1/72 Matchbox Hawk Mk I (PK-27)

[GoonerChris]

I'm building this little chap for the UAMF PK-2008 display at Telford this year.

I've already committed to displaying my Tempest, Lysander and a recently built A-10 Thunderbolt.

This will complete the quartet.

The usual box and sprue shots:

Progress so far:

The idea for tracing the decals is so I can make masks from tape. This is so I can keep white behind them and not get a 'red bleed' come through. There may be a better, easier way of doing it but I like to make life difficult for myself!

[daz greenwood]

Looking good so far Chris!

I can remember building one of these. It was built in a day and it didn't last a week.

Cheers Daz

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

I had an unpainted one on my bedside table whilst at primary school. I used so much tube cement the plastic went soft in places, especially on the wings. I'd like to say my modelling skills have improved since then...!

[BigReg]

I know there are 'better' Hawks out there but this one is so simple to build. Looking forward to the end result.

Regards

David

[Notdoneyet]

Snip ........

The idea for tracing the decals is so I can make masks from tape. This is so I can keep white behind them and not get a 'red bleed' come through. There may be a better, easier way of doing it but I like to make life difficult for myself!

Chris,

I use the following method which works very well :-

Place a sheet of transparent OHP acetate over the decals and tape in place.

Stick Tamiya tape of the appropriate width on top of the acetate over the decal you want to create a mask for

With a new blade cut around the decal which is easily visible through the acetate/Tamiya tape

Hey presto!! Mask done.

I used this method to do the checks on my 43sqn Toom here

HTH,

Ian

[thx6667]

I know there are 'better' Hawks out there but this one is so simple to build. Looking forward to the end result.

Surprisingly, Matchbox kit is perhaps the most accurate kit out there in 1/92. The Italeri and Fujimi kits may have better detail, but shape wise the Matchbox kit has better shapes, and with its wing fences, vortex generators and ventral strakes, its more up to date than the old Airfix Hawk.

[GoonerChris]

Chris,

I use the following method which works very well :-

Place a sheet of transparent OHP acetate over the decals and tape in place.

Stick Tamiya tape of the appropriate width on top of the acetate over the decal you want to create a mask for

With a new blade cut around the decal which is easily visible through the acetate/Tamiya tape

Hey presto!! Mask done.

I used this method to do the checks on my 43sqn Toom here

HTH,

Ian

That is the dog's danglies!

Great idea, just gotta find some acetate. It seems to be the easier way than mine.

[GoonerChris]

Did a bit more this morning.

I finished off JP and attached him to his seat. The control column was a pain in the wotsit as it wouldn't fit between his legs. I just cut the thing down and glued it in position.

The u/c doors have been fitted in the retracted position. The air intakes, heat exchanger and Ram air intakes scoops have been added to the fuselage. Once these have cured, I'll glue the tub to the inside, add the internal windscreen and the jet pipe exhaust and hopefully close it all up.

[GreenDragon]

Looking good Chris, the Matchbox kit is a bit basic but it's my favourite of the ones in 1/72nd. I did my first one in the Finnish scheme (too scared of gloss finishes!). I think it's still around in a spares box somewhere.

Paul Harrison

[GoonerChris]

Well I'm a bit apprehensive of the gloss finish as well but nothing ventured, nothing gained!

Did a bit more today. The fuselage is now together. Forgot to add the interior screen before fitting the canopy. Doh! Never mind.

Had to do some serious rubbing down on the top and bottom but I think it came out ok. Where the air intakes are, I needed to fill to get a smooth finish and it turned out well. The whole thing will need another coat of primer then I'll get a small can of the bright stuff to give it the glossy sheen it requires.

And I've got to finish creating the masks. Not a job to look forward to.

[GoonerChris]

Got a sheet of acetate from the office. The stuff you use for heat sealing notices and stuff.

Blu-tacked the decal sheet onto my cutting board with the acetate blu-tacked over the top. Using a metal rule and a new blade, I cut some of the masks out. I may have bit a little too much into the decal sheet but hopefully I haven't damaged them. Now it will be a case of transferring the cutout onto masking tape and doing the necessary. Fingers crossed.

I've now added the wings to the fuselage. This required some filling at the wing roots with a cocktail stick and now it's drying on the dining room table. If I can get five minutes, I'll rub it down tomorrow. The kids are off school for half-term so my chances are zero at present.

I also bought some Lifecolor (God I hate US spellings ) Gloss Red, along with a couple of other paints I needed, from LSA Models in Hove on Saturday which I can brush paint on. I have high hopes for this.

So work will resume either this week or next dependent on children demands.

[GoonerChris]

A few more progress pics just to update things:

JP in his tub - just to show off my adequate figure-painting skills and the fuselage in it's first rubdown state with the office added prior to fixing the canopy in position.

Top and underside views with tailplanes added. Also the canopy has been fixed and masked. The fuselage has now had further sanding, filling and another coat of primer ready for me to re-mask all the markings areas. Yikes!