Folland (Hawker Siddeley) Gnat T.1

[Mike]

Herro... While I'm finishing off the tab end of my Mach 2 Valiant, I thought I'd have a look at a kit that I've wanted to complete for ages, but never had the bottle to mask that complicated scheme

I built it some 2 years ago, and baulked at painting, which was my stock in trade back then, as I'd no experience at all with an airbrush, but knew that I didn't want to brush paint it. So there is sat, consigned to a cupboard of late, but still at the back of my mind.

This evening I dragged it out of the cupboard, found the wheels, which had all found their way into another box, and looked at it. The rescribing was a bit poo, as was the seam filling, so I sanded it back a bit, scraped off some white glue around the vacformed canopy, and primed it with Alclad grey primer, which is lovely stuff. That showed up a load of other blemishes, so I set about it with some CA on a knife blade, filling in all the dubious scribing. I sanded it all back flat, and broke out the Dymo tape & scribing templates. Armed with my trusty BMF scriber, I had the majority of the re-scribing work done in under an hour, so I polished the areas back up, and re-primed.

Unfortunately, it's so long since I masked up the canopy I can't remember whether it's any good! More news later

[Graham T]

Persevere, it's a good kit of a lovely little plane!

[AnonymousDFB1]

Is it finished yet?

Go on Mike get it done before the end of the year

[Fmk.6john]

One has to ask why do you keep photographing your builds with that canopy in the background????, is it some sort of secret code we have to break .

JB.

[AnonymousFY21]

It's had me wondering for a while.

rich

[Mike]

One has to ask why do you keep photographing your builds with that canopy in the background????, is it some sort of secret code we have to break .

JB.

It's the canopy off my Scimitar, which seems to have landed there & stayed there after I had a little accident with it that cost it its tail skid (it's fixable).... it's even there in the underside pic, I just photoshopped it out!

[Mike]

Blimey!

I turn my back on this and I've gawn and sprayed the white (while I was brightening up the tail of the Valiant), masked it off this morning, and now I've sprayed the bloomin' red!

I've not bothered pre-shading the airframe before spraying, as these were well maintained trainers that always looked rather smart in their colorful liveries. There's a little bit of shading in the white, but minimal, just to add a bit of visual interest. The majority of "weathering" is going to be a light panel wash, and maybe the tiniest of fluid leaks here & there. I'll have a scout round for some authentic grubbiness before I commit myself though

Pics once the red's a bit drier...

Oh, and the Jammydog micro-masking tape is the shiznit! The Cammett tape is a little grabby for longish duration masking, especially with acrylics, so that's going to be consigned to the constructional uses that it's been so handy for so far.

[avro683]

I got a very nice example of the original Airfix kit last night (in the red stripe packaging) in the dayglo/silver scheme at model club along with a Training Command Basset. It won't take up much room on the display table at shows but will sure look good. Looking forward to seeing yours finished.

Tony

[Graham T]

Looking forward to seeing this. Go carefully, I was watching one on ebay this week as I fancied another..................it went for £63.00!

[Mike]

Looking forward to seeing this. Go carefully, I was watching one on ebay this week as I fancied another..................it went for £63.00!

Blimey! Someone wanted that a bit badly, didn't they?

[Mike]

After a rapid spraying session, I've now got the Red Arrows Red, and the black anti-glare panel on the nose - the white is still masked. The red's gone a bit orange in the photo, but you get the gist

All that's left to paint now is the grey on the wings - that's just primer still showing through in the photo.

[keefr22]

I do wish Mr.Adams would heed our calls & re-release these (& the JP's!) - I was watching that one on e-bay too (with p&p it was a grand total of £65.70!!)

That's going to be another little belter Mike ! But I think I've missed something, what pray tell, is "....the Jammydog micro-masking tape'' (apart from being the 'shiznit' that is??!!

You're going great guns with the builds at the mo, I just wish I could shake off the post-Telford blues....!!!

Keef

[Mike]

I do wish Mr.Adams would heed our calls & re-release these (& the JP's!) - I was watching that one on e-bay too (with p&p it was a grand total of £65.70!!)

That's going to be another little belter Mike ! But I think I've missed something, what pray tell, is "....the Jammydog micro-masking tape'' (apart from being the 'shiznit' that is??!!

You're going great guns with the builds at the mo, I just wish I could shake off the post-Telford blues....!!!

Keef

I wish he would release the JPs again. Quite fancy one of those.

Jammydog is this

Low tack, flexible masking tape in 1, 2 & 3 mm sizes on a big roll.

Shiznit is how us young & happenin' kids call something that's jolly good

[AnonymousFY21]

Shiznit is how us young & happenin' kids call something that's jolly good

[HOUSTON]

nice....AWESOME actually !!!

Edited December 17, 2008 by Houston

[avro683]

I wish he would release the JPs again. Quite fancy one of those.

Jammydog is this

Low tack, flexible masking tape in 1, 2 & 3 mm sizes on a big roll.

Shiznit is how us young & happenin' kids call something that's jolly good

Buy 500 and he will. Same with the Gnat so I believe.

Tony

[Mike]

Couldn't be bothered waiting, so masked up the red & sprayed the grey wings with LAG, and over-sprayed with the same, with a drop of white added once I'd got color coverage. The red overspray was a little hard to cover

I think we'll call that a night, and Klear it tomorrow, after touching up the oversprays, masking leaks (a few) and painting the details the correct colors - things like aerials white etc.

[Notdoneyet]

Mike,

That's looking quite "Gnatty" if I may say so

Ian

[keefr22]

Jammydog is this

Low tack, flexible masking tape in 1, 2 & 3 mm sizes on a big roll.

Ah, hadn't heard of that - always on the look out for usuable thin tape so I'll have to give some a try. Neat website too....!

Shiznit is how us young & happenin' kids call something that's jolly good

Cool, right on & er, far-out like. Dude......

Keef

Edited December 17, 2008 by keefr22

[AnonymousFY21]

Real pretty Mike.

rich

[Mike]

One word of caution on the Jammydog tape. It does have a reasonable degree of tack, and for acrylic paint - especially fresh paint like in this instance, I wouldn't recommend leaving it on any longer than absolutely necessary after spraying.

[general melchett]

That's looking rather nice Mike , should be finished by this time tomorrow then ! .................Must admit I use theJammydog tape too , very good stuff, it conforms to awkward shapes better than most I've used and yes I also tend to get it off ASAP.... !!

[Mike]

I've just spent a pleasant 20 minutes touching up the paintwork after unmasking the gnat, and also removed the tissue from the landing gear bays. A little more touch up there, but it's all done now. Yet again, the urge to rip off the canopy masking is almost too much!

[dmpanther]

I do wish Mr.Adams would heed our calls & re-release these (& the JP's!)

[AnonymousER99]

What a cool scheme on the little machine!!

Makes me tempted to drag mine out of the stash and build it but I promised the boss (Mandy) that I would finish my other projects first