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A pair of Airfix Hawks in 1/72. Finished.


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I look forward to watching this too, the fact that they are representations of aircraft you flew and the stories and photographs you have makes it even more interesting.

Just makes me sad that I'm a bit too thick and old now to be a pilot in the RAF :fool:

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And we're off!

I, like many others here, have been really looking forward to this one :popcorn:

If I may be so bold as to make one suggestion? Before you close up the fuselage halves, try to get hold of a couple of .22 rounds - not the actual bullets but the spent, empty brass cartridge cases........

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234929350-airfix-hawk-after-a-long-lay-off/?hl=%2Bdougc+%2Bhawk#entry1194468

They're the perfect diameter & scale thickness, they have depth & they even come "pre-shaded" :winkgrin: Only thing you need to watch for is the CofG change!

Let the masterclass commence!

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Obviously I never flew the Hawk - we 'lumpy jumpers' weren't deemed able to fly 'Operational' aircraft (don't get me started!) when I went through the system.

It took me a while but I've just worked out what a 'lumpy jumper' is :blush:

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Where've I been for two days? Just noticed you've stopped skiving Steve and started to crack on :P

Pop corn is going to be in short supply here in the UK over the coming months....and possibly the rest of the world!

Only problem is though I tend to watch your build rather than doing my own...doh!

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Just up my street. I've got a real soft spot for RAF trainers whatever the era.

What are you planning next after the Hawks? I need to know how much popcorn to order.

I know, I'll get me coat :coat: .

Just kidding Steve, but waiting with great anticipation, especially after the Chipmunk and the two JP's.

Good luck.

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Not as funny but;

About ten years ago I was at RAF Leeming on a visit and I was invited to sit in a 100 Squadron Hawk, I

struggled a bit, a very polite airman said "They don't make these in your size do they sir?"

I looked across the hanger at the Hawk opposite, it had suffered a bird strike. Hang the canopy, the metal nose cone was damaged!

I still Love the Hawk but I take my hat off to those who fly them.

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Cripes. No pressure then............ :)

Like I say I've not started properly yet - but I have been playing about with stuff.

This is why I ditched any idea of using the Italeri/Revell kit. The the shape of nose is poor - as I think is widely known. I didn't like the feel of the plastic much either:

3597BC04-7E11-4BC1-8769-F824D0F4DCA5_zps

I should say that the plans are by Marke Rolfe - I don't know if they are considered accurate - but anyway the problem was confirmed when I scaled up a convenient photo:

D5ADA3A4-4830-4E90-8460-5B2EFEC397AB_zps

All right - not that convenient a photo seeing as red against red doesn't show up that much......but look hard :)

The Airfix profile was much better - and nicer plastic too:

E8EA61CA-2022-47AC-A895-8BD723CD05F3_zps

70FE9A94-4A5C-4F2A-BE88-051A70DF6249_zps

Although the windscreen looks a bit too long and elongated - you can see it on the photo and the plans - Italeri got that bit spot on :) I'm going to vac form the canopy anyway as I don't want to use the Airix moulded in MDC and I'm thinking of posing it open - so I may be able to play with the shape of the windscreen.

Annotated%20Airfix%20vs%20photo_zpszr59b

Wing shape and size looks good;

IMG_3411_zpsaae3816d.jpg

I'm a bit concerned about the panel lines on the Airfix kit. I'm not keen to do another rescribe like on the JP5 - but the Hawk lines are rather deep and wide for my tastes.

The big hatch panel either side of the nose is definitely too prominent and makes it look a bit toy like - sommat will have to be done. about that.

I'll think on that for a bit - I was really pleased with the result on the JP5 but nearly threw it out the window whilst I was doing it..........

The cockpit tub provided by Airfix is pretty basic - and basically wrong.

There's been some interesting chat over on one of CT's thread which I won't repeat - but the most obvious fault is the shape, size and angle of the side panels and the instrument panels are also the wrong shape - too rounded at the top as a result of the wrong shaped coamings moulded by Airfix.

The italeri ones are slightly better but I shan't use either:

IMG_3418_zps07f0c154.jpg

The Airfix instrument panel coamings are really nothing like the shape and size of the full size version:

IMG_3416_zpscf849392.jpg

Again the Italeri ones are slightly better - if you ignore the moulded in weapons sight :) - might be able to modify them for use....

IMG_3415_zpsc91e550e.jpg

I bought myself the CMK Hawk 100 resin set (good spot Crisp ;)) mainly for the bang seats but also for the resin cockpit tub and rear seat coaming.

The Hawk 100 has a very different cockpit so the resin set is no good as it stands but it may make a starting point:

IMG_3424_zpsfcn1vvd1.jpg

I had reservations about the positioning of the coamings on the Airfix kit so I took some measurements from a photo:

IMG_3441_zpskscxsxz4.jpg

And scaled them onto an Airfix kit (actually this is the old tool kit - which is basically the same shape - which I'm using for practice).

You can see that the rear coaming is way oversize (and the wrong shape). I've removed the front coaming because it cannot readily be altered to the correct profile.....

Annotated%20Airfix%20coaming_zpssyef7z4o[/url

I think the CMK resin rear coming can probably be cut down to the correct shape and size with a bit of work:

Annotated%20CMK%20coaming_zps54ulfehg.jp

The CMK resin tub is also not bad as a starting point but all of the detail is wrong for what I want and so is a god part of the structure :):

Annotated%20CMK%20Tub_zpsvrsheonx.jpg

I have the Airwaves and Eduard PE sets (both actually for the Italeri kit) - and I think I'll make use of them for the various instrument panels. Not looking forward to painting them tho:

B454D2CF-B9CC-49AD-BDF9-89C7DDB84AFE_zps

Here I've carved all the detail off of the resin tub, cut down the side panels and removed the solid panel between the cockpits. It's a start. The tentative plan is to cast a copy of it for the second Hawk. How much detail I add to it before I cast it I'm not sure yet.

75EBDD30-D7B8-4888-91D1-D460646D3355_zps

I'll also use the CMk seats. They're a lot better than the kit ones various - but at least Matchbox give me some sort of representation of the old style head box :)

Annotated%20seats_zpsw73fhpjp.jpg

The CMK seats will however need a bit of work:

Annotated%20CMK%20Seat_zpsvupkzmh9.jpg

What I've done so far is remove the straps and back pad (which sits far too high) and the new style head box and most of the (dubious) lumps and bumps to take it back to a nice basic shape:

IMG_3501_zpswl3uk3gj.jpg

IMG_3500_zpse1liodjm.jpg

IMG_3499_zps4n4n1n7p.jpg

And I've modified one of the matchbox old style head boxes to use (I did say in the first post that I would use something from the matchbox kits didn't I :))

IMG_3504_zpsqkkwigke.jpg

The head box isn't stuck in place yet and I haven't added any of the various gadgetry to the seat yet.

Again I think the plan will be to make one seat and cast copies - but I'm thinking it may be better to cast the seat and the head box separately in case I can't get it out of the RTV mould with the head box on.

Also I'm not sure how much detail to add to the seat before I cast it.

The straps will probably come from one or both of the etch sets.

So here's the tub and seat so far - just so's you can see how I'm thinking:

9F7AC5C2-78A2-4A87-841B-BE9ED8DA2CDB_zps

And an impression of the cockpit to come (BTW _ I took this before I'd cut down the rear cockpit side consoles). The front coaming is heavily modified from the Italeri kit. May cast a resin copy of that too :):

E271BC98-3EDD-480B-9FD9-C4BCC492B158_zps

D4841F88-55B5-4AC4-B126-D67D17093AFB_zps

The other thing I've been playing about with at the moment is vac forming a canopy.

I won't repeat the photo's that I've posted over on dr_gn's Tornado thread but here's a comparison with a test vac against the kit canopy.

Not looking forward to the MDC.... :)

B30F58A8-143D-41FD-BC4F-B2201567B0A9_zps

And there we are so far. Mostly just thinking and prepping.

Any thought, comments ideas or corrections welcome - as ever.

Steve

Edited by Fritag
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Steve, have you considered this set? https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPE72036 There is also an Eduard set for the Airfix kit. But although they state that it's for a Hawk T.1, it's actually for a Hawk T.2.

I think these might be useful too: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/QB72466.

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Steve, have you considered this set? https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/KPE72036 There is also an Eduard set for the Airfix kit. But although they state that it's for a Hawk T.1, it's actually for a Hawk T.2.

I think these might be useful too: https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/QB72466.

Thanks Sten, I have that etch set - it's very nicely done and I may be abel to use bits and bobs from it. I would really have liked to use the pre-painted instrument panels if I could - but the instrument panels on the Finnish Hawks are just too different - shame. :)

I also have the quickest intakes. they were so cheap I couldn't resist. I haven't decided whether or not use em yet as I haven't actually got around to looking closely at photos to see what's wrong with the Airfix ones!

Like that a lot Doug did you finish it? Good cockpit and flap mods and the tailpipe looks great :)

Edited by Fritag
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That is a great start

Off the blocks like a rocket

Like you I'm not keen on the Airfix trenches,

my early Airfix one is fine raised lines so I think that will keep me happy when I get on it

So here I am ready for more, don't let my coffee get cold

;)

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Hm.. I'm sure this is going to be builds of epic proportions. But I look with interest when it comes to the undercart area. I'm pretty sure and positive that the new tool kit has much undersized wheel bays and doors. For me a big downer! I always liked the very first tooling despite it lacked a few things like the wing fences and ventral strakes that were never complicated to add ones self.

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But I look with interest when it comes to the undercart area. I'm pretty sure and positive that the new tool kit has much undersized wheel bays and doors.

Thanks for the heads up Paul - I'll check that if I can :)

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The comparisons between the Italeri kit and Airfix kit have been noted on other sites. A solution has been to graft the Airfix nose onto the Iatelri fuselage. Is it too late for you to do that?

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Hm.. I'm sure this is going to be builds of epic proportions. But I look with interest when it comes to the undercart area. I'm pretty sure and positive that the new tool kit has much undersized wheel bays and doors. For me a big downer! I always liked the very first tooling despite it lacked a few things like the wing fences and ventral strakes that were never complicated to add ones self.

Think one should check everything on that Airfix Hawk, for example the smoke pod, (although I appreciate it wont be used in this build, just an example) here's the Airfix offering along with the Freightdog replacement. Ive found the Freightdog is correct from scaled photos.

16816297596_d449fb1807_b.jpg

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Wow, there's more effort been put into that up front research than some people put into an entire build. The standard is being set high for the rest of the build - which I shall enjoy immensley

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After seeing the JP and chipmunk threads I'm really looking forward to seeing how you get on with these. Have you considered the old tool hawk by Airfix. It is missing a few things such as wing fences and has raised panel lines but comes with early style seats and the shape of the rear fuselage above the jet pipe at the base of the tail fin appears to be more accurate for an early hawk than the new tooling....

Regards,

Mark

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Hm.. I'm sure this is going to be builds of epic proportions. But I look with interest when it comes to the undercart area. I'm pretty sure and positive that the new tool kit has much undersized wheel bays and doors. For me a big downer! I always liked the very first tooling despite it lacked a few things like the wing fences and ventral strakes that were never complicated to add ones self.

The Airfix offering definitely has that problem. The nose gear is also oversize unfortunately.

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