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AML 1/72 Curtiss Hawk 75 A-4 Mohawk


Doccur

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Hello all!

 

As the Frog Squad Group Build draws to a close I need something else to pass the time. With one of the limited run AML P-36s in the stash I decided to give this a bash. Box contents as below: 

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I may need to acquire some decals as the ones here aren’t in the best of condition. I plan on doing an RAF version in the US equivalents of the Temperate Land Scheme. This is my first proper multimedia kit so it should be a good learning experience! Any advice or comments please don’t hesitate!

 

Cheers,

 

Ash

 

 

Edited by Doccur
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  • 2 weeks later...

As related on another thread on this groupbuild, about two years ago I built this kit in French Armee de la Air guise, and indeed the decals fell apart with enthusiasm.

 

It is a challenge but if I can finish it, you certainly can.

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On 9/18/2019 at 6:41 PM, Doccur said:

Any advice or comments please don’t hesitate!

 

Cheers,

 

Ash

 

 

Be interesting to see this go together and compare, Ash.  I'm doing an AZ Mohawk III.  

Just test fit, test fit, and then.... test fit again.  I use 'Gorilla' Gel Superglue, it gives you that momentary chance to manoeuvre a resin/etch part onto plastic into place.

As Peter says above, short run type of kits are a challenge, but satisfying if you get a reasonable result.

 

Davey.

 

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On 08/10/2019 at 00:55, Peter Lloyd said:

It is a challenge but if I can finish it, you certainly can.

Thankyou Peter! I have browsed your thread a couple of times for inspiration and help. 

 

@DaveyGair Thanks for this :) it will be interesting to compare how the both build up! 

 

Build update:

 

Made some progress on this. Built up the cockpit and joined the two fuselage halves. As advised chaps I testfitted lots and had to lots of scraping to get the cockpit to fit... shock. The vague or non existent build steps in the instructions don’t help 😂 Cockpit does build up beautifully for 1/72 though! Painted in a mixture of interior green, zinc chromate and aluminium. 

48872086057_9e5d7f222f_b.jpg 48872085952_20e96e2e1b_b.jpg 48872085942_40687e470f_b.jpg

 

Cheers 

 

Ash

 

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Good evening!

 

More progress made. Joined the wings and fuselage. No dramas apart from had to sand the fuselage down a tad for the wings to fit. Oh and there’s this hideous gap between the trailing edge and lower part of the fuselage that I filled. All Stuff I was aware about after reading Peter’s Build. Another useful tip in there was to thin down the interior wall of the cowling. This was so necessary and helped out a great deal. There is a horrid seam on the cowling which is going to need filling! It’s a shame to do this as the exterior detail on this kit of exquisite. 

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I was a bit miffed that the P and W engined variant gets a resin engine but the Cyclone provided in plastic is pretty nice. Painted it in Revell anthracite (I find this makes a lovely scale black), with a dark grey blue crankcase and then drybrushed aluminium. 

 

I have also dryfitted the cowling to the fuselage and can’t see as many major problems as Peter had. I can only think that the other cowling was a worse fit. Not that this one is perfect. Filling and sanding are still going to be the order of the day! 

48899703066_ba7fa01e0b_b.jpg 48899604523_30decaa250_b.jpg 48899709116_b251b27731_b.jpg

 

Cheers,

 

Ash

 

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Another update! 
 

Spent about 2 hours this evening simply trying to get the cowling on properly (spoke too soon in my last post 🤦🏻‍♂️). I feel like I could have got a better fit with more perseverance but I was about ready to throw the thing at the wall at this point. I did mention it was my first limited run kit right? 😂

48910115163_f23ed6a4e3_b.jpg 48910114108_afafb1916d_b.jpg 48910115558_ee21a6bc8c_b.jpg

 

48910115298_edba82ac7d_b.jpg

 

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At least it is starting to resemble a P-36 now! (The more keen eyed reader will notice a tube of revell filler lurking and standing ready for its imminent liberal use on those cowling gaps 😳)

 

Until next time... 

 

Ash

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On 17/10/2019 at 09:12, stevehnz said:

You seem to be coping with the "horror" very well. :)

Couldn’t think of a better word to describe it 😂

 

Onwards! Had a fair bit of filler applied and sanded it down and re-scribed the relevant areas. Put a smidge of primer on in the local area to see how the cowling has blended in. I must say I am pretty pleased after all the stress this caused me the other evening. 

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As on Pete’s build I also used some tissue and PVA in the wheel wells to represent the ‘bags’. 

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The decals arrived for this today too. The annoying this about these is the registration codes are printed as one with the tail band... can’t say I’ve had the best experiences with these but I shall as always, try my best. 
 

Cheers,

 

Ash

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Putty is our friend... agreed 😂 @Franz75

 

Had a bit of a nightmare with paint this weekend... primed with an old tin of thinned Humbrol enamel 1, brushed beautifully. Only problem was there was the standard gunk at the bottom that appears after the paint has settled in the tin. I could mix this in completely. Normally this isn’t an issue but this time the paint was still tacky after 48 hours 🤦🏻‍♂️ I got fed up and with a combo of white spirit, kitchen roll and 2500 grit I managed to get it all off with only minor damage to some of the exterior PE. Finally got a first coat of Colourcoats US equivalent sky type s on last night... only after spilling half of the freshly opened tin! Woe is me 😭. I anticipate I will need 4/5 coats of this without a primer as I thin this quite heavily for the hairy stick. 
 

Fingers crossed things start to go my way... 
 

Cheers
 

Ash 

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Started on the camo of dark earth and dark green:

48969779006_c03b1c5c0a_b.jpg

Using heavily thinned colourcoats enamels once again. Had issues fitting and masking the vacform canopy which as with the rest of the kit, required a s*#! ton of fettling. On the home stretch now! Very happy with how this one is turning out! 
 

Cheers

 

Ash

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Hello all,

 

The paint job is now finished! Despite my frustration of enamel drying time, I much prefer their superior finish! And here it is... before and after gloss coat (all hairystick painted of course):

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For some reason the undersides looks a lot more blue in the photo than in real life. 
 

The undercarriage on this was a pain but I got there in the end. Very glad this one is turning out ok, but I’m just slightly worried about how the canopy will look once unmasked now for some reason 🤷🏻‍♂️


On to decals!

 

Cheers

 

Ash

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Good evening all :) 

 

Well here we have it! All done! The LPS decals were a little naff. Despite the fact that they were a tenner for a relatively small sheet... painted with Colourcoats enamels. Weathered with a MIG brown wash, Aluminium paint and a 4b pencil. As often said about this kit, the challenge is getting the cowling to sit correctly, which was a pain. But if you have one of these in your stash, again, repeating the wisdom of others, just test fit again and again! 
 

Better photos will be taken soon for the gallery. Without further ado... hope you enjoy:

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As always, any pointers are appreciated :)

 

cheers,

 

Ash

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Thanks @CliffB! It was worth it but I won’t be building another anytime soon 😂

 

Well... I decided to take her out for a photographing session this morning and disaster has struck. She tried to take to the skies but the result was a dead stick landing with undercarriage failure 😭 luckily I managed to find the majority of the broken pieces! All I need to do then is some repair work and find a replacement gun barrel and tail wheel... woe is me 🤦🏻‍♂️
 

49017783828_d577d55486_b.jpg

Cheers

 

Ash

 

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Here was have it, successfully fixed.

49028173131_59f5794cb4_b.jpg 49027621898_2bd365a66b_b.jpg

 

49027621953_2d9ea9fca0_b.jpg

 

 

Having had it perfect (in my eyes) to break it and fix it not back to what it was has really annoyed me but even so. I’ve enjoyed the group build and building my first Limited Run kit, here’s to many more in the future 🍻 

 

Cheers

 

Ash

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  • 3 years later...

Hello @Doccur

An old thread I know but I too am about to embark on building this kit. I was looking for 5sqn related aircraft and this popped up. I have zero knowledge of limited run kits so this will be a challenge for me.

I will also follow the other build thread you quoted so hopefully not too much brain strain! It would be a shame if the decals are spoiled as that was half the reason for picking this particular kit but we will see.

Thanks for posting this build it is going to help a lot.

 

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