Airfix 04018V - 1:72 Shorts Skyvan - Airfix Vintage Classics

Short SC.7 Skyvan transport aircraft plastic model kit in 1:72 scale

Airfix 04018V is a construction kit representing the British Short SC.7 Skyvan light transport — a high-wing aircraft with a near-rectangular fuselage cross-section and fixed landing gear, designed around a single idea: the largest possible cargo hold combined with the shortest possible take-off run. Its distinctive boxy shape and twin fins make the Skyvan instantly recognisable on a display shelf.

The kit appears in the Vintage Classics series, in which Airfix reissues classic tooling from its catalogue — in this case dating from 1974 — in packaging inspired by the historic box art and with a newly prepared decal sheet. The model features a cabin interior visible through the row of side windows, a separate clear sprue and an openable rear fuselage section with the loading ramp, the element that defines this aircraft more than any other.

What's in the box:

• Injection-moulded plastic sprues — 152 parts in total
• Clear sprue (cockpit glazing and cabin windows)
• Waterslide decal sheet covering two marking options
• Painting guide sheet
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 04018V
• Manufacturer: Airfix
• Series: Vintage Classics
• Finished model length: approx. 170 mm
• Wingspan: approx. 275 mm
• Part count: 152
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Please note: this kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Building the model:

The Skyvan is built from simple, flat surfaces, which makes assembly relatively straightforward — there are no complex compound curves demanding lengthy sanding. Two areas do reward extra attention: the joint between the fuselage and the engine nacelles, and the alignment of the twin fins, where symmetry has a visible effect on the finished model. Painting the cabin interior and window frames before closing the fuselage halves is advisable, as access becomes very limited once the halves are joined. This is tooling with more than fifty years of history, so a little dry-fitting, edge adjustment and cleaning of sprue gate marks will pay off.

Both marking options are civil schemes with smooth, painted surfaces, so a gloss or satin finish suits them better than the matt coat typical of military subjects. The Olympic Airways option is based on white and blue with gold accents, while the Austrian Pink Aviation Services machine calls for an even, intense pink best applied by airbrush over a light, uniform primer. Applying the decals over a gloss coat is recommended, as it reduces the risk of silvering — particularly noticeable with the large, high-contrast titles along the fuselage sides.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling sprue cutters
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up sprue gate marks
• Polystyrene cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Modelling putty for filling seams
• Brushes in a range of sizes
• Model paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Gloss varnish for decal application and a finishing coat
• Decal setting and softening solutions

About the aircraft – Short SC.7 Skyvan:

The Short SC.7 Skyvan was developed by Short Brothers of Belfast in response to demand for a cheap, simple aircraft able to carry cargo and passengers from short, improvised airstrips. It first flew on 17 January 1963. The designers took the opposite approach to conventional airliners: instead of a streamlined shape they created a fuselage of almost rectangular section, allowing the hold to accept standard pallets and crates, while the rear ramp permitted loading straight from the bed of a truck.

Its unmistakable appearance — strut-braced high wing, fixed spatted undercarriage, twin fins and large rectangular windows — quickly earned the aircraft nicknames referring to a flying container. Production versions were powered by Garrett AiResearch TPE-331 turboprops, which replaced the earlier, less successful piston engines and significantly improved performance. Short take-off and landing capability, simple maintenance and the ability to operate from unpaved strips found the Skyvan customers around the world.

The type served both in civil aviation — with operators such as Olympic Airways and Gulf Air — and in military service, including the air forces of Oman, Guyana and Austria. Argentine Skyvans were used during the 1982 Falklands conflict. Close to 150 aircraft were built before production ended in 1986, and individual examples still fly today, mainly as parachute jump platforms and cargo carriers in remote areas.

Original aircraft specifications (Short SC.7 Skyvan Series 3):

• Length: 12.21 m
• Wingspan: 19.79 m
• Height: 4.60 m
• Wing area: 35.12 m²
• Empty weight: approx. 3,331 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: approx. 5,670 kg
• Crew: 1–2
• Capacity: up to 19 passengers or palletised cargo
• Powerplant: two Garrett AiResearch TPE-331-2-201A turboprops, approx. 533 kW (715 hp) each
• Maximum speed: approx. 324 km/h
• Cruising speed: approx. 278 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 6,858 m
• Range: approx. 1,115 km
• First flight: 17 January 1963
• Production: until 1986, close to 150 aircraft built

About the manufacturer – Airfix:

Airfix is a British model manufacturer whose roots go back to 1939, when Nicholas Kove founded a plastics company in London. The first construction kit — a Ferguson TE20 tractor — reached the shops in 1949, but the real breakthrough came in 1955 with the Spitfire Mk.IX, which launched an extensive range of 1:72 aircraft kits. Over the following decades Airfix became the first contact with the hobby for several generations of modellers in Britain and across Europe, and its catalogue grew to cover aircraft, ships, military vehicles, figures and historic sailing vessels. Since 2006 the brand has been part of Hornby Hobbies. The current line-up combines newly designed, digitally engineered tooling with the Vintage Classics series, which reissues classic kits from the 1960s and 1970s in packaging inspired by the original artwork. Airfix kits are known for clear illustrated instructions and an approachable level of difficulty, which makes them equally suitable as a first kit and as a collector's item.