KIT COMMENT
FROG RELEASE NEW MODEL OF GLOSTER JAVELIN
Dornier Do.335 also available
Frog's Gloster Javelin has at last reached the shops! It was a long wait from the first announcement made at the 1974 Trade Shows over a year ago, but the kit is well worth it and we are sure that modellers will get this one as it is bound to be popular. Apart from that, it is an extremely good model with few faults and what there are can be easily remedied.
Frog have followed the methods of construction used in their first kit of the Javelin which was made many years ago. The fuselage is split horizontally, as before, but this time there's some cockpit detail. Jet intakes have been blanked off at both ends of the fuselage. Don't forget to add a lot of weight in the nose to get the model to stand on its undercarriage. The nose section, which is seperate, dan be filled with lead shot and plasticine to help in this.
The upper and lower wing halves are well detailed though this is perhaps on the heavy side. All panel lines are raised which presents a problem when cleaning up takes place. The most important fault, here, lies in the extremely large gap between the wings and the fuselage which needs filling with body putty. In rubbing down most of the detail is removed no matter how careful you are and its absence shows when the paintwork has been completed.
Frog have produced an F(AW)9 with alternative parts for the 9R with its long refuelling probe (surely one of the most ugly additions to any beautiful aeroplane). Detail in the afterburners is very good but a little careful work with a file is necessary to clean them up before attachment. Similarly the air intakes on top of the fuselage have been provided as well as other small parts so characteristic of the Javelin.
The undercarriage legs lack a lot of detail from that of the real aeroplane but this is covered by the wheels themselves and the wheel well covers so that it does not shqw. The wheels on the other hand are as perfect as one would wish even though the nosewheel is moulded in one piece with its undercarriage
The model is provided with both long range fuel tanks and Firestreak missiles. The various combinations can be seen in the two pictures of the aircraft shown on this page, both of which are included in the decal sheet.
The decals were the other fault we found with this model. Although we have been unable to check this particular matter with Frog themselves we thought that the sheet, whilst giving every possible detail needed was so thinly printed that the different tones of the paintwork showed through. This was particularly apparent on the wing upper surfaces. Maybe our model was one which had faulty decals—we hope so or else other modellers will surely complain.
Two aircraft are featured in the kit. The first, a Javelin F(AW)9R is XH766 when in service with No. 64 Sqdn. at Waterbeach in September 1961. The other is an F(AW)9 without the refuelling probe and is XH905 based at Geilenkirchen when serving with No. 5 Sqdn. in August 1963. At that time the machine was flown by Flt.Lt. A.W.Patterson and the Flg. Offr, M. J. Canning — a fact duly recorded by the decals in perfect lettering so small that we had to get our magnifying glass to read the inscription. Frog also ought to be complimented in the way their decal artist has paid attention to the markings under the fuselage and wings. Careful note has obviously been taken of these as very few decals feature the often unseen but nevertheless important details normally out of sight.
The new Frog Javelin kit is a very worthy successor to the first model made by the company of the same subject and although the price is 75p it is well worth the money.
Aviation News Vol 3 Num 23 18 April - 1 May 1975
NEW AND IN VIEW
FROG GLOSTER JAVELIN
The Gloster Javelin is one of those aircraft which captured the imagination of all who saw it and became associated with it.
Although it would not be right to lay any claims of outstanding service to this huge fighter, there was a certain magic about its shape, noise and development that makes its neglect by the kit manufacturers hard to understand.
Apart from two rather poor — by modern standards - examples issued by Hawk and Frog several years ago, the Javelin has been somewhat out in the cold. That is until now, when Frog have done the 'Beast' proud with a very fine kit.
The aircraft concerned is the FAW9 with alternative parts for the 9R plus two sets of decals for aircraft of No. 64 and No. 5 Squadrons.
Construction follows the method used in the early Frog kit with fuselage halves being split along their horizontal rather than vertical axis. The heavy rivets that marred the early kit have vanished to be replaced by some fine panel lines that require very little sanding to bring them into line. (Pun intended).
The only comment that this reviewer would make is that the nose seems a little short but this is marginal and in no way detracts from the overall appearance of the model.
The wheels are superbly detailed as are the weapon pylons and weapons. The ejector seats could be better, but then if everything was just so what would there be for the super detail fanatics to turn to?
Unfortunately 'Mutt and Jeff our favourite Frog aircrew put in another appearance, but this will worry very few modellers. Flying in a Javelin could be a bit hairey at times but never enough to reduce one to the rigid 'hands-on-knees-eyes-closed-undernourished' state of our two intrepid Frog aviators.
Overall, a worthy effort and the basis of many a conversion to earlier marks. Review sample by courtesy of Rovex.
B.P.
The IPMS magazine, may/june 1975
MODEL ENTHUSIAST
The delta-winged Gloster
Javelin — a light throwing spear. Few aircraft could have suffered more of a misnomer than Gloster's mighty delta-winged all-weather fighter which served the RAF for a decade, from 1957 until 1967. Neglected by the kit manufacturers during its service career, the Javelin has at last seen justice from the moulds of Frog. Not that this is Frog's first "stab at the Javelin". During the 'fifties, when this company produced an extensive range of the then contemporary British service aircraft, the Javelin was included, albeit in prototype form which was far removed from the aeroplane that eventually achieved operational status. To the same XlllxuS. scale, Hawk in the USA issued a kit of the Javelin, but while better than the Frog effort in some respects, it was far from satisfactory, even making allowances for the contemporary state of the art.
Frog's new l/72nd scale kit of the Javelin comprises 65 parts, all moulded in a dark blue-grey plastic which has no relevance to any colour scheme ever sported by the aircraft during its service career. A very nice kit indeed, it captures well the characteristic sit of the aircraft and is accurate in outline. The surface detailing — mostly of the raised-line type — is neat and the fit of the component parts is good, calling for only the minimum of filling. There are no operating features, but the undercarriage can be assembled either extended or retracted, and a selection of external stories is provided, comprising two ventral fuel tanks, two Firestreak missiles and a pair of rocket pods. The kit represents the Javelin F(AW) 9 and includes a refuelling probe with which the model represents an F(AW) 9R.
Shortcomings include overly-thick wing trailing edges and the fashion in which the nosewheel is moulded integrally with its strut, but these are minor points in a generally pleasing kit. The cockpit canopy was, unfortunately, missing from our review kit, but it is apparent from the instruction sheet that this is a one-piece moulding enclosing both cockpits. The decal sheet is excellent and provides markings for both XH766 of No 64 Sqdn and XH905 of No 5 Sqdn, including the distinctive coloured fin markings. This is a very welcome kit and should prove popular at its UK price of 75p.
F J HENDERSON
Air Enthusiast 1975-06 vol.08 no.06
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