Meanwhile over the straits of Formosa...

rickshaw · March 13, 2016, 07:15:26 AM

In 1945 the Koumintang Government of the Republic of China contracted with Gloster aircraft of the UK to create a single-engined Jet fighter. Being only the fourth country in the world to put into operation a jet powered combat aircraft, the ROCAF was proud of it's achievement. It didn't win the Chinese Civil War though, and in 1948, the KMT Government of Chiang Kai Shek was forced to flee the mainland for the island of Formosa. The Communists, thwarted of their ultimate goal of ruling all of China bided their time on the mainland. The US Navy intervened and prevented them from invading Taiwan, as the island became known. The KMT, leery of becoming too dependent on the United States turned again to Glosters who supplied them with their most advanced product, the Javelin, all-weather fighter.

The kit is a Polish repop of the venerable Frog Javelin Mk.9 kit. It required considerable work and I decided to try an alternative method of creating a polished metal surface, using cheap Aluminium foil. It worked reasonably well, I felt.

Tophe · March 13, 2016, 07:56:50 AM

Good!

NARSES2 · March 13, 2016, 09:09:43 AM

I've used foil on small parts but never an airframe. You've done well there mate

PR19_Kit · March 13, 2016, 10:29:23 AM

Strewth, I did that on an Airfix F-27 back in the 70s. NEVER again, it looked great but was such a PITA to do.

On the Javelin you've done an amazing job with such a curvy shape.

Captain Canada · March 13, 2016, 12:06:38 PM

Nice ! looks great in silver like that....nice one ! love the weapons load as well.

reddfoxx · March 13, 2016, 12:21:33 PM

Lovely, and a whif I would have never come up with

rickshaw · March 13, 2016, 06:04:35 PM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 13, 2016, 10:29:23 AM
Strewth, I did that on an Airfix F-27 back in the 70s. NEVER again, it looked great but was such a PITA to do.

On the Javelin you've done an amazing job with such a curvy shape.

Thank'ee. As a first effort, it wasn't bad but it's not perfect by a long shot. The under-surface of the elevator surfaces leaves a lot to be desired. It's also "loose" where the glue either wasn't sufficient or it's come loose after it's dried in a few spots. The kit itself left a great deal to be desired so I felt nothing was really lost by building and experimenting. I've since procured an Airfix and a Heller kit which are better although, still not as good as they should be, by all accounts. I note Freightdog now has a corrected nosecone, which I will purchase. There is something decidedly wrong about the nose on this Gomix/Frog kit. It appears to be too short and too fat.

zenrat · March 14, 2016, 01:30:37 AM

Shiny. Imagine the flash if it banked and caught the sun on that massive wing area. Pow! You'd be seeing spots for ages.

So that's just kitchen foil from Woolies? Good work on those compound curves.
What glue did you use?

"New" Airfix should knock out a 1/72 Jav.

DogfighterZen · March 14, 2016, 01:33:33 AM

Wow, now that's shiny! Looks great!

rickshaw · March 14, 2016, 01:48:50 AM

Quote from: zenrat on March 14, 2016, 01:30:37 AM
Shiny. Imagine the flash if it banked and caught the sun on that massive wing area. Pow! You'd be seeing spots for ages.

So that's just kitchen foil from Woolies? Good work on those compound curves.
What glue did you use?

"New" Airfix should knock out a 1/72 Jav.

Couldn't agree more. We need a new 1/72 Javelin!

The foil is just cheap and thin home-brand from Woolworths downunder. The thinner the better is what I found.

The Glue is from Micro-sol, its a contact PVA based glue.