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


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37 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

I guess it's possible there could be more varieties of flour than bicarb....?

I guess so too.

The radome tip on my current Typhoon was entirely redone with CA + flour, and not only it sanded smooth but it became hard and sharp (don't ask... :banghead: )

 

Ciao

 

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I reckon Steve's going to come back with a part for a Hawk staggeringly mind-bogglingly small and perfectly formed - made entirely out of a Crunchie bar and the finger-bone of a saint.

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4 hours ago, Kirk said:

My money is on him working hard in the paint booth.

Sorry Kirk.........

 

but seeing as I detect overtones of irony in that statement; I’m not that sorry.....

 

4 hours ago, hendie said:

has 'e gone orf on holiday again?

No.  But it’s not a bad idea............:whistle:

 

3 hours ago, giemme said:
3 hours ago, keefr22 said:

 

Mine's not.

You'd be the winner.... :winkgrin:

 

Ciao

As for you two......

 

23 hours ago, Navy Bird said:

I have to say the flanges for the wing fences are brilliant.    :thumbsup2:

 

Hooray - see; someone appreciates the use of good ol’ fashioned plastic card :giggle:

 

[Thanks Bill :)]

 

1 hour ago, TheBaron said:

I reckon Steve's going to come back with a part for a Hawk staggeringly mind-bogglingly small and perfectly formed - made entirely out of a Crunchie bar and the finger-bone of a saint.

 

  :rofl2: Small plastic aircraft as reliquary - who else could hatch such a thought......

 

As it ‘appens I have been active; been cleaning up the outsides in optimistic preparation for painting.   But cleaning out and tidying up/re-doing scribed lines and polishing primer, whilst time consuming is not very photogenic....

 

I’ve also been working in the cockpit.  Time to try and marry up the pre-coloured etch instrument panels with the cockpits.

 

Them with long memories for trivia may remember that the (otherwise lovely) IPs were the wrong background colour; and so I hand painted around the Instruments to match the rest of the cockpit.  They were also made for the Revell hawks and so were the wrong shape - and so have to be filed to fit the cockpit and coamings.......

 

The idea was to stick the etch IPs to a backing structure made up of modified kit instrument panels fixed to the home-brew resin tubs.

 

IMG_0407_zps3gv1tsaq.jpeg

 

But when it came to it, I found that the etch IPs didn’t fully cover the backing structure and it looked a bit messy with bits of it visible around the IPs.

 

The solution was to remove the outer edges of the backing structure - where it was glued to the side panels, leaving just the freestanding  centre bit, which would be entirely hidden behind the etch IPs.  Clear?

 

Structural rigidity would be regained by gluing the edges of the etch IPs to the side panels/cockpit sides.

 

Careful use of a 1mm micro-chisel - a bit of repainting and a lot of swearing and the job was done (on just the Valley hawk so far).

 

This photo sort of shows what I did.  Look at the front IP and you can see the etch IP  glues to just a small square of residual backing structure, which is hidden from the front.

 

IMG_0408_zpsju3rxufe.jpeg

 

I have to say that Gator’s Grip thin blend was absolutely brilliant for the job.  So I am now a belated convert.......:whistle:

 

Anyways.  Who cares what it looks like from behind.  It’s the front wot matters innit...

 

I couldn’t get both IPs in focus at once......So here’s the front in focus:

 

IMG_0412_zpsqcfizkjb.jpeg

 

And the back in focus.

 

IMG_0413_zpsmaava4qo.jpeg

 

If you look closely - and you know what you’re looking for - you can tell this is the Valley (advanced flying training) hawk and not the Chivenor (TWU) hawk cos the IPs don’t have the weapons panels.  I ‘spect you’ll have to trust me on that one ;)

 

Clever stuff this coloured etch.  No way you could hand paint those dials and emergency panels (the red/orange rectangular panel) in 1/72 scale.

 

Next step is to continue fettling the tops and sides of the IPs to get the best fit with the coamings.

 

The front coaming is there or thereabouts (couldn’t resist popping a seat in there for a look-see):

 

IMG_0414_zps4aimm07s.jpeg

 

IMG_0415_zpsr2u72ffy.jpeg

 

And with one of my home-brew vac windscreens; which also needs a touch more fettling; but is nice and clear:

 

IMG_0417_zpseljmswsu.jpeg

 

The rear coaming doesn’t quite fit right yet.  Bit more trimming of the IP required.

 

IMG_0418_zpsanuzqmio.jpeg

 

And then the TWU hawk.......

 

See?  I been doing something at least.  Holiday.........harumph......

 

Edited by Fritag
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That's some progress, Steve! :clap: :worthy:

 

The whole cockpit looks just outstanding with all the bits and bobs in/on.

 

Ciao

16 minutes ago, Fritag said:

See?  I been doing something at least.  Holiday.........harumph......

Yes, too long since your last one...  :rofl:

 

(Ducks and runs to the left)

 

Ciao

Edited by giemme
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24 minutes ago, Fritag said:

And with one of my home-brew vac windscreens; which also needs a touch more fettling; but is nice and clear:

 

definitely one of, if not the clearest canopy I've seen. And for a home brew attempt?  Simply outstanding.

 

 

Feel free to go on holiday anytime soon Steve.  You're making the rest of us look bad.

 

Again

 

 

 

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Really looking good, great work with the IPs. Why can't Eduard get the right colour on those pre-painted panels? The US ones which should be 36231 Dark Gull Grey are this crazy blue-grey colour. Ugh! I re-paint every one.

 

To get both panels in focus at the same time, you need to stop down the aperture on your camera. Your exposure will get longer, but if you have enough light on the subject it shouldn't be a problem. Put the camera in Aperture Priority mode (most cameras, even smartphones, will have this), and stop down to f/16 or higher.

 

Cheers,

Bill

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Blimey!

 

Did you catch it guys?

 

The scent, no, powerful aroma of hot avtur blowing across a windy apron as you looked at 'the seat in the front cockpit' photo

 

The Fritag-ness of a world at peace with itself has begun to appear

 

Looks fabulous, as in the stuff of fables and sagas Steve

 

Thanks for sharing the trip with us

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Did I just mention TRIP?

 

Oops, I suppose he'll be off soon sorry

 

The snow at Sauze in the Alps is already rather high I'm told...*

 

 

 

 

*A mate decamps there every chance he gets, git!

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The thing that always gets me about Steve’s work is not just that the bit in focus at a given time (like the cockpits now) is beautifully done, but that everything else is also so neat.  Where are the scratches, sanding dust, glue fingerprints and general bodge-dom that the rest of us have on our “still to be fixed” lists in these photographs?  
 

Taint natural.  

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Well, I've only just found this excellent build, so forgive me if I don't read through all 133 pages, I have models to build! But what I can see looks excellent! That cockpit is amazing!

 

And I'll be back to keep up as I've bought my Mrs an Airfix Hawk starter kit for Christmas (she loves the Red Arrows!) She probably won't make it, unless I sabotage her PS4 - but she has to start a stash sometime!

 

Cheers,

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