Airframe Detail No.4: The Supermarine Swift – A Technical Guide, by Richard A. Franks (Valiant Wings)
The Supermarine Swift was a British single-seat jet fighter of the Royal Air Force (RAF), built by Supermarine during the 1950s. The prototype flew for the first time on 29th December 1948. After a protracted development period, the Swift entered service as an interceptor, but, due to a spate of accidents, its service life was short (1954 – 1967). A photo reconnaissance variant resolved some of the Swift's teething problems.
This is Valiant Wings' first title covering a post-WW2 RAF jet and the fourth title in the Airframe Detail series covering a very important, but much neglected post-war RAF type. Whether you are tackling the brand new Airfix kit, or grappling with the old Hawk offering in 1/72nd scale, this title will be essential reading for you.
Contents include:
A wealth of historical photographs
Walkaround detail period pictures
A mass of period diagrams from original flight manuals
Detailed study of structure, equipment and armament
Colour profiles and camouflage and marking detail by Richard J Caruana
Lists of all kits, accessories and decals produced in all scales
82 pages in volume in A4 format
The Airframe Detail series runs alongside Valiant Wings’ popular Airframe & Miniature Album books. The Airframe Detail series differs in that it focuses more on the physical aspects of specific and sometimes esoteric types.
This fourth book goes into intense detail documenting the Swift’s difficult birth up to gaining acceptance for service, with original manufacturers component documents, illustrations and a wealth of period colour photographs. Richard J. Caruana provides several pages of Swift profiles detailing the various colourful squadron markings when in service.
Of the 82 pages in the book the first 16 (Brief History section) deal with the development and service story of the Swift, with many details of the prototypes, development and production aircraft. We get a summary of each variant produced, from the initial Type 510 (VV106) prototype in 1948, developed from the Vickers Supermarine Attacker, still with a tailwheel undercarriage but with swept wings and tail, to the late type F Mk7 in 1956-57 (which was the first to deploy a guided weapon in the shape of Fireflash missile and the first operational british aircraft to have reheat).
The next 42 pages are devoted to the technical description of the aircraft, with many photos of the cockpit (lots of them in colour), ejection seat, nose & canopy details, undercarriage, control surfaces, wings, engine, exhaust, weapons and equipment, together with many explanatory line drawings/diagrams (and some cutaways).
Camouflage & Markings section (16 pages) includes many clear in flight photos, with explanatory text and almost 25 very nice colour profiles with captions.
In the last section of the book we get a nice building of a FR MK5, based on the Airfix recent fine 1/72 scale kit, by Richard Franks, an appendix with all the kits, accessories, decals, masks available in all scales and a very useful bibliography for further reading and research.
We particularly liked the many close-up photos of the various internal and external details of the aircraft, which are very helpful to the modeller. As usual the quality of printing, binding, paper, photography and text is first class and this is a book highly recommended to all modellers interested in post war era british jets.
Definitely a must-have to accompany the new, very detailed Airfix 1/72 scale kit of the Supermarine Swift!
Cover price £12.95. ISBN is 978-0-9930908-9-9
Orders can be placed via http://www.valiant-wings.co.uk or by calling +44 (0) 1234 273434 or by writing to: Valiant Wings Publishing, 8 West Grove, Bedford, MK40 4BT
AIRFRAME DETAIL No.4: The Supermarine Swift - A Technical Guide is also available from all good specialist book stores and hobby outlets.
http://www.valiant-wings.co.uk/airframe-detail-no4-604-p.asp
