1/48 Sea Vixen, Airfix

[Lord Riot]

After the news that Airfix are to release a 1/48 Gannet, I decided it’ll need some companions before I buy one, which gives me plenty of time to build this apparently excellent Sea Vixen kit, then see if I can find the new tool FAA Buccaneer for about £50 on eBay. Wishful thinking unfortunately. Anyway, I had actually listed this Vixen to sell myself, but having had no offers I’m now pleased it didn’t sell! 

This will be my first Fleet Air Arm kit in 1/48, and I must confess I’m less familiar with the squadrons, serials, etc than for RAF aircraft of the same era. I haven’t decided which markings to use yet, but as the schemes appear identical I don’t think I need to decide until it’s time for the decals. There’s a chance I may yet look for aftermarket decals.

 

The by now very familiar box.

 

 

Lots of plastic! Looks like it’ll be pretty big too, about Phantom size at a guess?
 

 

 

Paint ready, for much later.

 

 

Any errors or difficulties I need to know before starting?

 

Also, does anybody happen to know a list of the serials/codes for 893 or 899 Sqn Sea Vixens when embarked?

 

Not sure how quick progress will be as I’m currently rehearsing for my next play and it’s the Six Nations starting this weekend! All comments, input and banter welcome!

 

And yes, I’ll probably be back onto a 1/72 inter-war biplane after this big beast!

 

 

[franky boy]

That’s a big box full of plastic!

 

Good luck with the build. Will follow along. 

 

James

[Lord Riot]

Made a start this afternoon, and got quite a few of the smaller parts painted. Matt black for the cockpit, dry brushed with silver, and a homemade mix of silver and medium grey for the undercarriage and wheel bays, flap interiors, etc.

 

 

I’ve not decided yet whether to use a white posca pen or dry brushing silver for the instrument panel detail.

 

 

 

[Keeff]

Looks like you're off to a good start.

 

Look forward to seeing how this progresses.

 

Keith. 😁

[BushBrit66]

This is an excellent kit. So much better that the Trumpeter. When released there was almost no negative press. One of their best ever, along with the Javelin and BlenheimEnjoy

[David H]

43 minutes ago, BushBrit66 said:

This is an excellent kit. So much better that the Trumpeter. When released there was almost no negative press. One of their best ever, along with the Javelin and BlenheimEnjoy

i certainly don't recall any whining about the price... 🤣

[BushBrit66]

2 hours ago, David H said:

i certainly don't recall any whining about the price... 🤣

Lol. 38 quid IIRC. 

[heloman1]

The box art alone would be enough to get me building. Sadly not my kit resides on the top shelf in the stash! 

The Vixen was a beautiful aircraft, sadly they were almost out of service when I joined up but I did get close to a couple during air day weekends

Likewise, I need a Gannet.

I'll follow your build with interest.

 

Colin

[Winded Penguin]

25 minutes ago, heloman1 said:

The box art alone would be enough to get me building. Sadly not my kit resides on the top shelf in the stash! 

The Vixen was a beautiful aircraft, sadly they were almost out of service when I joined up but I did get close to a couple during air day weekends

Likewise, I need a Gannet.

I'll follow your build with interest.

 

Colin

I thought the same thing

[Biggles87]

I have one which is destined to became an FAW1 ( much more aesthetically pleasing to my eye ) with the aid of a conversion kit.

I learned to fly with an ATC Gliding School at Hawarden near Chester in the early ‘60s where DH had a factory, and at the time were converting FAW1s to FAW2s so the Sea Vixen holds special memories for me as it associated with the start of 18 years ( on and off ) flying gliders and light aircraft.

Also watching with interest,

 

John

[Lord Riot]

Bang seats pretty much done, just the decals on the headboxes left to add, unless anyone can spot a glaring error or omission?
 

 

The seats are those from the kit, with Tamiya tape painted and cut to various sizes for the back cushion and straps.

[Dr. Quack]

On 2/2/2023 at 9:59 PM, Lord Riot said:

I’m now pleased it didn’t sell! 

 

.......and I'm fed up I didn't buy it! 

 

Rather fancy one of these - hope they reissue it to keep their Gannet company.

Never mind - you'll do a better job of it than me anyway. 

Niall R

[heloman1]

19 hours ago, Biggles87 said:

I have one which is destined to became an FAW1 ( much more aesthetically pleasing to my eye ) with the aid of a conversion kit.

I learned to fly with an ATC Gliding School at Hawarden near Chester in the early ‘60s where DH had a factory, and at the time were converting FAW1s to FAW2s so the Sea Vixen holds special memories for me as it associated with the start of 18 years ( on and off ) flying gliders and light aircraft.

Also watching with interest,

 

John

Interesting to hear that. I was 318 Sale ATC, we visited there a couple of times. Later on the facility was building sections of the TRS 2. Now there is s something the government of the day ahs to be seriously ashamed of!

 

Colin

[Biggles87]

If you did any gliding at Burtonwood in the early ‘70s Colin,  I was instructing there at the time and if you remember seeing someone in an orange flying suit that would have been me.

Sorry to hijack the thread.

 

John

[Lord Riot]

No worries at all @Biggles87, any flying reminisces are always good. I did my AEF flights from Woodvale, and gliding at Sealand, back in the mid 80s!
 

A bit more work on the Vixen, with most of the office now painted and stuck together. 
 

 

 

[Lord Riot]

Cockpit done!
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Biggles87]

That looks suitably cluttered and cramped for the poor observer in the ‘ coal hole ‘. One of my colleagues at Heathrow occupied one for a time and said it was a tight squeeze for him and he was five feel six inches tall and slightly built!

 

John

[Lord Riot]

‘Coal hole’ fitted, and you don’t see that much of it once it’s inside the fuselage.

 

 

 

[Keeff]

Nice detailing on the cockpit and the build is coming along ...  👍

 

Keith   😁 

[Winded Penguin]

Very good scratching on the seat in particular. Coming together well so far 👍

[Lord Riot]

Thanks for the comments gents.

 

Anyone who has made this kit, can you tell me how much noseweight it needs please? I can’t find reference to that in the instructions.

[Oldgitian]

Just finished the old issue Airfix Buccaneer S2D and was tempted to start on my own Airfix Sea Vixen to sit along side.  It's a big box and full to the brim with plastic.  Glad to see you've made the same choice and got off to a good start.  Think I'll just sit back and watch as you progress and highlight any pitfalls before I make a start on mine.  My rule of thumb with nose weights is always to fill every available space, regardless of any instructions.  That hollow nose cone is just begging to be packed solid.  It's too late once the thing's built and sitting on it's tail.

Ian

[Skymonster]

Good luck with the build - it looks like it’s off to a great start.

 

I’d love to do an Airfix Sea Vixen, but not at the prices currently being demanded on eBay and the likes (I don’t already have one and I’m saddened that Airfix has chosen not to rerelease it but I live in hope). So I guess at some point I’ll have to bite the bullet and have a crack at the Dynavector I have in the stash.

 

[SprueMan]

I think Airfix made a mistake in their kit that you will have to fix. The cockpit is offset to the side.

There is no way that is possible in real life.

 

(gets brushed aside..)

 

WHA???

oh.

 

Carry on. As you were.

 

Looks good already, and the dark gray is going to be nice, I think.

[Skymonster]

1 hour ago, SprueMan said:

I think Airfix made a mistake in their kit that you will have to fix. The cockpit is offset to the side.

There is no way that is possible in real life.

Same designer who did the Trident with a nose undercarriage leg under the centre of the fuselage maybe… When he was finally made aware of his mistake, he presumed every kit needed something offset from the centre. 🤪