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FROG HORNET F3


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The old Frog Hornet kit, never built this before but it looks decent enough.

The plan is to re-scribe and paint silver, this reason for this is just because I have wanted a silver Hornet ever since seeing one pictured in Look and Learn when I was about 8. It has only taken about 40 years for me to get this far.

The kit gives two decal options, a green/grey 41 squadron aircraft and a grey 19 squadron aircraft, both with pru blue undersides and based at Church Fenton. After an hour or two's research I have discovered that the 19 squadron aircraft PX 293 was an early F-3 that originally served in aluminium dope finish. At a later point PX293  was then painted grey before finally being upgraged to F4 standard and getting passed on to a Malaya based squadron where it served in green'grey camouflage. The decals provided with the kit will be suitable for an early silver 19 squadron aircraft in my opinion

 

 

33247419726_d981c729da_k.jpg

 

 

33288326285_3eeaf0073e_k.jpg

Edited by old thumper
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Does the early version mean you can ditch the tail fin fillet or was it already there on the F3? I always thought the Hornet looked much better without it. Looking forward to your progress on this one.

 

Regards,

Adrian

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19 hours ago, AdrianMF said:

Does the early version mean you can ditch the tail fin fillet or was it already there on the F3? I always thought the Hornet looked much better without it. Looking forward to your progress on this one.

 

Regards,

Adrian

 

To be honest I don't know for sure, but i think they did have the fillets . I have found and saved a few old photos, so will check 

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As already said: "Great choice!!!".

This kit may be old, but you have to work damn hard to find one rivet on its peachy skin! I love it!

A silver Hornet is good, very good!

 

Have fun!

JR

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17 hours ago, old thumper said:

To be honest I don't know for sure, but i think they did have the fillets

 

My worry too :) Wikipedia says:

"Two further prototypes, PX230 and PX239, were completed for an all-weather night fighter, the Hornet NF.21. PX239, originally built as a Hornet F.20, was outfitted with power-operated folding wings and a large dorsal fillet, which was later retrofitted onto all production aircraft to comply with a new requirement to provide "feet off" directional stability with one engine stopped"

 

HTH

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33383603532_01b6976733_b.jpg

While not the actual aircraft that I am trying to model this is the look I am hoping to achieve. 

From the casual research I have carried out the Hornet appears to be a wonderfully smooth and streamlined aircraft with (unlike most metal aircraft) an almost complete lack of panel lines. From what I can gather the Hornet was painted an alll over silver, although different areas as seen above would stand out in different shades depending on light and base material. 

The plan is to spray a single shade of alclad over different base coats to achieve the patchy look above.  Probably white aluminium over grey and gloss black alclad primers.

33383600482_446fdda504_k.jpg

 

I have now sanded down the raised panel lines and replaced them with faint etched markings. Some panel lines have been removed completely and not replaced as they do not appear to be visible in any photos I have seen. The three lined band around the fuselage has been replaced by a single raised slanted fat band more in keeping with reference pictures. For now I have used miliput to create this band but will probably replace with layered decal paper before undercoating.

 

So far the kit has gone together very nicely, although I regret not fitting the exhausts when gluing the wing halves together.

 

 

 

Edited by old thumper
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Hi OT

 

these maybe of interest

 

Note David Collins is "Mr Hornet", he's building a 1:1 replica, 

here's a thread on the fog kit

 

Neat work on the kit.   One of the few Frog kits I have kept, stashed for 35 years....

 

cheers

T

 

 

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Looking good OT and good luck with the painting.

I did some research for mine and found another good site for reference, summary posted here. That site says the main skin was plywood with alloy control surfaces, leading edges and panels on the bottom from nacelle to wingtip. Sadly it's not clear if the whole thing was then painted as well.

HTH

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4 hours ago, CedB said:

Looking good OT and good luck with the painting.

I did some research for mine and found another good site for reference, summary posted here. That site says the main skin was plywood with alloy control surfaces, leading edges and panels on the bottom from nacelle to wingtip. Sadly it's not clear if the whole thing was then painted as well.

HTH

 

Thanks for that, I am wrestling with a lot of indecision on how to paint the thing at the moment. 

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6 hours ago, CedB said:

Looking good OT and good luck with the painting.

I did some research for mine and found another good site for reference, summary posted here. That site says the main skin was plywood with alloy control surfaces, leading edges and panels on the bottom from nacelle to wingtip. Sadly it's not clear if the whole thing was then painted as well.

HTH

 

13 hours ago, old thumper said:

33383603532_01b6976733_b.jpg

While not the actual aircraft that I am trying to model this is the look I am hoping to achieve. 

From the casual research I have carried out the Hornet appears to be a wonderfully smooth and streamlined aircraft with (unlike most metal aircraft) an almost complete lack of panel lines. From what I can gather the Hornet was painted an alll over silver, although different areas as seen above would stand out in different shades depending on light and base material. 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, CedB said:

Looking good OT and good luck with the painting.

I did some research for mine and found another good site for reference, summary posted here. That site says the main skin was plywood with alloy control surfaces, leading edges and panels on the bottom from nacelle to wingtip. Sadly it's not clear if the whole thing was then painted as well.

HTH

 

Painted all over I think 

 

The colour photo OT posted I suspect is not High speed silver (ie Aluminium paint)  but actually quite weathered Medium Sea Grey.  why?  

Note the lower engine nacelles are in PRU Blue, 

 

note David Collins Hornets

Quote

To date the collection includes:

64sqn F1 UK high altitude fighter

65sqn F3 UK late scheme day fighter

19sqn F3 UK early scheme day fighter

41sqn F3 UK intruder cammo

33sqn F4 FEAF late scheme ground attack cammo

45sqn F3 FEAF early scheme ground attack

So, 6 down, and only one to go (80sqn FEAF early scheme day fighter)

Hornetcollection.jpg

 

the two on the right are in this scheme, Med Sea Grey over PRU Blue. which was the high altitude day fighter scheme, first seen on Spitfire VII's IIRC.

The plane in the bottom right is the initial service scheme, with the B type roundels.

 

I'm guessing the F.3 in the colour photo was a test plane, note it still uses the C type roundels, and the one in squadron service were kept very neat and tidy as it was peacetime.

   I presume that David has not been on the site recently, or not spotted this, as he would know.

HTH

T

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A picture of the actual aircraft PX293.

There are other Church Fenton Hornet pictures online in the same aluminium finish, unfortunately I know little about them though.

Pretty sure the pictured Church Fenton Hornet  is all over silver, but yes as Troy says the colour photo looks to have pru blue undersides. From memory I think the colour picture was taken during a test flight from Christchurch, another picture exists of it flying along Bournemouth beach, also I believe it was actually a Sea Hornet.. 

33556968795_5a935cfa92_z.jpg 

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A bit of progress.

While spraying the props matt black I took the opportunity to give the model an investigatory dusting of paint, luckily no more filling was needed.

The miliput fuselage band was removed and was replaced with liquid filler which I will tidy later when dry.

The cockpit was also given a coat of matt black and a pilot figure added, in this case the frog figure has been replaced by a matchbox one.

A wooden crate plays the part of the radio to the rear of the cockpit, it was best I could think of and besides it will be hardly visible. 

The canopy was masked and has now been added and given a coat of interior green.

 

33560911175_0bb74f2286_k.jpg

Edited by old thumper
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 well, this got me googling, turns out the colour pic is TT202,

 

WIP36_zpsbc0f07e4.jpg5df99ed872af6c35bd50b4b078b76de1.jpg

"Sea Hornet F Mk 20 TT202 was used as a company trials aircraft. "

 

so my "PRU Blue" underside is cobblers.... but it is a weathered trials aircraft

 

here's a colour shot of some Sea Hornets that look to be overalll HSS

16476630808_6d1ea8d4c5_o.jpgDe Havilland Sea Hornet  1947. by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

here's a 19 Sq plane in HSS

YooniqImages_216314328.jpg

 

another in HSS

PX252%20DH%20Hornet%20F.1._zpsybttp3ws.j

 

I'm away from my references, so can't remember all the details, but note how clean and tidy the HSS planes are

 

 

 

also worth a read

 

 

scans of the Profile on the Dh Hornet are here

http://www.boxartden.com/gallery/index.php/Profiles/Aircraft-Profiles/Britain/Modern/De-Havilland-Hornet-174

 

if really want an accurate answer, I suggest sending David Collins a PM,  he's a helpful chap.

 

 

the rattiest looking Hornets are these, in Malaya I think

Hornet-4a.jpg

 

DH103.jpg

 

 

cheers

T

PS

D.H. Hornet F.3s PX293 and PX332 from Church Fenton

20-2.jpg

 

I note PX293 is the one you mention, this is a new pic for me looks like a film still

from http://aviadejavu.ru/Site/Crafts/Craft28084.htm

 

has another less clear shot of them banking away

 

I'd need to refer to a book to be certain if this is HSS or MSG over PRU Blue, but IIRC the High Altitude scheme was replaced by HSS and that by the intruder scheme of Dark green/Sea grey over PR blue, as seen by the pic in the background

Edited by Troy Smith
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I recognize one of the photos as being over the needles.

The PX389 picture wears the same QVA squadron codes as PX293, which is interesting  as when I enlarged my earlier picture I couldn't be 100% sure it was of PX293. It does however look much more like  PX293 than PX389 when enlarged so I suppose I can at least take comfort from that.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks Col.

 

Yesterday I gave it a coat of Alclad II grey primer and microfiller, really good stuff but it is just a shame they don't sell it in rattle cans as it is a pig to clean up the airbrush after using it.

 

 

33589376631_a80a2f3b00_k.jpg

Edited by old thumper
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33746012115_dfa51dcd97_k.jpg

After giving the whole model a double coat of pledge I masked off the areas to be sprayed with Alclad II gloss primer.

 

 

 

33746033715_8289f9d0a7_k.jpg

With the primer applied and the masking tape removed I gave the model a quick rub down with a Halfords fine finishing cloth (similar to micro-mesh but cheaper)

 

 

32903010224_d57692a0db_k.jpg

 

 

32932825133_ee9b551789_k.jpgA coat of Alclad semi-matt aluminum was then added, the masked areas stand out differently depending on the light available. At certain angles and in certain light they can not be seen at all. 

Pretty pleased with the final finish as it is close to what I was hoping for. 

Edited by old thumper
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Almost done now, mostly just the transfers to add.

After a little trouble the exhausts went in fine, I just back filled the holes with pva, let it dry and popped them in no problem.

The exhausts were painted in Alclad light burnt metal and the propeller spinners and undercarriage in Alclad Chrome, both on top of black primer.

It is a shame the propellers and spinners were moulded in one piece as it is that the exhaust pipes are webbed together, for a forty plus year old kit it is great though.

 

33019687774_39826c9840_k.jpg

 

 

33019694594_612ff401e3_k.jpg

 

 

33050033793_e05e7ebaff_k.jpg

Edited by old thumper
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