Patrik

What a lovely work. Last time I built this one, I was like 40 years younger ...

After return from travels, managed to install the undercarriage today. From tomorrow on, I am starting with the engine assembly that looks rather promising in the blood, sweat and tears region.

Travelling instead of modelling next week, so this is where we are now.

J7361 was equipped with early type of tail assembly, so the bottom part had to be modified accordingly.

Interior just before closing.

Must be a typo, Stuart. Surely you wanted to write "mad idea".😉 With the thick side walls, the space in the interior is not exactly abundant. So this is just about all I managed squeezing in.

Under the 1921 naming system, single-seaters were supposed to be named after land-birds (except birds of prey). More often than not then the manufacturers preferred names alliterating with their own, which for Gloster led to airplanes like Gambet, Gamecock, Gnatsnapper, Goldfinch, Gorcock, Grebe, Grouse or Guan (source: Gordon Wansbrough-White - Names with Wings).

I am sorry I have not spotted the thread earlier. The kit has some faults which might have been worth correcting, and now I am afraid it is too late. The most critical is the wrong rear cockpit shape and gun mount. You may find this and some other useful info here and in the related Vildebeest thread.

There was a hint of internal structure on the sides of the fuselage halves. However, as I am going to build it from scratch, I removed it. I was not looking forward to it, but I opened the machine gun troughs, as otherwise the guns would not fit properly later on. And while I was at it, I tackled a potentially critical spot (red arrow below) in front of the pilot that would be much harder to deal with later. If you are asking how I know this, it is because I have built Grebe once before - a long time ago. I did not realize both issues above until it was too late, and then I did not like the results that much. By the way, when my new Grebe replaces the old one in my collection, the old one will be disassembled, stripped of paint and preserved for future Grebe IIIDC two-seater build.

In fact both rear outer struts have identical dent, which was there in order to accommodate (lock on?) the horizontal tile surfaces with the wings folded. Most probably never used on RAF IIIFs or Gordons, nevertheless it was there. The naval IIIFs and Seals had additionally a fifth front strut on each side in line with the wing fold hinges as well.

Thanks a lot to all of you. I will be happy if my work inspires more people to start building biplanes. The interwar era, usually rather neglected by the kit manufactures, seems to be revived in the last few years by e.g. the Moth family by Amodel, Hart family by AMG, Vildebeest/Vincent by SH or the Fairey IIIF/Gordon/Seal series by Kora. Now someone could finally produce decent Wapiti/Wallace ...

Finished. The RFI thread is here. Many thanks for your continual support during the build, and especially for Tony's (@TeeELL) efforts concerning the engine. I sincerely hope that Tony will manage producing the Panther, as I have minimum one more Gordon and two Seals in stash and I intend building them all.

Finished, Fairey Gordon II K3992, serving from the airports of Ramleh and Amman over Palestine and Transjordan with No. 14 Squadron sometime in 1936. The build thread is here: Build more or less OOB plus inevitably some scratchbuilding caused by my rather pedantic nature. Seat belts by Eduard, Venturi by S.B.S. and guns by Mini World and GasPatch. Waiting for the right engine by Michal Zervan (ex Radial engines & wheels 72) was rather long, however the result was in my opinion worth the wait. Brush painted with my usual mix of enamels by Humbrol, Model Master, Revell and Tamiya, roundels by Xtradecal, serial numbers combined from various surplus decal sheets in my stash. In the end, just the letter “F” on the fin comes from the kit decal sheet. The wing roundels are of rather unusual size and position for the period, but I have a theory. The roundels were the same size and position as on the Fairey Seal naval siblings of Gordon. Therefore, in my opinion, the Gordon II wings were probably taken directly from Seal production line/stock and no one considered it important to repaint the roundels according to the post-1934 RAF regulations. As usual with me, no rigging. By the way, it feels a bit weird to present you today an airplane used 90 years ago in Palestine to monitor and suppress the revolt caused by increased influx of Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler’s Third Reich. We have 2023 now, and regrettably, for the region, there still doesn't seem to be a long-lasting solution in sight …

If you were expecting an essay on the hunting habits of the birds of family Podicipedidae, you would be probably disappointed. Instead, it will be a build thread of the 1/72 Gloster Grebe by Aeroclub, which I will start as soon as the Gordon is safely in the display case. The Grebe was RAF's first new production fighter in the post WW1 era. The RAF received in total 130 Grebes, including 20 Grebe IIIDC two-seaters (the production fighters were designated Grebe II). They were in service with six home based fighter squadrons (although service with No. 111 Squadron - though confirmed by documents - was unfortunately not documented by photographs as well), and served between 1923 and 1929. The Aeroclub kit is a shortrun from the late 1990s, with details parts in white metal. When looking at the Aeroclub biplanes, it always amazes me, how John Adams and Co. managed the razor-edge thin trailing edges on their shortruns in the late 1990s, when we can still see shortruns with trailing edges thick as tie beams produced today. The Grebe has been very well described by the literature (for an interwar fighter), including an excellent book by Mushroom. I will be building the model as J7361 from No. 32 Squadron. The colour scheme is from the book, and it is also photographically documented there. Markings and serial numbers are included in the kit decal sheet.

I think it is now safe to say "see you in RFI soon".

The modelling gods may smile on me now, but they must have been hiding behind the cupboard with shame last Monday.😉

I have to make a confession. On Monday, while (rightfully, I would say) admiring the installed engine and turning the plane around in order to catch the best light, I hit the lamp, and split of a second later, I held in my hand rather attractive … monoplane, with the upper wing and struts scattered over the workbench. Fortunately, I am rather stubborn, so by today, all has been corrected and tomorrow, I will start with the decals.

I am sorry. I could not help it.😉

I did not like the exhaust pipes too much, and this is how it ended. And the tropical filter, appropriately modified. The donor was Airfix Gladiator.

The kit is not without vices, the most critical being too short interplane struts. However, if you list through the various Gauntlet build threads here (regardless of scale), I am sure you will find enough good advice and inspiration. Good luck with your build!

This is were we stand now. The engine - temporarily mounted in order to be able to adjust the exhaust pipes - consists of 75 parts so far, and I'll have to add a few more before it's finished.

A few more details on the seaplane boxing.

A few more details on the seaplane boxing.

A few more details on the VIP Transport boxing. Two airplanes in three liveries with interesting stories. The specific cockpit decking and the extra seat and floor are represented in resin.

Nope, I do not rig my kits, more or less as a rule.