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Airfix Hawker Hart (restoration)


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Hello,

 

This Airfix Hawker Hart came from a deceased estate, quite some years ago now, I have always harbored a desire to restore this model, not sure if that is the right term to use.. it had been collecting dust but was not damaged and in fact has been well built and parts line up really well... the only problem is the builder used tube of glue to assemble this model, I guess considering the age of the kit that is to be expected. I used oven cleaner to paint strip the model and it worked a treat as you can see from the photos. I want to do the aircraft in a more appealing scheme, a modelling mate has loaned me a Xtradecal Hawker biplane set to and there are plenty of 930's schemes to choose from.

 

In the meantime I am filling the join gaps, cleaning up the tube glue globs that abound and removing mould lines here and there, I have decided to not update the kit or detail it but keep the basic kit as is.... except to add two chaps, a scare gun and windscreen... the crew figures will probably come from another Airfix biplane the Tiger Moth (the new one NOT the old one).

 

Anyway on to the photos;

 

As she was:

 

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Restoration work on the go:

 

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I managed to break off the fin/rudder... tail strut and then the tail skid!!

bjs6ZKO.jpg

 

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20 hours ago, Horatio Gruntfuttock said:

Ah Mr Wolff glad to see you making some progress on this one - do you now have enough references, tee tee!

Ah Mr Futtock...how is Mrs Futtock? and the little Futtocks?  A sheet load of reference..... no less! I picked up the Tiger Moth chaps so that's sorted and the scare gun will come from the BE2c... all these PnP projects are now coming forth!!! Cheers..

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  • 4 months later...

Since starting this restoration in August of last I have made some significant progress, due to some holiday time over the Christmas and just sheer determination to 'get this done'. sort of mode. Since last we met, I masked off the cowling using Humbrol Maskol which I think is just brilliant stuff for such occasions!! really.... can't praise it enough!! I then used a vintage tin of Humbrol Metal Cote to simulate the silver dope... actually not ideal or as convincing as I would like, it was loaned by the same mate who loaned me the decals! Well it seemed to fit the theme of restoring a vintage kit by using vintage paint... right??? From there I have covered the the cowling with Bare Metal Foil Chrome, which as I mention later is brilliant 'stuff'... Currently I have painted the  red on the wheels, the prop.. and the rudder tricolour... next it's the decals and shove it in the display cabinet... with the phrase.. next...

 

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The loaned vintage Humbrol tin of metal cote.. note the corroded lid!!! proof of old age...

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Clear screen part from Airfix Tiger Moth:

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Now the application of the Bare Metal Foil Chrome, dead easy to use and really recommended:

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I used a tin of Humbrol Red paint which took a good couple of coats...

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The basic stretch sprue and sawn off sprue end bits to make a scarf ring mount!! That's the Airfix BE2c scare gun in the background which will be attached shortly.. or even soon!!

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Irony!! the scheme I chose care of a modelling mate loaning me his Modeldecals set for for Harts, Hinds etc... turned out to be the same as the original kit scheme!! Although different aircraft number.

MefOzSf.jpg

 

 

 

Edited by Slywolff
update
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On 1/13/2019 at 10:02 PM, AdrianMF said:

Looking good! The Bare Metal Foil has worked a treat and it's nice to see some classic masking for the rudder stripes. 

 

Regards,

Adrian

Hi Adrian,

 

Thank you for your comments, I have used the foil before, I was given a sample by a modelling mate to try out it was successful so I went and bought some!! It even makes me want to build aircraft with chrome... maybe an Airfix F-80!!

 

The rudder painting is a bit crude, and rushed, I just don't have suitable decals here with me!

 

Just about to post more photos!

 

Simon

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It is pretty humid and hot here in Sydney, not conducive to modelling!! Well not at the present... however I have finished painting the wheels, re glued the broken off undercarriage; finished painting the red with its second coat! and inserted the two chaps! Without knowing it I hacve picked a scheme the same as the one on the kit header sheet... just the serial number is different... Something about red coloured aircraft!!! okay so only parts of this plane are actually red! All there is to do now is put on the decals, attach the mg and re glue the tail skid!! Well I hope that is all...

 

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Edited by Slywolff
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On 8/31/2018 at 6:54 PM, Hamden said:

 

Nice to see one of these on the bench.

Best of luck with the restoration will look forward to seeing what you do with this

 

  Roger

Thanks Roger, I have done some more work and loaded up the photos.... it is nearing completion.. It's inspiring me to now build the Airfix Demon using the Kora detail sets!! and also possibly the kit of the Hind or Audax I have in the stash!!!! with their current technology (?) detail.. well you know what I mean???

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On ‎1‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 9:08 AM, Slywolff said:

That's the Airfix BE2c scare gun in the background which will be attached shortly.. or even soon!!

QKiXoO2.jpg

 

 

Nice work on a golden oldie!

 

Personally I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to use the BE2c gun: it's an early WW1 pattern (stripped Mk.I gun with the rump of the radiator retained) and, as far as I can tell, about 20% over-scale.  From what I recall of the rather nice gun in the old Airfix Demon kit (which may not be the same as yours), I'd be using the Demon gun to replace the one in the BE2c kit!

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14 hours ago, Seahawk said:

Nice work on a golden oldie!

 

Personally I wouldn't be in too much of a hurry to use the BE2c gun: it's an early WW1 pattern (stripped Mk.I gun with the rump of the radiator retained) and, as far as I can tell, about 20% over-scale.  From what I recall of the rather nice gun in the old Airfix Demon kit (which may not be the same as yours), I'd be using the Demon gun to replace the one in the BE2c kit!

Hello Seahawk,

Thanks for posting your comments! I took a look at the Demon kit gun and yes it is considerably smaller than the BE gun... the BE2c gun looks like a howitzer compared to the Demon's gun. With the Airfix Demon kit in my possession, I recently obtained the Kora detail kit and that has a nice resin replacement! So in short I can purloin the Airfix Demon gun and use that on the Hart! Good advice thanks!

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Nice work on that restoration! I tried the same on an old Airfix Demon, trying to convert it into a SAAF Hartbees, but I never did finish the restoration/conversion. Looking at your work may just get me back on that old model.

 

Regards,

 

Jason

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5 hours ago, Martian Hale said:

You have me looking at the Airfix Harts and Demons in my stash now.

 

Tempted of Mars 👽

Go for it, you know you want to!

 

Ian

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15 minutes ago, limeypilot said:

Go for it, you know you want to!

 

Ian

Have you seen how many projects I already have on my bench? I need stopping/aversion therapy, not encouraging! :frantic:

 

Out of Control of Mars 👽

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Friday was Decal-Day!!! and take some advice day! Thanks to Seahawks suggestion(up the page a bit) that the Airfix BE2c gun, that I had glued on and then accidentally broken off, was too large and that the old Airfix Demon gun would be a more suitable as it was more to scale and more accurate! He was right the BE2c gun is like the size of a scale canon in comparison... (should that be cannon answers in an envelope please). I have an Airfix Demon kit which also has the Kora Demon detail set (this set is a demon of a kit ha ha ha yes um), the Kora set has a replacement gun so I nicked the Airfix example and will use this on the Hart - oila...

As for the decals I used the Xtradecal between the wars RAF roundels and they went on beautifully!!! The fuselage number came from the Modeldecal set 108, the numbers had film which I trimmed off!!  I have since glued the gun on and only really need to find some aircraft codes.... and boom..... completion!!

Demon kit gun top and the BE2c gun below:

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Edited by Slywolff
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Oh this brings back memories.... I have one of these in the roof, built as per the Airfix original, probably in the mid to late 1960's. Mine has the bombs under the wings and the original markings.

 

Your restoration looks extremely good - nice to see one built as was rather than improved with extra details.

 

P

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  • 1 month later...
On 1/20/2019 at 6:35 AM, pheonix said:

Oh this brings back memories.... I have one of these in the roof, built as per the Airfix original, probably in the mid to late 1960's. Mine has the bombs under the wings and the original markings.

 

Your restoration looks extremely good - nice to see one built as was rather than improved with extra details.

 

P

Thanks Phoenix, I have finished the model and posted photos of Ready for Inspection, now I hope to build the Airfix Demon but fresh with some Kora resin detail sets!!!

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