Frog Hornet collection - work in progress

[David A Collins]

I thought I'd start my first thread with a group photo of the current work-in-progress Frog Hornet collection.

The intention is to have a model of each front line RAF squadron/relevant mark depicted.

To date the collection includes:

64sqn F1 UK high altitude fighter

65sqn F3 UK late scheme day fighter

19sqn F3 UK early scheme day fighter

41sqn F3 UK intruder cammo

33sqn F4 FEAF late scheme ground attack cammo

45sqn F3 FEAF early scheme ground attack

So, 6 down, and only one to go (80sqn FEAF early scheme day fighter)

 

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by David A Collins

[David A Collins]

 

Note in all of these Hornets, the two front windscreen uprights (between the three glass panels) are not painted. The screen is actually frameless at the joints, being held together with steel tie-rods and having black rubber sealant filling the small gap between the panes of glass. When you look at side views of a Hornet, all you are looking at is the side thickness of the front screen - all line drawings have assumed this is a cast frame, but they are incorrect.

 

 

 

 

 

In this particular kit, I converted it to an earlier F1 Hornet by removing the fin extension.

 

 

 

In this F4 PX293, converted from an F3 you can see the high demarcation line between the PRU blue and grey/green cammo. This was only applied to a few F4's, but is a nice variation on the other schemes used.

 

 

 

Note in the last two images, you can see the target tug attachment just behind the downward looking camera. This modification was only made to a few Hornets, and only appears in 3-4 photo's in taken at Butterworth and Seletar.

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by David A Collins

[StephenMG]

Even though I've seen these before, I still can fail to be impressed!

Cracking job.

[David Womby]

Great collection you have there. It carried a goodly variety of paint schemes in its time, didn't it?

How about a Sea Hornet to join them?

David

[CarLos]

Nice collection! The Hornet is a beautiful aircraft.

Carlos

[12jaguar]

A goodly collection of Hornets there DC

If I can get around to getting my own Flikr account I'll post an image of my FETS F3

John

[StephenMG]

If I can get around to getting my own Flikr account I'll post an image of my FETS F3

You'd better pull your finger out then Mr. L - it's a great looking model so let's see it!

[David A Collins]

Great collection you have there. It carried a goodly variety of paint schemes in its time, didn't it?

How about a Sea Hornet to join them?

David

Thanks David,

Now that's an idea!

[Vulcanicity]

David,

Great to see your miniature Hornet collection as well as the amazing cockpit recreation over on the Key publishing forums! Some fine models here, my favourite is the F.3 with the underwing stores.

Edited April 23, 2012 by Vulcanicity

[Killingholme]

There is something very intriguing about a collection of different variations of the same aircraft. Makes you focus on the detail differences a lot more. Thanks for posting!

[12jaguar]

You'd better pull your finger out then Mr. L - it's a great looking model so let's see it!

As promised here's my Far East Training Sqn F3

FETS Hornet by Stirling Aircraft Project, on Flickr

Edited April 25, 2012 by 12jaguar

[StephenMG]

Lovely. That scheme looks fantastic on any aircraft, but especially so on a Hornet.

[12jaguar]

Lovely. That scheme looks fantastic on any aircraft, but especially so on a Hornet.

ta m8

[The wooksta V2.0]

Very nice indeed.

David, your collection is impressive and my favourite is the one with the high demarcation and PRU Blue up the fuselage.

The old Frog kit isn't that bad out of the box, as these prove. With a bit of work and some plastic card, it can look even better.

[avro683]

That's a lovely collection David. Would that Airfix produce a series in 1/48th!

Tony

[lancfan]

Brilliant set of models, well done- I must get the kit out of my stash and build it.

I would wish for a series of 1/72 airfix kits of the Hornet.

David.

[David A Collins]

That's a lovely collection David. Would that Airfix produce a series in 1/48th!

Tony

Thank you all,

It was the only way I could think of displaying all of the various colour schemes, for a future museum display.

12Jaguars FETS Hornet F3 is really well made, having seen it in the plastic!

I have held back on making all of the 1/48 Classic Airframes Hornet collection to-date! I was thinking of making Sea Hornets, second line squadron, or test and development machines with these.

[David A Collins]

Here's another one for the collection.

I was handed an already built "loft find" Frog Hornet recently that required a good makeover, Having prettty much dismantled it and sanded off all of the original markings, I've tried to reproduce the Elmdon Races Hornet F3. The canopy was cracked before I received it, but will replace it if I find another. I located a pilot for it, and painted him in the light coloured de Havilland test pilot overalls, which makes a nice change from the usual RAF blues.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2018 by David A Collins

[The wooksta V2.0]

She looks nice. I have a real soft spot for that kit - I discovered the Hornet through it - and I have a considerable number of boxed Frog (in all three box incarnations) and Novo examples in the stash.

Next time you get something to salvage, try steeping it for a few hours in Fairy Power Spray. It'll remove most paints - enamels, acrylics, even Halfords primer. And a few goes with some masking tape should rip off any decals, although it may take a few goes.