TME3 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 (edited) I just received the brand new Xtradecal 1/72 Hawker Seahawk sheet.... excellent in all regards.. but I have a question regarding one of the schemes. It includes markings for a Seahawk FGA.4 (later upgraded to FGA.6 standard apparently) coded WV834, plane number 515. Warpaint publications #29 on the Seahawk shows a photo of this aircraft as well as a color side profile. The decal sheet calls for "sky" undersurfaces... but the profile shows white. Furthermore, the plane has the later lower demarcation line associated with the later grey over white scheme worn by the Seahawks. The photo of the plane (on page 32/33) is in black and white... but I believe, shows the plane with white undersides.... Can anyone shed any light on this for me? Also, the photo dates the plane as 1961... the profile and the decal sheet says 1954/55.... By the way, this plane has orange stirped wings, nose and tail. Would this be "day glow" or just "international" orange paint do you suppose... Thanks for your advice and input in advance.... Edited September 7, 2011 by TME3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jennings Heilig Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Given the track record on accuracy on some recent sheets from that source, I'd go with an outside reference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TME3 Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Do you know of any other references other than the Warpaint book...? I think that particular airplane might have been the only one painted that way (with the ornage parts)... not sure though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Also, the photo dates the plane as 1961... the profile and the decal sheet says 1954/55.... Could it be that the decals show the aircraft as it was in the earlier scheme in the mid 50's & the photo after it was repainted in the early 60's? That's just a guess, but many aircraft will wear more than one (or two!) schemes through their service lives.... Keef Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TME3 Posted September 7, 2011 Author Share Posted September 7, 2011 Possible I suppose... but I haven't seen any others wiith the later demarcation line and a sky undersurface.... Hoping to find something definitive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keefr22 Posted September 7, 2011 Share Posted September 7, 2011 Possible I suppose... but I haven't seen any others wiith the later demarcation line and a sky undersurface.... Hoping to find something definitive... Ah, beg your pardon, I missed the bit about the demarcation line in your original post... K Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 I wondered about this aircraft on the decal sheet too and I`d go for White undersides with dayglow orange stripes! It seems like a typo or printing error to me showing the undersides as Sky? Cheers Tony O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FZ6 Posted September 12, 2011 Share Posted September 12, 2011 There are some nice schemes on this decal sheet. I fancy doing this aircraft too. As this aircraft is an FGA.4 and the Hobbyboss kit is an FGA.6 I was wondering if there were any external difference between the two variants or is the only difference the Engine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TME3 Posted September 12, 2011 Author Share Posted September 12, 2011 I think it was a mistake too.... in fact the only picture or profile I've seen of the airplane are in the Warpaint #29 book... and that is the reference cited on the decals instruction sheet...! If anyone has any other photos of this or similarly marked Seahawks... please share them.... And as far as I can tell... there were no differences between the FGA.4 and FGA.6... at least externally. But if there were I'm sure they're negligable.... Also.... this airlplane, was, according to the Warpaint book an FGA.4 rebuilt to FGA.6 standard... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaudioN Posted September 18, 2011 Share Posted September 18, 2011 (edited) I think it was a mistake too.... in fact the only picture or profile I've seen of the airplane are in the Warpaint #29 book... and that is the reference cited on the decals instruction sheet...! If anyone has any other photos of this or similarly marked Seahawks... please share them....And as far as I can tell... there were no differences between the FGA.4 and FGA.6... at least externally. But if there were I'm sure they're negligable.... Also.... this airlplane, was, according to the Warpaint book an FGA.4 rebuilt to FGA.6 standard... Hello Britmodeller friends, the Seahawk picture is also in the Air Britain book on FAA fixed-wing aircraft since 1946, where a date given: 17 June 1961. The aircraft was with 700 Sqn. from 1959 to 1961, so I'd go for EDSG/White. The Ad Hoc book on the Seahawk (From the cockpit No. 3) has a colour profile of another machine, WV921:516 with a similar colour scheme and two dayglo wing bands. As far as I know, the upgrade to the FGA.6 mark (and FB.3 to FB.5 as well) implied a change to a more powerful engine. Sounds as simple as an engine change, maybe? There is a point that requires some attention with the Xtradecal sheet, regarding the earlier EDSG/Sky finish. The 6 inch wraparound of EDSG into the lower surfaces was introduced in 1956. This also changed the colour the air intake sidewalls were finished in: they were ceratinly EDSG for FGA.6s and certainly Sky for F.1/F.2/FB.3/FGA.4 variants up to 1956; then, some of the early machines were refinished, though a mix was still apparent at the time of the Suez operations (while the change occurred, 'ROYAL NAVY' titles were also moved from above the fuselage serial number to more prominent positions on the fuselage, which might help sort the matter out). I'd like to hear the experts' opinion on another minor point, i.e., the coloured exercise bands on F.1 WF174:171. My understanding is, the bands would have been yellow and red. Bands like these were seemingly carried by a variety of FAA aircraft for a major exercise (Exercise 'Mariner', 1953), including Wyverns and RNVR Sea Furies. Best regards Claudio Edited September 18, 2011 by ClaudioN Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TME3 Posted September 18, 2011 Author Share Posted September 18, 2011 As the guy who started this thread... I would like to point out that David Hannant was kind enough to contact me directly regarding my query after reading my post... After researching this for me further, he advised me that, yes, the aircraft I questioned (FGA.6 "515"), should in fact, be white on the undersides. Again, if anyone can post any other photos of this or other similarly marked aircraft (Seahawks especially, but any others too), I'd appreciate it... You can't have too much reference material...! My thanks to Mr. Hannant and all who responded to my post.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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