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Curtiss H-75 A1/A2 (70080) 1:72 Arma Hobby The Model 75 or Hawk as it was more commonly known outside the Curtiss company was one of the first of a new generation of all-metal monoplane designs that reached production around the same time as the other major combatants that saw service at the beginning of WWII. It was of a similarly advanced design, benefitting from retractable landing gear, and enclosed cockpit, with a close-fitting cowling around the Pratt & Whitney R1830 radial engine that was used for production variants. It first flew in 1935 using an earlier engine, and it mounted just one machine gun that fired through the arc of the propeller, without any of the features found in later combat-capable variants, such as seat armour and self-sealing fuel tanks. To improve rearward-vision of the pilot, scalloped windows were added behind the canopy glazing, which was a feature that was carried forward to the later P-40 that eventually replaced it. It won a fly-off against a competing design from Seversky, and a small order of production airframes was made after the engine had been replaced by the R1830 that would eventually be used in production, offering a moderate boost in power and top-speed. It was a diminutive airframe that had a low wing-loading, giving it excellent manoeuvrability and a rapid rate of climb for the era, although its performance dropped off at higher altitudes due to the single-speed supercharger. As the clouds of war gathered, France tried to remedy their capability shortfall by making first one order of 100 airframes, followed closely by another tranche of 100, some of which fought valiantly against the Nazis during the invasion of France, unsuccessfully staving off the enemy forces. Another order was made, although this was slowed appreciably by US opposition because deliveries to overseas buyers were seen as slowing their own deliveries. Given that the US wasn’t actively engaged in the war at this point, President Roosevelt intervened to assist, as the French-made alternatives were suffering from delays due to engineering problems, leaving them short. Many French pilots flew their aircraft to Great Britain once it became clear that the Battle of France was lost, and joined other aircraft that were shipped away from the combat zone before the Armistice to avoid them falling into enemy hands. There were eventually just under 230 airframes in the UK, receiving the name Mohawk Mk.I-IV, corresponding with their original designation A1-4. These airframes were distributed around the Commonwealth to free up first-line aircraft for defence of the realm, as although the Mohawk out-performed the early Mk.I Spitfires in some aspects, the Supermarine design was overall superior when handled by experienced pilots. Germany sold captured H-75s to Finland in three batches, including a small number of airframes captured during the fall of Norway. They were well-liked by the Finns, and served until after WWII, often with upgraded armament to replace their rifle-calibre machine guns to cope with more heavily protected armour they flew against, as well as making ammunition replenishment more straight forward. In American hands the P-36 played little active part in WWII, only flying against the Japanese at Pearl Harbour where they scored some of the first kills of their war, although technically war had yet to be declared by the US. The Kit This is a brand-new tooling from Arma Hobby of this American fighter, arriving in an end-opening box with a painting of a French H-75 flying over broken cloud, with profile artwork of the three decal options on the rear. Inside the box are two sprues of grey styrene, a separately bagged sprue of clear parts, a sheet of pre-cut yellow kabuki-style tape masks, and the A5 portrait instruction booklet that is printed on glossy paper in colour, with three pages at the rear devoted to a full set of profiles for the decal options. The front cover has a short history of the H-75 at the top in Polish and English, with a sprue diagram in the middle, and a colour chart at the bottom of the page, giving colours for Hataka, AK RealColor, Mr Color, Ammo, Humbrol, Mr Paint, and Tamiya, plus colour names and FS numbers where applicable, which will be pointed out through the steps in blue circled letter codes. Detail is excellent, with finely engraved panel lines, raised and recessed features, plus plenty of detail in the cockpit, gear bays and a full rendition of both piston banks of the engine. The instructions also include a QR code that leads to a link where a 3D .STL file can be downloaded to print out additional parts if you have access to a 3D printer, which will add to the already impressive detail present in the box. We understand that those who don’t have access to a printer can purchase the parts at the same time as the kit, so they aren’t left out. Construction begins with an unusual process for a styrene kit, involving folding up the long spar-like parts along thinned lines into a hollow box, gluing the ends together, unless you intend to depict the domed fabric liners that were sometimes fitted instead. Your choice of bay liner is glued into the lower wing, and if you are omitting the fabric liners, you will need to paint the ribbed detail that is moulded into the underside of the upper wing half, which is full-span, just like the lower. The two halves are glued together, painting the centre the same colours as the cockpit, with metal scuff panels, adding the control column, its linkage, throttle body and a lever to the floor, plus extra parts to the already detailed cockpit sidewalls that are moulded into the fuselage sides. Detailed colour and decaling instructions are present in nearby scrap diagrams to help you complete the task, and this extends to the seat, which is fixed to the armoured frame with headrest. The instrument panel has the rudder pedals moulded into the back, and there are an additional four decals included to supply the details of the dials and other equipment, fixing it and the seat into location points in the port fuselage side before closing the two halves together, noting that one decal options has a series of vents in the side filled, as they weren't present. The fuselage and wings are mated, taking care of the controls as you bring them together to avoid damage to them. Once the fuselage and wings are firmly fixed and the seams have been dealt with, the nose is extended by adding two parts to the front, which has a peg in the centre to support the engine once it has been built and painted. The entire tail is separate from the fuselage, starting with the elevator fins, which slot into place in the rear, adding the tail fin to another slot, and completing the empennage by mounting a single-part elevator to the rear, trapping it in place with the rudder, which interlocks near the bottom. The Twin Wasp engine is supplied as a two-part assembly that depicts both banks of cylinders, adding a bell-housing with push-rods to the front, then mounting it onto the peg at the front of the fuselage after painting, wiring up the cylinders if you’re feeling the urge. The bottom segment of the engine cowling is attached under the nose, joined by two side cowling panels that have cooling gills moulded-in, and are joined by the top cowling after inserting gun muzzles into the ‘frog eyes’ moulded into the top. There was a simplified variant of the Hawk with fixed, spatted landing gear, but the majority had retractable gear, which is the variant depicted here. Each gear leg has a complex captive bay door fitted behind the two-part wheels, and another pair of doors fixed to the ‘knee’ joints at the tops of the legs, one on each side with twin retraction jacks shown in scrap diagrams across the page, handed as appropriate. The tail wheel has its yoke moulded-in, and two bay doors to the sides, adding a pair of exhausts and their fairing under the nose, and an intake under the engine. A clear landing light pushes into a recess under the port wing, and for two decal options the rows of five pins that presumably fed a pack of underwing rockets are removed and the area made good by smoothing it with successive grades of abrasive. Righting the model allows fitment of the filler cap in the port rear-view scalloped window, with a corresponding hole drilled in the clear part, and an aerial mast on the spine between them. The three-bladed prop with separate spinner is inserted into the bell-housing of the engine, and another pair of gun barrels are slid into holes in the leading edges of the wings. The last job is to fit the gunsight in the front of the cockpit, followed by the windscreen, canopy, and the two rear-view windows behind. The final diagram shows the location of the antenna wires between the wingtips and tail-fin, with a fly-lead that enters the fuselage on the starboard side just behind the rear-view window. Self-Print 3D Parts A QR code at the front of the instruction booklet offers the potential of printing your own aftermarket parts for this kit, although that’s either dependent upon you having a printer, a friend with a printer, or remembering to buy a pre-printed set when you’re picking up the model. We’ve been provided with a set of parts as an example, and must stress that the parts aren’t included with the standard kit. The 3D .STL file will output a print-base that includes the following: Bulkhead with Seat & Belts Instrument Panel with Rudder Pedals Exhaust Pipes with Fairings Gun Barrels (x4) Reflector gunsight Ring & Bead Back-Up Sight (x4) If you’re wondering why there would be four of some items, it’s because they are very delicate, and may get damaged, or possibly fail to print in some circumstances. The detail is well worth the effort though, and the parts are protected by a set of stout legs in the corners of the print base, which should be proof against most minor impacts or clumsiness. Markings There are three decal options on the sheet, each in substantially different schemes, which should widen the appeal for those intending to use kit decals. From the box you can build one of the following: Curtiss H-75 A2 No.107 (U007), GC 1/55, Pilot 1st Lt. Jan Zumbach, Bordeaux, June 1940 Curtiss H-75 A1 No.16 (U015), 1. Escadrille GC I/5, Pilot Sgt. Léon Vuillemain, Reims, Spring 1939 Curtiss H-75 A1 No.35 (X834), 3. Escadrille GC II/5 ‘La Fayette’, Pilot Adj. Marcel Dougoujon, Toul-Croix-de Metz, November 1939 Decals are by Techmod, which is a guarantee of good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The masks are cut from paper-based kabuki tape, and include individual masks for each of the canopy panels, the wheels, and the landing lights. Peeling them and applying them with a tweezer should make painting the clear parts a breeze. Conclusion A modern tooling of this once leading-edge fighter that was quickly left behind due to the increase in technological pace that accompanies warfare. Detail is excellent, as are the masks, the optional self-printed upgrade parts, and the decal sheet. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Thanks Tali! Clear Prop Models is to release a 1/72nd Grumman OV-1D Mohawk kits OV-1D as welle as OV-1A variants reported in the pipe line. Source: http://www.greenmats.club/forums/topic/6755-clearprop-172-ov-1d-mohawk-–-в-разработке/ 3D renders V.P.

Since there is still a little time left, I'll see if I can squeeze in one more build before they lock the doors and turn out the lights. This time, a Grumman OV-1A Mohawk by Rodan I don't have box anymore but I do have the nifty painted poster that came with the kit. Along with all the other bits. And for good measure, Eduards P/E sets and a set of Quick Boost bang seats. Somebody cue the Stones " Paint It Black" and lets Rock and Roll!..

After the 1/72nd kit (link), Clear Prop Models is to release a 1/144th Grumman OV-1A/JOV-1A Mohawk - starter kit - ref. CP144004 Source: https://clearpropmodels.com/cp_144004 Box art & schemes V.P.

After the 1/72nd kits (link), Clear Prop Models is to release 1/144th Grumman OV-1A & D Mohawk kits Source: https://www.facebook.com/Clearpropmodels/posts/2997899933825819 V.P.

French H75C-1, has been restored to flying condition by The Fighter Collection at Duxford, United Kingdom. It is flown in French camouflage with markings on either side, for the same example (n°82) at two different periods in its career. Pics by Mark Mills Pics by Martin Lawrence

Something Grumman-y and propellor-y for a change... ...

Just finished. Yeah, no pilot. I suck at painting pilots in 1/48. Besides, none was included. Maybe it’s a drone. 😂 Using hi-tech leveling device and jig.

Hi folks I present my latest finished projects, a couple of Burma-based RAF aircraft. The Hurricane belongs to No.34 Squadron RAF and is the Hasegawa kit with resin control surfaces, Eduard seatbelts and spares box decals. Next is a Curtiss Mohawk Mk.IV of No.5 Squadron RAF. It's the Hobbycraft kit with resin wheels, Squadron canopy, Eduard belts and Aeromaster decals. The engine is from the Tamiya Buffalo. Thanks for looking! Chris

Having gotten pretty far along with my Roden 1/48 OV-1D, I decided to also tackle their OV-1A and OV-1C Mohawks. Since I pretty much strictly build recce aircraft, I was trying to figure out where the camera(s) was/were located in the OV-1A. The kit instructions mention a KA-60 camera being used for night photography, but that was a panoramic camera, which can't take night pictures with photoflash. I read elsewhere that a KA-30A framing camera was installed somewhere in the rear fuselage. Does anybody have any photos and/or drawings of the installation, especially the camera window(s)? On the OV-1C, the Aircraft In Action book says the side airbrakes were removed on that version, but I have found pics online of what are said to be OV-1Cs which have the airbrakes. Does anybody know for a fact that there were no airbrakes on the OV-1C? Larry

Grumman OV-1 Mohawk, pics thanks to Bootneck Mike.