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Dynavector Fairey Gannet old build repair


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This is an old build but freshly repaired! If deemed inappropriate here mods please remove.

This is the Dynavector Fairey Gannet kit which is 20 years old now, being a massive Gannetphile and with only the Frog (and derivatives) Gannet in 72nd available at the time, I had to build this one as soon as it came out.

I had never made a vacform before (and this is still the only one) so I was a bit worried at first, however the build of this kit was actually pretty straightforward and really enjoyable.

I added very little to the kit, just various aerials and probes etc, panel scribing, and weathering was to a minimum. I used Milliput to better represent the Double Mamba intakes. There is so much white metal up f'wrd that it didn't need nose weight.

Finish was good old brush applied Humbrol Sky and EDSG and Johnsons Kleer.

XA361 was a Gannet AS.1 completed for the Royal Navy in November 1955 at Heaton Chapel. It was part of a great 'Flight' photoshoot as '551-GN' with 719 Sqn at RNAS Eglinton during 1956.

It was put into storage in March 1958 before being sold back to Fairey's in 1960, becoming AS-06 for the Indonesian Navy.

Anyway, this one has endured two house moves and has just been knocked out of the cabinet again, so I've just been round it with superglue to reinstate undercarriage legs and four prop blades, the model desk briefly became an RNAY!

28364298474_0b58514c5d_c.jpgDynavector Gannet AS.1 by James Thomas, on Flickr

28697547480_6c5b0055d0_c.jpgGannet 9 (2400x1603) by James Thomas, on Flickr

28878467902_73b06e962a_c.jpgGannet 6 (2400x1599) by James Thomas, on Flickr

28878469322_3c21131794_c.jpgGannet 4BW (2400x1598) by James Thomas, on Flickr

28951277966_277b83eec2_c.jpgGannet (2400x1600) by James Thomas, on Flickr

28907163371_a01aed0284_c.jpgDynavector Gannet AS.1 by James Thomas, on Flickr

28878465862_a652c53723_c.jpgGannet 10 (2400x1602) by James Thomas, on Flickr

As you can see, I have another one to build at some stage.

The kit is superb with very crisp moldings and engraved panel lines, excellent canopies (2 sets), and good decals, to my eyes captures the lines of the real thing slightly better than the Classic Airframes one does.

If you haven't tried building a vacform before, I thoroughly recommend this as a good place to start.

Edited by 71chally
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I always have great affection for the Gannet, especially as fine an example as your one there James. The finish you've achieved on it is just exquisite. I've the Sword AEW version tucked away myself, though currently lack drawings of that version to check the outline against for accuracy.

Lovely work sir.

Tomy

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If you haven't tried a vacform before, this is a good place to start.

That's a very fine looking Gannet, and your comments cheer me up no end because I have one to build as my first go at a vacform as well.

She looks great for her age !

Cheers

Gaz

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That is a real beaut,......you`ve done a great job there.

I have been building mine on and (mostly) off for at least 10 years and here it is so far,....I must finish it off soon!

DSCF7863_zpsfo59trki.jpg

Cheers

Tony

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Looks great. Definately worth a bit of R&M.

I built this in about 2001 and she is still in the cabinette. My wings have drooped over the years and the outer pannels are almost horizontal now but no obvious cracks or warpage. I had decided to fold up the wings like Tonys above when someone finally brings out the AEW. I bought the PE set about 5 years ago but am still waiting for the AEW. When I read ' repair' I wondered if you had done the same!

Keep waiting.

Colin

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Thank you all for the comments, glad I've restored it, though some of the whip aerials have gone for good, and I can now see in the pictures that one of the prop blades is at a jaunty angle!

Tony your ECM.6 looks fantastic, I thought of folding the wings but just doing a vacform was enough for me! Is it just painting the fold areas left for you?

Colin, I put fuselage/centre wing spars, and outer wing spars in mine at the initial build, and definitely think it paid off.

Tomy, the Sword Gannet looks very good to me, I have regular access to a pair or real AEW.3s and it stacks up well.

Many of the scale drawings don't strike me as that good so haven't compared them. If there is a weakness with the kit it's probably the heavy fuselage strapping, it is there on the later aircraft but not that heavy. Either sand down or remove them is best.

Edited by 71chally
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A superb looking Gannet. What some of you guys can achieve with vacforms is quite astounding. In fact I'd go as far as to say it's a dark art. I struggle with vacform canopies which is quite enough for me!

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Thanks again

On 8/17/2016 at 2:55 PM, Buzby061 said:

Top class work. Still got my Dynavector Wyvern in the pending tray. :jealous:

Pete

A good friend of mine built this, think it was his first vacform and is what prompted me to build the Gannet, it turned out very nicely as well.

 

Must admit I would like to do their Scimitar as the only choice in 48th, and I do have a Sea Vixen to complete.

 

I guess most of Dynavectors' subjects were superseded in decent injection kits, Classic Airframes Gannet, Airfix Sea Vixen and Javelin and Trumpeters Wyvern, but they are still very good kits and great to build.

The approach I took was to use a sharp and dark pencil to draw around the base of the shapes (ie wings, fuselage halves etc). I then cut straight deep lines with a stanley knife about 2-3mm outside from those pencil lines, and snapped away the redundant plastic sheet.

I used Sandvic tools (or course paper around a block) to roughly reduce the thickness of the plastic sheet until there was a slither of plastic left around them.

From then on I gently sanded with the finer tool (or fine grade paper on a block) and the paper thin plastic surrounds fell away - which was immensely therapeutic and satisfying!.

If you go gently around the shape you end up with a really good straight mating face.

You can sand off the last bit by sticking fine paper to a board and rubbing the whole shape gently across it, but I only did this as a very fine finish off for the joins, if you push on the shape too much using this process you can cause it to bow while sanding and mess up the join line a bit.

 

Like I say, I thoroughly recommend these kits as they build to near injection kit standards

Edited by 71chally
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  • 2 years later...

What a lovely Gannet - as other's have said the finish is superb. I also agree with your comments about Dynavector kits and how good they are. My first vac-form was their Sea Vixen - I would accept that the Airfix offering is probably superior now - and I followed that with the Scimitar - also a good kit although I felt the panel lines were a little softer and less distinct - and still the only option for 1:48... For a Gannet I went down the Classic Airframes route and whilst it is not a bad kit, I think the Dynavector one might be an easier build - the resin nose of the CA one is not a great fit and requires a lot of work. I do have a Dynavector one in the stash and will build it one day - I love the wing fold on Tony O'T's and might copy him (again!)

Great job, thanks for sharing.

Cheers,

Nick.

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A very nice Gannet indeed, you can build some lovely models from Dynavector kits. I've built the Scimitar , Sea Hornet and two of the Sea Vixens, one converted to a FAW1 with folded wings and been very pleased with all of them.

 

Andrew

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