Chip's Plan "B", Red Arrows Gnat.**Finished**

[Molly-new]

Due to unforeseen circumstances I am starting this build late, and will now be building the RAF Red Arrows Gnat as seen at the Royal Air Force Museum Cosford:



I will be building the Airfix RAF Red Arrows Gnat starter set as this is the one at the museum, and will be built OOB apart from not fitting the crew.


The parts come on two sprue's of soft grey plastic, and a one piece canopy, and four paint pots to complete the build (Doubt if I will use those though):



The instructions are very well laid out being a starter set:





Better get my skates on.

[Migrant]

Should be a bit less masking than the Spit. Looking forward to it. (I considered the Gnat myself as a subject, there's an overall green one with silver flying surfaces in a museum in Arizona)

[splash]

Hi Chip

The Gnat is a lovely little kit, watch out for the intakes some people had issues with them during the SKGB here is the link to the GB The kit also is missing the clear screen at the front of the rear cockpit.

Enjoy the build, I liked it so much I built two.

Regards Splash

[Molly-new]

Thanks for the link Splash, some nice tips and pointers on there to aid in this build. I am currently trying to scratch build the ejector handles from fine fishing line. Very fiddly.

[splash]

I find a simple way to make ejection seat handles is:

I take one strip of very thin copper wire paint half yellow and half black

fold it in half at the join of the colours

clamp the join into a drill chuck

secure the other two ends to something like a pencil

hold it taught and start the drill and there you have it a thin stripy yellow and black length of wire.

[Molly-new]

I find a simple way to make ejection seat handles is:

I take one strip of very thin copper wire paint half yellow and half black

fold it in half at the join of the colours

clamp the join into a drill chuck

secure the other two ends to something like a pencil

hold it taught and start the drill and there you have it a thin stripy yellow and black length of wire.

What an ingenious method, much easier than my "drill holes/fill with Superglue/insert fishing line/paint" technique.

Here is my effort:




I used painted tape for the back seat padding and seat belts (so much for OOB )

Having perused the SKGB I improved the intakes as described:



Next up is to fettle around with the intake inserts for the inside of the cockpit.

[PaulBradley]

I got down and dirty (literally, as I was lying on the hangar floor to get shots of the undersides...) with that Cosford machine back in '09 post-Telford! The museum staff let me do a comprehensive walkaround, as I was planning on doing a Gnat modellers' datafile at the time....



Let me know if you want any more...!

I considered the Gnat myself as a subject, there's an overall green one with silver flying surfaces in a museum in Arizona

That would be the Pima one, XM694, a rather early machine:



More challenging would be this Ajeet at the Planes of Fame Grand Canyon:

[Molly-new]

Let me know if you want any more...!

Thanks Paul, I have actually been perusing the excellent photo's that you put up on the Gnat SKGB Research page. Very helpfull.

This website is also quite useful for Gnat pictures: http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk ... around.php;

[Molly-new]

I have given the cockpit walls a coat of medium grey and a black wash, followed by some detail painting:



The fuselage will get joined up tonight so I should get some paint on this weekend.

[BlohmWolf]

Good start.

[Migrant]

That is looking good, Chip.

[Molly-new]

The fuselage is now together and I have scratch built clear screen at the front of the rear cockpit using a bit of food packing material:





I have also now fitted the canopy and masked it up for painting.

[BlohmWolf]

Nice going. Do you think kits like the gnat have horribly oversized part holders/sprues? I didn't buy this kit for that very reason.

[Molly-new]

Do you think kits like the gnat have horribly oversized part holders/sprues?

Yes, they are quite excessive, though the soft plastic helps with their removal. I tend to cut well away from the part to separate it from the sprue then use sanding sticks to work back to the part so as not to cause any damage.

[Molly-new]

Quick update, fuselage primed and received a coat of yellow:



Once the primer coat was on I masked up the areas where the descals will go with tape (thanks for the tip Migrant). Once the yellow has fully cured I will start on the red coats.