Hi everyone, new poster on the board.

After several years of doing nothing but 1/35 scale AFVs, I fancied a change and started diggin gout my collection of ancient Frog, Revell & Airfix kits to have a look at.

One currently on my workbench is the Frog Gloster Pioneer in bright yellow plastic. For some reason, the wings look a bit on the small size. Would modifying them cause more problems than it solves. It's not going to be a competition entry so 100% micrometer accuracy is not required (especially the way I build!).

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Hey Ian,

Are you sure the wings aren't meant to be that size?

Gloster Pioneer Line Drawing

Has anybody here tried the Pavla kit?

Cougar

Hi Ian, welcome to Armorama The Pioneer did have relatively short wings, so I would assume the kit is resonably accurate and just concentrate on getting the best model you can with what you have. In any event we would be interested on seeing your progress
Mal

Hi Ian

Welcome aboard!... and your eyes aren't deceiving you! According to Tim Kershaw's excellent book, "Jet Pioneers - Gloster and the Birth of the Jet Age", Frog's Gloster "Whittle" was based on a very innacurate set of drawings - so the fuselage scales out at 1/63 instead of 1/72.

As Tim puts it: "...Generations of modelmakers assumed that the model was reasonably accurate and gained a false impression of the E28 as a large, barrel-like fuselage perched on undersized wings..."

The book has plenty of useful photos and what are claimed to be the most accurate drawings yet published of the aircraft. It was my primary reference when reviewing Special Hobby's 1/48 scale Pioneer and I thoroughly recommend it .

All the best

Rowan

Thank you to all who responded.

As I suspected, the scale is a bit iffy (though looks OK compared to the standing pilot included in the kit). Unfortunately my skills don't extend to a total rebuild so I think I will build it as is and not worry about it.

Other projects (yes - I build about four or five at a go, cycling projects as the mood takes me) include the Airfix Defiant (removal of rivets - inevitable when sanding the parts to remove seams and trying my hand at scribing panel lines) Revell Corsair (a general clean up and removal of heavy moulded detail as and when) plus several others - my cupboards under my workbench could stock a small shop.

If I can talk my nephew into doing some pics (when I can catch up with him) - I will try to put up some images, but plwease don't hold your breath!

Thanks again everyone.