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Sea Fury T.20 VX281 - Airfix/AMG 1/48


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Hi all,

 

This one has been a bit of a battle...

 

Following on from my Airfix Sea Fury, I decided to build a Sea Fury T20 (which I prefer to the FB.11 - strangely!). I bought the AMG 1/48 Sea Fury T.20 and intended to build the AMG kit as the striking "Ferranti Fury".

After reading reviews of the AMG Sea Fury, I decided it would be a difficult enough build alone, let alone trying to convert it to a T.20, so I used the T.20 specific parts to convert an Airfix Sea Fury (I'll build the AMG kit into the Sea Fury prototype).

 

There are a few changes that I had to make, including removing the inboard cannon and converting it to a fixed tailwheel. Unfortunately, I then discovered that the AMG kit only has the retrofitted "flat" canopy, as used on the warbird racers.

This was a little disappointing, as I really wanted to build the striking blue and red scheme... However, I realised I could instead build the Navy Wings Sea Fury T.20, which I frequently see in summer practicing air displays - as I live a short distance from Yeovilton, I also get to visit Yeovilton and Navy Wings occasionally due to work :)

 

I was also rather inspired recalling the fantastic display at Yeovilton in the baking heat of summer 2018, the Sea Fury and MiG 15!

 

HB_SeaFury_MIG_LHowardIMG_5793.jpg

 

MiG-15-and-Sea-Fury-T20-%C2%A9-Aviation-

 

As can be seen above, as VX281 is a modified T.20, it has the inner cannon and has a retractable tailwheel, so i had to undo the changes I made earlier. On top of this, the larger tailplanes included in the AMG kit were 5mm different in span (even though they should have been mirror images), so I CAD modelled and 3D printed my own, specifically to fic the Airfix kit. On top of this, I also realised the wheels are different, so I modelled and printed those too.

 

Decals were from various sheets, to get the correct sizes, I had to cut the "2" of 120 from a sheet of 20" white letters, as there are no WWII style white numbers available in that size. The canopy isn't as transparent as I would like, the decals slightly silvered, the exhaust weathering isn't perfect and I managed to sand the wheels at the wrong angle too, so I'll have to redo them at some point... Painted with Hataka Blue Line Acrylics and sprayed to a lovely gloss (unusual for me to have glossy models) with Halfords lacquer. It's not perfect, but I'm fairly happy with it!

 

IMG_20210219_102318

 

IMG_20210219_102417

 

IMG_20210219_102550

 

 

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IMG_20210219_102340

 

IMG_20210219_102530

 

IMG_20210219_102455

 

IMG_20210219_102251

 

Here's to hoping I might spot VX281 practicing this summer...

 

Thanks for looking!

Ben

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And very nice to. I agree the 2 seater just looks a bit more interesting.

 

Well done Ben.

 

Cheers

 

Dick 

Edited by jenko
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Thanks all :D

 

9 hours ago, jenko said:

And very nice to. I agree the 2 seater just looks a bit more interesting.

 

Well done Ben.

 

Cheers

 

Dick 

 

Usually, I'm not a fan of trainers, but the size of the Sea Fury means it pulls off the look well :)

 

5 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Lovely looking T20.  You've done a great job there.  I didn't realise there was a way in 48th scale to this, I did the Special Hobby 72nd kit and enjoyed that. 

You have done a cracking model. 

Chris

 

I wouldn't recommend the AMG kit, Neither would Richard Franks in his book!

 

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That is absolutely gorgeous! I'm sorry you had such a battle but all your hard work had paid off from where I'm sitting. Wow! When COVID restrictions allow I'd get in touch with the Navy Wings team to see if you can arrange a meet and greet between your model and the real VX281.

 

It's also nice to see someone else replicate a preserved aircraft as 90% of my builds are warbirds and heritage aircraft.

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6 hours ago, k5054nz said:

That is absolutely gorgeous! I'm sorry you had such a battle but all your hard work had paid off from where I'm sitting. Wow! When COVID restrictions allow I'd get in touch with the Navy Wings team to see if you can arrange a meet and greet between your model and the real VX281.

 

It's also nice to see someone else replicate a preserved aircraft as 90% of my builds are warbirds and heritage aircraft.

 

Thanks K5054nz! 

 

Im quite fortunate as my work sees me occasionally on site at Yeovilton and one of my colleagues has his plane hangered with and is very close with Navy Wings. So I've been able to get up close to the Sea Fury, Swordfish, Sea Vixen, Phantom, Harrier, Chipmunk and Wasp :D

 

I would rather like to get a photo of my model with the real aircraft though! 

 

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