Patrik Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 (edited) The Micro-Gladiator completed in the livery of K7957 of No. 73 Squadron, Digby, 1938, as offered by the kit’s decal options. The build thread can be viewed here http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235009433-mark-i-1144-gloster-gladiator/ I planned to build it completely OOB, with zero aftermarket or scratch-built parts, but in the end some modifications were unfortunately unavoidable. Hand brushed with Humbrol and Revell enamels, decals completely from the kit. The blue of the squadron marking is too dark, and the one of the roundels too light. In fact they should have been both just about the same shade, close to the flight colours on the fin. I enjoyed building the little beast, but I can’t help the feeling the kit looks somehow undernourished from the side view, starting with the wrong shape of the Watts prop, too open front side of the cowling (in fact completely wrong cowling shape), too long undercarriage legs, too low canopy (making it look longer) and wrong curve of the fuselage between the canopy hump and the fin. All this is pretty much obvious on the last photo with my 17 years old Matchbox 1/72 kit in the background. A lot of additional work would have been needed for the Mark I kit to look right but from a distance (which I admit does not have to be that long for 1/144, especially without my reading glasses). Conclusion - it looks like a Gladiator, but I would not dare say every inch a Gladiator as some inches look more a Gladia-toy. I trust it is partly caused by the technological limits of the scale, but on the other hand I am sure some parts could have been represented better. Patrik Edited November 11, 2017 by Patrik 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
polo1112 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 A lovely little Gladiator, but I have to say that I prefer the bigger ones. But a great job !!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisTheBear Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I can see what you mean about the propeller, but the rest looks just fine! DennisTheBear Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murdo Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 I do like that! Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted November 17, 2016 Share Posted November 17, 2016 Tiny little cracker! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingpiggy Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 It's that convincing it could be 1/72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_W Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Nice build. Agree with you about the U/C legs looking a little long. Did you chicken out on rigging it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Wow, that last photo makes the 1/72 one look 'uge! The Glad is one of those kits that I have in 1/72, 1/48, and 1/32 (wish I could have one in 1:1!), so I might have to track down one of these teensy ones. With my eyes I'd probably be happy with "yes, I can tell it is a Gladiator..." anyway. At least in THAT scale! bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McYellowbelly Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Lovely work. Will have to have a go at making a new prop for this kit, possibly interior too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerbob Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Now that you remind me, the prop airscrew does look a bit wonky, doesn't it? Funny, my eye didn't even register that when I first looked. (Prop? What prop?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jean Posted November 18, 2016 Share Posted November 18, 2016 Whaaaaat? No rigging?!!!? Or did you use super invisible thread? Beautiful little model, superbly painted and built. I see what you mean about the prop, etc, But how many people will cast the first stone when they see a 1/144 Gladiator? "What name did you say guv'nor? Gla...whatee?" Bottom line, you are in safe territory with regards to the masses dropping by to admire your model.. But can you live with yourself? May I suggest hemlock? Congrat on a great model! JR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Posted November 18, 2016 Author Share Posted November 18, 2016 No rigging - my trademark. And was it Socrates that was given the hemlock infusion? 1/144 is not my scale and the kit was supposed to be just a side project for me so I did not bother correcting the faults. But I think the propeller (sorry, airscrew) deserves replacement. Shortening the U/C legs should be quite easy. These two would help a lot. And then there is the cowling shape (this one would be tough, but it is three piece issue in the kit, so probably doable) and also better canopy from acetate foil - the clear plastic would be always too heavy in this scale. And as it is hard to see anything in the interior without magnifying glass, I would leave like it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michal @ MKM Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 Hello, the livery depicted in our MKM Gladiator kit is correct. You can found a picture of that aeroplane in a Squadron/Signal book on the Gladiator: You may also notice different shade of blue of the unit insignia and roundel. KR Michal Ovcacik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Excellent Michal, you are completely right, now I can sleep much better! Would you believe I completely forgot about the Squadron Signal booklet when I was checking the available references back in September 2016? Regarding the shades of blue. It is always tricky with B/W photos, I do fully understand. There are other 73 Squadron Gladiator photos (one of them is on the same page of the Squadron Signal book as the picture above) showing the "blues" more balanced. So in my opinion the shade should be similar to what we can see on the Shuttleworth Collection Gladiator or in the Airfix 1/72 new tool Mk.I boxing. However I think it is just a minor issue in otherwise nice 1/144 kit. Diky Patrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
invidia Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 great looking build, except for that prop!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik Posted November 11, 2017 Author Share Posted November 11, 2017 Found morale to restore one more thread ruined by the care of Photobucket. Patrik Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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