FAA Avenger AS mk6

[Edge]

Hi Guys

Spotted the MDC AS6 conversion for a 1/48 Avenger I have stashed away in the pile. Wondered if anyone had had a go at it. Also if anyone knew of a decal set to suit, rather than having to use generic sets??

[moaning dolphin]

Hi Guys

Spotted the MDC AS6 conversion for a 1/48 Avenger I have stashed away in the pile. Wondered if anyone had had a go at it. Also if anyone knew of a decal set to suit, rather than having to use generic sets??

I've got that conversion as well (currently around 37 in the build list, no now 38, just got that Nimrod!) but cannot find any decent references anywhere, do you know of any. Don't know of any decal sheets but am still looking!

Regards

Bob

[Edge]

Hi Bob

Saw a couple of pictures in a book called Fly Navy, about FAA aircraft since 1945 and thought it looked like an interesting aircraft. Certainly different with the turret removed!

[OzH]

Now then...

I bought the MDC kit a while ago, I found only a couple of pictures of the real thing in its original colours etc, I'll dig them out, scan and post them ove the next few days. Model Decal brought a sheet out and the little booklet was useful. Through some investigation I found out that the Yeovilton Avenger is an AS6, with the radar removed and painted as for D-Day!!!

The MDC kit is good as far as it goes, but doesn't have any of the detail that should go in the rear cockpit. The FAA museum's machine does still have a skeleton set up in the back but most of it has been stripped, I scratched mine from what I could get from the FAA machine and the rest was guess work.

Terrible photo's but what is interesting is the turret ring is still there..

As for decals, As I siad above, Model Decal did bring out a 1/72 scale set, Mine came from the spares box and a couple I printed myself.

More Pics

If I can help at all, let me know

[Gwart]

Great looking Avenger Oz.

Heres a barebones pic of the US equivalent of an AS.6

Found on a google,credits to the original author.

[OzH]

Great picture Gwart, but I'd be careful as I think this may be the one with the big radome underneath, the same as the Gannet and A4-EW skyrader.

Here's some more info, I think I have some more, but where????

I'm not sure it you going to be able to read the text on this final one. If not PM me and I'll send it direct.

Hope it helps

[Gwart]

Hey Oz,

Heres an outside shot of the Avenger from above,i forget the Yank designation for it but the extended glasshouse is identical to the FAA AS.6's.

[OzH]

Yep, I have this set of pics from the San Diego Restoration Museum, the US version is VERY similar but I don't think exactly, You may notice that it doesn't have the bump just forward of where the turret would have been and the glazing at the rear is different. Same as though, I can't remeber the US desigantion. I think in one of the Squadron books there is a line up of all these full canopy types, I know I've seen it somewhere....

Brit

Canadian

And just one of the many US types

I wasn't trying to be a rivit counter, I was just saying that there were many different versions at the time, I think that even within the AS6 There was no "standard" fit, As you can see the remains of the FAA fit in the Yeovil example, I went with that + some artistic licence.

Edited February 17, 2008 by OzH

[Gwart]

Oh not narked about anything Oz ,its just that a penny dropped when you showed the 2 AS.6 pics from Yeovil.

The retention of the turrent ring as you mentioned reminded me of something ,so i dug out and posted that yank equivalent pic.The internal structure is the same as the AS.6 with the bulkhead that forms the rear of the 2nd cockpit place and the turret ring also the shelf part formed from the rear of the bomb bay.

As for the Royal Navy tech gubbins fitments in the back!.Hopefully this thread will help garner more info.

I'd love to build one ,but the lack of reference (before this thread) has so far stopped me.

[OzH]

No worries matey.

Its such a shame that the lighting in that hall (and all the halls at Yeaovilton) is so badly lit, It makes photography almost impossible. There is still quite a lot in there, There are basically two stations in the back, the one where ther gunner was, turret removed and facing forwards, then there was also another where the bombadier would have sat, again stripped out and another seat facing forwards. both had some consol type things to fiddle with, both looked quite different from whats left. Behind the lower seat to the read of the plane was another rack with more comms/power kit, some of which is still present.

You can see quite a lot throug a couple of holes in the fusulage sides (about an inch diamiter) and throught the various windows, but its ni on impossible to take pics. The rear crew door is only held shut by a piece of wire, I was tempted, but thought better of it!!

[Edge]

Wow - I hadn't realised there was so much to learn about these things! I'll be happy if I can get the model looking something like a rough imitation. Oz's finished model looks absolutely stunning!

[OzH]

But can you spot the mistake on the finished model?

[OzH]

A friend of mine was taking a gander over my collection not long back and commented that he had some pictures of the Yeovil AS6 before it was repainted. I managed to get them off him and here they are:

Hope they help