Flying Tiger

[Deanflyer]

Hi all,

 

When I was eight, my Dad came home from work with an Airfix Kittyhawk in a blister pack, which we built together that evening. It was bare plastic, decals stuck on any old how, but it was fun. It started me on the model making hobby, and ten years later I built the same kit, but this time painted to the best of my ability at the time just to see how much I'd improved. I still have both of those builds, and the second one is nowhere near as good as I thought it was at the time! 34 years later I decided to try again, in 1/48th scale this time, and here's the result. I did make one absolute howler during construction, which was only discovered when it was too late to do anything about it...I'll keep quiet about it unless anybody spots it.

 

Azure Blue and Mid Stone paints were mixed from Tamiya acrylics, and weathering was achieved with a mixture of washes, pastels, post shading and actual chipping. The roundels and markings were toned down by masking around them and fading them with heavily thinned Deck Tan. It's quite heavily weathered in real life, but it doesn't show up too well in photos.

 

So, here's Neville Duke's Kittyhawk sitting in the African sun after seeing quite a bit of action:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Evolution...aged eight, eighteen and fifty two:

 

Hope you like it,

Dean

[TonyW]

Love the progression shot, a very nice show to be able to put on.

 

As far as mistakes go, hmmm... possibly one or two PSI out on the tyres?

Edited June 21, 2019 by TonyW

[malpaso]

Very nice model.

 

I claim the prize for spotting the “absolute howler “ - It’s a Tomahawk you’ve built this time, rather than a Kittyhawk!

 

I’ll get me coat!

 

 

[Deanflyer]

13 minutes ago, TonyW said:

Love the progression shot, a very nice show to be able to put on.

 

As far as mistakes go, hmmm... possibly one or two PSI out on the tyres?

Nope...I did have a set of resin bulged tyres actually, but they had spokes instead of the wheel hub covers, so I used the kit ones.

8 minutes ago, malpaso said:

Very nice model.

 

I claim the prize for spotting the “absolute howler “ - It’s a Tomahawk you’ve built this time, rather than a Kittyhawk!

 

I’ll get me coat!

 

 

Nah - it's not a Flying Tiger, either! That's just what my Dad called it when I was eight and it's stuck with me. It's the same squadron, same markings, same teeth, and only one letter difference on the aircraft codes, so it's close enough for me. 🙂 

 

Being ingenious, I've arranged the build so that the howler is less obvious. It just irks me as I know what a mistake I made...

 

Cheers,

Dean

[Mark Joyce]

You know Dean, admitting your mistake is just asking for trouble!  Now everyone is going to scrutinize your build with a microscope.  Anyway, I believe I caught it; only because I am working on Neville Duke's Tomahawk currently.

 

Regardless, it is a very nicely done build.  The weathering looks fine.  I know what you mean about it not showing up as well in photographs since that happens to me too.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

[Andy Dyck]

That´s really great show. Love your photography very much. Very realistic!!! Indeed much better than model on the kitchen table.

cheers 

Andy 

[Deanflyer]

1 hour ago, Mark Joyce said:

You know Dean, admitting your mistake is just asking for trouble!  Now everyone is going to scrutinize your build with a microscope.  Anyway, I believe I caught it; only because I am working on Neville Duke's Tomahawk currently.

 

Regardless, it is a very nicely done build.  The weathering looks fine.  I know what you mean about it not showing up as well in photographs since that happens to me too.

 

Cheers,

 

Mark

 

 

 

 

I realised that as soon as I posted it!

 

Actually, I've just looked at the instructions and the box lid, and I don't think I HAVE made the mistake I thought I had... 🙂

 

The rear glazing has a frame running vertically through it, and I thought that this should match the line of the centre frame on the canopy - the ones on mine match the rear frame, ie slanted rearwards and I THOUGHT that I'd transposed the left and right parts in error. I posed the canopy only slid far enough back to disguise this, but it turns out that's how the instructions show them. Photos online seem to show it both ways in different variants, so if it IS wrong, it's the kit's fault not mine! Phew, confidence restored... 🙂

 

Dean

[Deanflyer]

39 minutes ago, Andy Dyck said:

That´s really great show. Love your photography very much. Very realistic!!! Indeed much better than model on the kitchen table.

cheers 

Andy 

Thanks Andy...my model was actually photographed on top of my wheelie bin!

 

Dean

[Andy Dyck]

😂😂

Ok but nevertheless. It looks amazing.

[russ c]

Very nice Desert Shark, looks great

[Randy Lutz]

Nicely done.  The major mistake that I see are the wing guns.  They are installed backwards.  Meaning the small portion of the barrel is supposed to go into the wing.

 

Cheers

Randy

[Deanflyer]

4 hours ago, Randy Lutz said:

Nicely done.  The major mistake that I see are the wing guns.  They are installed backwards.  Meaning the small portion of the barrel is supposed to go into the wing.

 

Cheers

Randy

😵 That'll teach me to put the finishing touches onto a model at half past midnight when I'm dog tired! Mistake now rectified, by the way...other wise Neville might have shot himself down!

 

Cheers.

 

Dean