Airfix new tool 1:48th Gannet COD 4

 

Dick from East Kent Scale Modellers has done a brilliant job on the new Airfix Gannet COD 'carrier delivery' aircraft. What a beast, looks magnificent in 48th!

Another view and a comparison with the Classic Airframes kit. This older kit has a noticeably smaller prop assembly and a rather 'pinched' forward fuselage..note my Land Rover and Dick's Heller Austin Allegro also on the table..

Airfix new tool Spitfire Tr. 9 twin seater - Aero Legends, Headcorn, Kent

 

" Absolute genius idea by the Airfix marketing department - not only one of arguably the most popular type of aircraft in many scales that Airfix have ever produced , but now also tied in to a model that many people have been lucky enough to take a flight in , and can now build that model... Take a bow Airfix..

As seen on the Airfix stand at the Hailsham show earlier this month along with some pictures taken by Ben Lavender, Aero Legends volunteer and East Kent Modeller, of the two Tr.9s operated by Aero Legends from Headcorn airfield in Kent. A single click to view full screen..

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..

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

 

Let's make a start on the new Airfix Jaguar that everyone seems to be showing off at the moment - and since my local museum has an example on display we can feature some 'reference' too rather than go searching for that elusive issue of 'World Airpower Journal'..keep checking in to see the build progressing with some more close-up 'reference' shots..

The first 12 stages (of 130 or so) deal with the cockpit tub and ejection seat  - there appears to be two of everything for different types of  MB seat - rather than for a twin seat version as far as I can tell. Although that is obviously coming - given the separate forward fuselage/cockpit area. There is neat raised console detail and decals to finish off the tub which is black which will obviously need washing or highlighting in some way to bring out the detail. If you are including the pilot figure you might want to check the fit here - apparently he doesn't with the ejection handle in situ.

The cockpit 'sits' on the forward wheel well and it all fits snugly into position. Next steps are to add some seat belts from wine bottle foil and build up and detail paint the super-detailed wheel wells - here they are in plain zinc chromate primer. A wash will bring out all the detail. The 'black' is (Halfords) 'Volvo Dark Grey' which seems to work better than 'black'..

A view of the main gear bay (looking rearwards) of the Jaguar in the RAF Manston History Museum (near Ramsgate, Kent). Not a terribly clear shot admittedly, but the green/yellow gear bay and some of the associated pipework is evident..note this appears to be in (light aircraft) grey along with the gear legs themselves. 

At East Kent Scale Modellers club night last week, Dale had already got most of the major components of the kit together...flaps and slats deployed

Fujimi 1:48th Bf 109 G-6/AS

 

Sixth completion of 2025. This one of the Fujimi Bf 109 Gustav boxings ('G-6/AS Special Escort') finished as 'Green 5' of I./EJG 2, the Ergänzungsnachtjagdstaffel (night fighter replacement training unit), in overall (semi-) gloss back finish. Pilots for this special Moskito hunting Staffel were drawn from the ranks of the Ergänzungsnachtjagdstaffel instructors and tasked specifically with 'Moskito-Jagd' as described by Joachim Geier in the German-language "Jet & Prop" magazine issue 3/03. Decals were a mix of the AIMS 'Monotone Me's' sheet and those issued by Start Verlag (see Luftwaffe im Focus #4). Note rather unusually, for a Luftwaffe machine, the painted prop tips. Seen on the table at model club night. Has subsequently been given a coat of 'satin' Galeria varnish to tone down that glossy finish a little..

 

DBMK (DB Model Kits) 1:32 Sea Fury test shot builds

Colleagues at East Kent Scale modellers have been fortunate enough to have been given the chance to build this new 'super-kit' due out later this year by new company DBMK. Their efforts were on show and up for discussion at our latest club night last week, held as usual as the RAF Manston history museum. Both Bill and Dick who constructed these two were working without instructions. Dick built his unpainted. We've mentioned DBMK before on this blog as they have a number of new kits in preparation including a 1:48 Scimitar..

LIDARing the Supermarine Scimitar