Hosler Fury Racer, Scratchbuilt 1/72

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

These are all old builds, and in retrospect should have been posted at the beginning of these series. They often represent the first, hesitant steps on scratchbuilding.

Here is another from 2010, 9 years ago (original text as posted then):

 

The Hosler Fury is a plane that stands out immediately because of its remarkable aesthetics. Its modern, stylized lines were the result of Russell Hosler's inspiration. It is not beautiful on account of the usual curvy lines associated with racers, but more in the way of a geometric, clean and angular Art Deco style. It had a Curtiss D-12 engine, a non-protruding canopy, an exiguous cantilever wing of very thin airfoil and retractable landing gear.

This pre-war design (reportedly aimed to participate in the 1938 Thompson air race) had a series of tests with a bit of flying really involved when the war prevented further development. Sadly enough, it slowly degraded until reaching an unrecoverable state.

The model: a fuselage was made of wood and then vacuformed parts were created from it with the Mattel Psychedelic Machine; this allowed the wheel wells and the recess for the retracting landing to be created easily. The double-surfaced flying surfaces were made of styrene sheet. The radiator was fashioned with wood, brass mesh (thanks Keith) and styrene. Aeroclub prop and wheels were added and decals were of course home-made.

The photos describe the building process.

Skyways magazine (a very good publication, by the way) has an article on the Hosler design in the April 1997 issue. They sell back issues.

For what can be inferred from the not many photos available, there were a few changes during is life. The wing can be seen with and without stiffeners and with two distinct registration arrangements; an air scoop was at some point above the front fuselage, there are minor variations in the cockpit glazing (round corners and square corners of the canopy), radiator and so forth.

I was impressed by the graceful and racy lines and had to make a model to vindicate such outstanding design, hopefully helping to make it better known and preserving its gleaming beauty a bit more.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Aero]

Blind flying really meant what it said!

 

John

[invidia]

really interesting looking plane

[pheonix]

First thing I notice about many of these models is how small they are (and I am used to working in this scale). An excellent example of scratchbuilding - relatively simple but with some tricky parts for a challenge. Thanks for the background information - otherwise i would have had no idea about the original!

 

P

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

7 minutes ago, pheonix said:

First thing I notice about many of these models is how small they are (and I am used to working in this scale). An excellent example of scratchbuilding - relatively simple but with some tricky parts for a challenge. Thanks for the background information - otherwise i would have had no idea about the original!

 

P

They are tiny, P.

My eyes can barely handle them now.

See, you learn your tricks and gain experience and then can't apply your skills and knowledge because your sight goes south. Unfair, one may say.

Where is the complaints office?

[Baldy]

A lovely model of an incredible aircraft! Take a monster engine with as small a radiator as will (maybe) do the job - fashion a fuselage to carry it, a pilot and a tail foe some sort of stability and control - add some simple wings, just enough to get the thing off the ground and there - simple! How on earth the pilot could see is another matter - take off and in particular, landing must have been a leap of faith, especially as I get the distinct impression this thing only wanted to go in straight lines!

 

Beautiful modelling again Moa. Perhaps when you get a bit older and can't see these tiny creation so well you will have to jump up to 1/48 - or is that heresy?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

[fjaweijfopi4j48]

3 hours ago, Baldy said:

Perhaps when you get a bit older and can't see these tiny creation so well you will have to jump up to 1/48 - or is that heresy?

 

Knitting before dishonour!