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Sparrowhawk..?? More like Microhawk


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Nice!  Thanks Marklo, I'll see what I can find.

 

Here's where things stand as of the moment.  I had a bit of a win with the stencils and found I could print my own on blank decal film.  Painted decal was also used to depict some of the raised panels on the gullwing over the fuel tank and Co2 bottle etc.  A very light oil wash around these brings them out quite nicely.

 

I was just patting myself on the back for getting this far, when I discovered the gull section was too wide and the wings need an extra rib worth of yellow on each of them to make them correct.  :o

It's going to be a very tricky job, but hopefully I can find a way to do so without stuffing it all up...  :unsure:

 

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Phenomenal !!! :yahoo:These are my favorite Interwar fighter by anyone. You don't know how much happiness this brings me to see one of these. Particularly in this scale and scratch-built ?:worthy: I only wish i could find one in a larger scale to build. Id even consider a vacuum form kit at this point. 
 

Dennis

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Birds of a feather there I reckon  ;)

Actually, if you don't mind the big scales Williams Bros do a Sparrowhawk in 1/32 that is old, but still very buildable.  If you search for it on youtube there are a couple of in-box reviews that will probably have you reaching for your wallet in record time!

 

Howlindawg, the nav lights measure 0.4x0.8mm so they are pretty small.  I discovered today that Gunze do a clear red and clear green lacquer, so I think I'll be giving those a go.  I've also got some .5mm acrylic sheet as a starting point, so I'll try my luck there.

 

Oh, and I managed to repaint the missing portions of yellow today without getting a visit from Major Stuffup, so we're back on track.  :)

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Mike West/ Lone Star has a resin 1/48 Sparrowhawk.  I think he's on hiatus at the moment, while moving and allegedly getting married, but if so he'll reappear.  He's got a Facebook page and frequents Hyperscale.  He also has a resin cockpit for the Williams Brothers kit.

Edited by gingerbob
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  • 2 weeks later...

Test fitting the trapeze unit.

 

Some sterling silver wire was flattened so that it adopted a more streamlined shape and the bits were chopped up and positioned on a simple template. This is just a sample piece of Laminex that I liberated from a local hardware store (grab a handful next time you're there). You can scribe or scalpel your setout lines into it and use it to position all manner of things.  I tacked the pieces into position with superglue, then soldered them together. The Laminex doesn't burn or distort with the heat so everything stays in place. Afterwards I just gently lift the finished component off with a scalpel.

 

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The hook and skid are only glued onto the N-struts, so it needs to be handled with care. Some turpentine was brushed around the tape, and this released the completed assembly with ease. Then I balanced it on top of the Weehawk's fuselage to see how it looked...
 

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Well I've done my best on the flying trapeze insignia. However I have to admit, some things are just too bloody small.

 

I tried home-printing onto a piece of white decal and cutting out the circle, but the ink chipped away when I trimmed the film back. Eventually I decided to print on clear film and trim the insignia slightly wide, then place it over a disk of plain white to get the correct colour.   Bugger it. Near enough I say! I won't gloss coat over the top, so if something better comes along one day I should be able to lift it off with some tape and reapply...

 

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Yes, I know there should be a half-inch yellow border to the blue disk. But just this once I'm calling 1/144 scale modeller's privilege! :evil_laugh:

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Let's see half an inch is 12.27mm so seeing as 1mm of model is 144mm in real life the that's approximately .08 mm I just don't see what the problem is. Yes I do its absolutely minute, a human hair is thicker than that.

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My word that’s so small ( or have you made a giant jar of paint to go with that giant matchstick )

 

Of course now you have to build the airship to go with the beautiful  little Sparrowhawk....might be feasible in 1/144

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  • 2 weeks later...

Getting close now!  Made the windscreen from three pieces of clear acrylic (who knew? you can heat stretch strips of plastic the same way you can stretch sprue). That was a revelation for me...  :guitar:

 

The telescopic sight is made from black sprue so I wouldn't have to paint it.  Then the bracing wires were added from nickel wire.  These are in parallel pairs on the real aircraft, which was a perfect bugger to do in 1/144 I don't mind telling you.  Still two more to go as well if I can summon the courage.

 

Hopefully I can add the final touches over the weekend. 

 

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20 hours ago, Putty Animal said:

These are in parallel pairs on the real aircraft, which was a perfect bugger to do in 1/144 I don't mind telling you.

Gives me the shivers just thinking about it in 1/72 let alone your 'bonkers' scale.

 

Stuart

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