Basilisk Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 (edited) I started this build as an entry to the Carriers Ahoy! GB, but as I am a slow builder, I didn't finish the model in the time frame of the GB. It didn't help to learn during this build that the Trumpeter kit unfortunately has more wrong than right. I don’t know why, but I do like the look of the Hawker Sea Hawk, so I have a go in building the Trumpeter kit in 1/48. And as I like the special markings used during the Suez crisis, I am building an FGA.4 from 810 Squadron flying from HMS Albion during December 1956. The aircraft is XE335. I found two pictures of this particular aircraft. On the first picture all looks like it should be. But the second picture, which shows XE335 from the other side, transiting through Istres in France in November 1956, has the number 4 for some reasons much wider! And here is the kit. As I would like to add some detail to the kit, I spent a bit of time researching the type and the kit - an activity I enjoy as much as building the kit . I read lots of reviews and build reports. But as this is an older kit, there are not too many online reviews on the WEB and build reports aren't plentyfull either. Some reviewer compare the kit in quality to Tamiya which I don’t agree with as the detail is a bit soft and not as refined as on a Tamiya kit. Fortunately the Sea Hawk is one of the better kits Trumpeter managed to make as the outline is to scale and captures the lines of the aircraft well. But unfortunately not the same can be said when it comes to details, so there is still ample of scope to improve. Some areas which I feel can do with corrections are: - The gun openings. They slant upwards and just look wrong. - The cockpit air intakes. - The Engine air intakes. The dividing plates aren’t strait. - The front wheel undercarriage cover is positioned too far back. - The air brakes. Even when closed they can be enhanced. In addition, I will replace the cockpit and wheel bays with Aires resin parts. Here is some of the information I found on the web: Reviews: Cybermodeler Modeling Madness - some great building tips IPMS Germany - in German Build Reports: ARC Forum Miniature-Arcadia Britmodeller Walkarounds: Cybermodeler - FB.5 at Duxford ScaleModels.RU - FB.5 at Duxford ScaleModels.RU - FB.5 at Gatwick ScaleModels.RU - FB.3 at Newark Net-Maquettes - Mk.50 at Den Helder IPMS Nederland - Mk.50 at Den Helder Prime Portal - FB.5 Prime Portal - FGA.6 Thunder & Lighning - Various Britmodeller - Various Certainly no shortage on Walkaround information, but If you know any other links, please share them here. Cheers, Peter Edited July 24, 2018 by Basilisk 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JOCKNEY Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Great choice Peter Welcome to the GB, I believe the Sea Hawk, is descended from the Sea Fury, so what's not to like ! Look forward to seeing this one develop. cheers Pat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkSH Posted March 18, 2018 Share Posted March 18, 2018 Nice, doing the same for the Hawker GB. Very enjoyable kit, but I had trouble with the forward fuselage join. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 19, 2018 Share Posted March 19, 2018 welcome aboard Peter, and I must admit there is something about the Sea Hawk that does appeal to me! The coding on the aircraft in those pictures does look a bit odd, as if they're added extra codes as required. From memory around that period 55-56 it was a bit of a transition stage in aircraft marking, leaving the war era style for the more modern. It'll certainly be a nice looking model once you've do all the work required and that looks to be a bit. Good luck with the build, I do hope you manage to get her completed in time as she will look nice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 19, 2018 Author Share Posted March 19, 2018 22 hours ago, JOCKNEY said: Great choice Peter Welcome to the GB, I believe the Sea Hawk, is descended from the Sea Fury, so what's not to like ! Look forward to seeing this one develop. cheers Pat Thanks Pat. Yes, it had a bit of Sea Fury ancestry in the early development, but not much was left in the final design. But I too look forward seeing this kit progressing. 21 hours ago, MarkSH said: Nice, doing the same for the Hawker GB. Very enjoyable kit, but I had trouble with the forward fuselage join. Yes I have seen your build at the Hawker GB and it is coming along nicely. Did you correct the gun opening on your build? By the way, I wouldn't use the Trumpeter decals for the roundels as they all show a black rim around the blue (at least on all the pictures I have seen). 4 hours ago, trickyrich said: welcome aboard Peter, and I must admit there is something about the Sea Hawk that does appeal to me! The coding on the aircraft in those pictures does look a bit odd, as if they're added extra codes as required. From memory around that period 55-56 it was a bit of a transition stage in aircraft marking, leaving the war era style for the more modern. It'll certainly be a nice looking model once you've do all the work required and that looks to be a bit. Good luck with the build, I do hope you manage to get her completed in time as she will look nice. Thanks Rich. I will certainly incorporate the wonky number in my build (if it gets this far) whatever the reason for it is. I think I do need all the luck I can get to finish the model! Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin W Posted March 21, 2018 Share Posted March 21, 2018 The prettiest fighter ever to serve in any force. Good to see you doing one here. Be careful with the air guide vanes inside the intakes, these were actually curved. Colin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 22, 2018 Author Share Posted March 22, 2018 22 hours ago, Colin W said: The prettiest fighter ever to serve in any force. Good to see you doing one here. Be careful with the air guide vanes inside the intakes, these were actually curved. Colin It is indeed a very clean design. Yes I intend to correct the air intake vanes even though they can't be seen. I found a better picture of the aircraft and I updated the first post. I also learned that this airframe is actually an FGA.4 and not an FGA.6 which means one less bump on the fuselage to worry about. There aren't many pictures of 810 Squadron Sea Hawks, but I found this shot showing the armament fitted (the last aircraft in the line-up). Are these 3" 60lb RP the same as used on WWII Typhoons or are they a different type? Cheers, Peter 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 24, 2018 Author Share Posted March 24, 2018 (edited) I spent a bit of time comparing the kit with the real deal. Shape wise, the kit is fine and captures the gracious lines of the Sea Hawk well. But unfortunately some details are simplified and other are just wrong. Yes a good looking Sea Hawk can be built from this kit as many of the "Ready for Inspection" entries show. My intention was just to build the dam thing and get on with it. But I just can't do it I have to say that the research and the challenge to correct errors is part of the satisfaction for me to make a model. And here is what I found: 20mm cannon opening on the original. And on the kit. Where is the opening... And the angle looks more appropriate for "Schräge Musik" than for forward firing canons. In addition, they are to close together as well. Jet air intake on the original. And on the kit. The dividers should be curved, not evenly spaced and are recessed. Cockpit vents intakes on the original. And on the kit. Opening them wouldn't hurt. Above picture also shows another challenge. Canopy on the original. No curvature here. And on the kit. How do I correct this I also read that the front wheel bay is to far back. The box cover painting does show it as it is on the kit. And this is how it should look like. I did enlarge the 4+ Publication 1/72 drawings by 1.5 to 1/48 and the kit wheel bay is a perfect match and is where it should be. But it looks that the nose it to long and to wide, resulting in the wrong look. Fortunately reshaping the nose is much easier than moving the wheel bay . I am not a great fan in using drawings as there is no guarantee that the drawing is correct. But these drawings match the kit outline and panel line placement very well - kind of like Trumpeter used them to make the kit. Still prefer using pictures to compare a kit to. There are some other parts which can do with some corrections. The trim tap is missing on the right aileron and the separation from wing to aileron should be more pronounced than just the size of a panel line. In addition, the wing trailing edge can do with some thinning as it is rather thick. Using the Aires resin wheel bays, the wheel bay edges can do with some thinning to a more scale like look as they are a bit thick on the kit. These are the major points I found which would surely enhance the model if corrected. So I better get cracking Cheers, Peter Edited April 21, 2018 by Basilisk 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 25, 2018 Author Share Posted March 25, 2018 (edited) I did get cracking today - actually it was scraping for most of the time I had a go at thinning the wheel bay edges. Right side done. And here from the other side. It does make a difference. I then decided to use the kits inner wheel bay covers as they fitted much better than the Aires equivalent which have great internal details, but can't be seen as they are normally closed when on the ground. Inside I used some strengthening strips to make sure they stay put. Then more thinning was in place to accommodate the Aires wheel bay. That is it for the moment. Hope to progress a bit further during the week. Cheers, Peter Edited March 25, 2018 by Basilisk 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 28, 2018 Author Share Posted March 28, 2018 Got a bit further in this build. Needed a bit of a brake with wheel bays, so I had a go at the cockpit. The kit part is ready to come off and it will be replaced with the resin part to the right. Back to thinning plastic in preparation of the Aires side panels. But first I finished the cockpit ventilation openings. And here the side panels in place after attaching them with epoxy glue. And the next step is to straighten the cockpit opening. It should work and needs minimal rework on the clear canopy parts. Back to the wheel bays. Cheers, Peter 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony C Posted March 28, 2018 Share Posted March 28, 2018 Looking good, I'll follow along 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 29, 2018 Share Posted March 29, 2018 really nice work as usual Peter, the new vents look awesome 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 On 3/29/2018 at 10:53 AM, Tony C said: Looking good, I'll follow along Welcome aboard Tony, but it will be a slow ride On 3/29/2018 at 12:51 PM, trickyrich said: really nice work as usual Peter, the new vents look awesome Thanks Rich. Just scratched the surface (or better holed the surface) and still a very long way to go. Cheers, Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Threadbear Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Great work on the Seahawk. Will follow with interest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted March 30, 2018 Share Posted March 30, 2018 Love this kind of work ! At the same time I'm a bit disappointed as I believed the Trumpeter kit to be more accurate, I'll keep a close eye on your corrections here 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 30, 2018 Author Share Posted March 30, 2018 (edited) 6 hours ago, Threadbear said: Great work on the Seahawk. Will follow with interest. Thanks Threadbear. I hope I wont disappoint. 2 hours ago, Giorgio N said: Love this kind of work ! At the same time I'm a bit disappointed as I believed the Trumpeter kit to be more accurate, I'll keep a close eye on your corrections here I too thought that this will be a straight forward build as I read mainly positives about the kit. And all in all, it isn't a bad kit, just a bit lacking in the details department. But as mentioned before, I do enjoy the challenge in correcting things and adding details. I manage to make good progress today and I continued sorting out the cockpit contour. Left straightened and right as it was. And here both sides straightened. There is still a slight bend, but no longer noticeable. And here with the canopy. The rear is sitting on top of the rear part of the cockpit. And here with open canopy. Doesn't look too bad compared to the real cockpit By lowering the sides, the opening became a bit wider, making the canopy narrow looking. But fortunately this is actually to scale as the original had a seal filling the gap. Lucky me I am pleased how it looks now and the correction isn't too difficult. Cheers, Peter Edited March 30, 2018 by Basilisk 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 nice work Peter, you nailed it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted March 31, 2018 Author Share Posted March 31, 2018 (edited) 5 hours ago, trickyrich said: nice work Peter, you nailed it! Thanks Rich, but I feel I opened a can of worms - I hope this will end well. Today I needed a change from sanding and scraping, so I payed some attention to the wings. Thinning the trailing edges was the first task. Next was enhancing the aileron separation with a scriber Does look a bit more like it in comparison to what the kit offers. Scribing the missing trim tab was next. The bottom wing part has it in place, so it looks like it got forgotten on the top. Then I could finally do one of my favored tasks. Adding rivets. They will be rather gentle and hard to see. The rear wing has them in place. And here with a wash applied. I didn't find a scale drawing showing rivet placements, so I used this cut-away drawing instead. Also modified the airbrakes. They have this trailing ridge as the flaps are actually shorter as can be seen here. Will tinker with the cannon opening next. Cheers, Peter Edited March 31, 2018 by Basilisk 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted March 31, 2018 Share Posted March 31, 2018 thats nice work! But I can't see any rivets in the photo of the real aircraft! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted April 1, 2018 Author Share Posted April 1, 2018 21 hours ago, trickyrich said: But I can't see any rivets in the photo of the real aircraft! Rich, you just don't look hard enough No rivets here, I admit. But they are there - a rivets galore here And I can use even my HGW positive rivets on the rudder But the rivets on the kit will be hardly visible when the model is finished. So you wonder why I bother. Well, I just like adding them - it is a very soothing task for me But lets move on to something more visible - the cannon openings. Just got a feel for it what needs to be done It became soon clear that creating a realistic opening needs more than just drill a hole What did I do Doesn't look too good I think it is time for plan B Stupid me, I forgot to widen the separation when cutting the opening - looks better now. But it needed some internal support. And after using my "home-brew" of super glue with talcum powder to fill all the gaps. This looks more like it, but will have to wait until tomorrow how it will shape up when sanding it all back. Looks I make a real good mess of this kit - why can't I build them straight out of the box Cheers, Peter 10 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 1, 2018 Share Posted April 1, 2018 I've done "plan B" before, it's usually the best way to go in cases like this, I do like your CA & Talc mix, may have to try that. 4 hours ago, Basilisk said: But the rivets on the kit will be hardly visible when the model is finished. So you wonder why I bother. Well, I just like adding them - it is a very soothing task for me You do know there's therapy for that! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basilisk Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 20 hours ago, trickyrich said: I've done "plan B" before, it's usually the best way to go in cases like this, I do like your CA & Talc mix, may have to try that. Good to hear Rich that plan B should work as it is my first time. CA and Talcum powder is in my view the best filler. You can vary the hardness with the amount of Talcum powder you add. It sticks like glue, so doesn't come off and it can be shaped to a sharp edge and scribing panel lines on it works well too. So give it a try on the Vigilante build as it is perfect on resin kits too. And yes, I am pleased to say that plan B did work. Still have to scribe the panel lines around each opening, but will apply a coat of primer first to get a more uniform background. Also did a bit more work on the cockpit. Having the IP and gun sight at the correct position made it necessary to move the Aires resin part a bit to the rear. This unfortunately created a bit of a gap I have to eliminate now. Then it was back to the wheel bay. Seems silly to thin it all just to glue plastic strips back on it But there is a reason for the madness. It created the step the wheel covers sit on when closed. Also there is a crazy amount of pluming in the wheel bay! Aires created a good job of this but I thought it can do with a bit more. And that how it looks after 'taming' the wires. As I thinned the wheel bay, I also had to extend some parts with plastic strips to eliminate gaps. And temporary together. Here a comparison between the kit and the Aires resin wheel bay. Now I have to decide what colour to paint the interior - silver, sky or Hawker Yellow. Most likely go for silver. Thanks for watching. Cheers, Peter 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trickyrich Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Really lovely work Peter!!! Hopefully some of those watching this build will pick up some of your tricks, as they are really nice. Am enjoying watching this build progress. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 B the attention to detail and research is incredible. Hats off to you sir 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebra Posted April 2, 2018 Share Posted April 2, 2018 Fantastic work Peter. This is going to be a superb model. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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