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Sea Vixen


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Just a recap - I wasn't planning on doing another build till the Autumn, but I was browsing the worldwide webz and happened

upon a glowing review of this kit, so I bought it. I then found that few of the other reviews and builds had a good word to say

about it, citing poor fit and dodgy accuracy.

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Well, I'm not a particularly accomplished modeller and had no trouble at all with it. Sure, it's a challenging build and it requires

a little hard work. Certainly a few structural improvements are necessary, and of course the kit ejector seats are laughable

(literally).

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However, it's not difficult to build if you put in the forethought & planning and a dash of care and it goes together very well

indeed. The quality of the moulding is second to none and I couldn't say that it looks totally unlike a Sea Vixen.

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I replaced the seats with an FAA AM set which also included an improved airbrake kit and a few other small bits & bobs and

added some scavenged missiles. Indeed, my only real complaint about the kit is the silly seats and the lack of stores, but

these should be easily made up.

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The decals are very fine indeed and hug every crack and bump like a fat girl's leggings. So fine in fact that I lost a couple of

them to the harsh and fickle mistress that is surface tension.

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The kit is finished off with a couple of coats of Klear which gives it a nice (but not too) glossy sheen.

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I'd like to give some thanks...

Hannants, who supplied free of charge a replacement canopy (not used here, but soon to be added) and MPM Models and

Keefr22 who offered.

Pigsty provided the Red Tops and Acky190 who has offered some more (I'll add them when they turn up).

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Of course all the guys who've provided support & advice, including Martin Hale, Dave Gibson, Howard, David H, Enzo Matrix

and many more, all of whom made the build well worthwhile. Thanks guys.

Edited by crookedmouth
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That my friend is the nuts!

Best build to date I'm thinking mate.

Howard

I think you're right. Happiest I've been with a build so far.

Only problem is it's a 1/72 scale. I feel so dirty. :raincloud:

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An excellent result. Thank you for your interesting and informative build thread: the 3800 views it has to date shows how much interest your build has created. For myself, I am slowly following in your wake with this kit and the FAAM improvement set.

Nick

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An excellent result. Thank you for your interesting and informative build thread: the 3800 views it has to date shows how much interest your build has created. For myself, I am slowly following in your wake with this kit and the FAAM improvement set.

Nick

Thanks - will we get to see it?

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Thanks - will we get to see it?

With my rate of build, I doubt if you'll live long enough. Quite apart from the need for me to master the new-fangled digital photography technology. So please don't hold breath.

Nick

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Great build Campbell,

Thanks very much for posting your updates and sharing your progress.

With my rate of build, I doubt if you'll live long enough. Quite apart from the need for me to master the new-fangled digital photography technology. So please don't hold breath.

Nick

All the same, Nick, it will be good to see more of these kits underway, especially with the enhancement sets.

Cheers,

Andrew.

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Looks great and has made me want airfix's 1/48 even more. cmon Airfix sort it out i need to build my first FAA jet

Russ

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:goodjob: And to think you were nervous about building this one!

What's the next one up? Xtrakit Scimitar?

Check the signature - I'm doing another Wyvern. I may give the WIP a miss this time though. I suspect there've been enough Wyverns on this forum. I also have my eye on the Trumpy Lightning (another 1/72 kit). Then the Airfix Vix will be out before long: I wouldn't mind breaking a little untrodden ground on that model.

A Hunter would be nice: either traditional RAF colours or an RAE raspberry ripple finish (or both :D)

...so Hannants profit-line will have to manage without this modeller for a while :)

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That is a beauty.I've got mine ready for painting.Seeing yours finished is an inspiration to get it finished.I have found it is a pig of a kit and whilst it does look Vixenish enough to please me,i can see why it is considered inaccurate.It will do me though,and having completed the Scimitar earlier this year i look forward to this one joining it.

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Wow, fantastic work, looks great, I have the old eastern express version, makes me want to start it. Although I know I won't as still doing my Wyvern, and a few others. Can't wait for the Airfix SV to come out too.

Thanks for sharing.

All the best

Chris

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That's turned out very nicely Campbell - and I'm really impressed with your brush painting skills, wish I could get a finish like that without faffing about with the airbrush!

And if you ever need it, the canopy will still be here, I'm hardly likely to get around to the old Frog kit any time soon....!!!

Great build!!

Keef

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That's turned out very nicely Campbell - and I'm really impressed with your brush painting skills, wish I could get a finish like that without faffing about with the airbrush!

And if you ever need it, the canopy will still be here, I'm hardly likely to get around to the old Frog kit any time soon....!!!

Great build!!

Keef

Thanks for the offer, but Hannants saved you the postage... and thanks for the kind words

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