Building an Indian Gnat from the Special Hobby kit

[Giorgio N]

I'm now getting back into building models after having stopped for a few months (something that unfortunately affected my participation in the group builds... sorry 'bout that!) and was looking at some kits in the stash when I was attracted to this one:

 

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/957530-special-hobby-sh72322-folland-gnat-f-mk-i

 

Now nothing wrong with an RAF aircraft and I love the EW-5894, however I'd like to build an aircraft serving in the Indian Air Force, as it was in India that the single seater Gnat really shone. Special Hobby has announced an Ajeet a while ago but as this has yet to come I'm thinking of building the F.1 as an Indian aircraft.

Should I want to build one of these aircrafts, what kind of changes would be involved ? I believe that nothing really should be changed in terms of details, with the decals being the only things to find. Is this correct ?

Speaking of decals, looks like all operational aircrafts were in overall silver and carried only roundels and serials. Is this the case or did they carry other markings ?

[JohnT]

Giorgio

 

I have the Warpaint publication and it looks like the first deliveries from the UK production and by Hindustan in India were the same as the Gnat. By that I mean that the book does not highlight any changes and it seesm to suggest that the Mk1 single seater was unchanged from the first one built.   By 1972 Hindustan had licence built 195 Gnat Mk1 aircraft but an improved version was done by them locally.  This mostly involved internal improvements such as hydraulics and controls, new avionics and ejection seat and internal wing fuel tanks.  This became the Ajeet.  It had 4 under-wing hard points as compared to the Gnats 2.  Between 1977 and 1982 they built 79 of them.

 

The same Orpheus engine was used throughout.

 

The Warpaint publication has some great colour photos of Indian aircraft and also colour profiles too.  Feel free to PM me for more info.

 

regards

 

John

[Giorgio N]

Thanks John! Sounds like my plan is sound then. An Ajeet would be nice too but I'm happy enough with a Gnat if no change is required.

Would you know what sizes was used for the various roundels? 

[JohnT]

Giorgio

 

On the profiles and the photos they appear to be about the same size as the RAF roundels on the fuselage sides of RAF machines.  As best I can see the upper wing surface has a similar sized roundel located quite far outboard towards the wing tip unlike RAF roundels which are much larger and further inboard on early Gnats.   However I see that later Gnats (e.g. 1970) have a smaller upper wing roundel further outboard like the Indian machines.

 

Not sure if I am allowed to copy onto here - probably not !!

 

John

 

 

[Welkin]

I always thought it a shame that SH never scaled their Gnat up to 1:48!

[RidgeRunner]

Hi Giorgio! See my pm to you if it helps.

 

Martin

[FLCH]

I have the Aeropoxy Folland Gnat in 1/48, any idea what needs to be done to it to make it an Ajeet ?  It has IAF markings for the prototype Ajeet.

[Giorgio N]

On 22/9/2017 at 6:07 PM, JohnT said:

Giorgio

 

On the profiles and the photos they appear to be about the same size as the RAF roundels on the fuselage sides of RAF machines.  As best I can see the upper wing surface has a similar sized roundel located quite far outboard towards the wing tip unlike RAF roundels which are much larger and further inboard on early Gnats.   However I see that later Gnats (e.g. 1970) have a smaller upper wing roundel further outboard like the Indian machines.

 

Not sure if I am allowed to copy onto here - probably not !!

 

John

 

 

 

Thanks John ! I've noticed the same on late aircrafts, they seem to have relatively small roundels on the wings

 

On 24/9/2017 at 12:15 AM, RidgeRunner said:

Hi Giorgio! See my pm to you if it helps.

 

Martin

 

Got your message Martin, thanks a lot !