Fairey Swordsman 33

Started by ChrisF

5 updates 39 likes 19 comments
ChrisF Opening post 114

Fairey Swordsman 33

The hull sides have been painted white and will now be left for a week or more for the paint to harden. Reason I leave it that long is I prefer using 3M masking tape which sticks well and so I don't want to risk pulling off any paint! I have plenty of work to do on my other builds and so it isn't a problem.

So I've now turned my attention back to the superstructure. I've been itching to get a coat of varnish on the rear cabin roof and after fitting some mahogany trim to the rear and rounding it off and that to the coamings I applied a coat. Just need to make another pair of doors and I can paint the inside of the cockpit and start fitting it out.

Chris
Liked by ColRay and GaryLC and
4 comments
  1. ChrisFBronze
    Vice Admiral
    @StephenS3 Thanks Stephen. Always good to hear from someone who has worked on the full-size boats.

    As with all my Faireys I'm looking forward to getting this one on the water.
    Liked by Madwelshman
  2. StephenS3
    Able Seaman
    @ChrisF .Thanks for reply.It is great you can keep the Fairy range of boats well remembered with your models.They were almost new when I started working on them.now considered vintage..I remember difficult to get at the engines and gear boxes etc .No room. All the Best .Stephen
    Liked by ChrisF

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Fairey Swordsman 31

Who was the muppet building a Huntsman 31 who said there was a danger of the mahogany sheet twisting if steam was used to bend it? 🤔

I managed to find a piece of mahogany sheet without a pronounced grain pattern on a part of it and cut out the roof capping/screen former. As before I made many saw cuts to help it bend but this piece of timber was quite dry and liable to snapping so I dampened the top surface before trying it on the roof. It bent OK but there was still quite a bit of resistance so I thought I'd try steaming it using my usual appliance the kettle. With gentle steaming it bent a bit but wouldn't hold the bend much. So gave it a longer go and big mistake as it curled from front to back (as the grain runs from side to side) and I couldn't bend it straight by hand. Fortunately the sink was full of water and so I gave it a good soaking which helped a lot. So I clamped it to the roof and it fitted fine but as it dried out, given that I could only clamp in one place each side, it started to curl again, drat!

The iron and board was already set up in the other room so nothing to lose I gave that a go on the steam setting and did both sides. This pretty much straightened it out and I was able to bend it so I then used my wife's hair drier to dry it out whilst I maintained the bend. Yes, she was out! 😀 This maintained a bend good enough to allow it to be glued in place. Whilst I used contact adhesive again I'll leave it clamped overnight.

So whilst clamped I made the pair of doors for the front cabin having made those for the rear sometime ago. Before gluing in place I need to paint the cockpit so that I can fit the floor in case I can't get it in once the doors have been fitted.

Chris
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Fairey Swordsman 33

Managed to do a spot of painting this morning before the back room got too hot. Was keen to do this as you shouldn't leave it too long between gloss coats and it's been a couple of days since I last applied any.

So painted a couple of things on other models getting another coat on the front window and back of the rear cabin of the Swordsman having finished the cabin and coaming sides and removed the masking tape. Another coat or two will be required on the rear after which I can progress the superstructure more.
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Fairey Swordsman 33

Applied another coat of gloss to the rear of the superstructure and left to dry. It's been a few weeks since I painted the hull sides so the paint is nice and hard now and so I can paint the hull bottom. Applied some mastic tape, always a fiddly job I find, and applied the first coat of grey primer-undercoat. It's drying really fast in the heat but will leave until tomorrow before applying the second coat.
Liked by AlessandroSPQR and chugalone100 and
2 comments
  1. ChrisFBronze
    Vice Admiral
    @E8southport Thanks. I feel a little guilty with this build as it was the first model I started about 8 years ago! I then got side-tracked with other Fairey builds and this one was put to one side. Anyway recently I decided to make a concerted effort with my earlier builds, all Faireys, and at least get them all on the water before adding the finishing details. So this is the first started and will be the last but one to get on the water, the last being the Fisherman 27 which was the last one started.

    Unlike with full-size boats, strakes aren't as important on models, but as this is a near scale model it needs to have them and they do set the hull off nicely. I can't wait to see how it performs either.

    This was the inspiration for my build.

    Chris
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Fairey Swordsman 33

Three coats of primer-undercoat applied and given a light sanding before applying the first coat of gloss. Woohoo!
Liked by AlessandroSPQR and Madwelshman and
5 comments
  1. Madwelshman
    Lieutenant Commander
    @zooma Bob, I'm guessing that other than your arm hampering things of late, a part of the reason your Swordsman hasn't been completed yet, is because your 'Remora' and 'Rapier' are such good, well handling, and fun boats for you to pilot.
    Plus as with so many of us, time is precious, and there's always something more important, or urgent that requires our attention.
    Even so, you still manage 100% more boat time than I do, although I hope that may change in the near future 🤞

    Will
    Liked by ChrisF and zooma
  2. zoomaBronze
    Admiral
    @Madwelshman

    Hi Will, I am learning to work around it, but being naturally right handed, this is not coming quite so easily as I had hoped.

    You could add the Kopy Kommander to the list of boats that I am currently enjoying driving as that is also now running nicely as well.

    Don’t forget “The Javelin Challenge” - we both need to get one on the water this year (2026) …..and maybe meet-up and run them together……..

    My duff right arm will give you a chance to catch-up….

    Bob
    Liked by ChrisF

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ChrisF #6 of 6 20

Fairey Swordsman 33

5 coats of gloss on now with a sanding before the last 2. Frustrating as usual because with the last but one coat I ended up with hardly any bits in the paint but with the last one I did, despite using another new brush.

But as I've said before I’ve given up with chasing perfection or anywhere close. That's why I mainly use blue on the underside of the hull as the white is much more forgiving. I shall forget about it when I start using the boat and overall it looks nice. I just don't know how these guys painting a car in a shed produce such a great finish!

I've left the stern for now, which will be blue as well as it was difficult to mask off accurately where it met that on the chine rails.
Liked by AlessandroSPQR
8 comments
  1. ChrisFBronze
    Vice Admiral
    @zooma I'm fine with the bigger tins of International Paints, 750ml, for blue and white as I've used that on all my Faireys, in fact I had to buy another tin of white, but it does go a long way. White of course not a problem as used on many models. If I need some other colours and in smaller tins I shall get some Craftmaster.

    Both manufacturers say to use something else below the waterline but that is for full-sized boats that spend most of their time in the water. For our use that's no problem and these paints are better than household gloss which is fine - as long as oil based of course.
    Liked by AlessandroSPQR
  2. zoomaBronze
    Admiral
    @ChrisF

    I think the paint manufacturers refer to “anti-fouling paint” for use under the waterline.

    This is not a problem for us of course because we lift our boats out of the water after each run and apply several coats of polish to the undersides to keep them looking perfect………………:)

    Bob.

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