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Revell (Matchbox) Hawker Fury Mk.I 1/72


Tomoshenko

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I originally started this for my contribution to the Made in Great Britain GB entry as a break from my Dambuster build. Sadly, and shamefully, I ran out of time and failed to make the finish. However, I intend to reincarnate the thread and complete it here.

The wonderful Hawker Fury is a lovely, stylish and classical looking aircraft. I love the Art Deco look about it and its classic lines. I remember building the Airfix version years ago. This time though it’s Revell’s re-boxing of the Matchbox classic (wot’s not to like) and if I’m not mistaken it was Matchbox’s first kit, so I best be doing her proud. Aside from that I absolutely love the box art. Takes me back to the age of model train sets and trying to get drunk on Top Deck and Shandy Bass.

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Anyroad enough nostalgia. Here are the sprue shots. Reasonably detailed for its age and by all accounts quite a nice kit to build. Plus the plastic is a different colour to that of the Lancaster so hopefully I won’t get the parts mixed up.

 

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Instructions. Quite straightforward.

 

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The decals look nice and you get rigging instructions.

 

 

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Nice colourful markings, good quality transfers, classic aircraft, brilliant box art and a Matchbox kit. As above, wot’s not to like. As per my usual modus operandi, I’ll probably add a few bits and bobs, have fun. What could possibly go wrong…

A quick flick through of where I got up to and a re-edited thread:

Made a start, and as is my usual way of doing things back to front, I started on the tail. I sanded back the ribs a little as they are quite pronounced, not as bad as the wing ribs which are bonkers over-scale.

Then I re-scribed the elevators as they lacked definition. I also separated the rudder and fin, cut out the hinges and added control horns (the one on the rudder is too low so will need to be moved), added the aerial post, and drilled out holes for the rigging.

 

 

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The aerial post is made from slaters rod, kindly donated by Bill (Perdu). It is quite hard and more robust than normal plastic rod, and you can even drill through it with a 0.2mm drill. His will make attaching the aerial cable easier (I think and hope…)

 

 

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Next up I started on the fuselage. I have some scale plans in the Mushroom Model’s Fury & Nimrod book. I must admit the kit aint far out when compared to the plans, and the panel markings aint far out either, which is testimony to what a fine kit this is given its age. However, they could do with a lift in places, and for the most part consist of raised lines. Which to be fair is to be expected of a kit this age.

So I’ve started re-scribing the fuselage. Here is the inspection panel at the rear starboard side:

 

 

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I sanded this out and reinstated it along with the other panels (mostly inspection panels given its fabric covering). Here is one side done compared to the other side:

 

 

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Although technically the raised rivet details are over-scale, I do want to preserve them, so I’m having to carefully and slowly scrape and sand the panel lines back to retain as much of the rivets as possible. The front section is natural polished aluminium, which will look nice contrasted with the yellow and silver painted fabric. Hence I think the rivets will make it look like metal…uh well I think you know what I mean. Not keen on the exhausts though and will have to do something about them. Not sure what yet, but will think on that one.

I also need to add some work to the interior. Not much can be seen, but as you can see I need to improve the kit offering – the plastic blob I’m assuming is the old Matchbox lettering and date which Revell appear to have “redacted”. Also is the underside of the tail showing the elevator control cable guides I’ve added.

 

 

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Didn’t quite intend to start doing all these additions, but it’s a lovely aircraft, there is a nice feel to the kit so I intend to do it proud. Back in a bit.

 Right then. I left the tail bits alone for a bit and finished re-scribing the fuselage. Here is the finished job, not perfect, and I wouldn’t say technically 100% accurate, but I broadly followed the plans in Alex Crawford’s book mentioned above, and when compared to reference piccies on tinternet that aint far out at all:

 

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Anyroad I think they are an improvement upon the original raised lines. There are still a few sunken screw holes to re-instate, and I need to drill out the rigging holes but they can wait.

Next up was the guns. To be honest not bad at all for a kit of its age, but I want a bit of depth and more contrast against the NMF finish, and I didn’t fancy faffing around painting up the guns. Here is the kit offering. As I said earlier for a tooling circa 1972, quite reasonable:

 

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I removed the moulded guns and knocked up replacements from Albion Alloys tubing (original scraped off remains of gun for comparison):

 

 

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They fit into holes I drilled out so should be reasonably hassle free to fit. Also they should hopefully look better after a coat of Humbrol Metalcote gunmetal.

The next thing is to sort out the exhausts. As remarked above, while not bad, they really could do with a lift. Here is a piccie of the real ones.

 

 

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As you can see they have lot more definition than the kit offering (understandably).

 

 

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I have used the blue silicon moulding putty stuff to make a copy and use as a reference. My plan of attack is to carefully remove the exhaust stubs. Drill out and sand the ovular apertures, and replace with small pieces of Albion Alloys brass tubing, flattened slightly to emulate the ovular originals. Sounds bonkers and complicated? Will yes, but after a dry run it works perfectly well (gulp) in practice. So I shall indulge, afterall it all seems reasonably straightforward on paper…what could possibly go wrong…

A poster on the GB thread noted the undercarriage is too long. They are correct and here is an undercarriage strut compared with the plans:

 

 

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It is longer and the angle is incorrect. I will have a look at correcting it when the time comes, although I suspect reducing the length and angle will means the location points on the fuselage will no longer match. I’ll have a few beers and come back to that one.

On with exhausts. Well as pointed out above I wasn’t wholly satisfied with the kit offering – never a fan of moulded on exhausts, and it would be difficult to get them to look sharp when painted. Here is the look I’m after:

 

 

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First up was to remove the nubs. I drilled a small hoe 0.4mm as a reference, cut off the lugs, but not flush with the fuselage – firstly so as not to damage the rivet detail; secondly to serve as a reference point. After drilling out the pilot holes I steadily and slowly elongated the holes with a reamer.

 

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As the saying goes: “it is a good game played slowly”. After much tedium I ended up with something like this:

 

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The next step was to cut short collars from brass tube, clean them up, and compress them a little until they take on the distinctive oval / elliptical like shape:

 

 

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For the time being I blanked off the back with some black insulation tape, but I will glue a thin sheet of plastic to the back which will be painted matt black. Here is a dry fit mock up to give you an impression of what they’ll look like:

 

 

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Here is the Tomoshenko upgrade compared to the kit offering.

 

 

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When eventually glued in place they will be aligned better (but viewed from 4 foot away you won’t notice), and they will receive a coat of Humbol Metalcote gunmetal. Okay the port side is up next, shouldn’t take so long this time. Quite chuffed with the outcome, not Eduard or Quickboost aftermarket perfection, but I think offers a little more depth and exhaust like looking than the original.

I’ve tried to improve the tail so it looks more like the real thing, admittedly you can’t see it too clearly below but the fin and rudder are raised with a noticeable gap where the fin joins the rudder.

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I removed the lug, filled in the hole, and sanded away some of the excess to get where I am below which looks a little more like the real tail.

 

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It’s dry-fitted for the time being, but this is just to give you some idea. Also simulated some hinges and glued the rudder back in place but slightly offset.

On to the interior, which is a bit naff to be honest. You can’t see an awful lot, but the seat looks like a high-backed chair and is far too tall, and the floor support, well it’s pants as you can see. To be fair I wouldn’t expect an exquisitely engineered cockpit frame in a Matchbox circa 1972 tool.

 

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First I knocked up a new seat from plastic card.

 

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I did attempt to salvage the cockpit floor but gave up, and decided to scratch build one. Anyroad in reality the seat is supported by a frame with no floor as such. I made the foot runners (don’t think that’s their technical name but it does for me) by gluing plastic strip to some card. The grooves are quite distinctive in reference piccies, so no harm in replicating them here even if a tad overscale.

 

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This is where I got to with the bits and bobs roughly assembled and dry fitted to give you an idea (yes I know the seat angle is too acute). Made up some foot rests and I’ve started scratching a control column as you get diddly squat in the kit. Harnesses and bulkhead to do.

 

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Roight then. Following the pause and a week’s holiday in Suffolk (I’ve needed a short reprieve to recover from all the Adnams ale and Aspall cyder), I finished off the pit and scratched an IP.

Here’s what I’m after (it is in fact a Nimrod IP but they are very similar with the basic configuration the same).

 

 

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You get an IP transfer, although 1) there isn’t a sufficient base to stick it to inside the pit (see the fuselage half interior above which needed a good sand); and 2) I feel it is too one dimensional and flat. So I made a replacement from plasticard, some home brew bezels from bits of plastic and cut down brass tubing. I also knocked up a compass. They are not glued on yet, but wanted to show a comparison with the kit offering. I will paint them up and glue them on separately, plus add some klear to simulate he dials.

 

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Maybe a little over scale but won’t be too prominent as they sit someway inside the fuselage.

Here’s the seat and bulkhead, plus a harness from take-away foil and scratched buckles.

 

 

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Here is the cockpit frame and other bits and bobs ready for primer. It’s not blueprint accurate as I’ve taken a few liberties with dimensions.

 

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The IP and gun mounts are just resting in place to give you an idea of how things go together.

 

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Here it is resting inside a cleaned up fuselage half.

 

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At last I can get some paint on the blighter and finish up the inside, which will be my next update.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Because I'd forgotten you were doing this in the Made In GB, I was going to write that some-one had improved the exhausts using brass tubing. Anyway there's some lovely work going on, I doubt I'll do the one I have in the stash (if I ever get around to assembling it).

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Superb work there Tom and a really interesting post on progress so far. I'm impressed with the rescribin' - bosttin' job there. I also like the work on the guns, exhausts and that cockpit is positively fiendish in it's intricate construction. Biplanes are not really my thing but nostalgic Matchbox kits and Tomoshenko builds are so I'm on board for this.

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Fantastic work going in here, from the exhausts to the tail to the cockpit. The seat and belts are a real work of art. Can I ask about the buckles? Are they wire wound around a rectanglular file and then flattened slightly? It's so nice to see older kits given such wonderful treatment. 

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I'm glad you found a use for that Superslaters Tom

 

Blimey mate this is more than a bit special, out blooming standing to be honest

 

Fabulous cockpit work, I'll bring my old Matchbox one in and you can build it for me

 

Kidding

 

Now I have a real favourite to copy

 

Brill mate, utterly standout tip to tail

 

Edited by perdu
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Nice work and some very impressive improvements Tom B)

 

OT, I spent a fair part of my childhood building Airfix and Matchbox kits with Barry and Henry Chevalier Guild who now run the Aspall Cyder Company, they were good lads :) 

 

Cheers, 

 

Stew

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Superb work going into this 45 (45!!) year old classic, the cockpit and exhaust detailing is exquisite.

 

I have to disagree about the boxart, especially compared to the Roy Huxley originals, but with you all the way on the rest of it. 

Looks like the Revell decals are probably better than the Matchbox ones.

 

I can see that this is going to be a master build with decent supporting reference material!

Edited by 71chally
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Awesome Tom.

 

As for that cockpit; as a nearly Airforce ready teenager I built the Airfix 1/24 Hurricane by reference to the accompanying Bruce Robertson/Gerald Scarborough 'Classic Aircraft - Their history and how to model them' book (which I digress to say still sits on one of my shelves alongside the Spitfire, Bf 109 and Mustang editions :)) and followed its instructions to build up the Hurricane cockpit framework similar to how you've done with the Fury.

 

Needless to say, the teenage Fritag would be mortified to see that you've done a way better job in 1/72 then he managed in 1/24!!!!

 

Bravo!

 

 

Edited by Fritag
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Thanks all

On ‎9‎/‎26‎/‎2017 at 9:34 PM, abat said:

Fantastic work going in here, from the exhausts to the tail to the cockpit. The seat and belts are a real work of art. Can I ask about the buckles? Are they wire wound around a rectanglular file and then flattened slightly? It's so nice to see older kits given such wonderful treatment. 

I use 5amp fuse wire folded using my etch folder into little rectangles, then as you state, flatten them slightly.

13 hours ago, Stew Dapple said:

Nice work and some very impressive improvements Tom B)

 

OT, I spent a fair part of my childhood building Airfix and Matchbox kits with Barry and Henry Chevalier Guild who now run the Aspall Cyder Company, they were good lads :) 

You're welcome Stew, and I do know of your penchant for Matchbox kits - as you know I have a Matchbox 1/72 Lysander in the stash that I'm itching to build. As for your cyder brewing colleagues, it hardly surprises me that you keep such good company with fine taste.

13 hours ago, 71chally said:

I have to disagree about the boxart, especially compared to the Roy Huxley originals, but with you all the way on the rest of it. 

Looks like the Revell decals are probably better than the Matchbox ones.

Fair dues, can't really argue with that one, although I suspect it would make for a good pub discussion / debate over plenty of Aspall Cyder and Adnams Ale....

 

Here's one for the ditch:

 

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PS though the Revell transfers decals are much better

12 hours ago, Fritag said:

Awesome Tom.

 

As for that cockpit; as a nearly Airforce ready teenager I built the Airfix 1/24 Hurricane by reference to the accompanying Bruce Robertson/Gerald Scarborough 'Classic Aircraft - Their history and how to model them' book (which I digress to say still sits on one of my shelves alongside the Spitfire, Bf 109 and Mustang editions :)) and followed its instructions to build up the Hurricane cockpit framework similar to how you've done with the Fury.

 

Needless to say, the teenage Fritag would be mortified to see that you've done a way better job in 1/72 then he managed in 1/24!!!!

 

Bravo!

 

You doth flatter me Steve. I must admit to have enjoyed building the 1/24 Hurricane as a lad myself, and to be fair your Chippie and Provosts are good candidates for being real aircraft shrunk by Nigel Heath's Fantastic Voyage shrinking machine. looking forward to your scratch built 1/24 Jaguar though. Erm did I say that with a view to subliminal thought suggestion? Of course not.. or did I...go on you know it makes sense, what are the voices in your head saying...

12 hours ago, perdu said:

He's good this lad huh

 

Keeping an eye on it Tomo, my very favourite Matchbox and I still have one awaiting.  😕

 

Won't be this nice, my Siskin wasn't either

 

😧😥. 😤😤

Cheer Bill, but I think your doing mighty fine with the Matchbox Banana so I won't distract you.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Last time I checked Halley’s comet aint due until 2061 and there aint been any blue moons about lately…but…I have managed to get some paint down and got the cockpit sorted ready to zip up the fuselage.

Here are the exhaust post Humbrol gunmetal metalcote and a bit of a buff:

 

 

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I got the IP sorted. A bit fiddly assembling each bezel individually, but hey why do it the easy way  when a long-winded fiddly and convoluted way will suffice. Anyroad here it is compared to the kit transfer:

 

 

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The instrument dials received blobs of clear varnish to simulate glass. These damned macros cut you no slack, I’d a gotten away with showing you any flaws if it weren’t for those pesky macros…!

Still I’m pleased with it.

Finally I assembled the cockpit cage. It was a bit fiddly sticking all those bits n bobs together, but I well chuffed with the result. Pity hardly any of it will be seen, but to use the oft quoted cliché, at least I know it’s there…

 

 

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And here is how it looks sat in the fuselage. To be honest the IP probably sits a little too far forward than it should, although it is fairly well recessed in the real aircraft.

 

 

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Roight up. Now I’ve got that fiddly stuff out the way I can crack on gluing the fuselage together and sticking the wingy bits on. Almost forgotten how to do that, so best check out a bit of Britmodeller. Well pleased with it so far so I’m now off up the pub for a few snifters.

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