Jump to content

Nostalgic Hotspur


Recommended Posts

 

Frog/Novo 1/72 hotspur glider

 

where it really began  many many years ago.

 

I first built this kit about 35 years ago, my dad had given it to me. i had built kits before this but they where put together in an afternoon and then used to attack the troops in the flower bed.  I wanted to finish this one properly, made over 2 days , painted it with thick humbrol enamel paint and put the decals on over the still sticky paint, i was very proud of it.

   Found this kit on a well know 2 hand model website and just had to build it.

 the fit was fine, but the sink marks needed some attention.  a little detail in the cockpit, painted with xtraylics and decals from the spares box.  i know the lower wing roundels are wrong!!!  potholes are filled with krystal klear, and the canopy is very thick and dosn't fit at all.

really enjoyed this build

 

h1_zpsfjeqklag.jpg

 

h2_zpsvl9hzpme.jpg

 

h3_zpsw2dyyrl2.jpg

 

h4_zps27ujz5eo.jpg

  • Like 29
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks terrific.  A great finish.  You'd never think this was the old Frog kit apart, perhaps, from the fact that no one else has ever kitted it.  Perhaps something RS Models might consider.  Btw, do you mean portholes!?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice. Love the underside. But the best bit? What it means to you. I really ought to do an Airfix Spitfire Vb in GLOSS yellow and brown camo and GLOSS midnight blue undersides...just like the Old Man did for me almost 50 years ago. Of course, I was gutted at the time (I wanted a BoB scheme) but, well, you know...!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am loving all these golden oldie nostalgic kits appearing on here at the moment.

 

This Hotspur is a delight.

 

I remember my favourite Uncle giving me one he had built which had been moulded in yellow plastic........it was an original FROG one and they did tend to vary the plastic colours from time to time.

 

Your Hotspur has reminded me of when I was six and we were living at RAF West Malling. One evening our mother took my sister, brothers and me for a walk on the airfield and in a open blister hangar stood a big glider fuselage painted light blue. I remember we got inside it through a door in the side and I sat at the pilots controls while the rest of the family sat inside the roomy fuselage.................it must have been a Hotspur...........and I can still remember experiencing that unmistakable aircraft smell for the first time.

 

Thanks for sharing your Hotspur with us.

 

Adrian

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really lovely job, congratulations 

 

The alternative decals was a smart move, I don't think I have ever been able to use a set of Novo decals, they seem to desolve on impact with any liquid ! Yet the original Frog ones are still perfect after all these years ?

 

I look forward to seeing the next blast from the past, from you collection.

 

Now where did I put my own Hotspur kit :hmmm:

 

cheers Pat

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, JOCKNEY said:

Really lovely job, congratulations 

 

The alternative decals was a smart move, I don't think I have ever been able to use a set of Novo decals, they seem to desolve on impact with any liquid ! Yet the original Frog ones are still perfect after all these years ?

 

I look forward to seeing the next blast from the past, from you collection.

 

Now where did I put my own Hotspur kit :hmmm:

 

cheers Pat

 

I don't think I have ever been able to use a set of Novo decals, they seem to desolve on impact with any liquid !

 

A trick that has always worked for me with NOVO decals is to paint the decals with two coats of a gloss varnish while they are on the sheet.

Then cut them out carefully and when you apply them to the water the gloss varnish holds them together.

Use gloss varnish because it has a flexibility to go around contours.

Then just apply a matt varnish over them.

 

cheers, Adrian

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That looks absolutely smashing :thumbsup2: !

 

The yellow and black underside is just stunning. 

 

I agree with others that it's what it means to you that matters, plus by sharing it here, lots of other good stories are teased out of other BritModellers too.

 

This current bout of nostalgic builds on BM is great!

 

I haven't completed anything in years. This inspires me to just get a 1960's-70's kit and build it like you have, completely OOB. Much enjoyment and perhaps, a completed model :).

 

Lovely paint work.

 

:goodjob: 

 

TonyT

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, TonyTiger66 said:

 

I haven't completed anything in years. This inspires me to just get a 1960's-70's kit and build it like you have, completely OOB. Much enjoyment and perhaps, a completed model :).

 

Lovely paint work.

 

:goodjob: 

 

TonyT

 

Tony, don't be so hard on yourself, at one stage you were building half the Russian airforce in a GB as I remember.

 

Stop multitasking, genetically us boys aren't meant to do that sort of thing anyway  :P

 

cheers Pat

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, cocky05d said:

Very nice ,but where are the guns ,the guns .

Well in the early part of 1944 the guns were 300 foot ahead of the Hotspur in the wings of Canadian Spitfire Mk 9.

There was a plan for the Canadians to use their Spits to tow Hotspurs full of ground crew and spares over to France on D-day. That never happened but the Canadians had lots of fun learning to fly the Hotspur behind the Spits.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, cocky05d said:

Is that true ?, that would have been a sight worth seeing .

Absolutely. There is an account by one of the pilots in a book about the Canadian Spit Squadrons and I have copies of the Airborne Forces Experimental Establishment reports for the trials they conducted. I'd love to see a photo of the combination but so far all I have is a photo to the tow hitch mod which fitted around the Spits tailwheel. Incidentally The RAE also carried out similar mods to Mk 1 and Mk V Spits.

I have a Hotspur kit in the stash waiting for its 'What if' colour scheme - D day stripes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...