Pavla 1/72 Sea Vixen FAW.1 Cockpit, Seats & Nose
By Chris Banyai-Riepl
Overview
The Cyber Hobby 1/72 Sea Vixen had quite a few modelers excited, as it's an intriguing design and a major part of the Fleet Air Arm history. Once it arrived, though there were a few issues with the kit, most surrounding the front end. These latest sets from Pavla aim to enhance and improve the kit in this area.
C72106 Sea Vixen FAW.1 Cockpit Set
In the order of improving the kit, this set provides a complete cockpit replacement. This is a very detailed set comprising a one-piece tub with separate instrument panels. There are two new seats (an important part, as noted below) and a new navigator's hatch. A nice added bit of detail in the tub is the two open side panels on the nose. These have separate hatches and will require some surgery on the kit fuselage halves. Overall the level of detail in this set is far better than the kit parts and will provide a significant improvement in the finished model.
S72072 & S72073 MB Mk.4-DSA Ejection Seats
As I have often said, aftermarket seats are a great investment as they can have much more detail than kit parts. In some cases, though, they're more than just an inexpensive luxury, and this is just such a case. These seats are an absolute must-have for anyone building the Cyber Hobby Sea Vixen, as the seats that come in the kit are severely undersized. So much so that when placed in the cockpit, the top of the pilot's seat won't even clear the cockpit opening. The photo shows just how off the size is, as well as highlights the impressive level of detail in the resin replacement. There are two seats needed, and there are subtle differences between the two.
U72-133 Sea Vixen FAW.1 Replacement Nose
Another very useful update for the Cyber Hobby kit is this replacement nose. When placed next to the kit nose, as in the photo here, the difference is immediately apparent. Right off one can see that the tip has been corrected, changing the blunt kit example to the more accurate pointed tip. What is not as apparent is the subtle change to the contours of the nose, again making for a more accurate radome.
Conclusion
All three of these sets are very useful for anyone building the Cyber Hobby Sea Vixen, and they should be a simple replacement of kit parts. My thanks to Pavla for the review samples.