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Djordje Colovic
57 articles

1/72 Sword McDonnell F3H-2/F-3B Demon

March 30, 2021 · in Aviation · · 16 · 2.4K

As a fan of famous F4 I decided to make a model of its predecessor, . After some kind of forgetting about that model I got one model from models.

It is a model in 1/72nd scale. It is pastic model with some pe addons, resin engine and seats… But, very odd it didn't had any seats, for example.

I thought that it would be joy to build, but I forgot that some Czech model companies have their own ideas aboout making models. For instance, not a single part is named with numbers on the sprue. You must look into instructions, than real adventure starts, because it is not normal that, for example, number 15 to come after 14 on the sprue...

Very spartan cockpit, without decals for instruments, seat without harness, cockpit tube made from ridicilous parts. After completing cockpit You must connect it with the mainframe of the plane, which simply doesn't fit. After surgery with no anesthesia I tried to glue intakes than, out of nowhere, with just a drop of liquid cement whole body of the plane broke in the length of some 5 or 6cms… I had to do some more extra surgery to fix it. Than to rescribe that whole section.

You have to attach wings onto the body, than, what a surprise, gap. Ok, after all of that I made some scratch building with seat, landing gear, wings…

Finally painting. I don't about You guys, but white color for me simply doesn't work. I literally hate that color.

But, for some reason decals are superb! They laid down perfectly.

I did heavy weathering with any special feeling about this terrible model. So, this is the result…

Reader reactions:
13  Awesome

4 additional images. Click to enlarge.


16 responses

  1. Well the model may be terrible but the article is a hoot.
    Came out looking pretty good to me. Not one you see every day.

  2. yeah - for us 1/72 builders, there is NO good kit - I built the Emhar version. However, you ended up with a nice result, and the photography is really great. Well done.

  3. Great looking F3H Djordje, sounds like the kit also had a few demons of its own!
    Awesome finish!
    You can surely see the F-4 Phantom trying to bust out.

    • Thank You George 🙂 Now, that is one xcellent observation, my whole build time I was thinking about its name Demon, and about that F4 should be called Satan. Very exorcist demanding theme 😀

  4. Great results after all your struggles,and in my favorite livery VF-31. As Greg said theirs no decent kit of the Demon in 1/72, I also did the Emhar F3. I've Done Swords F9F-8T, It was a bit of a challenge.

  5. To me your build looks fantastic, Djordje.
    Especially the detailing on this 1/72 kit.

  6. Since you like 1/48, I'd suggest the Hobby Boss kit, which is vastly superior to what you describe here.

    That said, you definitely seem to have whipped this one into submission.

  7. Well, I'm sure you've learnt from the experience, and we're glad you completed it, it looks great in the photographs, definitely liked.

  8. You did a great job on this difficult kit, Djordje!

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