Revell's Gannet

[Folkbox1]

I've started the build this weekend and (apart from more flash it total than I've had from the last four or five kits I've completed) things appeared to be going well. It took a bit of puzzelling to get the bomb bay and cockpit floor lined up, the cockpit details went in easily and no problems with painting.

However I've now tried to get the fuselage halves attached (they slide over four spars attached to the cockpit floor) and no matter how I try, or what I've removed or sanded down I just cannot get the two halves to meet. The underside looks to be in the right place (it looks a close fit to the bomb bay interior) but when married to the doors (which will be shut on the finished kit) is about 1-2mm too wide, whilst at the top joint there is currently a gap of about 1-2mm width that I can only close with more force than I'm sure the glue will hold ( and I suspect cause problems when trying to fit the canopy).

from the reviews/comments I've seen others don't seem to have much in the way of fit problems so obviously I must have done somthing(s) wrong. Has anyone else experienced these problems and if so how did you overcome them?

Thanks

[Daedalus]

I've started the build this weekend and (apart from more flash it total than I've had from the last four or five kits I've completed) things appeared to be going well. It took a bit of puzzelling to get the bomb bay and cockpit floor lined up, the cockpit details went in easily and no problems with painting.

However I've now tried to get the fuselage halves attached (they slide over four spars attached to the cockpit floor) and no matter how I try, or what I've removed or sanded down I just cannot get the two halves to meet. The underside looks to be in the right place (it looks a close fit to the bomb bay interior) but when married to the doors (which will be shut on the finished kit) is about 1-2mm too wide, whilst at the top joint there is currently a gap of about 1-2mm width that I can only close with more force than I'm sure the glue will hold ( and I suspect cause problems when trying to fit the canopy).

from the reviews/comments I've seen others don't seem to have much in the way of fit problems so obviously I must have done somthing(s) wrong. Has anyone else experienced these problems and if so how did you overcome them?

Thanks

I had exactly the same problems. I am sure that the cockpit assembly was fitted correctly because the same happened when I tried a dry fit. I tried rubbing down the sides of the cockpit assembly but it got to the stage where the internal bulkheads would have had nothing to bond to. I started gluing at the tail and gradually worked my way forward using a clamp from an old chemistry retort stand but still ended up with a gap. Once it was filled and sanded it looked fine but I had to decide to construct the model with the bomb bay doors open because no amount of filling would have disguised that something was going wrong down there.

I am now starting another Revell Gannet after a disaster with Xtracolour paint. I will let you know how I get on.

[Daedalus]

I had exactly the same problems. I am sure that the cockpit assembly was fitted correctly because the same happened when I tried a dry fit. I tried rubbing down the sides of the cockpit assembly but it got to the stage where the internal bulkheads would have had nothing to bond to. I started gluing at the tail and gradually worked my way forward using a clamp from an old chemistry retort stand but still ended up with a gap. Once it was filled and sanded it looked fine but I had to decide to construct the model with the bomb bay doors open because no amount of filling would have disguised that something was going wrong down there.

I am now starting another Revell Gannet after a disaster with Xtracolour paint. I will let you know how I get on.

Darren,

I've now got to the same stage with the new Gannet and have found out what is causing the problem. The two fuselage halves went together perfectly with the cockpit in situ, until I added the cockpit bulkheads. They sit too high up and interfere with the top of the fuselage. Sanding a bit off the bottom of the front cockpit bulxheads will not do the trick as they have brackets that locate into the side panels so it's a case of sanding a bit off the top. As the rear bulheads sit on top of the side panels they could probably be sorted by trimming them down before fitting.

Cheers, Ian

[Folkbox1]

Darren,

I've now got to the same stage with the new Gannet and have found out what is causing the problem. The two fuselage halves went together perfectly with the cockpit in situ, until I added the cockpit bulkheads. They sit too high up and interfere with the top of the fuselage. Sanding a bit off the bottom of the front cockpit bulxheads will not do the trick as they have brackets that locate into the side panels so it's a case of sanding a bit off the top. As the rear bulheads sit on top of the side panels they could probably be sorted by trimming them down before fitting.

Cheers, Ian

Unfortunately I'd got past this stage when you posted but FZ6 has dry fitted his without the side panels and has come to the same conclusion.

After a hiatus of a few weeks I got round to fitting the canopies. The windscreen and pilot's canopy went together very well the next two are, to be frank, an awful fit. The third, intermediate, canopy doesn't fit over the pilot's seat and the co-pilot's canopy is a poor fit, as is the EWO's canopy at the rear. The kit was less than a second from making its maiden flight straight at the fireplace. Wish I'd got the Trumpeter one now!!

I have now started Trumpeter's Wellington 1c in 72nd scale

[Daedalus]

Unfortunately I'd got past this stage when you posted but FZ6 has dry fitted his without the side panels and has come to the same conclusion.

After a hiatus of a few weeks I got round to fitting the canopies. The windscreen and pilot's canopy went together very well the next two are, to be frank, an awful fit. The third, intermediate, canopy doesn't fit over the pilot's seat and the co-pilot's canopy is a poor fit, as is the EWO's canopy at the rear. The kit was less than a second from making its maiden flight straight at the fireplace. Wish I'd got the Trumpeter one now!!

I have now started Trumpeter's Wellington 1c in 72nd scale

Darren,

Don't despair. For a Revell kit I thought the Gannet detail was tremendous. There is just a problem with the cockpit. I am now on model number two and have learned that you need to apply a lot of Squadron sanding sticks to the cockpit area. The problem areas are the bulkheads. They are too wide and too tall. I have filed them down and everything now fits perfectly. Including the cockpit canopies. Never throw a model in the fire - us modellers are much better than the manufacturers.

Cheers, Ian

[Folkbox1]

Darren,

Don't despair. For a Revell kit I thought the Gannet detail was tremendous.

I think that's why I've been so disappointed with it.

Never throw a model in the fire - us modellers are much better than the manufacturers.

Thanks Ian, great advice. For now I will concentrate on the Wellington and go back to the Gannet later.

[Moofles]

hmm i have one of these in the stash, will remember to sand down the cockpit bulk heads when im building it

[Daedalus]

Hi Darren,

The Revell Gannet has gone on the back burner while I was waiting for WEM to restock on their RAF Blue-Grey (I'm doing a COD4 version). It arrived today. In the meantime I have been building the Alley Cat Gannet AEW3. I seem to have a thing about Gannets! I can recommend Alley Cat as a purveyor of good models and also for their customer service. I had decided to recreate an 849 Sqn B Flt aircraft and was ready to start masking off the tailplane to reproduce the black and yellow sunburst paint scheme when I discovered that Alley Cat do the decals for this aircraft - but their web site said they were out of stock. They lied! An email asking for availability revealed that they had one set of decals still in stock and they arrived within 48 hours. I am not being payed or otherwise reimbursed for this publicity for Alley Cat - more's the pity.

After the Gannets I have a Phantom FG1, Buccaneer S2, a Sea King HAS1 and Wessex HAS1 on the stocks. Yes, you have guessed it - I am re-creating the heyday of the Fleet Air Arm. I also have a good source of advice because a chap who works in my Sainsburys Local used to manhandle these beasts across the flight deck of the previous Ark Royal.

Cheers, Ian

[Folkbox1]

After the Gannets I have a Phantom FG1, Buccaneer S2, a Sea King HAS1 and Wessex HAS1 on the stocks. Yes, you have guessed it - I am re-creating the heyday of the Fleet Air Arm.

Hi Ian, I'm turning into a bit of FAA modeller myself having in my stash the Airfix Sea Vixen (48), Trumpeter Wyvern (72), WNW RNAS Pup as well as the Gannet and a virtually finished Sea Fury (48) with my eyes on the Hobby Boss Sea Hawk (72), Airfix's new Swordfish and Sea Fire XVII (72) amongst other up and coming or recently released kits.

BTW the Wellington has gone like a dream so far

[Miggers]

Good on you boys,a bit of FAA is good for you

Miggers

[Darby]

Yes, it's a swine. Trumpeter one is better if you don't mind polishing out a canopy seam. That's the only vice I found.

[grahamwalker]

any chance of Trumpeter doing one in 1/48

Yes, it's a swine. Trumpeter one is better if you don't mind polishing out a canopy seam. That's the only vice I found.