Variable Geometry: the Swing Wing GB

Modeling Subjects Group Builds
1

I was really impressed with the flyovers of a Rockwell B-1B at the recent Thunder over Louisville Airshow, which were carried out both with wings extended and swept. So much that I just ordered the Revell B-1B 1/48 along with some aftermarket goodies to spruce it up. Now I gotta clean off the work bench to accommodate this monster.

I also did some quick searches on the development of variable geometry aircraft and it seems that the precursor to variable wing geometry was a Messerschmidt, the P-1101, which was discovered by Allied forces at the Oberammergau complex 65 years ago on April 29, 1945. Never completed and tested as far as I know, and not a true active variable geometry design, it started a developmental process that led to the Bell X-5 and ultimately to the more familiar aircraft like the F-14, Mig-23 and the B-1.

Since I’ve got the B-1B coming and that it’s reported to be a real bear of a kit, I thought that I’d find some company during the build and organize a Swing Wing Group Build. There seems to be a good number of kits available in various scales, and of various types of aircraft, so there’s no shortage of interesting topics. For example, possible subjects and kit manufacturers are listed below and there may be more that I’ve not included:

Messerschmidt P-1101 - Dragon 1/72

Bell X-5 - Revell 1/40(?), Mach 1/72

F-111 - various manufacturers and scales available

B-1 - Revell, Dragon in various scales

F-14 - numerous choices including the new Trumpeter kit

Tupelev Tu-22M - Esci, Italeri 1/72

MiG-23 - various kits and scales available

MiG-27 - various kits and scales available

Su-17 - Kopro 1/48; Italeri 1/72

Su-22 - Kopro 1/48, Italeri 1/72

Su-24 - various kits and scales available

Panavia Tornado - Revell, Italeri, AirFix in various scales

Dassault Mirage G - not sure if available in scale?

Tupelev Tu-160 - Trumpeter, Italeri, Zvezda 1/144 and 1/72

Rules of the GB:

  1. any variable geometry aircraft is eligible, any scale; OOB or as much aftermarket/scratch build as you like

  2. GB will start June 1, 2010 and end on April 29, 2011, the 66th anniversary of the discovery of the Messerschmidt P-1101, the swing wing prototype.

  3. WIP photos are a must. I also encourage participants to do some research into their selected aircraft and to pass interesting info along to the group. We can all learn something new.

  4. most importantly: have fun

  5. The GB Badge that can be downloaded after competion of a build is below. Please grab a copy and host it on your personal photo page. Thanks.

As of Monday Nov. 22, the participants and their chosen kits are as follows:

Bish - Dragon Messerschmidt P-1101 1/72; Hasegawa 1/72 MiG-23

Wingman_KZ - Revell Germany 1/72 Tornado in lizard camo (completed); and possibly other Tornados as well

morefirejules08 - Hobbyboss 1/48 F-111D/E built as a F-111F

medicman71 - 1/48 Revel F-14A Tomcat with VF-1 Wolfpack High-Vis markings

Aggieman - DML 1/144 Panavia Tornado (completed); Revell 1/48 B-1B Lancer (completed)

Konigwolf13 - HobbyBoss 1/48 F-111C Pig, Aussie AF

Vetteman42 - Revell F-14A 1/48 (modeled after the Tomcat from VF-41 on the USS Nimitz that is now on display at the Ronald Reagan Library) (completed)

the real thing:

the model:

Pordoi - Revell B-1B Lancer 1/48 (completed)

STFD637 - AMT EF-111 Raven 1/72 (completed)

macattack80 - Revell 1/48 B-1B Lancer (completed) and 1/48 Revell F-14D in VX-9 markings

raptordriver - Revell F-14A 1/48 (completed)

eatthis - Revell F-14 Tomcat 1/48 (completed)

Italeri 1/48 Tornado (completed)

Revell 1/48 B-1B

grimmo - Hobby Boss 1/48 RAAF F-111C Pig in tricolor camo

oddmanrush - Italeri 1/72 Tornado IDS Black Panther

harshman II - Academy 1/72 MiG-27 Flogger (completed… in 2 days)

Flyhigh - Revell 1/48 F-14D

If anyone else is interested, please respond to this post and I’ll add you to the list.

Have fun everyone; look forward to seeing things start in a couple of weeks.

Don

2

Yes, i am in, but i won’t start until late in the build, probably next Feb, but sooner if i can. It will be the 1/72nd Dragon P.1101.

3

sign me up for a hobbyboss 1/48 F-11D/E build up as an F, build will prob start in the winter when i actually have some building time

cheers, chris

4

I woundered if you would get in on this, seeing as you seem to like the vark. By any chnace, will yours be a Lakenheath bird. If you are in i have to build mine. Two guys from Suffolk in the same GB, thats got to be a first for this forum.

5

OK. Welcome aboard Bish and morefirejules. Will update the build list and I look forward to seeing your builds. So we’ve got two Suffolk guys so far, eh?

Don

6

bish how did you guess it will be a lakenheath bird? think i’ll do a Libya raid bird, but i have a stalled lakenheath phantom to finish first!

and i recon your right, this must be the first time two suffolk boys have been on a group build together!

cheers, chris

7

Ok i’m in. I’ll be doing a Revel F-14A Tomcat with VF-1 Wolfpack High-Vis markings.

8

O, it was just a wild stab in the dark.

I checked my Dragon kits and the wings are fixed, so i might have to do a bit of cutting to vary the sweep. So give me somthing to look into while i am away. I was thinking that if the wings were not connected and adjusted one at a time, i could do the two wings at different angles.

Now, a question. Is the wing angle measured from the front or back of the wing.

9

OK Medicman!! Welcome to Swing Wings. Good to have you join in with a TomCat.

Don

10

The timing works well for me as I expect to be done with all of my current group builds. I’m tentatively in with a DML Tornado GR.1 in 1/144 but will be on the lookout for another swing-winger (not a Tomcat, however).

11

A pleasure to have you join the GB Aggieman. I’ll update the initial post with your DML 1/144 Tornado. Also, it’s good to see that you’re interested in even another swing wing. Maybe a Russian aircraft? No takers on those yet. The more swing wings, the better!

Don

12

Sounds good to me Don. I’m in and will start with a 1/72 RoG Tornado, not sure which one yet but will let you know before I start. I have the 50th Anniversary version that I’m trying to figure out the paints for and the RAF version with plans for a couple others.

Tony

13

Nice to have you join us, Tony. I will update the master list with your RoG Tornado.

Don

14

Bish,

The detailed answer is:

The angle of sweep which characterizes a swept wing is conventionally measured along the 25% chord line. If the 25% chord line varies in sweep angle, the leading edge is used; if that varies, the sweep is expressed in sections (e.g., 25 degrees from 0 to 50% span, 15 degrees from 50% to wingtip).

The easy way is to draw a line perpendicular to the axis of the fuselage, then another along the leading edge of the wing. The angle formed between the two lines is the wing sweep.

Don

15

Ok, thanks. I am not sure how the wing was moved on the 1101, and on the kit and in the pics i have found there is no apparent recess for the wing to sweep back into. I will measure the angles on the kit as i am guessing they are set at the swept back position.

Don’t put me down on the list yet, but i also have a 1/72nd hasagawa MiG 23 in the pipeline to build. If my 1101 is done in time i will then move onto the MiG.

16

Have a look here:

http://www.antaresmodels.com/verReview.asp?id_review=1268608184

Wings were apparently mounted via a hinge that allowed sweep of 30, 40 and 45 degrees.

Don

17

Thanks Don, i have added that to the other sites to check out. hen the main gear doors are open, you can see the engine. I am guessing that this also allowed access to the mechanisim that locked the wings in place. This is the assumption i will base my Dio on. I just need to figure out how i hold the wing that i adjust in position once i cut away the part of the fuselage it should be glued to. Somthing for me to think about over the next few months.

18

Please count me in. I will be building the AMT EF-111 Raven in 1/72 scale. I just built the F-111 for the bomber stash GB and can’t wait to dig in to the EF!

Travis/STFD637

19

Welcome aboard, Travis. Glad to have you join us.

Don

20

Don,

I looked for some additional kits but couldn’t find my target, a F-111 Aardvark, in 48 scale that fit my price range (ie, the Hobby Boss kit was more than I wanted to spend), so of course I went and spent almost as much on the 48 scale Revell B-1B, so please add that beast to my entry.