPEG to post on here (drawn in Microsoft Visio) and they look fine on the PC!

I'll have to print them out and photograph them.

I think Paul's comment was meant to be tongue in cheek?

Harry, thanks and I'll bear that in mind.

Chris

Edited By Chris Fellows on 07/02/2017 13:20:19

[Paul TParticipant @pault84577]

Hi Chris

You might get a better resolution if you increase the pen size on Visio.

My comment was not really tongue in cheek, if fact it was just cheeky as my mentor drew a very similar design many ~(very many) years ago and I thought it might be his.

Its a shame for the poor old duffer as he has never been the same since we changed to decimal currency.

Paul

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Paul – I'll give it a go and repost it.

To be honest the drawings (particularly the side view) are going to look very similar whoever draws them, given that they are based on the real thing.

Obviously there may be differences, dependant on the scale, for build ability, but as you know, the real differences will be in the actual construction and the templates etc.

Mine started off as just tracing the templates from the Aerokits kit drawings but due to their poor reproduction I ended up redrawing the lot using the plan and elevation as reference and redrew those as well along with the aforementioned tweaks.

I used the Aerokits drawings as they were already at 1:12, though I could have quite as easily enlarged some of you know who's drawings! But I enjoyed the redrawing anyway and learnt about the construction.

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

OK, I've increased the line thickness and just shown the side view which is better.

[Ray Wood 3Participant @raywood3]

Hi Chris

The Fairey designs just look right don't they ! rather like a Spitfire Mk9

Regards Ray

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Ray – yes, they certainly do. And the fact that they are wood, well except for the later ones.

Chris

[Chris FellowsParticipant @chrisfellows72943]

Can't believe it's almost 12 months since I posted those drawings! Where does the time go?

Since then I have made a few tweaks to the drawings and cut out the parts for the hull. Was just about to start putting them together when Christmas etc. stopped play and I got side-tracked with the River Cruiser project.

When I've finished cutting out and sanding the hull parts for that I'll start building both of them.

Chris

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