The Romsey Modeller - Romsey Modellers

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TRUMPETER 1/72 FAIREY GANNET MK1 BY TONY ADAMS THE FAIREY GANNET – A POTTED HISTORY This model was supposed to be a quick project while over Xmas to bridge the gap between my 6 month Dauntless build to my next major piece a work ( more on that next month). However things didn’t go quite as planned due to my own stupidity. The Admiralty issued a requirement for a carrier‐based submarine hunter in 1945 which yielded prototypes from Blackburn and Fairey. The Fairey design was initially to be powered by a pair of Merlin engines connected to a common gearbox, turning contrarotating four‐bladed propellers which could translate that high horsepower into thrust. When the bulk of the twin‐Merlin installation proved impractical, Fairey adopted the Armstrong Siddeley Twin Mamba twin turboprop engine design. The Gannet first flew in September 1949, and on 19 June 1950, became the first turboprop to land aboard an aircraft carrier. The type first entered service in 1953 after incorporating a radar, a third crew station, and additional requirements into the airframe's design. Dubbed the AS Mark I, this first Gannet was an antisubmarine warfare aircraft, and with that huge wing, could cruise at low speeds and low altitudes comfortably. Further developments of the type yielded a T.2 trainer, an upgraded ASW AS.4 version, and the rather ungainly AEW.3 version which sported an APS‐20 radar under the airframe. A T.5 trainer and an ECM.6 rounded out the family. Over 440 Gannets would be produced for the Royal Navy and for other services around the world. THE KIT The kit is moulded in Trumpeter standard light grey plastic and is presented on four sprues, plus a single sprue of clear parts. Detailing of this kit is quite nice with finely scribed details throughout. Markings are included for three aircraft: • Gannet AS.1/4, XA322, CU/711, 769 Sqn, HMS Culdrose, 1957 • Gannet AS.1/4, XA402, B/327, 820 Sqn, HMS Bulwark, 1956 ( my selection) • Gannet AS.1/4, UA+112, MFG3, West German Navy, 1960 6
All it all the build looked pretty straightforward so as boxing day dawned it was time to hide from the kids and crack on… THE COCKPITS (S) I decide to build the kit out of the box , the only exception being the addition of seat belts made from foil from the top of a bottle of wine ( there is always plenty of this material available in my house) . No decal is provided for the instrument panels so they had to be painted. The panel was initially painted black and then the instrument details picked out by dry brushing with light grey, the result was not too shoddy . The foil for the seat belts were sprayed buff before being cut out and buckles highlighted in silver, not startling but with the canopy closed they would past muster. With the cockpit components complete and after suitable photography it was time to close the fuselage. The technique I have found works best for major joints is to flow Mr Cement the joint with a paint brush and then apply pressure with clamps to squeeze some molten plastic our onto the surface. When dry this can be sanded down to a seamless joint. I attached the wings and nose section to the model and applied as small amount of filler where needed. With the model clean and about ready for primer I had a niggling doubt – something was wrong – it took a while before the penny dropped – NOSE WEIGHT! There is no mention of needing to weigh down the nose in the instructions but it is a no brainier, the undercarriage is very far forward and the tail is huge so this would definitely be a tail sitter‐ bugger. In order to try and remedy the situation I prized off the nose and filled it with as much lead shot as possible and some of the lead wheel weights Sean had given me. 7
Page 2 and 3: MARCH 2013 THIS MONTH This edition
Page 4 and 5: MODEL SHOWS - POOLE VIKINGS On Satu
Page 8 and 9: Tail sitting blunder No 1 : After f
Page 10 and 11: Blunder No 4: Somehow I managed to
Page 12 and 13: EBBRO 1/20 TH 19770 LOTUS 772C PART
Page 14 and 15: While geetting the cowwlings sorted
Page 16 and 17: This is the set of furniture, and a
Page 18 and 19: ANGEL INTERCEPTOR, AIRFIX 1/72 ND S
Page 20 and 21: [18]. Detail painting. Shading was
Page 22: CLUB DIARY March 20 th Club Night A

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