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Kora Hawker Hart Trainer in Egyptian Service...


John Masters

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I have had this one on the stash for a while now so I think I'll get into it once the GB starts.  My goal is to build this one, a Hurricane and a Hunter...we shall see!

 

Lots of fiddly resin bits with this kit and I foresee plenty of scratching to be done.  Detail looks quite sharp and the moulds look solid and without bubbles.  The instruction sheet is a not-to-scale single page carbon copy, so my skills will be tested not only on the build but the old "now what is this bit supposed to be?" question...looks like fun!  camo above, trainer yellow beneath.  Striking!  See you all next week!

 

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A lovely and unusual scheme on a lovely subject, great choice John, hopefully it goes smoothly for you without pitfalls and problems. Welcome to the GB.

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I'm very tempted by this one, but that's a lot of money for what is basically a new upper wing and longer interplane struts.  A year of so back John Adams and I were posting on the Flypast forum, trying to find out just how the sweep change was carried out ( i.e. pivoted at the leading edge or at the trailing edge).  My money is on the leading edge as that's simpler.

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I guess Graham...I forget how much I paid for it.  It was a while ago...

 

Thanks Col. and F4U...

 

I haven't built a lot of resin kits, but those that I have have all come out right.  I am hoping this is no exception.

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  • 2 weeks later...
23 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said:

Ach!  I am stuck on the N.10 in the tenth anniversary GB...I may have to do something I have never done and shelf that build to join in with the Hawker crowd...

 

I want to start the Hart as well!

We're only getting started here John so plenty time yet ;)

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Alright...It's not Monday, but the Nieuport 10 is as finished as I want it (photo forthcoming) so I thought I'd clean off the bench and begin sorting out this Hawker Hart from KORA Models!

 

First looks seem nice.  The resin casting is well done with no bubbles and pretty solid resin...not brittle, I mean.  The detail moulding is on par with any of the better plastic kits, or better if you look closely at the exhaust pipes and interior detail.  Decals are in register and look opaque where they need to be.  KORA supplies you with decals for one of two birds flown as trainers for the Egyptian Flight Training School, Almaza, 1940-1942.  Camo and markings, aside for serials, are the same.   The only difference is that K5032 had a larger oil cooler than K5020.  I feel this will be a striking aircraft once it is finished. 

 

The instruction sheet seems to have been drawn by a 4th Form student who has been sent to detention and has spent his or her time doodling.  Good thing I think I know where most of the parts are supposed to go!  (the big wing goes on top...:huh:) All the parts are lovingly numbered on the sheet, but nowhere else.  The on-line community will be essential, especially for some of the smaller parts which seem ambiguous as to where they attach...and rigging...did the Hart have double RAF wires?

 

So here is what is inside the box...

 

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I'll begin the clean-up of any flash (just a little) and moulding lugs (there are some) tomorrow.  

 

--John

 

 

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10 hours ago, John D.C. Masters said:

Me too.  It'll take all of my skill and more.  I have only built 1 or 2 other resin kits.  They built well.

the big thing with resin models is to test fit, test fit, test fit....and test fit one final time! It sounds like a pain but it will make life so much easier. You really only get one chance to glue it in the right place with CA cement. For large joins epoxy glue is best, though if you can, doing small sections at a time with normal CA cement can work really well as well. If you have any gaps to fill, cut up leftover bit of resin to plug the gaps, it's perfect for that. Bent or warped bits, just a gentle bath on hot (not boiling) water will normal do the trick, have some cold water handy just in case (hot water will fix those mistakes as well). Finally before painting give the model a good wipe down with enamel thinners, it'll give you a good oil free base for the paint.

 

I'm glad someone else is building a resin model, will follow with real interest. If you get stuck or need some advice just PM me, I build heaps of resin stuff. 

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And I have begun...

 

I have removed most of the parts from their lugs and cleaned them up.  No worries there but I did find one or two very small bubbles that might have to be filled.  I think, however, that they won't be visible.  I'll wait.  The resin cleaned up nicely, with very light touches of an emery board.  As you see, I have removed all the major cockpit components and cleaned them up as well.  Wings, fuselage, empennage, exhaust pipes...all have been given the same treatment.  The level of detail is nice, especially in the cockpit. I have provided a closeup.  They have been attached to their priming mounts and everything has been primed with Vallejo Grey Primer.  Tomorrow I'll prime the undersides of the wings, the port rudder and the opposite sides of the wheels.  There are still a fair amount of pieces in the box but I will take care of those by hand, this includes the struts.  

 

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--John

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There does indeed look to be a nice level of detail on the parts. The cockpit will certainly benefit from carefull painting and highlighting to make that detail visible inside such small openings.

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As you say John, this should be a stunner when finished.

If you haven't used Kora decals before, be aware that they can be very susceptible to surface damage (at least in my experience).  This can be a welcome characteristic if you're looking for a heavily weathered look :winkgrin:

 

Cliff

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While the larger primed pieces dried, I decided to tackle the cockpit parts.  I also made the two windscreens.  Luckily, the instructions provided a fine template for both, and a piece of clear plastic.  I taped the plastic over the template and scribed the shape, then cut it out using regular and cuticle scissors--the latter are curved.  I have tucked them away in a small dish in a cabinet.  These are the kinds of parts that get accidentally discarded in my workshop.

 

My online research showed that the interior bracings on almost all the Hart Family craft were light green, and what showed through the gaps was the natural colour of the doped linen, which turns out to have been a brownish-red.  The aluminum pieces (seats, foot pedals, cockpit floor, etc...) were painted, the safety straps painted, buckles and so forth.  Once all of this was dry, I did a light Flory wash.  I'll let that dry and go over it all with a barely-damp brush.  

 

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--John

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