Model Javelins

No web page about an aeroplane would be complete without making a model of it!

Airfix have produced a Mk 9 Javelin in 1:72nd scale which can be built as either a '9' or a '9R' (The 'R' means 'Range' and features the air-to-air refuelling probe).

I have taken an Airfix Mk.9 kit as a base and converted it to a Mk.5, based on XA699 at Coventry.

Shown below is the finished model seen from all sides and showing the various details of the conversion from Mk.9 to Mk.5.  The rear view shows the pen-nib conversion on the tail cone, made by cutting down the kit’s tail cone and reshaping with plastic card and body filler.  

On the wings, the middle row of vortex generators has been removed (that’s the line of small fins standing up on the top surface of the wing). The cannon ports have been drilled out in the leading edges and the pitot mast on the starboard wing has been omitted. On the upper fuselage, the Mk 5 only has two of the four small pressure heads fitted, and behind these the pair of afterburner cooling intakes of the Mk 9 are, of course, also omitted.

My thanks to everyone who emailed to wish me well with this model and to let me know about aeromodelling projects of their own; good luck to you all!

If you do manage to visit the Midland Air Museum fairly soon, you’ll see this model on show.  It's in the large display cabinet that features both the Javelin and the Hunter, inside the main hangar.

Here are some more details about how to make the conversion in case anybody else would like to try the same project.

Kit parts spread out on the desk for inspection...

To build a Mk 5 Javelin based on the Mk 9, there are a few differences to take into account, the most significant one being the shape of the tail cone.  The distinctive ‘pen-nib’ shape was adopted to overcome problems with buffeting in the airflow around the jet exhausts and was used on Javelins from Mks 1 to 6 and a few early Mk 7s.

I chose to scratch build the tail cone, however if you've got a spare T3 kit you could use the tail cone from there.  I believe you can also buy ready made tail cones in 1:72nd scale, pre-cast from resin.  Building this part from scratch has to be the most difficult part of converting the kit to a Mk 5.  If you’re not confident about being able to do this modification, I would suggest keeping to the Mk 9 rather than risk spoiling your model.  Having said that though, it is a fairly straightforward job and it’s very rewarding to see the finished result.  You will need some plastic card, available from model shops, and some filler.  For filler I use a good quality car body filler, available from most DIY and car accessory shops.

The remaining conversion work consists simply of sanding down parts which shouldn’t be there, or simply omitting them and filling in the holes.

The full list of modifications is as follows:

Modifications in detail

Tailcone

(All dimensions in millimetres)

Fig.1 Viewed from above, measure 6mm from the centreline off to one side, along the rear edge of the tailcone and mark a point here. Now mark a point on the same side of the tailcone, 4mm back from its forward edge (where it meets the fuselage) and halfway up on the side, and join these two points with a pencil line. Repeat this on the opposite side too. Cut out a small triangle of plastic card with dimensions as shown and ensure that it will line up properly with the shape you've marked out.
Fig.2 Turn the tailcone over and mark out the underside. Measure 4mm away from the forward edge and continue this line around each side to meet the lines previously drawn in from above. Now draw the centreline and measure off 5mm each side of it where these lines cross. Mark out the pointed section as shown.
Fig.3 This view shows the general shape we're aiming for. It is best done with a fine modelling saw and finished off with a jewellers file. Notice that the kit's tail cone has a slightly bevelled rear edge, the plastic card triangle needs to be aligned along its LOWER edge and some filler is needed to patch this up on the upper surface.
Fig.4 Another piece of plastic card is cut to form the upright central piece, and the jet pipes can then be fitted in on each side, using appropriate packing pieces to centre them.  I used the jet pipes supplied in the kit, having sawn off the afterburner nozzles.  Two very small pieces of plastic card make up the flat surfaces around the oil vent pipes, and the shape is complete.  Filler is then added into the spaces around the jet pipes and contoured to meet all the edges. The following photographs may help you to get the shape right...

Other Modifications

For the nose weight I used an earth pin from an old 13 amp plug, it weighs about 10 grams and sits nicely in place in the nose.  I glued it into place and secured it with a couple of pieces of sprue, cut to size and glued across it.  Be careful not to use too much glue at this stage, it’s quite easy to overdo it and leave a patch of melted plastic visible from the outside!

Don't use any less weight than this!  Due to its shape the model is fairly tail heavy and having built it with the nose weight described above, the centre of gravity is just forward of the main wheels.  It will sit quite happily on either its nosewheel or on its tail depending which way you push it!  Use a bit more weight than 10 grams if you can.

This is optional, but I wanted to add the effect of a couple of engines rather than seeing a blank surface when looking straight on into the intakes.  I built something that looks like the front end of Sapphire turbojet using a circle of plastic card and the end of a rawlplug, and fitted one in each intake.  The type of plastic used for rawlplugs doesn’t take to being glued at all and looking back now I wouldn’t recommend using it!  However you can make it stick if you score it heavily with a sharp knife and glue it using Araldite which is very sticky when it’s mixed and sets extremely hard.

At this point, I must apologise to any readers outside the UK for referring to local product names like Araldite and Rawlplug, especially having received an email from a modeller in Texas asking me what I was talking about!

I'd like to explain that I'm not advertising or endorsing these products in any way, nor getting paid anything, I just used them and thought they were OK for the job.

Araldite is a kind of  epoxy resin adhesive.  Most hardware shops in the UK sell it, I'm sure there's an equivalent available everywhere else in the world but I'm sorry I don't know what it would be called.  It comprises two equally sized tubes, adhesive and hardener, you squeeze them out and mix them in equal proportions (50:50), mix them up, and you've got about 10 minutes to apply it and clamp the surfaces together before it sets like concrete.

Rawlplugs might otherwise be known as wall plugs or masonry fixings, they are small plastic tubular mouldings having a rounded tip like a Sapphire engine, and they're used for fixing things to walls.  I'm no builder but I know that if you use a 6mm masonry bit to drill a hole in a brick wall, push in a red rawlplug then put in a size 10 screw, your shelves will never fall down!

I hope that's cleared that up, I'll try not to confuse people so much in future...

Kits

Other Javelin kits are a bit harder to find; here is the most complete list to date:

 F(AW)9 Airfix 1/72

T3 Airfix/Heller 1/72 (same kit different box)

Prototype Hawk 1/72

F(AW)9 Frog/Novo 1/72 (same kit different box)

Prototype Lincoln/Kadar (I think) 1/72

Airwaves F(AW)1 1/48 

Dynavector F(AW)9 1/48

Russian Import (based on Frog kit) 1/72

Early Frog Javelin, WT827.

Bateman's solid balsa model in 1/72 scale.

(With thanks to Alan Partington for the above list.)

ZTS PLASTYK

This rare kit from Poland attracted the following comments:

ZTS PLASTYK is a new(!) moulding - it's not the FROG one revamped nor is it Airfix/Heller based. It's very basic in detail & finish. The decals are naff, the pilots are reminiscent of FROG-men as is the general appearance of the moulding - all very 60's and thick plastic. 
I have checked the kit against the plans in WARPAINT and the fuselage is a bit short but the rest is not too far out. 3 versions can be built - F(AW) 9R of 64 Sqn.; an F(AW) 9 & F(AW) 7 of 23 Sqn. 
With a bit of bashing and liberal use of Aeroclub seats, canopy, etc. a reasonable Mk 7 could be produced to sit alongside the Airfix/Heller Mk9 & T3 (but hidden at the back a bit!!!!).
(With thanks to Dan Dare.)

Transfers

Modeldecal F(AW)8 1/72 41 and 85 Squadrons

Conversion sets

Maintrack F(AW)1,2,4,7 at least 1/72 

'Dinky Toys' Javelin

This is Dinky Toy No. 735, a metal toy made by Meccano Ltd, wingspan 83 mm.  Model is pictured next to a shilling coin from the same era.

Other Static Models

This 1:48 scale Dynavector model of XA699 has been built by Colin Whitehouse in New Zealand, who is building up a fine collection of Gloster aircraft!.

Flying Models

A few people have also been working hard building larger scale flying models and have sent some pictures of their results.  They all look absolutely superb and I’m hoping to get the chance to see one of them fly on its next outing.

This is a scale model of a Mk 1 Javelin built by Mark Sherlock. It has a 50" wingspan and is radio controlled.

This model of a 5 Squadron Javelin was built by Steve Rickett and has a wingspan of 7.2 ft.

Steve tells me it is built entirely of Balsa, ply and spruce with a fibreglass skin.

It weighs 32.3 lbs and carries 3.12 lbs of methanol as fuel, which it burns in seven minutes.

It is powered by two small turbojets which produce a total of 18 lbs of thrust, giving a realistic power to weight ratio of 0.508, and a top speed of 150 mph.