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Airfix Folland Gnat T.1 1/72


Synopsis

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Hi, I'm not sure if I am posting in the correct section so apologies if I am not!

So as I'm just easing myself back into the hobby I saw the 1/72 Gnat T.1 kit and had to pick it up so I think I am going to make this my next build as its looks a nice easy straight forward build, however I am considering upgrading the cockpit to an aftermarket set.

Has anyone else built one of these and used the Pavla Pit and if so were there any issues I should consider prior to ordering one? I guess if I am going to use the pit kit the next question is has anyone cut the canopy so that it can be left open to admire the additional detail and if so do you have any tips? Its as cheap as kits come really so Im not too bothered if I do make a hash of it, I just thought I would see if anyone had any advice to save any frustration that may be heading my way!

Cheers :)

Edited by Synopsis
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Hi Synopsis and welcome!

I have not used the Pavla set but have built the kit and there are a couple of tips in my write-up here:-

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234958238-airfix-folland-gnat-t1-red-arrows-172/?hl=%2Bairfix+%2Bgnat

My gut feel is that you might have some frustration in getting the resin set to fit into the tiny Gnat fuselage. The tolerances on the kit are pretty tight as it is.

Pat

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Hi Pat thanks for the reply!

Your Arrow Gnat is a lovely looking model. Reading your thread and the replies to it, I think it might make sense for me to build one OOB first and then maybe have a go at one with a pit upgrade after. Seems silly not to now having thought about it with the pit upgrade costing twice what the actual kit does.

Heres hoping mine turns out half as good as yours!

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One idea that mite help... is to just upgrade the bang seats.... I aquired a Gnat from a chap from my club, with it came a set of wolfpack seats for the Gnat! They look the dogs... Just a thought for a easy update to the cockpit....

Mark :-)

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I think I would be cautious of Pavla stuff. I have found that it usually needs an inordinate amount of work to get to fit. So much so in fact that I have often ended up binning most of it scratch building the details instead as it seems easier, quicker and less messy with resin dust.

Martin

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One idea that mite help... is to just upgrade the bang seats.... I aquired a Gnat from a chap from my club, with it came a set of wolfpack seats for the Gnat! They look the dogs... Just a thought for a easy update to the cockpit....

Mark :-)

I like that idea, unless I cut the canopy the seats are pretty much all your going to notice at this scale. I am not sure on forum etiquette but can you recommend a source for them other than ebay (not a fan of ebay).

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So my first Gnat is sitting waiting for its 2nd coat of primer to dry and I have picked up my second gnat kit and ordered the Wolfpack seats for it; I would like to represent the 2nd Gnat as a different aircraft and present it in LAG/Dayglo where as the first is going to be HSS/Dayglo.

I was hoping to present them both together but as a result I dont want to use the same decals from the kit for them both for obvious reasons. Pat C I hope you dont mind me asking but on your Gnat build you mention that you took decals from an S&M Gnat sheet, do you know where I could source one of these?

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I've tried to track down the decal sheet and can't seem to find one other than on eBay so I may need to bite the bullet and get that off there.

I do have a question with regards to the paint scheme. I have seen images of Gnats where the serial at the rear of the fuselage is contained within a section of HSS in amongst the Dayglo (or Light Aircraft Grey I personally can't tell due to images being black and white). Now I found an image of XP530 which is the airframe represented by the Airfix decals and this isn't done in the image I found, the serial is just straight on the Dayglo as per the Airfix instructions so my question is does anyone know when it is appropriate to use this defined area on the rear in the silver/grey. Was this something that was introduced with time or did it depend on where the aircraft was based? I know once I decide which airframe I want to represent in the LAG/Dayglo I can just google to see which is appropriate but it has me intrigued is all!

Just a quick edit just incase anyones interested in what the first Gnats looking like at the moment heres a pic:

18089359931_603f81ef30_z.jpg

Edited by Synopsis
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Your best bet would be to find pics of the airframe you want to do and rely on those. I've got an old copy of Scale Aircraft Modelling on the Gnat that has a load of profiles and one from 1962 in day-glo and aluminium with the aluminium panel, and one from 67 in day-glo and light aircraft grey with a LAG panel but all the others without the panel.

Your Gnat looks stunning BTW - awesome job!!

Pat

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