Fairey Gannet
FAA models in 1/72 scale
The Gannet anti-submarine aircraft prototype first flew on 19 September, 1949. There were several versions developed such as ASW and AEW versions. The AS type entered production in 1953 and initial deliveries were made of the AS.1 variant at RNAS Ford in April 1954. A trainer variant (T.2) first flew in August 1954. The RN's first operational Gannet squadron (826) was embarked on HMS Eagle.
Armstrong Siddeley engine known as the Double or "Twin" Mamba driving two counter-rotating propellers through a common gearbox. The ASMD.1 engines (2,950hp) were used in the AS.1, ASMD.3 engines (3,145hp) inn the AS.4, and ASMD.4 (3,875hp) in the AEW.3 variant.
The total built is reported to be 441. The Gannet was also operated by the Royal Australian Navy and West-German Marine Flieger.
Advertisement Flight December 1953
This Novo kit #F228 originated from Frog and was copied. The kit is for a mk1 or mk 4. It comes with no wheel wheels, no cockpit but solid pilot figures and seats and very rough panels. It can be made however with some work into a nice model in 1/72 scale.
NOTE: Revell has released later on a much better Gannet kit. Better use that one!
Back to the Novo kit.....
Again, the cockpit glasses are very
thick and replaced by the Aeroclub canopies
from their cast metal set with detail parts as the gear, interior (seats
and instrument panels), a good prop and the nose intake.
below the Aeroclub
parts can be seen.
The kit decals are also seen above.
Filler is needed in certain areas during assembly such as the wing-fuselage joint and tail area. Assure that the wing dihedral is set to the correct angle.
I replaced the horizontal stabilizer with a piece from the spare box to get a separate elevator and thinner leading and trailing edges.
After that, some parts in the cockpit area were installed as provided by Aeroclub.
the nose area with the metal part, needing some filler...
The main wheel wells were opened up as the kit has no wheel wells at all.
Some detail was added with card and the metal Aeroclub parts installed.
After major assembly, the main panel
lines were engraved by hand and the model sanded smooth. A light grey coat
was sprayed on to do some final checking and any flaws were repaired with
putty as needed.
The cockpit area and its parts were airbrushed "coal black".
... after light grey coats to check any flaws and subsequent correction, the Gannet kit got an overall Extra Dark Sea Grey coat.
Details of the undercarriage and wheel bays can be seen here.
After getting several coar of gloss Johnson Future varnish, it was ready for decalling.
I had no special decal sets for this
Gannet variant with an overall grey finish. Decals were searched together
from the spare decal box, kit decals and some Xtradecal sets.
The model is for a simple scheme
of a Gannet AS (or also used as COD 4). The white walkways
were made from white decal strips from Xtradecal.
I used Xtradecal
D-type roundels but was it was
difficult to get them to set on the surfaces. 
After clean up, the model got again a gloss
coat of airbrushed on Johnson Future to protect the decals and get a smooth
end finish. Gloss finishes are typical of FAA aircraft.
The antenna wires were finally added
from thin stretched sprue with superglue and painted with thin black paint.
This gives a nice touch to the model of the Gannet.
The final step was to add the prepared
vacuform Aeroclub canopies. They have white detail markings and some white
decal was again used here.
The impressive counter rotating
props.
Back to FAA page....
- Air International, Volume 70, no.6, p.34 - 42
- Fairey Gannet, Warpaint #23:
Web: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gannet/history.html
(c) Copyright Meindert "designer"/ All rights reserved. Your comments are welcomed by webmaster
Created this page January 17, 2005