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Airfix Folland Gnat T.1 1/72


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This one is going too well for rushing Jaime. Look forward to seeing you continue with it even though the GB is finished.

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Hi Col.!

Thanks for the incentive :) I'm certainly not letting this one fall behind. In fact, I spent two hours this afternoon glueing the buckles to the seat belts and then installing the belts on the seats.

I'll post an update later.

Cheers

Jaime

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Hi again,

 

I didn't manage to finish this build within the time frame of the GB but I'll keep updating this thread till the build is finished. If the mods so decide, I don't mind having the thread moved to the regular Aircraft WIP area.

 

Anyway, last week I didn't manage to do much work but I started making the buckles for the seat belts. I used thin electrical copper wires, previously painted silver, and a pair of straight-nose tweezers to bend them into shape. 16 rectangular and 8 triangular buckles are needed. Here's the set-up,prior to starting the job:

y4miRjcIsQDlXMFlCneMnFJgMcT7TAPcA0wnlwTe

IMAG3423

 

This is the first set of buckles for the vertical seat belts:

y4mJbEaqRZlD2Qpe1D2x0x9h4OrJQvc55xGNRqLl

IMAG3424

 

Which were glued in place with CA glue:

y4md5twnkyxsN70bUxk_nF7DDTUVb4wkOwqHlwD6

IMAG3425

 

I only managed to do some more work yesterday. I finished all the buckles and glued them in place:

y4m_s8mAti2UIdW1KaWTQVtbV6jcrxnfifYYzEOJ

IMAG3426

 

Then, I installed the vertical and first set of horizontal belts on one of the seats:

y4m0UewI01AY1DtxkkKR3BcdmMOP-moyi_nat-rZ

IMAG3427

 

and then, the remaining belts:

y4mOOktSd_VlHhEQmMzuuh9LrgukpDwSE_52_kzP

IMAG3428

 

The belts for the second seat were also installed:

y4mJzQqQkBmakBVqf5hw8mwOqE25sKCh9HWW-9MZ

IMAG3429

 

After repairing a few damages to the painting of the seatbelts, I assembled the cockpit base and seats. Here are a few views:

y4m428rPgmctmQxixCjZUjnkAWUO3VhOjlakq7z3

IMAG3430

 

y4m1XfyE8EnKhi_xeCpDVLFVhDvnNEnLH2Ym8orA

IMAG3431

 

y4mLsfCFlqr0Y2MAIqaeUHB3zyZHCsk6KOy8wQpV

IMAG3432

 

y4mBQMv_edNWCpR-jw2Yyemx1XgU2jLzTBh5MIiX

IMAG3433

 

y4m4DzfSukAyOBoZjMdBrqeMn5ATzPFrOpn-BuIm

IMAG3434

 

Next, I glued this sub-assembly to the port fuselage half:

y4mnlplvgLKbP2EYfTiRUE5cARriFe9odO7IlsdT

IMAG3435

 

Finally, I closed the fuselage:

y4mUNT1sRcFSGmAMpr7uZ9vn1EtaHf6huLa6z4Q_

IMAG3436

 

y4maG9j7nMk5d5BfnihQF26elbbyE58vG3IXipnD

IMAG3437

 

y4mPoXSG9c0-j-G6EWr9JIr9GOdEhdpU_9MNW3-F

IMAG3438

 

The fuselage is not yet fully glued. I'm glueing it in small sections, to try and ensure a correct alignment and minimal seam problems. Fit is not flawless.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Jaime

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Well all your patience has certainly paid off Jaime! I seriously do not know how you have so much - those seat belts and buckles are amazing. They really bring the interior to life! :worthy:

So strictly OOB from now on? :winkgrin:

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hello,Jaime -.Your hallmark attention to detail and quality of work are clearly evident in this comprehensive build of your 'Gnat'.Fine effort and there's a fine Folland in the making! ;) All the very best,Paul.

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Well all your patience has certainly paid off Jaime! I seriously do not know how you have so much - those seat belts and buckles are amazing. They really bring the interior to life! :worthy:

So strictly OOB from now on? :winkgrin:

Kind regards,

Stix

Stix, thanks a lot for being so kind :blush: Yes, from now on will be strictly OOB, I promise :D

Hello,Jaime -.Your hallmark attention to detail and quality of work are clearly evident in this comprehensive build of your 'Gnat'.Fine effort and there's a fine Folland in the making! ;) All the very best,Paul.

Hi Paul, it's great having you on board! You're being too kind, as always :blush: Your support and interest are much appreciated.

Cheers

Jaime

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi Jaime. Hope you are well. Just checking if you have had chance to do any more work on this project?

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hi Stix,

Thank you very much for your interest. I've made some progress but just managed to close the fuselage.I had another German test last Tuesday (they take teaching very seriously at Goethe Institut...), so I didn't have much time for modelling.I took a few pictures and will try to post them today or tomorrow.

Cheers

Jaime

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Hello Jaime, your Gnat seats look very good. Regards, Joe

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Hi Jaime. Hope the test went well and I look forward to seeing some photos of any progress you have made.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hello Jaime, your Gnat seats look very good. Regards, Joe

Hi Joe! Thanks for your interest and kind words, it's great having you around! What have you been building recently? I haven't heard much from you lately. Hope you're fine!

Hi Jaime. Hope the test went well and I look forward to seeing some photos of any progress you have made.

Kind regards,

Stix

Thanks for your interest, Stix! It really means a lot.The test went reasonably and I hope I can get a good note, as I studied a lot for it. Let's see, as German is a difficult, though very logical language and it's very easy to mess up...

As promised, I'll post my recent progress on the Gnat next.

Cheers

Jaime

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Hi again,

 

I'm still working on this one, but haven't had much spare time for modelling in the last two weeks, due to work and another German test, as said in a previous post.

 

Anyway, I managed to slowly progress in closing the fuselage. This was done successively, by small sections, in an attempt to minimise the misalignments of the fuselage halves. This was only partially successful, as this kit has clear fit problems. The process took several days.

 

First, I glued the join immediately below the vertical tail fin:

y4mhX2cfAo-7OGRBHZVfo7s33f60KhTXN7bk46mZ

IMAG3446

 

Next, I glued the front joins, in front of the cockpit, on top, and in front of the nose wheel well, on the bottom, in order to close the aircraft's nose:

y4m-loZIjHUsDJUgWzL06KlT7uqRNY_xUH4E-XbR

IMAG3439

 

Then, I glued the section between the nose wheel well and the main gear wells:

y4m2EpYAbO8Oa-HJqJ4p_qaIXdIgTPdfDboMGGZE

IMAG3440

 

This was followed by the join on the bottom of the rear fuselage, aft of the main gear wells:

y4mSoTBy4fU9Jt49Q7NyEx-WwsjZgHn37UcNjDvx

IMAG3445

 

To finish with closing the fuselage, I glued in place the part that goes between the main gear wells:

y4m42fUb0hinA8cRru3aXRNbLuWyAznf5zuTwttR

IMAG3447

 

This part had to be filed on the edges near to the main gear legs in order to fit, as the part was wider than the space available between the legs. As can also be seen, the panel lines marked on the part are not aligned with the panel lines marked on the fuselage. So, I'll have to fill the existing lines with putty and re-scribe new lines aligned with those of the fuselage. Of course, this is in addition to the treatment of seams and steps along the joins of the fuselage halves.

 

While I was slowly glueing the fuselage halves together, I used some spare time to take care of the external fuel tanks. As already shown in a previous post, the fit of the parts that make up the tanks is dreadful, resulting in huge gaps and steps. In addition, the front part of the tanks is badly shaped. So, a lot of filing and sanding was needed to give the tanks an acceptable look.

 

In the following picture we can see the bottom of the two tanks. The one on the left was already filed and is partially corrected, while the one on the right still needs treatment and clearly shows big steps between the parts:

y4m7r83mF2fpYv5ES7AVfk-mFsQPKtNrHgcwtoyT

IMAG3441

 

This is the top view of the tanks. The one on the left already partially treated, while the one on the right shows the badly shaped front part where it joins the middle section of the tank:

y4mX5FxK9P-Igw4QxS7GE77GeIzMQS7vY2bjR2BG

IMAG3442

 

After a lot of filing, reshaping and polishing, here are the two tanks (top view and bottom view):

y4m_VhacR5CNiwOzVUZsPXX-vZzTArbRHUcM3rvn

IMAG3443

 

y4m6v7MVW3Q_HROcsPQuIgTAQAC4UD8iKD4AqzKP

IMAG3444

 

I still need to apply putty to the seams and the re-scribe the panel lines properly.

 

As some have warned me, this kit is a bad choice for a quick and simple build.

 

This is as far as I've gone. I hope I'll have some more time available for modelling in the next weeks in order to finish this one and progress a bit more on my other on-going builds. I also would like to start my Harrier GR.3 for the 80's NATO vs Warsaw Pact GB and a Ju 88 A4 in the Ju 88 STGB.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

Jaime

 

 

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Hi Jaime and hope you are well. I'm sorry this isn't turning out to be the straight forward build you were hoping for but your patience and methodical way of working will get good results in the end. This kit does seem particularly poor - such a shame. The part which fits between the main gear wells looks like it was made for a different kit! Hope the rest goes together better.

Kind regards,

Stix

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Hello,Jaime - I'm sorry your having issues with this build but she's still looking good thanks to your skill and expertise.Despite its size,I remember it giving me a few headaches when I built mine.Your patience will be rewarded though because it does build into a lovely looking model,as I know yours will.

Delighted your busy and that 'All Things German' are going well for you.Will catch up soon. ;) All the very best,Paul.

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Stix, Paul,

Thanks a lot for you very kind words, interest and encouragement. I'm now in the least exciting part of the build: seam treatment, filing, sanding... I will probably start my Ju 88A-4 and Harrier GR.3 and then get back to this one. I also must return to my Fokker triplane and finish it: the rigging with PE stretchers, though simple, has been putting me off...

Cheers

Jaime

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Hi Joe! Thanks for your interest and kind words, it's great having you around! What have you been building recently? I haven't heard much from you lately. Hope you're fine!

Hello Jaime, I fine thanks. I've had so little time for modelling lately that I've not made anything. Your going great guns. Keep up the good work. Joe :)

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Hi Joe,

Thanks for the kind words as always. Hope you can get back to modelling soon. Just let me know when you post your builds again!

Cheers

Jaime

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Hi Jaime, Stix said I should have a look around the site and see what the people who have been kind enough to give me help and encouragement create, so that I can investigate the different types of projects and stuff that you all make. This build is a real example of AMS - and resilience, you're making a really great build even though it's not cooperating!

Thanks for taking the time to comment on my stuff, I really value your advice,

Regards,

Mrs P.

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Hi Mrs P,

Thanks a lot for your very kind words and interest! This project is now on hold while I'm planning my Ju 88A-4 build for the GB dedicated to that aircraft type. I also have several other builds on hold (as listed in my signature) and would like to finish one or two to make some room in my work area.

Hopefully, I'll get back to posting some work progress soon.

Cheers

Jaime

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