TeeELL Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I had the opportunity to fly the Finnish Hawk when a CFS Instructor. We were all surprised at how 'crisp' their aircraft handling seemed to be despite the BAe engineers saying they were identical to the T1. The most challenging part was the altimeter in meters! Of course I am digressing! I think, but cannot remember, that the tail unit of the Finnish Hawks was different, indeed it might have been the unit that was used for the tail chute on other export Hawks. That unit did have 'Square edges'. Oh, you could eat your dinner off the floor of the Finnish hanger. Our smart looking Red, White and Blue Hawks were OK on arrival in Finland, but we hardly recognised them the next time we saw them, they had been polished and cleaned to such an extent! As I mentioned Shaun, there were 3 different tail units/ fin fairings to my knowledge, during the 40 years of the Hawk. But I don't remember the details of the earliest. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 Went through 233 as student in 84, refresher in 93 and again in 98. Little bro was on staff on 20® as well. Welcome on board Harriermate - Hawk's gonna look fab. I went through Chiv in 84, then held for a while and refreshed on 234 at Brawdy at the back end of 84. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeeELL Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I started my time at RAF Valley just after Easter 1986 - in fact I drove onto the island in the very rain that bought the Chernobyl radiation! After completing CFS I started on 1 Sqn, 4 FTS. I finished my final 7 years on the CFS flight of 208 Sqn, leaving Valley in 2005. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) Small world!!!! Fritag, I must have been just ahead of you at Chiv. Posted to 233 OCU at Witt in Apr 2004. Photo of the now 'standard' Hawk TMk1a back end to follow! Edited December 26, 2014 by harriermate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 (edited) Apologies for the hideous fin. Note the long strake below the rudder. The fleet are all embodied like this now..... whatever they once looked like. Although as XX 156 has just gone off to Major pre-storage, I can't recall whether its strake was modified. Certainly it was pre- Mod 2010 and was last of the fleet with pre mod tail box/central tail light. I promise to move my tail light when the In-Laws disappear!! Incidentally XX156 was actually a pre-production ac which has/had numerous quirks, non-standard fitments and gauges. And 2014 is the 40th anniversary of Hawk T1 service with the RAF. Edited December 26, 2014 by harriermate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 As I mentioned Shaun, there were 3 different tail units/ fin fairings to my knowledge, during the 40 years of the Hawk. But I don't remember the details of the earliest. Revell have trying to cover the different rear end plates, but missed the fact the tail was built up, removing the downward curve towards the jet pipe on the newer versions. I've seen at least 4 variations,1) early curved,2) straight upper deck square to jetpipe,3) straight upper deck,over hanging jet pipe-centre light,4) straight upper deck over hanging jet pipe-side light The overhanging shape is to do with the new fuselages that were built to upgrade the fleet. 80 airframes were upgraded with 60 series fuselages with a parabrake box as an option.( not used by the RAF) Early tail end, note contours above jet pipe, short fin fillet http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8177/7949017786_f8d67c2e65_b.jpg Current fitting http://www.wingsovereurope.com/modern%20military%20aircraft%20gallery_3/Hawk%20T-1..Royal%20Air%20Force..Ursel%202008%20(4).jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plastic Bonsai Posted December 26, 2014 Share Posted December 26, 2014 I remember having a brief look at the directional instability problem. There was a particular tailplane that started out on the first aircraft (XX154) that was warped with one training edge higher than the other. All aircraft that had that tailplane fitted tended to want to fly sideways at Mach >0.8 ish. I guessed at the time it was causing asymmetric vortex shedding off the very squared off back end. Sharpening the edges would have tripped the vortex shedding more symmetrically. I never understood why Kingston did this squared off back end when everyone else would have at least done a pen nib fairing. At the same time a guy at Dunsfold tried several extensions to the rear box and he found the longer the better. That's a crackin' build and photo Harriermate - are you apologising for the fin's worn lettering or the sentiment it expresses? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 26, 2014 Author Share Posted December 26, 2014 Both!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartz Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 (edited) hhehe navy? i had you down as army. Edited December 27, 2014 by Quartz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 27, 2014 Author Share Posted December 27, 2014 Applied 3 very thin coats of acrylic gloss black. But still ended up with faint 'orange peel' effect. Rubbed down with fine wire wool has removed most of the effect. Not sure now whether to spray very dilute acrylic black or resort to small humbrol can of gloss black enamel. Thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 27, 2014 Author Share Posted December 27, 2014 took the plunge and sprayed ever more dilute gloss coats. Think Ive pretty much got as good a finish as I will get with acrylic. May apply little T Cut on an undersurface to see if that adds any further mirror finish. Photos of progress thus far to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted December 27, 2014 Author Share Posted December 27, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fritag Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Not an expert here H'mate - never having done a gloss finish on the scale you're doing it - but I reckon I'd leave it a day or two to harden and then go at it with micromesh cloths to polish it up. If you haven't got any micromesh - get some! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy wood Posted December 28, 2014 Share Posted December 28, 2014 (edited) Give it another rub down and then spray it with a can of Halfords Gloss Black. Trust me. You won't regret it. IT worked for my 1.32 Black Arrows Hunter T7 (wip and rfi is on here somewhere if you want to see the result) Edited December 28, 2014 by andy wood Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartz Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 i had the same thing , you want some micromesh? just ask lol that looks worse than mine before i striped it down:P got mine down like glass atm and applying decals. it will need some mat to dampen it down a bit as it's a bit too shinny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartz Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) .-n Edited January 2, 2015 by Quartz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartz Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 (edited) you went with enamels didnt you? i did too and had the same "overspray" effect. im sure there is a way to use enamels just i haven't found it yet. Edited January 2, 2015 by Quartz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harriermate Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 I haven't given up ...... just distracted by mundane household painting and DIY jobs!!!! i will win with it in the end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quartz Posted January 7, 2015 Share Posted January 7, 2015 lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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