Finnish Air Force Folland Gnat F.1 GN-112 Special Hobby 1/72

Size comparison: clockwise from top left MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk.55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Clockwise from top right: MiG-21UM, Folland Gnat F.1, MiG-15UTI, de Havilland Vampire Mk.55

Special Hobby 1/72 Folland Gnat F.1 No. SH72137 "Finnish and Yugoslav Service"

Camo A FiAF GN-101 'Kreivi von Rosen' summer 1971. Camo B FiAF GN-110 June 1970. Camo C YuAF old British camouflage. Camo D YuAF new camouflage.

This is a scale model I've wanted to build for a long, long time. Before this Special Hobby #SH72137 kit building a Finnish Folland Gnat F.1 model wasn't always easy in 1/72 scale, especially for this photo reconnaissance version. The kit is really nice and true to the original plane, despite that the original plane and thus the model are quite small in size it's reasonably easy to build, too.

Although not especially marketed or mentioned this Yugoslav/Finnish Air Force boxing has the optional photo reconnaissance parts included. Decals for the GN-112 were modified from kit decals and spare decal stash specials. Painted with Revell and Humbrol enamels, final clearcoat Revell Matt Enamel.

This model represents the Finnish Air Force Folland Gnat F.1 GN-112 on display at the Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Finland - like it once was when the paint job was new. The original Gnat is unrestored and only slightly weathered, so it's quite easy to turn back time and imagine what the original British camouflage looked like back in the day.

Finnish Air Force de Havilland Vampire Mk.55 VT-6 Airfix 1/72

Size comparison of the old Finnish Air Force jets: clockwise from top left: MiG-21UM, de Havilland Vampire Mk.55, MiG-15UTI, Folland Gnat F.1

Airfix de Havilland Vampire T.11 1/72 A02058

Bought this new-tool Airfix kit from the Finnish Aviation Museum while taking reference photos of the original Finnish Air Force de Havilland Vampire Trainer Mk.55 (VT-9) on display there. Another nice modern Airfix kit that builds well and looks the part. 

Painted with Revell enamels, final clearcoat semi-gloss Johnson/Future floor wax. Aftermarket FAF decals from Harraste Shop (Tampere, Finland).

This model represents the Finnish Air Force Vampire Trainer VT-6 of the Hämeen Lennosto at summer in 1958. There is the original (badly damaged) cockpit fuselage part of the VT-6 on display at the Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Finland.

USAF P-51 B/C Revell 1/72 #04182

Bought this kit at a flea market sale really cheap, something like less than 2 euros. OOB camouflage and markings are fine but wanted to make an aluminium D-style bird instead. This model represents a USAF 118th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron North American P-51 B/C Mustang in China 1944 or 1945, found a nice reference photo of the original

No other modifications than the fuselage camera opening and tail number decals from Hasegawa civil 1/200 airliner kit. Painted with Revell enamels, final clearcoat semigloss Johnson/Future floor wax. Nice kit, nice model.

Saab Draken 35S DK-207 Finnish Air Force reference photos

Check out my new reference photos of Finnish Air Force Saab 35S Draken DK-207, on display at the Päijänne-Tavastia Aviation Museum, Finland!

Finnish Air Force Museum Jet Reference photos

Check out my new reference photos of some Finnish Air Force Museum Jets at Flickr:

Folland Gnat Mk. 1 GN-112, photo-reconnaissance version

MiG-15 UTI MU-2 trainer

Fouga CM170 Magister FM-71 trainer

Revell Pearl Harbor Boeing P-26A Peashooter 1/72

1/72nd scale Airfix new tooling Zero and Revell old tool Peashooter

A snappy little Revell kit of the (in)famous Boeing P-26A Peashooter keeping with the Pearl Harbor theme, these planes were already obsolete at that time and used as training and hack aircraft. This model represents a U.S.Army P-26A of the 18th Pursuit Group at Hawaii in Dec. 1941, painted in olive drab (Revell matt #46) and light grey (Humbrol #127). Finished with Revell matt clearcoat #2.

Scratchbuilt windshield (just couldn't use the original) but otherwise out-of-the-box with rivets and all, rigging done with fine fishing line. This kit had a copyright marking from the 80's but wouldn't be surprised if it was way older. Still, while not exactly accurate by today's standards it does sit in quite nicely with my other Airfix Pearl Harbor models!