Matchbox 1/72 Folland Gnat Mk. I

The Folland Gnat was built as a two-seat training aircraft for RAF.  It was also built as a lightweight fighter attack aircraft and served in that role for the Finnish and Indian Air Forces.  

It is perhaps best known for its use by the RAF Red Arrows Flight Demonstration Team and that is the color scheme used for this kit.

The Gnat first flew in 1955 and had a top speed of just under Mach 1.

This is the 1/72 Matchbox kit from 1976 and is molded in two colors, red and white.  The idea was that you didn’t have to paint the kit to have it look nice when it was done.  The kit is really small, especially for a two seater.  

Our two pilots painted with olive green flat yellow, silver, gloss black, and white.

The cockpit tub. painted sky grey.

Masked the canopy and put together the fuselage and assembled the wings.  

Air brushed the entire aircraft with gloss red.

Added a coat of Future floor polish then added the decals.  Found that the decal sheet had two tail decals, but they were both for the same side.  Took a scan of the decal sheet and made a reversed version to correct the problem.

Painted the wheel wells and tire hubs gloss white and the tires gloss black.

Added the landing gear, which was very poorly designed.  Very difficult to get it even on both sides and the landing gear bay covers were attached awkwardly.

The Gnat takes her place in the flight line.  You can see how she is dwarfed by the F-4E Phantom.

Colors:

Tamiya X-1 Gloss Black
Tamiya X-2 Gloss White
Tamiya X-7 Gloss Red
Tamiya X-11 Chrome Silver
Tamiya XF-3 Flat Yellow
Tamiya XF-19 Sky Grey
Tamiya XF-58 Olive Green