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1:72 AW Seahawk & F-5A Freedom Fighter


fraxinus

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Ok Seahawk ready, noted in the instructions it shows 5g of weight so presume it's ok to add that to the build, I always weighted the nose even when a kid after dad showed me using fishing weights etc I hated 'tailsitters'. In a moment of weakness succumbed to a Northrop F-5A freedom fighter in Iranian Air Force colours of 1965....out of my comfort zone there & wouldn't dream of building one normally....but as a kid would have liked the missiles & bombs!! so from not having done a GB before to attempting 2 models in my first one !!

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This is the Seahawk washed n' ready to go 34 pieces in the build

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This is where I'm doing it!! on grandmas old card table (baize slashed with modelling knife!) this is the genuine 'article' where I would make kits when not using the dining room table! or desk in bedroom. I always used the sunday supplement as my cutting board & copious bits of newspaper to stop paint splash. Suitable Airfix catalogue in vacinity to glance at when holding/ clamping fusalage together with sticky fingers! This modelling escapade is being enacted in my untidy & ramshackle conservatory the closest thing to the tin anderson shelter which was my shed at home in the 70's and where kits were also made in the spring/summer! Tea mug 80's Brentford mug, come on the Bees beat Millwall this evening! Radio on tuned to R4 as per 70's (before I got into music in late teens) Happy times!!!

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Now that's attention to detail... I'm afraid I'll be using my workshop for the build, as if I take up any room in the house, it'd be a bit unfair! :lol:

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Now that's attention to detail... I'm afraid I'll be using my workshop for the build, as if I take up any room in the house, it'd be a bit unfair! :lol:

yup agree Mike just trying to get out of the study & the distractions of the PC /other half build models etc anyway the cold conservatory is well out the way of any other 'lifeforms' at home! plus I can move in front of TV with card table & put the battle of britain film on or blue max when opportunity arises!!

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groupbuildstarterminipic2.jpg

This is the Seahawk washed n' ready to go 34 pieces in the build

groupbuildstarterminipic.jpg

This is where I'm doing it!! on grandmas old card table (baize slashed with modelling knife!) this is the genuine 'article' where I would make kits when not using the dining room table! or desk in bedroom. I always used the sunday supplement as my cutting board & copious bits of newspaper to stop paint splash. Suitable Airfix catalogue in vacinity to glance at when holding/ clamping fusalage together with sticky fingers! This modelling escapade is being enacted in my untidy & ramshackle conservatory the closest thing to the tin anderson shelter which was my shed at home in the 70's and where kits were also made in the spring/summer! Tea mug 80's Brentford mug, come on the Bees beat Millwall this evening! Radio on tuned to R4 as per 70's (before I got into music in late teens) Happy times!!!

Surely you have to wait until sunday to start that kit? You need a supplement to make it on! I wish I'd gone for one of these! There looks to be a third of the pieces that are in the Triumph Kit!

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'Lunch on the first day' general clapping as the batsmen come up the steps at Lords sound effect.....

ok as far as I've got interior painted black (85), nose weight added as per instructions kept in place with blue tack! (kids solution for everything!), pilot painted (56 helmet, boots/gloves/oxygen mask 85, flying suit 123 & 130 to give a lighter grey), built bombs (need to remove locating pegs due to mould distortion same with drop tanks) the glue applicator (I'm usually a liquid poly man) is very good quite impressed with that only got a sticky thumb mark on one drop tank! Wheels & undercarriage painted using 56 & 85 watered down 85 used to 'shadow' & give depth on pilot & undercarriage legs. Water down the paint a bit & add coats seems to be best tactic....painting the large areas of the airframe I am not looking forward too!!

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Thanks for comments guys, genuine colour supplement used taken from recycling bag (none of those in 1970's!), & hope I can do justice to what is a rather fun little kit & nice looking plane....Anyway off for Beans on Toast now!!

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OI - he's got blutak Miss

Miss ... MISS !!!!

creep!! all part of adding weight as shown in instructions...it would be a rattley seahawk otherwise... tis fun this build

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I am only pulling your leg :kissing2:

I think you should be made to use bubblegum

This would be authentic of course

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yeah wasn't it 'bazooka' bubble gum!! which had those adverts for X Ray specks!! any way didn't like the stuff as hopeless at bubble blowing...preferred rhubarb & custard sweets !! must get some for authenticity!!

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Half way through build all sub assemblys built thank you mr postie for the red elastic bands dropped up the garden path invaluable! A lot of whittling now with knife & file to get rid of the big seams on tail assembly, fuselage join etc!! before completing the airframe...need a break now!!

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Two old nice kits from Airfix...good luck with'em ;)

I notice you use plastic bands for helping dry the glue...try some masking tape too..it works ;)

Then you can apply the putty.

BL.

putty free build!!! I think I got away with the blue tack but dont tell anyone other than Rob

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Easter Sunday & back to the Seahawk...first of all obligatory glass of orange squash & Wagon Wheel!!!!

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Airframe stuck together after much hassle with tailplane (the smaller one.... the other given in the kit is for the German version not explained in current starter kit boxing) which if you use the distorted pegs points the tail out of alignement...so cut them off & sanded with an old emery board (always nicked mums when modelling & dad's paintbrushes!) Wings went together quite nicely....

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All the other bits now glued together & ready for adding...don't think canopy er ...is ..going to fit very well!!

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Ok kit created this afternoon to an ACDC album...'Dirty Deeds Done Cheap' from 1976....air guitar solo after tail assembly frustration!! Now its time to read some appropriate reading matter for a sunday afternoon after sticking fingers together with poly....a 34 year old copy of Victor Comic!

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WOW! coming along nicely!

Need to get my Gazelle started soon! Just keep looking at the paints and wondering how i gonna do it?? :hypnotised:

It comes with silver yellow green and grey?

Well done mate looking good!

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Cheers Milo, Mish & Stu onto the scary bit now ,in between repairing the Flymo & savaging the lawn...won't get pocket money for doing it like in the old days...drat..,.yes the painting of the beast!! 4 very diluted coats of white have been slapped on the underside surfaces.....its awful paint but slowly its going from grey...grey...little bit white but mostly grey....to slightly whiter than the last coat...this could take some time folks!! able to file away the large sink marks on the underside of the wings except where hopefully the underwing stores will hide them!

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right the only more scary bit of the day....tackling 'cat poo corner' by the garage...not fun with a Flymo (& I don't own cats little &$*?@£*)!!

Edited by fraxinus
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  • 2 weeks later...

ok catching up with pictures this is the horrid picture of how the grey top surface paint was applied to the Seahawk.....the thing I think is to know when to give up....the nature of this acrylic paint means that half way painting your subject the colour seems to slightly change shade a little ...i noticed this was happening and probably stopped 1 coat short. Also the grey seemed more glossy & had to leave longer drying times between coats than the undersurfaces

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then it was time to add decals and dangly bits under the wings

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Decals going on under the wings.this all happened by the end of Easter.....digital camera failed & week back at work & family stuff has intervened....but finished the Seahawk last night pictures to follow

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canopy was awful no and i mean absolutely awful no engraving at all ...so mask it and handpaint like others....well opted for what I did as a kid which was to paint very fine black gaffer tape the airframe colour, cut thin strips for the framework and stick on the canopy...except all I had was masking tape as allowed in the GB so here it is....

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Before 'pilot officer fred' is permanently imprisoned !! looking a bit pale!! more like pilot officer shaun of the undead!

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Finished article!!!!! its built!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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made a jolly little placque out of the box, sprue from the kit & masking tape!!

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Final view

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final verdict.........a fun experience & I've finished something!! Airfix the brush and glue worked surprisingly well..........the paint was awful and really Airfix needs to follow the REvell example of boxing up starter kits of newer moulds to help & encourage new &returning modellers of all ages.otherwise the experience could put them off!!

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