In Box Review of Frog 1/72nd Scale
Fairey Swordfish Mk. I Torpedo Bomber
Kit no. F258
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit has a copyright date of 1973. I paid a $1.75 for it in the 70's.
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
My kit has a copyright date of 1973. I paid a $1.75 for it in the 70's.
HISTORY:
Although considered to be antiquated in design, even before World War 2, Swordfish aircraft served the Royal Navy from 1938 to 1945, one of them attacking a midget submarine 3 1/2 hours before the war ended.
Because of its exceptionally stable handling characteristics, it was a very popular aircraft with crews and was affectionally known as the "Stringbag".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 690 h.p. Bristol Pegasus III M 3
Maximum speed 130 m.p.h. at 10,700 ft.
Armament: Vickers gun forward and Lewis or Vickers gun aft. Provision for torpedo, mine or bombs.
THE KIT:
Frog was a model company based in the UK that went out of business. Their molds then went to the Novo model company in Russia, who also went out of business.
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that was not shrink-wrapped. It was held shut with strips of tape.
The box art shows a Swordfish making a torpedo attack on a ship.
It has a matt dark slate grey spine and top of upper wings. The lower wing is matt dark sea grey.
This is over sides and undercarraige of matt sky. It carries the black serial no. K8375 then a blue 2Q outlined in white (roundel) and a black ROYAL NAVY on the sides of the fuselage.
One side panel says there are 2 versions with color illustrations of the kit made up in the two.
The other side panel has features of the kit in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with illustrations of the roundels or marks used by the countries that speak that language.
The bottom of the box has the painting and marking guide for 2 Swordfish.
1. The box art subject (already described above).
It is with 810 (TSR) Sqdn.,Fleet Air Arm, HMS Ark Royal, 1941. This aircraft scored one of the torpedo hits which crippled the German battleship Bismark on 25th May, 1941.
2. A Swordfish in overall silver, with a bronze cowling front and a gloss dark blue fuselage band with white number 529 on it and a black serial no. L2742 next. The black 529 is under the upper wings also.
It is with No. 701 Catapult Flight, HMS Hood detachment, Fleet Air Arm, Gibralter 1938.
Around the 4 sides of the tray is a one-paragraph history of the Swordfish in the 6 languages, each labeled again with the roundels and marks.
Although considered to be antiquated in design, even before World War 2, Swordfish aircraft served the Royal Navy from 1938 to 1945, one of them attacking a midget submarine 3 1/2 hours before the war ended.
Because of its exceptionally stable handling characteristics, it was a very popular aircraft with crews and was affectionally known as the "Stringbag".
SPECIFICATIONS:
Engine: 690 h.p. Bristol Pegasus III M 3
Maximum speed 130 m.p.h. at 10,700 ft.
Armament: Vickers gun forward and Lewis or Vickers gun aft. Provision for torpedo, mine or bombs.
THE KIT:
Frog was a model company based in the UK that went out of business. Their molds then went to the Novo model company in Russia, who also went out of business.
This kit came in a tray and lid type box that was not shrink-wrapped. It was held shut with strips of tape.
The box art shows a Swordfish making a torpedo attack on a ship.
It has a matt dark slate grey spine and top of upper wings. The lower wing is matt dark sea grey.
This is over sides and undercarraige of matt sky. It carries the black serial no. K8375 then a blue 2Q outlined in white (roundel) and a black ROYAL NAVY on the sides of the fuselage.
One side panel says there are 2 versions with color illustrations of the kit made up in the two.
The other side panel has features of the kit in 6 languages, including English. Each is labeled with illustrations of the roundels or marks used by the countries that speak that language.
The bottom of the box has the painting and marking guide for 2 Swordfish.
1. The box art subject (already described above).
It is with 810 (TSR) Sqdn.,Fleet Air Arm, HMS Ark Royal, 1941. This aircraft scored one of the torpedo hits which crippled the German battleship Bismark on 25th May, 1941.
2. A Swordfish in overall silver, with a bronze cowling front and a gloss dark blue fuselage band with white number 529 on it and a black serial no. L2742 next. The black 529 is under the upper wings also.
It is with No. 701 Catapult Flight, HMS Hood detachment, Fleet Air Arm, Gibralter 1938.
Around the 4 sides of the tray is a one-paragraph history of the Swordfish in the 6 languages, each labeled again with the roundels and marks.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 4 medium-grey parts trees, individual medium-grey fuselage halves, clear windshield, a display stand, decal sheet and instructions.
The parts are in trees that have sprue frames around them and fit the box tight in all directions.
Trees are not cello bagged. They are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do however have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 16" x 11 1/2" page format.
The face side of the instructions starts with the display stand assembly. Then the 10 TOP MODEL TIPS with illustrations showing those tips, followed by a one paragraph history of the Swordfish in 8 languages, including English. Below these is a customer service coupon, international assembly symbol explanations and the first 4 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions continues with a grand total of 10 assembly steps and Rovex Ltd's address in the UK, who was the distributor for Frog in the 70's.
The 1st medium-grey parts tree holds: pontoon halves, struts, torpedo halves, engine cylinders, cowling front, cockpit floor, machine gun, tail wheel, propeller shaft etc. (19 parts)
This kit contains 4 medium-grey parts trees, individual medium-grey fuselage halves, clear windshield, a display stand, decal sheet and instructions.
The parts are in trees that have sprue frames around them and fit the box tight in all directions.
Trees are not cello bagged. They are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do however have part number tabs next to the parts on the trees.
The instructions consist of a single sheet printed on both sides in 16" x 11 1/2" page format.
The face side of the instructions starts with the display stand assembly. Then the 10 TOP MODEL TIPS with illustrations showing those tips, followed by a one paragraph history of the Swordfish in 8 languages, including English. Below these is a customer service coupon, international assembly symbol explanations and the first 4 assembly steps.
The reverse side of the instructions continues with a grand total of 10 assembly steps and Rovex Ltd's address in the UK, who was the distributor for Frog in the 70's.
The 1st medium-grey parts tree holds: pontoon halves, struts, torpedo halves, engine cylinders, cowling front, cockpit floor, machine gun, tail wheel, propeller shaft etc. (19 parts)
The 2nd medium-grey parts tree holds: wing halves and struts (8 parts)
The 3rd medium-grey parts tree holds: more wing halves, the propeller, main wheels and struts (12 parts)
The 4th medium-grey parts tree holds: the other pontoon's halves, crew figures, elevators, more struts, seat etc. (25 parts)
Next is the medium-grey fuselage halves.
The 1st clear part is the windshield.
The second clear tree holds the display stand (2 parts)
The decal sheet and the instructions complete the kits contents.
The decal sheet and the instructions complete the kits contents.
This is one neat British biplane float-plane.
Bought my kit back in the 70's at a local hobby shop that went out of business.