Royal Navy Gnat - finished

[Old Wombat]

I'm of the theory that any start's a good start.

So, well done, so far!

[Captain Canada]

Looks big in that scale ! Love the box art.

[Devilfish]

Looks big in that scale ! Love the box art.

It's about the size of a medium size 1/72 aircraft....

[KiwiZac]

It's a gorgeous kit - got one waiting for whiffery. I'm excited to see how this goes, what a cool idea!

Do you have a rocket? I've got STRATOS-specific sprues from an Airfix 1/72 TSR.2 you can have if you need em?

[Devilfish]

Thank you.  I was planning on knocking something up from the spares box.

[Devilfish]

The Gnat is coming on....

Cockpit. Just a wash to pick out the details. Got something planned which will make most of it unseen anyway...



Didn't take long to knock this thing together.  Covered over the rear cockpit, as it's going to be a single seater.  Fitted a radar nose, and a display at the top of the instrument panel.



Using part of a 1/72 F-89 Scorpion tip tank as a booster

[Dizzyfugu]

Cool! 

[KiwiZac]

I already love how it looks on the ramp. Nice!

[Devilfish]

A little bit more work last night on the booster.



I have decided that, rather than mount the aircraft to the rail, I am going to mount the booster to the rail, and the aircraft to it.  That way, I don't have any unsightly attachments on the underside of the plane.  (which also helps when it comes to recovery)

Test fit....

[Devilfish]

Further progress. The booster is pretty much done. I hope....







And the gnat has gained some of its teeth...30mm cannon



But, I have a question. Well, I want your opinion. I want to fit sidewinders,  but can't decide where to fit them. Choices are, wingtips or over wing shoulder mounted.....
Opinions?





Bear in mind that this aircraft has no undercarriage,  so recovery will be done via a net/crash pad style

[Old Wombat]

Given the net/crash-pad landing method, I'd have to say over-wing mounts (as much as I dislike the look) as it minimises the risk of the rails catching & spinning the aircraft on landing.

I'd, also, fair out the gun pod so that the opening is angled back on a downward slope to minimise the chance of the flat end catching & ripping it off the fuselage.

Hope that helps.

[PR19_Kit]

If you go the wingtip mount route it may be better if they were mounted sideways rather than below the wingtip, like an F-104.

[Devilfish]

Thanks.  I also don't like the over-wing launchers, but, as you say, they better suit the landing, especially if the missiles haven't been fired.

Good idea with the gun.  I did toy with twin 20mm guns under the intakes (or even in the intake lips as per the single seater) but I wanted maximum punch for the minimum ammo spent (and carried)

[Devilfish]

If you go the wingtip mount route it may be better if they were mounted sideways rather than below the wingtip, like an F-104.

I have only held them in place with blu tak, to show the options.  If I did go with the wing tip option, they would be faired in properly and in line with the tip.

[RAFF-35]

I'd vote shoulder mounted for the previously outlined reasons and I also quite like the look of shoulder rails to be honest