Building the new Airfix 48th Sepecat Jaguar GR. 1 (3)

 

Airfix 1:48 Jaguar GR.1 build continues. No issues. Concentrating on sticking the 'large' parts so we can get some paint on soon. Slats, flaps and ailerons just clip in. I notice some builders have left these parts off to paint and weather separately - no idea why you might need to do that. Care needs to be exercised when removing these parts from the sprue though - some youtubers have inadvertently cut off the extension tracks, which otherwise allows you to clip these parts into position easily. A smear of PPP in the upper wing join, wiped off with acetone to avoid any sanding. The intakes are fitted and just slide into position - Airfix supply a 'jig' to get them 'square' but I didn't feel the need to use it. There's also a jig to drill the options for the intake-mounted VHF aerial(s). There's also two tailfins - an 'early' and 'late' with the RWR.

In the rain at Fairford in 1995 (IIRC) and, below, standing under the wing of the Manston machine XZ 106. XZ 106 is a Gulf War veteran and at one time displayed 35 mission symbols in desert pink. In 2002 it received 'winter' camo and went to Bardufoss with 41 Sqd. It came to Manston via Bentwaters in 2010. Engines and other prominent features are missing from this airframe.

Building the new Airfix 48th Sepecat Jaguar GR. 1 (2)

 

Above; general view of the Jaguar forward fuselage showing the curved intake and the starboard 30mm cannon fairing. Note the cover in the intake. There were a number of different intake covers fitted to Jaguars, both in- and outside the aperture. This is the machine on display at the RAF Manston history museum, XZ 106, latterly of 41 Sqd. 

The new Airfix Jaguar GR. 1 build continues serenely. This is as close as Airfix will ever get to a Tamiya-style 'shake n' bake' kit  - yet still a 'Skill Level 4'. Must be something to do with the number of parts, because its not a difficult build at all. Everything just 'clips' into place. Gear and airbrake bays build up easily into each fuselage half before the cockpit pushes into the fuselage. While the 'fit' is mostly very good, there are a couple of seams that I'm not too thrilled with, especially just aft of the cockpit.

Next steps involve some detail painting of the gear bays and constructing the intakes, the tail and the other moveable surfaces - slats and flaps can all be fitted in extended mode. 

Below, a few more reference shots. Note Airfix recommend '27' for the gear legs  - which seems far too dark a grey. There are no colour call-outs for the interior of the airbrake doors - they seem to be in the same colour as the fuselage/lower surfaces..