Model Geeks Podcast

1/48 Airfix Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4

Go Ugly!

I plan to build mine as the AS.4 option as offered in the box using the kit decals for 815 Naval Air Squadron operating from HMS Ark Royal in 1958.

I picked up a few aftermarket items for the kit. The Quickboost exhaust and air scoops (there’s lots of them!) look great, no seems, deep openings. I also grabbed an Aircraft in Miniature tow bar from Hannants. Love the AIM line of ground support equipment, very unique items.

Update: 05 Nov 2024, 1805:

So, I ran into a “wonky” part. I hear Airfix will replace parts but I’m not sure I want to wait/delay my build. So I tried fixing the part, and reason it will be less noticiable with my planned wings in the folded position.

A few other parts are damaged in the kit so I will see how long it takes for Airfix to get me new parts:

Pressing forward!

09 Nov 2024, 0800

I didn’t get much benchtime in during the week but managed to log some hours late Friday afternoon and evening.

One of the aftermarket items I picked up for this kit is the Quickboost resin scoops/air intakes. For some reason I assumed the scoops in the kit were seperate parts, and when I saw they were molded in place, I was apprehensive about bothering to use these…I just didn’t want to mess up the fine surface detail. I decided to experiment with one of the smaller ones first. That went well! I was motivated to press on with the rest of them. This was one of those times that the soft Airfix plastic worked in my favor. I was able to remove all the scoops without marring the surface, and got the replacements glued in place. I wouldn’t say the aftermarket scoops are something this kit “needs” but I like the deep openings, and particularly with the “D” shaped opening of a few of the scoops, it allows you to avoid drilling them all out.

    

One I was going to let pass was the larger intake on top of the engine cowling, the kit part looks pretty nice but I figured I’ve gone this far, might as well. The Quickboost set also provides one scoop that is omitted on the kit fuselage, along the top of the port side fuselage between the two Operator stations. Also one is provided for the fairing just forward of the aft Operator’s station, which I omitted, as it is only seen on the COD versions of the aircraft from what I can determine.

So, that is where I stand on an early Saturday morning. My goal today? Cockpit painting!

I finished up the cockpit and crew stations after adding some Eduard seatbelts, and glued the fuselage together. Fit was awesome.
Once dry, I added the aft underside RADAR housing assembly. The part does not just drop fit into place. You (or at least my example showed) have to glue one side in place, let it dry (I left it overnight) and then glue the other side down. Disregard my giant glue splotch! That’ll sand out…
The wing assembly is pretty much ready for paint. Looking at references, if folding the wings, the flaps should be in the UP position…kind of a bummer. The wings and horizontal stabs are designed so that you can paint them before gluing in place. The main wing sections practically snap into place to the fuselage.

 

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Whitey

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4 responses to “1/48 Airfix Fairey Gannet AS.1/AS.4”

  1. Bob Chambers Avatar
    Bob Chambers

    Thats a shame about the broken parts, its a lovely kit otherwise. My radar panel was similarly affected so I reckon thats more of a manufacturing defect than anything else but like you said with the wings folded it will make it harder to see. Looking forward to seeing more progress on this beastie!

    Reply
    1. Whitey Avatar
      Whitey

      Hey Bob!

      Yeah, I decided to fix it by cutting the stantion and straightening the part out. The gap left I filled with a tiny piece of plastic and superglue. I think the canopy framing with also hide it for the most part. I don’t want to wait for Airfix to supply a new part, that could take weeks!

      Thank you for following along!

      Whitey

      Reply
      1. Bob Chambers Avatar
        Bob Chambers

        Looking at the state of other kits around the web it looks like your replacement would probably have looked exactly the same! wish I had seen those scoops as I spent ages drilling them out and dont look half as good! Another little hint if I may, I thought the fuselage looked a good fit but after painting it was a very tight fit and needed a lot of pressure to close the gaps along the spine and between bomb bay and radome. ( i think my fingers are permanently distorted after that!!). In hindsight I would have shaved a little off the internal structure to save that effort. Just something to look out for! 🙂

        Reply
        1. Whitey Avatar
          Whitey

          Thank you for the heads up on the fuselage fit. So far so good on that front. Test fitting along the way, it has been a consistently good fit. The black I used for the interior is Mr. Surfacer 1500 Black, primer. so that is pretty thin. I then picked out details using NATO Black, German Gray, and Rubber Black to keep it looking so monochrome in there.
          The lack of seatbelts had me a little upset…so I ordered some Eduard belts for it. Just waiting on those to show up before I close up the fuselage.

          Thanks for following along!

          Reply

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