Airfix Hawker/Armstrong Whitworth Seahawk FGA.6

[klr]

I first built this back in 1983. Here is the original packaging, as I scanned it in many years later:

 

 

I have the early 1990s series 2 boxing in the stash, but I can't get to it just now. What I do have is the Starter Kit edition from about 2010:

 

 

 

Not shown, I also have an aftermarket set of decals for an "Operation Musketeer" aircraft ... and two suitably sized sets of Indian Navy roundels, both leftovers from built Sea Harrier kits (Italeri/ex-Esci, and Matchbox). However, going down either of these routes might open up a can of worms about stores, version specifics, etc. So the easy option would be to build either of the Starter Kit options, preferably the aircraft preserved at Yeovilton (... but not sadly flying at present).

[Ventora3300]

Ooohh, one of my favourites, klr! Great choice - I'll watch this one.This really was a 'build in an afternoon' kit, wheels up and flight round the room. The choice of tail had me in a quandry when a kid. I think though that there is a bit of work required around the jet intakes / pipes if you are of a mind. Good luck. All the best. Mike.

[klr]

1 minute ago, Ventora3300 said:

Ooohh, one of my favourites, klr! Great choice - I'll watch this one.This really was a 'build in an afternoon' kit, wheels up and flight round the room. The choice of tail had me in a quandry when a kid. I think though that there is a bit of work required around the jet intakes / pipes if you are of a mind. Good luck. All the best. Mike.

I don't doubt the intakes in particular are a problem, but Thunder & Lightnings (https://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/) should help me along.

 

I had originally planned to build this wheels up, and on a stand, but I've had a change of heart. The undercarriage is of course very crude, but on the plus side, the fact that the doors are (probably) very ill-fitting won't be an issue. I may need to thin them down, but that's easy.

[modelling minion]

Nice choice klr, very nice.

The Sea Hawk is a great looking aircraft and the FAA scheme looks really good on it.

Looking forward to this one!

[klr]

Time for an overdue progress report. I've been working on this on and off for a few days.

 

Firs up. Nose weight added, pilot's seat attached. Not much will be visible through the thick canopy, so no real point doing more here.

 

Just in case, I added some more weight behind the pilot's seat.

 

 

I decided to attach the upper inner wings at this point. This meant removing the upper/lower locating pins, but they were not quite aligned properly anyway, so no loss. I had identified these joins as critical, so better to do them now and make sure they are right, avoiding problems further on.

 

All the remaining parts, bar the wings. Note how thick the rudder is.

 

The fuselage join was relatively easy. But ...

 

 

... did I say "but"? The fin (and to a lesser extent the entire tail section) was severely warped, something I should have spotted earlier:

 

However, I had some leeway. I sanded down the fin until it looked a good deal better, if not perfect. This in turn meant the rudder had to be thinned down, but I was going to do this anyway, as it was so thick (see above).

 

Now ... about those intakes. I decided to add some rudimentary intake vanes. The real things curved towards the fuselage as they went back. I wasn't even going to attempt that. As far as I know, no existing kit represents this properly. I also added some rudimentary detail to represent the splitter plates, as this was also completely missing from the kit.

 

Painting this area was trickier, and took quite a bit of time.

 

Once that was finally done, I quickly did the rest of the wings, and then started to clean up all the joins. I should have that completed by tonight, along with some other tasks. The entire tail section still needs quite a but of work, but the rest of the airframe is in much better condition.

 

 

The remaining parts. The framing detail on the canopy/windscreen was quite poorly defined, and hand-painting that consumed some more time (and patience). The bombs and tanks have been assembled, and the fins of the tanks thinned right down. I will probably build the later 1950s subject, hence the stores. The decals are designed for an aircraft with the four pylons fitted. The big underwing serials have sections cut away, to reflect the fact that the pylons would have partly obscured them.

 

All going well, I should be able to start the main painting work tomorrow. However, I will first add some dorsal whip aerials, a pitot tube on the outer port wing leading edge, maybe a bumper ahead of the arrestor hook, and possibly one or two other details. Oh yes, and start painting the arrestor hook bands. For some reason, that is one task I've never really liked.

Edited May 16, 2020 by klr

[modelling minion]

That is quite an update klr, she is almost completely assembled!

I know there isn't much to this kit but you have done a great job of updating it, the intake vanes in particular are a very nice touch and the rudder looks to be much closer to scale thickness.

Very nice work!

[klr]

1 hour ago, modelling minion said:

That is quite an update klr, she is almost completely assembled!

I know there isn't much to this kit but you have done a great job of updating it, the intake vanes in particular are a very nice touch and the rudder looks to be much closer to scale thickness.

Very nice work!

Now that the rudder is attached, I've decided to thin it down ever further. I guess Airfix didn't care much about these things in 1957. Dry-fitting the remaining parts shows there are no other issues to deal with. My only issue is with Humbrol 130 satin white, which is yet again (for me anyway) proving to be difficult to work with: Very thin, requiring several coats.

 

In terms of modifications, I should also add the used cartridge case ejection chutes, which project from underneath each side of the fuselage. Their size and exact position is clearly indicated on my references. I'll probably use the bombs from the kitl, as the same references suggest they are not bad in terms of shape and size.

 

I'll resume work after my evening walk, which should take about 2 1/2 hours. I try to keep in shape ...

[modelling minion]

7 minutes ago, klr said:

I try to keep in shape ...

Same here, round IS a shape after all  .

[PeterB]

Hi Kir,

 

Nice kit. Interestingly the undersurface colour changed from Sky to white during the service life of the Seahawk - a book I have suggests this happened in around 1959/60 so well after "Musketeer". My original Airfix kit was I think shown in Sky but later releases have changed markings (806 Squadron instead of 804) and white undersurfaces. I still have one in my stash somewhere and I like your work on the intakes which I might copy. I was also thinking of adding jetpipes if I can find something suitable.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

Edited May 17, 2020 by PeterB

[Graham Boak]

I only remember the original kit in white, but then I did make the German one not the British.  As a Mk.6 I didn't think it would have been at Musketeer but consulting the books helps there!  A quick look says that very early ones were.  This is Air Britain's FAA Fixed-wing Aircraft since 1945.  The photos of FGA 6s all show white undersides but not before 1958-59.  

[klr]

2 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Kir,

 

Nice kit. Interestingly the undersurface colour changed from Sky to white during the service life of the Seahawk - a book I have suggests this happened in around 1959/60 so well after "Musketeer". My original Airfix kit was I think shown in Sky but later releases have changed markings (806 Squadron instead of 804) and white undersurfaces. I still have one in my stash somewhere and I like your work on the intakes which I might copy. I was also thinking of adding jetpipes if I can find something suitable.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

 

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

I only remember the original kit in white, but then I did make the German one not the British.  As a Mk.6 I didn't think it would have been at Musketeer but consulting the books helps there!  A quick look says that very early ones were.  This is Air Britain's FAA Fixed-wing Aircraft since 1945.  The photos of FGA 6s all show white undersides but not before 1958-59.  

Thanks guys. Both the starter kit and earlier Series 2 boxing are very specific about the RNAS Brawdy aircraft (WV 908) having white undersides in 1959-1960. As part of the RN Historic Flight, its undersides were Sky from 1977 to 1995 (according to Airfix), and white thereafter. The RN aircraft (XN 935) featured in the Series 1 kit that I originally built was depicted as having white undersides in 1958, which may or may not be correct.

 

I decided not to go down the Musketeer route, but I may do in the future when I build the Seahawk again, be it this kit (another in the stash), one of the newer kits (Special Hobby, Hobby Boss), or something that doesn't yet exist (Airfix, please re-tool). Painting the stripes wouldn't faze me, but wondering if I'd picked the right shade of yellow (or yellow-orange?) would.

 

I haven't gotten as much done today as I'd hoped. I somehow managed to lose one of the undercarriage doors on my wooden floor, so I had to scratch-build a replacement. But I'm making progress, and will post some more pictures tonight.

[Hewy]

Looking good kir, well done on the extra weight, for a moment i thought you had used an old thrupence behind the seat for the xtra ballast , (which  would have been a bit frivolous 😂) 

Edited May 17, 2020 by Hewy

[PeterB]

4 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

I only remember the original kit in white, but then I did make the German one not the British.  As a Mk.6 I didn't think it would have been at Musketeer but consulting the books helps there!  A quick look says that very early ones were.  This is Air Britain's FAA Fixed-wing Aircraft since 1945.  The photos of FGA 6s all show white undersides but not before 1958-59.  

 

Hi klr,

On reflection Graham is probably right - I don't remember buying any Sky paint until the Humbrol Authentic range arrived, which I believe was a few years after the kit, though I suppose I could have used Airfix paint. Whatever the case it is of little consequence unless you were doing the Suez one. By the way, sorry I got your name wrong last time - need new reading glasses!

 

Pete

Edited May 17, 2020 by PeterB

[Graham Boak]

This was perhaps the time when Airfix were consistent with their plastic colours.  I recall around the time this came out, or slightly earlier, some friends had kits in a particularly smooth shiny grey plastic - I was minging that I never got one,.  (If we'd inventing minging by then - the word, anyway.)   I had the original Spitfire in blue and in grey.  I might even have the bomb or tanks from the Seahawk to investigate... if it mattered.  I suspect someone on the Airfix tribute Forum will have this all down in fine detail.

[John]

4 hours ago, PeterB said:

Hi Kir,

 

Nice kit. Interestingly the undersurface colour changed from Sky to white during the service life of the Seahawk - a book I have suggests this happened in around 1959/60 so well after "Musketeer". My original Airfix kit was I think shown in Sky but later releases have changed markings (806 Squadron instead of 804) and white undersurfaces. I still have one in my stash somewhere and I like your work on the intakes which I might copy. I was also thinking of adding jetpipes if I can find something suitable.

 

Cheers

 

Pete

I think the original FROG kit might have been moulded in a greenish Sky shade.

 

John

 

Edited - A-ha!

 

https://images.app.goo.gl/YiA8JaJhXBv6CNb66

[klr]

Now ... where was I

16 hours ago, Hewy said:

Looking good kir, well done on the extra weight, for a moment i thought you had used an old thrupence behind the seat for the xtra ballast , (which  would have been a bit frivolous 😂) 

While I have a supply of old coins, mostly Irish coppers (pre-Euro), I prefer to use washers for something like that. Much easier to superglue and stack:

 

For the regular nose weights, I use nuts and bolts, held in place by filler.

 

As of this morning. Note port wing pitot tube added - already broken off twice. The spent case ejector chutes - easiest modification ever. The middle main undercarriage doors were too deep from front to back, meaning they would not fit into the undercarriage bays. I overdid the reduction of the starboard unit, and had to rebuild that. They are not yet attached, just dry-fitted to prove all is OK. Once they are partly painted, I will attach them this evening. The nose wheel doors were both thinned down considerably. The rear door segment is curved in the kit (see below), but this isn't really evident in real life photos. Whatever, I left it be.

 

The top of the cockpit is too "wide" for the canopy, so the inner section had to be painted, to avoid leaving an unsightly unpainted area once the canopy was in place.

 

The canopy fitted quite well, except for the gap at the back. The fairing behind it is also too high. I need to sand this down before I close the gap, making sure no crud gets in the cockpit. As with the Mirage IIIC kit I just completed, there is no framing at the base of the canopy.

 

Just because I could, I added a couple of link struts from the main nose strut to the rear door section. Some reference drawings show these attached further back on the rear door, but whatever.

 

I also added a tail bumper, and have started to paint the arrestor hook. I need to confirm what dorsal fittings were on the FGA.6, as my main reference drawing is of an FG4.4, and they are probably different in this respect.

Edited May 18, 2020 by klr

[modelling minion]

That really is coming together very nicely indeed. The extra little details you are adding and the refining of kit parts are really making a difference.

[AdrianMF]

Looking good! It is a crude kit but it seems to be scrubbing up well in your hands.

 

Regards,

Adrian

[Dansk]

Looking great, i love the scratched details.

I use a trick blatantly stolen from @Enzo Matrix for weights: Motorcycle wheel weights, they are really small and very heavy and cheap as chips.

[klr]

So there I was earlier today thinking I was making great progress, with the kit almost built, and just some cleaning up to do around the cockpit, undercarriage and arrestor hook:

 

In fact, I decided I'd paint the first coat on both upper and lower wings to speed things up:

 

Then, as I was doing some research on WV908, I realised to my horror that I'd attached the middle undercarriage doors too high. No wonder I had trouble fitting them. Nothing for it but to pull out each unit - luckily they came right out of their sockets - and then rebuild them:

 

So this will slow me down a bit, but hopefully not too much. I also realised that the underwing serials are mismatched. The paint + decal guide says 22 + 23 go under the starboard wing, and 24 + 25 under the port wing. It's actually the other way around. Either the guide or the decal sheet has the decal numbers transposed.

 

Then, just for some extra spice, my newly upgraded copy of Firefox crashed on me, requiring me to revert to a previous version and then back to the new version again. I ended up losing all my bookmarks, but was able to find where Firefox keeps its automated backups. I still need to work out what plugins I had installed. My browsing history is gone, including all the tabs I had open. Not a happy bunny at 1am.

Edited May 20, 2020 by klr

[modelling minion]

8 hours ago, klr said:

Not a happy bunny at 1am.

No I imagine not! Sounds like you have dealt with your technical issues far better than I would have done.

 

Your Sea Hawk is looking good and its great to see some paint  going on, looks like you have the undercarriage door mods well in hand.

[klr]

2 hours ago, modelling minion said:

No I imagine not! Sounds like you have dealt with your technical issues far better than I would have done.

 

Your Sea Hawk is looking good and its great to see some paint  going on, looks like you have the undercarriage door mods well in hand.

Well, I am a computer programmer. I've had to deal with much, much worse (... including solving problems of my own making, before anyone else realises something went wrong). Move right along, nothing to see here, everything is fine ...😏

 

Today is mostly about painting, and I should have some pictures by the evening.

[modelling minion]

1 hour ago, klr said:

Well, I am a computer programmer

Ah, no excuses then!

[klr]

9 hours ago, modelling minion said:

Ah, no excuses then!

Programmers only know a very finite number of things. The number of possible computer problems is, well infinite. You just learn to work things out a bit quicker.

 

Anyway, the wheels are back on. The front part of the aircraft is mostly painted:

 

... although the demarcation line on the underside of the wing needs to be cleaned up, and (since these photos were taken) this has now been mostly done.

 

The demarcation line on the forward fuselage, still some minor touching up required. I prefer to do demarcation lines manually, especially where surfaces are curved across one or even two planes, as is so often the case.

EDIT: What looks like a bump on the fuselage just behind the canopy fairing is actually the port wing-tip. Bad photo composition, but that's what happens with a camera in one hand and the subject in the other.

 

So tomorrow I should be able to apply most of the decals, attach the stores, and clean up various detail areas.

Edited May 20, 2020 by klr

[JosephLalor]

10 hours ago, klr said:

Well, I am a computer programmer. I've had to deal with much, much worse (... including solving problems of my own making, before anyone else realises something went wrong). Move right along, nothing to see here, everything is fine ...😏

I'm a tester, currently working unpaid for a startup.  I once hosed a complete column in a Live database table at a previous employer, due to incompletely highlighting an SQL UPDATE query in Toad, such that the WHERE clause wasn't executed.