Avro 720 review and build

[van883]

I bought a test shot of the Freightdog Avro 720 at Telford yesterday and Geoff, aka Thorvic, suggested I review and build it! Well unlike many new kits it did not go straight into the loft!

The kit is finely cast with nicely done panel lines, a full cockpit tub and detailed seat and  2 nice firestreaks for the "operational" version. The trailing edges are lovely and sharp and there are no bubbles to contend with.
The undercarrige on mine is clear resin-however production ones will be made of some other material, perhps pewter. Apparently the undercarriage mould wore out after only 6 sets! The canopy is vac form, again Colin said this may be replaced by clear resin on the production kit. There is only one canopy included so I had better be careful...

The Decals look to be well produced, one being for a 74 squadron aircraft, the other being for an all silver prototype.



Sorry about the first picture being dark, using Flash reflected too much.

The kit has gone together with no problems, just a bit of filler here and there, mostly on the underside.







I am looking forward to finishing this kit off over the next week or so-depending on work etc.

It was great to meet up with everyone again and big thanks to Chris for sorting out such a fantastic display.

Van

[van883]

wot?-no one interested? 

Van

[Hobbes]

Everyone's still woozy from the Telford trip (ordeal?)... 

[Weaver]

I'm interested! Doubt I'll ever actually afford one, but still..... Good review and good photos 

A lot of people seemed to be posting on this bit of the forum yesterday: when I found it, your thread was on page two and I had to look twice before I realised you'd only just put it up.

[Hobbes]

The kit looks good. It's nicely detailed, and I'm following your progress with interest.

Are the Firestreaks moulded in one piece?

[Thorvic]

Good grief Van i didnt mean it that quickly 

Still considering whats involved with the build it looks like you have done a superb job on it so far. Looking forward to seeing how it progresses 

Cheers

Geoff

[Freightdog862]

I'm interested Van! Nice one so far, I need to know if it goes together ok, since I don't have one myself yet! Let me know if the canopy fits ok, it might be slightly oversize, don't stick it on perminantly and I'll get you a clear resin one when they are ready.
The Firestreaks are one piece, and very well done even if I say so myself.....
Colin   

[Weaver]

The Firestreaks do indeed look good. 

Isn't it amazing how many big manufacturers have put out nicelyish made kits with utterly cack, "token" missiles? Do they get bored and rush the extras or something? 

[Mossie]

Gotta catch my breath yet from Telford!  Looking good so far.

[B777LR]

That looks very nice! What will you do to it? AMRAAMs?

[van883]

I'm interested Van! Nice one so far, I need to know if it goes together ok, since I don't have one myself yet! Let me know if the canopy fits ok, it might be slightly oversize, don't stick it on perminantly and I'll get you a clear resin one when they are ready.
The Firestreaks are one piece, and very well done even if I say so myself.....
Colin   

Hi Colin

the parts went together very well after using a razor saw to cut them off their casting blocks. All I had to do to fit the wings and tail was to thin the mounting tabs down to acheive a good fit. What was really nice is that there are mounting tabs and slots to put them in, instead of butt joints (this is beginning to sound rude...) as is often the case in my limited experience of resin kits. The tailcone fitted well and the rocket motor outlet needed only a lttle filling to acheive a good fit. The chin intake went on fine although there was a lttle step to sand down where it joins the fuselage-this was not a problem. The cockpit tub and instrument panel slotted in nicely and so did the front undercarriage bay-both with minimal sanding. I'll let you know about the canopy when I get there!

Van

[NARSES2]

Speed of build shows the quality of the kit, glad it goes together as nicely as it looks

[van883]

Aaaaargh! First "issue": the vac form canopy, of which there is one is not a good fit......this could, of course, be a lack of skill on my part....
Colin did warn that it might not be a good fit though.

Van

[Freightdog862]

Let me try and do one in thinner plastic for you, I only found out talking to Paul at the show that the master is exactly the right size, so any male vacforming will be oversize, and the plastic I used was as stick as an Airfix kit from the 60s!! I'm trying to get some 'PETG', which is apparently what Falcon use.
Colin

[General Melchet]

Hi guys, first post with you 'orrible erberts', so I'll make it brief.Thanks to Mike M, Colin and the 'wiffers' at Telford, I was genuinely thrilled to receive a prize for my English Electric P 42. It really was a surprise and justified all the hard work.
My prize was non other than this magnificent little kit which I am now doing battle with.I'm about at the same stage as Van and have to echo everything he has said about it , I have nothing but praise for it.The fit is good, the panel detail is excellent and for the first time in a long while I'm working on a resin kit that doesn't feel like it's about to break into a thousand pieces every time I pick it up.It really is a substantial little thing and should make up into a beauty.
Many thanks to you all again and especially  to Colin, it was a very much appreciated gesture, I'll make an extra effort with this one !!!
Will post ASAP....

Sorry to introduce myself on the forum this way but thanks one and all , in particular Geoff , a kindred spirit if ever there was one , .....  ....

Andy

Next big project will be a 1/72nd Handley Page 100 supersonic V-bomber.....