Folland Gnat CC2

[The Wooksta!]

Maybe a larger wing too?  Something analogous to TSR2 - a 72nd MiG 21 wing is perfect, having the 60 degree wing sweep.

[PR19_Kit]

It'll have to make do with the standard wing in this version, and maybe fly a bit faster on takeoff and in the cruise to support the weight of the extra crew member.

It's going to be difficult enough carving the canopy buck without making life even more complicated. If it works OK I'll think about modifying it further.

[PR19_Kit]

The wing's in position and the major PSR on the extended nose is done, but the Pavla ejection seat 'upgrade; turns out to be a downgrade.......

While well detailed the seats are just too wide for the very narrow Gant cockpit, and that's especially true of the rearmost one. I've had to file and cut them down to get them to fit. If they're too tall, and they look as if they will be, I can mould the new canopy higher of course, but it's all a bit of a pain.

[NARSES2]

That's having a strange effect on my brain 

[Knightflyer]

That's having a strange effect on my brain 

I think I see what you mean as well Chris, like the stretched part is an optical illusion of some sort? 

[NARSES2]

That's having a strange effect on my brain 

I think I see what you mean as well Chris, like the stretched part is an optical illusion of some sort? 

That's it  I couldn't figure what the heck it was, but that's it.

[PR19_Kit]

It's having a strange effect on MY brain too! 

Trying to get the three seats to fit is a real pain, but I'm almost ready to start carving lumps of balsa. I think I'll have to do it in two halves, left and right, as the cockpit side profiles are different.

[NARSES2]

Trying to get the three seats to fit is a real pain, but I'm almost ready to start carving lumps of balsa.

Old school or what  So is it still talcum powder and dope ?

[PR19_Kit]

Trying to get the three seats to fit is a real pain, but I'm almost ready to start carving lumps of balsa.

Old school or what  So is it still talcum powder and dope ?

Not quite, the current stuff is sold as 'Sanding Sealer' but I bet that's how they make it!

[PR19_Kit]

The Gnat's got it's tailplanes installed now, and all the PSR on the fuselage is done, and it's had two coats of primer.

So now it's 'back to basics' time and I've dug out my stock of balsa and sanding sealer......

[PR19_Kit]

It's such a long time since carved a balsa mould for a canopy I've forgotten how difficult it is. 

I'm on my third attempt for the Gnat canopy now, and that one's not going too well either. I had intended to use the kit's windshield and max the long canopy to it, but the kit's 2 seat canopy is all in one piece and sawing the windshield off proved to be disastrous. The thing shattered into zillions of parts, and I don't want to try again with the only other one I have.

Memory tells me the old Airfix Gnat had a two part canopy so I may go and see if I've got one somewhere in The Loft.

[PR19_Kit]

I was correct, I did have an early Airfix Gnat. Sadly that one had a one piece canopy as well.

Having said that the shyster who sold it to me (for £2.00 I might add!) had the nerve to replace the kit canopy with from a P.1127! No use to man or beast really.

However, faced with the inevitable, I have managed to (VERY gently) saw the windshield off the other new mould canopy, phew......

On with the carving now.

[PR19_Kit]

Slowly getting there with the carving of the canopy mould, with the windscreen glued nicely in place of course.

I'm very wary if carving too much off as there's not a lot I could do about replacing slivers of balsa, as I don't think my normal Presto putty would work on balsa.

This one of all the five builds I've got going is the least likely to make the date I think, there's a lot of work still to do. 

[The Wooksta!]

Give it a coat of Halfords primer and then filler.  That's what I did when I built the Avro Atlantic.

[PR19_Kit]

Good idea Lee, thanks.