1:48 Fairey Gannet AS.1

The real subject

The Fairey Gannet was a British carrier-based aircraft intended for anti-submarine warfare, which served with the Fleet Air Arm from the mid-1950s. It was powered by the Armstrong Siddeley Double Mamba coupled turboprop driving two contra-rotating propellers; on a long patrol flight one half could be shut down to save fuel. The crew of three sat in separate cockpits one behind the other, the weapons were carried in a fuselage bomb bay and a retractable radar radome was fitted under the rear fuselage. The AS.1 was the first production version.

What the set contains

This is a photo-etched set of metal parts for detailing a plastic model in 1:48 scale. The parts are held in a carrier fret on thin tabs and are separated with a sharp blade. The extent of the set and the sequence for assembling the individual parts are described in the manufacturer's instructions. This particular item is identified by the manufacturer's part number 491424.

Building and painting tips

Metal parts can carry finer shapes than plastic, but in exchange they call for a different working technique.

• Separate them on a hard surface with a sharp blade, never by twisting.
• Make each bend along its whole length at once, over the edge of a ruler or in a bending tool.
• Make the joints with a small amount of super glue, and on larger surfaces with epoxy.
• Degrease the parts before gluing and before painting.
• On parts you intend to paint, apply a primer intended for metal.

Who it is for

The set is for modelers who want to push the fineness of detail on a Gannet build to where injection-molded plastic cannot reach. It is an accessory for a kit: the model itself, paints, glue and tools are not part of the delivery, unless stated otherwise.