1/72 Cyber Hobby Royal Navy Dehavilland Sea Vixen

First job, the cockpit.

The original ejection seats in this kit are approximately half size.

So I replaced them with 2 Canberra Ejection Seats instead.
They were found at the 2019 Telford Scale Model World Kit Swap for £1 each!

They fit when the canopy is on too which is nice.

Under and around the cockpit was airbrushed black.

I've installed all the internals ready for the big closeup.

All closed up, the Nosecone is only dry fitted.

I'm building this one alongside my wife's Revell boxing.

At the time this was the current situation on the bench, its much worse now!

After a few months on the shelf of doom I restarted.
I discovered a rather large seem down each side of the nose section.
That's now sorted.

After months of being stuck on the shelf of doom for absolutely no reason and no fault to the kit what so ever, I finally masked off the white ready for the top side grey scheme!

Scheme painted, I now have the wheels to paint.

And touch ups.

Whilst nursing home a poorly airbrush, I managed to sprey the wings.

Dry fitting the wings and Nosecone.
One word, WOW!!!!!!

This shot shows all the small parts and sprues have been primed White.

Work is steadily progressing with the gear legs and airbrake fins now in place permanently and the flaps, airbrake, Wheels and nose all dry fitted.

Paintwork patched up and klear coat applied.

Finally I've added what I think to be one of the most distinctive aspects of the Sea Vixen.

Another Red square I missed around what will be the Ram Air Turbine and I've dry fitted the rudders

I've now applied a layer of Klear Coat over the decals and I have painted the rudder surfaces.

Another 23 decals on, all belly stencils.

Almost all stencils have now been applied.

Alot are hard to see but I like the effect it gives.

Finally she joins 890 Squadron Onboard HMS Ark Royal.
The kit had "VL" tail markings which were applied when 890 Squadron were not on deployment and were based at RNAS Yeovilton.
I cut the "R" from a set of spare decals from an Italeri Royal Navy Wessex.

Apparently this photo didn't go as planned but I've glued on all of the Gear bay doors, missile adapters, Air brake, flaps, refueling probe, I've built the tail hook and built and sanded the drop tanks, Rocket pods and missiles ready to be primed again and if they look good painted..

Wheels and flaps now glued in place, canopy has been painted and installed open and the Ram Air Turbine "RAT", RAT Doors, wing support poles have all been painted.

The wings are nearly ready, the canopy has been painted and decalled.

The main aircraft is now ready awaiting the final installation of the wings soon

After finishing the Red Tops and Rocket pods I used some spare decals to add a tad of detail.
I then installed them

She's all ready for the wing installation.

Another view.

Wings, Drop Tanks, wing support bars, Nose, Canopy and rudders have all been glued in place.
The inner surfaces of the wings fold mechanism have been painted and weathered.
1 more job till completion!