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Curtis H-75A, Finnish Air Force ++Finished++


John

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Here'a a blast from the past:

 

H751

 

I last built one of these about 1970. I've no idea how accurate it is or what sub-type it best represents but I couldn't resist getting it. I want a wartime example so I got the SBS Model decal sheet to go with it.

 

Placeholder meantime.

 

John

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Hi John,

 

Now that is interesting. I too built this when it first came out in 1966 (ish). The story was that it was one of a batch from a French order, captured by the Germans unbuilt in crates and passed on the the Finns. However, as I recall mine had the blue swastika markings, not the roundels shown on your pic. Looking at Scalemates, the markings seem to have changed from swastika to roundel and back again several times over the years - no doubt for "political correctness" reasons, and depending on the market it was aimed at.

 

For many years it was the only plane in my collection with Finnish markings, and eventually I repainted it as French as in 1940. It was not a bad little kit though I seem to remember that as with many of that series of Revell kits it suffered from the removeable engine panel/cowling syndrome. Not knowing anything about Finnish colours I painted it in black/green/yellow and blue -but probably all the wrong shades.

 

Good luck with your build.

 

Pete

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Hello Pete,

My example definitely had roundels, and I'm fairly sure I had no idea what country they represented back then. Finnish markings were certainly much less common than they are now.

On a more general note, given the number of markings options there are for the P-36 and variants it's strange that Revell didn't make more of this mould. I don't think it was ever released in anything other than Finnish markings, at least not in the UK.

John 

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13 hours ago, John said:

On a more general note, given the number of markings options there are for the P-36 and variants it's strange that Revell didn't make more of this mould. I don't think it was ever released in anything other than Finnish markings, at least not in the UK.

John 

Hi John,

 

Yes, it was a strange choice - French would perhaps have been more obvious. I was going to refurb it as an RAF Mohawk from he French batch, but then decided it could join my Morane, Dewoitine, Bloch etc.

 

Pete

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I'm fairly sure my last one of these was moulded in green, but I always liked the pale blue grey Revell plastic:

 

H752

 

I'm glad I got the SBS Models sheet though:

 

H753

 

John

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welcome along again John with another classic model.

 

It's great to see this ein a GB, as they do bring back lots of memories for members.....though those decals seem to seen better days! Hopefully you can find (correct) replacements.

 

Good luck with her, I sure you'll have lots of interested follows.

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On 3/12/2020 at 8:46 PM, Col. said:

Those decals don't look to be in a good way :( 

Nope! Thankfully I have these:

 

H754

 

On 3/12/2020 at 9:53 PM, JOCKNEY said:

Good luck John

Is this a warm up for the Revell Classic GB that's planned ?

Cheers Pat

 

Interesting...

 

Anyway, in the meantime Nick Millman has suggested a light olive green for the insides of at least the ex-French H-75s. A look in the depths of the paint collection uncovered a couple of tins of a venerable CompuColor Southern Railway Light Olive:

 

H755

 

No idea if it's accurate but it looks nice.

 

John 

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It must be the best part of 50 years since I last worked on one of these kits, but it's a wee beauty:

 

H756

 

There's a fair bit of flash though:

 

H757

 

There are 2 fairings on the lower wing which I think are ammo tanks for a version not used by the Finnish forces? The mounting holes will need filled. I've removed the single guns on each wing and I'll drill out and fit two on each wing as we go along:

 

H758

 

John

 

 

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First chance to sit down and fettle some plastic. It's been a hectic week of preparing our kids for school closure and re-purposing the building as a centre for the care of vulnerable young people. Never thought I'd be a key worker, but there you are.

 

The airframe is coming along nicely. No filler, just a couple of shims of Microstrip in fine gaps:

 

H759

 

On the underside I've plugged the mounting holes for the ammo tanks with Microrod, which I'll trim flush later:

 

H7510

 

John

 

 

 

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56 minutes ago, Col. said:

Good work John. Both on re-purposing the school and on your model :) 

Thanks. I's shaping up to be a fraught couple of weeks.

 

In the meantime, looking at the photos above I realised that the trailing edge of the wing is off-centre. Some quick surgery later, it's straightened up:

 

H7511

 

I've had to do some making good of the joins but it's much better. 

 

Glad I spotted it.

 

John

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The SBS instructions suggest FS595 13538 for the theatre markings. That's Humbrol 188 in old money, and happily I had some old paint:

 

H7512

 

I got one coat on last night and a top coat on at lunchtime. Looks good, but it's gloss. That's not a hige problem:

 

H7513

 

I've also drilled out the location holes for the gun barrels in the leading edge.

 

Ah well, back to the risk assessments...😷

 

John

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Looking good John May have to dig out the bagged example from the stash . Same artwork same decals made in NZ by Lincoln for Revell . Will be watching your work closely 

Martin H

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On 3/23/2020 at 4:15 AM, John said:

happily I had some old paint:

As you would John. ;)  :D I'm enjoying watching this, I've never managed to find one of these at a decent price, with the newer ones from AZ, I'll look forward to doing a scheme like this from them. I might be scratching for the correct yellow though.  :)

Steve.

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Well, this has been one of the more surreal weeks in my working life, and that's a pretty high bar to clear! One good thing is that the yellow was good and dry by the time I got back to the model 🙂

 

I spent some time this morning masking off the tactical band on the fuselage with thin strips of Tamiya tape. The area was then recoated with Humbrol 188 so that any creep under the tape would be the same colour as the base coat:

 

H7514

 

The cowling's just sitting in place but overall the fit is excellent.

 

Hopefully I'll get the basics of the top coats on over the weekend, between the risk assessments 😷

 

John

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been able to get a bit of work done over the weekend:

 

H7515

 

The main camouflage colours are Humbrol 86 Light Olive and 67 Tank Grey with Revell 55 Light Blue undersides. The scheme needs a bit of tidying up but looks not too bad.

 

John

 

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