TBD-1 DEVASTATOR from Airfix in 1/72 scale, vintage kit

TBD-1 DEVASTATOR from Airfix in 1/72 scale

I represent a plane of VT-8 from USS HORNET. Note: The overpainted “8 –“ on the fuselage is intentionally.

The special thing about the kit: This time I took apart an old, already built kit from Airfix, to build it a second time. I did this because I am an Airfix fan and this old kit is hard to find or very expensive. I decided to make an experiment just to see if I can do a job better than the first try.

I carefully disassembled the kit and put it in oven cleaner. After about 2 hours I was able to carefully wash off the old paint with a dish brush. Since the old kit is over 50 years old, it has typical features of that time: rows of rivets that are much too large, a rudimentary cockpit and canopy parts that are too thick.

Airfix TBD1 Boxart

I decided to leave most of this vintage kit parts as it is, except the canopy. I heated transparent plastic film over a candle flame and pulled it over the old canopy, but unfortunately I did not managed to make this in one piece.
I pimped the cockpit with some scratch build parts to bring a little more life in it (ie. the fire extinguisher).

To make it clear, there are many kits out there who will represent the TBD-1 way better than this old piece of plastic, but I have a heart for vintage kits like this one, esp. Airfix kits.

I have use AK-Real Colors (I am not sponsored by AK):
# RC256 Blue Grey
# RC220 Light Gull Grey
# RC262 US int. Yellow Green

I am very satisfied with those colors, but the Blue Grey appears a little to bright in my opinion.

Vintage kit with over accented panel lines and bad canopy, but you can still make a nice model out of it!

Andreas Fey
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-001
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-002
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-003
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-004
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-005
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-006
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-007
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-010
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-011
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-012
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-013
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-014
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-015
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-016
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-017
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-018
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-019
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-020
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-021
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-022
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-023
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-024
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-025
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-026
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-027
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-028
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-029
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-030
  • Airfix-Devastator-1-72-031
See also Monogram TBD-1 in 1/48

Other Projects