Building the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne in 1/72 Scale! Vintage Classic Plastic Model Kit Build & Review

The Fairey Rotodyne was a compound gyroplane designed for both commercial and military use. Sadly, this innovative concept of trying to merge the qualities of bother helicopters and fixed wing aircraft did not see the design venture past the prototype stage.
Join me on the workbench in this video as I build and review the Airfix Vintage Classics plastic model kit of the Fairey Rotodyne Prototype (A04002V) in 1/72 scale. An old kit which despite being an interesting subject, does suffer from a number of issues.
Thanks to CT Scale Models for providing a review sample of the mask set for this kit, which you can view here: www.ebay.co.uk...
Thanks to ‪@plasticalchemist‬ for contributing to this video and sharing their thoughts on their own build of the Airfix Fairey Rotodyne. Check out their channel so that you can compare their build with mine when it is complete!
If you would like to purchase this kit, doing so through this affiliate link allows you to support the channel at no cost whilst shopping! amzn.to/3XfvVAr
🤝 Don't forget you can help support charity by sending any Airfix Flying Hours or un-started kits and supplies to Models For Heroes: www.modelsforh...
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Music used from Epidemic Sound:
Neo Dreams - The Big Let Down www.epidemicso...
The Looking Glass (Instrumental Version) - Torii Wolf www.epidemicso...
Digital Daydream - Cherry The Penguin www.epidemicso...
Come Around (Be So Lucky) (Instrumental Version) - Torii Wolf www.epidemicso...
Game Changer - The Big Let Down www.epidemicso...
Voyage - POW www.epidemicso...
Subliminal Space - Lama House www.epidemicso...
#Airfix #rotodyne #model #modelkit #modelbuild #scalemodel #modelplane

[@model_mode]

Im so happy that I was gifted this Membership being able to watch videos early is great :)

[@ModelMinutes]

I'm glad you like them :D

[@BudgetModelRailways]

Great result given the age of the kit

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! It did put up a bit of a fight :P

[@plasticalchemist]

Great video my friend, still to finish mine but getting there. Thank you so much for the SO

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks for contributing! Looking forwards to seeing yours built

[@glencwilson]

When you think of the kit's age it isn't bad and the final model looks very good. Well done.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks very much!

[@davidAB779]

Very nicely done Matt, turned out very well for such an old kit.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks!

[@MOS6510Models]

Great build matey Not the easiest thing to get together

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! It was a bit of a challenge

[@toboldlygosmodelworks1973]

Lovely job Matt

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks!

[@markborner291]

Great build!!! Looks superb even with all the seams not full addressed. 👍

[@ModelMinutes]

Glad you like it!

[@emmabird9745]

Hi Matt, you've managed to make it look quite good in the circumstances of your chosen built method IE build straight from the box. A critisism of the kit, not your build, which might be of interest to anyone wanting a more in-bepth build is that in the "on ground" condition the upper part of the tail fins folded outward to a horizontal position to avoid being hit by the rotors. They hinged upwards in flight above 100RPM.

[@ModelMinutes]

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing! I honestly didn't know that :) It would have been great if Airfix had added that in the notes of the instructions during the build so we could get the correct configuration

[@emmabird9745]

@@ModelMinutes Apart from the book I got on Amazon Kindle (a fascinating read for an old aerogeek like me), after seeing your unboxing, if you search YT for Fairey Rotodyne you can watch the Fairey promotional video which shows it.

[@philippasco9450]

Thanks

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks so much for the super chat! It really means a lot 😊

[@philippasco9450]

No worries. I have this in my stash. I returned to the hobby last year after a 41-year gap. After this video, it may move up the list😂

[@FredericoEmrich]

Hey Matt! Another great job in This kit Keep doing It!!💪

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! Will do!

[@trevorwilliams907]

Nice build Matt, I was a bit disappointed with my build of this one. Completed it and put it in my build box of shame. 🤣

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! Yes, I’m not 100% happy with mine, but short of turning this into a multiple month project, which I would end up hating, not sure if that’s something I’d want to do

[@jefthing]

I love your approach - do a decent job to clear the stash! It’s an excellent result, regardless.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! I recently came to the realisation that I have far too many kits, and other than giving them away, if I don't build them they will just take up space. I'm making it a bit of a mission to try and get through as many kits as I can before I am tempted to buy any more...

[@jefthing]

@@ModelMinutes I do it to calm down, so the simpler the kit the better. That’s why I go for 1/144 or Matchbox and Frog (originals or reboxed). Airfix has that nostalgia hit for me and I love the idea of vintage classics, even with the problems. I started modelling with stringy glue, a file from the 1940s and half a razor blade (no H&S in our house) so there is no excuse not to have a crack!

[@paulclow3398]

Great video matt and a really cool kit,be perfect for some "what if's".

[@ModelMinutes]

Definitely!

[@wadejustanamerican1201]

You really did a nice job.

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks very much!

[@Neil-w1x]

Great job Matt .3 days wow l would still be doing it for weeks lol

[@ModelMinutes]

I think I built it over a bank holiday, so i had the time for once :)

[@bionicgeekgrrl]

Looks a bit of a faff, especially the transfers. But it doesn't detract from your results, which is rather good. I think id have discarded the transfers for the side and mask and paint , but that's not what you were going for of course. This serves as a bit of a step back in time to when a probably child picked it up with pocket money and built it with what they were, which you have replicated nicely witha few modern items we're lucky to have these days. I have seen some people comment criticism of your modelling and videos and to think they are a bit unfair to you. Keep up the good work.

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! In reflection I did wonder if it would have been better to paint the side panels, but I guess now we know the decals take a bit of work to get the alignment right People are critical of my builds because many believe that to put them online like this means you should build to the highest quality and always go above and beyond. My modelling skills and time tend to be limited and I only want to do what I find enjoyable and some people forget that we should enjoy our hobbies. I dont have to be a good modeller to encourage and inspire others to start the hobby, I just have to be enthusiastic (I also think being realistic helps too 😂)

[@chrisstyles4630]

Great build on a kit that seems a little mixed bag

[@ModelMinutes]

It is very much a mixed bag sadly

[@lpjmodels]

Whacky plane is whacky. Great job on an old kit , shame about the decals

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks! Yes, it was a bit odd that they didn't line up properly

[@MrKevinbrindle]

Yep, a very good result from an old kit with issues

[@ModelMinutes]

Thanks very much!

[@julianmhall]

*before video* Everyone I've watched hates that nose/canopy. Waits to see if you do too. Bit naughty that the box art depicts a use and scheme the real thing never had. *after video* I think I'd have just masked and painted the sides once I realised the window positions were wrong. Lovely job Matt, and you /are/ the only one not to say the nose was a pain in the proverbial. Maybe because you used CT Model masks for the nose and weren't worried about the nose shape being wrong (apparently).

[@ModelMinutes]

I think with all the other problems this kit has, the nose was just another on the list. I did find that it didn't quite join to the fuselage correctly, but with some force and time to encourage it into place, i think i got there with it. Those masks really helped make the whole process easier!

[@julianmhall]

@@ModelMinutes Do you watch Greg's Models? He didn't like the nose at all and vac-formed a new new. A bit (OK very) extreme but you get what you want :)

[@ModelMinutes]

I think I saw that one, he did a truly vintage boxing if I remember correctly

[@johnclarke25]

Be nice to paint up in a spectrum scheme to go with the angel interceptor.

[@ModelMinutes]

that is a fun idea!

[@PhantomPlayzReal]

How long will this membership last forever or 1 month???

[@ModelMinutes]

One month, it's a subscription based membership and you were gifted a month by Crazy Locha If you would like it to renew, someone else would have to gift you one (but I believe they are assigned randomly by YT so no guarantee there) or sign up for a membership on the channel page :)

[@Cheesetaxlord3]

Matt can you make a PZL LIM-5

[@ModelMinutes]

thanks for the suggestion!

[@Cheesetaxlord3]

@@ModelMinutes your welcome I have one and it’s good

[@choppergunner8650]

I like this plane, but damn, the decals were quite the letdown. Eh, old decals are like that. What's to expect from an old kit?

[@ModelMinutes]

Well, the decals aren't old - this was a 2023 rebox with brand new cartograph transfers, so they were just designed a bit wrong

[@edwinanil-cz2df]

hi

[@ModelMinutes]

Hi!

[@Damien-q8t]

Those instructions just look to cluttered and complicated....even for me

[@ModelMinutes]

Based on the older instructions, they are not as good as the recent ones from Airfix

[@Damien-q8t]

@@ModelMinutes 👍