Calling this complete - 1/72 XAJ-1 Savage Prototype
This was a down conversion from the Mach2 AJ-2 kit and all that entailed. The down conversion required:
Cutting down the vertical stab/rudder,
Adding dihedral to the horizontal stabs and notching for the rudder,
Cutting the chord down on the props and extending them by 3/8”,
Relocating the main entrance hatch,
Relocating one set of exhausts to the outboard side of the nacelle,
Scratch building the entire cockpit because replacing the heavily framed canopy for a frameless opening ‘bubble’ canopy would open the cockpit to wider viewing,
Removing later model antennas and radioes,
Vacuforming a new frameless bubble canopy,
As expected, the Mach2 kit put up resistance but almost all of it was fixable. By far the nacelles and cowling had the worst fit and required a lot of work. The one thing not fixable is the mismatch between wing roots on the fuselage halves, with one lower than the other giving the a/c the ‘leans’ to starboard. I partially offset that by mounting the stbd strut (main struts sourced from SAC’s 1/72 Su-27 mag with wheels/tires from Brassin’s 1/72 P-47) slightly longer than the port. Additionally there is a bit of droop in the outer wing panels not apparent until well along in assembly.
The canopy was vacuformed using an epoxy buck shaped from the framed kit canopy, and placed on a scratch built base. AlClad metallics were used for the NMF and a mixture of spare, kit and aftermarket (CtA’s AJ Savages) decals used over a gloss clear coat. A finishing coat of AlClad clear semi-luster was applied and the canopy set in place with UV ca glue.
I’ve always liked the Savage and especially liked the clean appearance of the bubble canopy prototype. If I build another Savage though, I’m using Roden’s kit…
(McDonnell’s FH-1 and North American’s FJ-1 provided for contemporary size comparisons).
