Salty Roo’s - Fairey Gannet AS.1, HMAS Melbourne (R21) - (ex HMS Majestic (R77)

[Rabbit Leader]

Salty Frogs, Salty Clogs, Salty Roos and Salty Moos(e) - next step, which ones(s) to choose??

 

Right then, hopefully I haven’t offended any of our French members with this cheesy title, I’ll amend it once we get going and a decision is made. Now it’s about time I declared my hand in what happens to be a very timely GB. My recent area of interest is the British 1942 Light Fleet Carrier classes that entered service Post War and launched a number of Foreign Fleet Air Arm Carrier groups. The ten Colossus and five Majestic Class carriers were only ever designed for a relatively short service life, however a number soldiered on for decades and were even modernised with angled flight decks to accept high powered jet aircraft, which extended their survivable lives even further. 

 

I have chosen four possible Carrier based aircraft for this GB, each one serving from one of these ex Colossus or Majestic class British carriers. My GB completion history hasn’t been all that great of late, however I’m hoping that this GB and some encouragement from others will see me complete at least one of these models to an acceptable standard. So what do we have to choose from?? 

 

 

1. The Salty Frogs (France) (Arromanches - ex HMS Colossus) 

Eduard’s very nice 1/72 Grumman Hellcat F6F-5. Although I have the -3 Weekender boxing, all the bits are in the box to make a -5. I’ll need to source some decals, which I’ll probably order online later tonight. Likely scheme would be a US Gloss Dark Sea Blue overall from a unit serving in Indo-China circa 1953. 

 

2. The Salty Clogs (Netherlands) (HNLMS Karel Doorman - ex HMS Venerable) 

Another nice looking kit, the Hobby Boss Hawker Sea Hawk. The Dutch used 22 FGA.50 Sea Hawks which were essentially similar to the FAA’s FGA.6. From around 1959, these aircraft were modified to accept Sidewinder misses on their outer pylons, so that is something I’d be keen to emulate. I need to source some decals and am keen to purchase the beautiful sheet produced by CTA (Cut Then Add) models. These decals aren’t cheap, however are probably some of the most extensive and well researched decals I’ve come across. They do a Dutch Navel sheet with many cool subjects, so if I get a chance, I’ll probably dip into the kids inheritance and buy a set. Likely scheme will be Dark Sea Grey over Sky for a sidewinder armed Sea Hawk standing by during the 1962 Tikadora West Java incident. 

 

3. The Salty Roos (Australia) (HMAS Melbourne - ex HMS Majestic) 

Has to be the best Fairey Gannet on the market, Revell’s recent 1/72 effort from a few years back. I’ve got plenty of reference material, the excellent CTA Australian Navy decal sheet and really no excuse not to build this one. Even my daughter is seriously contemplating joining the RAN, so although this looks to be the most complex to build, shouldn’t really be that much of an effort to get going. Once again Dark Sea Grey over Sky is the only scheme, just need to work out if I apply the earlier ‘Y’ tail code and British style Type D roundels or the ‘M’ tail code and later Kangaroo roundels? 

 

4. The Salty Moos(e) (Canada) (HMCS Bonaventure - ex HMS Powerful) 

The oldest in this series of kits, however still quite a nice looking model of the McDonnell F2H-3 Banshee. Canada operated 39 Banshees during the late 50’s and early 60’s and also modified them to use Sidewinder missiles. This looks to be the most easiest kit to build, however I have the earliest Hobbycraft box, which comes with virtually useless decals. I’m hoping to source a set from the newest Academy boxing, but my BM 'wants list post' for a spare set has so far gone unanswered. Scheme will be Dark Sea Grey over Medium Sea Grey, however unless I find some good decals this one may not get started. 

 

Apologies for the long winded intro, but there you have it. This should be a fantastic GB and I wish our hosts Tony and Col all the best running it. Good luck to everyone who’s planning to join in and hope that we all have a safe and Merry Christmas. 

 

Cheers and thanks.. .Dave 

 

 

[Toryu]

Hi Dave, I‘d like to see the Gannet develop, just because it‘s a relatively rare model and an unusual plane. The others are nice, too, but a little more mainstream. So, my vote goes to the roos.

 

Cheers, Michael

[2996 Victor]

Hi Dave,

 

you've got four cracking possibles there - any one of them would be great. I've had a soft spot for the Banshee ever since thumbing through my Dad's copy of Observer's Aircraft as a nipper, so my vote would have to head in that direction, I think!

 

Looking forward to seeing what you plump for

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Grey Beema]

I rather like the elegance of the Seahawk toting those big missiles around,..

 

Three responses, three different answers - helpful bunch aren't we..

[2996 Victor]

6 minutes ago, Grey Beema said:

I rather like the elegance of the Seahawk toting those big missiles around,..

 

Three responses, three different answers - helpful bunch aren't we..

Who's going to plump for the fourth? @TonyOD - I think that needs to be you - in your role as host you need to encourage diversity  Where's @Enzo the Magnificent when he's needed?

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Ngantek]

All very nice! I'm keen to see all built up (having all but the fury in the stash).

 

I have a nice IHP HMS Triumph to build one day, looks like a lovely kit.

[Grandboof]

You could build all three . The Gannet would be my vote though . Or do we have to tick all the boxes .

Martin H

[Rabbit Leader]

Thanks for the comments guys, looks like my choices are hard to eliminate, might have to put the foot down and consider all four!
 

I think I’ll wait until Xmas is at least over,  then make a firm decision soon after that. I do say, having taken the Gannet out of the box for the first time in a while, the detail does look quite nice. I’ve got everything I need for it, so the Salty Roo’s Gannet might be the firm favourite so far. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

[TonyOD]

The Seahawk for me, although the actual answer is all of ‘em, obviously.

[JOCKNEY]

Gannet for me, I always was a sucker for good looks 

 

Good luck Dave

 

Cheers Pat 

[Rabbit Leader]

Right then, decision made!

The Revell Gannet will be the first Salty Dog off this potential list of British export Carrier subjects. I’ve pretty much got everything I need to make a decent start and have made good progress reading the very good Mushroom publications book “Submarine Hunter”. This kit is also the oldest one of the four in my stash, so probably deserves to be built more than the other three. A few years ago I also purchased the excellent CTA (Cut then Add) ‘Aussies at Sea’ decal sheet, which has two Gannet schemes on this large and very impressive decal sheet. Still yet to decide which one of these schemes to do, however the basic colours are identical, so its just a matter of what decals I happen to slap on when I get there. 

 

Since the initial post, I’ve also managed to track down a spare set of Canadian Banshee decals from another BM member, so that kit is also a good possibility when these decals arrive from overseas. 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

 

 

[arfa1983]

Awesome. This is the most beautiful ugly airplane in the world. 

[TonyOD]

So it’s the Gannet! The plane so ugly that it’s… nah, it’s piggin’ ugly. 🙀

 

Welcome aboard! 

[Rabbit Leader]

4 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

The plane so ugly that it’s

….. Mother would probably throw Rocks at it! 

Thanks Tony, please add this to the build list whenever you get the chance. 

Cheers.. Dave 

[TonyOD]

21 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

please add this to the build list whenever you get the chance

I’m updating it each evening at the moment, I fear that if I leave it a few days I will have created myself a job of work! 

[Rabbit Leader]

39 minutes ago, TonyOD said:

I’m updating it each evening at the moment, I fear that if I leave it a few days I will have created myself a job of work! 

From someone who knows… can I say that’s highly recommended! 

[Ngantek]

Best of luck! So many great builds to look forward to on this GB. I've always wanted to build mine folded but seem to have missed the boat on the nice wolfpack conversions for this kit. 

 

[Wings unlevel]

To be fair, the Gannet was very advanced aerodynamically - it was so ugly the Earth repelled it! 🤭

That said, I do have a soft spot for it, form very much followed function, making it a really characterful aeroplane! Am looking forward to seeing what you do with it, Dave.

 

Cheers,

 

Gerard

[Rabbit Leader]

And we’re off! 
Some excellent timing (not working, wife’s gone to see her Mum and it’s too hot to do any gardening) has allowed me two solid days of Salty Gannet modelling. Nothing major so far, however it’s allowed me some good time to examine the parts, cut, file, glue and assess what I’m up for with this Revell kit. 
 

First impressions are a little mixed. The plastic is nice to work with, however I’ve found that a number of parts need some work to make things fit. I’ve read some online reviews and there’s a consistent theme of fit issues around the bomb bay and closing up the rear fuselage.
 

Further inspection inside the fuselage found a series of raised ridges where the bomb bay roof mates with the lower fuselage and some guided slots to help line things up, problem is I couldn’t get any of these ‘guides’ to line up! I’ve now sanded most of these down and it all seems to fit a little better. 
 

I’ve had to deviate from some of the instructions steps to aid better parts figment and have assembled the wings together after removing a small number of raised ejector pin marks along the trailing edge.  Speaking of which, there’s a few too many ejector pin marks that do mar the kit, but thankfully most of these can be easily removed. The ones inside the main wheel well are not so easy, so I hid them behind some round and square pieces of plastic card to resemble typical but ‘fictitious’ wheel well lumps and bumps. 
 

Overall it’s really not a bad kit and to be truthful quite a nice package, but it does need a little care which should force me to think twice before applying cement anywhere. 

I’ve got five solid days of work to get through so will try to chip away at it if I’m not too tired in the evenings. 
 

Cheers.. Dave. 

[Wings unlevel]

This came up in my YouTube feed just now, Dave. Having watched it I will concede while it is not conventionally beautiful it is certainly technically elegant!

 

 

[Rabbit Leader]

Great grab @Wings unlevel, it’s amazing what pops up in one’s Facebook feed, those algorithms are certainly spooky at times! 
 

Cheers and thanks.. Dave

[TonyOD]

Great to see this one up and running.

[Bertie McBoatface]

Yes, there's a lot of Gannet fever about at the moment.

[JOCKNEY]

Great stuff Dave

Good luck mate

Cheers Pat

[Rabbit Leader]

 

Thanks for the comments lads. So a little more Gannet progress has occurred, although theres still a few small parts to add in addition to a truckload of nose weight before I close the fuselage up. The fuselage and bomb bay fit is still not quite right and adding the cockpit parts hasn’t helped that issue either. 
 

Semi Gloss Black paint has been sprayed in most areas and seats painted a brick red type of colour. Seat belts are just thinly cut strips of decal that hopefully will look OK once the canopies are on. The kits instrument panel decals broke up and / or disintegrated on application so I don’t think the rest of the sheet will be of much use during this build. 
 

Not sure exactly how much weight I need as it’s not mentioned in the instruction sheet, but there’s quite a bit of room in between the cockpit floor and bomb bay roof. I’m also hoping the wheels will be able to take the weight. 
 

Apologies for my lack of comments in the many other Salty Dog GB threads, there’s just so many great builds going on it’s impossible to keep track. 
 

Cheers.. Dave 

(by the way.. how good does Airfix’s new 1/48 Gannet look?)