erniewise Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Hello Folks Ever since reading the Pierre Clostermann’s Big Show as a teenager I’ve had a thing about the Hawker Tempest Mk V. I think it is something about it’s elegant menace - think Lauren Bacall in a ball gown accessorized with bovver boots and a knuckleduster - that does it for me. This is the venerable Heller kit nearly ten years in the making as I gradually pick up model making again. I’ve used some Scale Resin aftermarket to replace the kit wheels (one of which was lost to the carpet monster) as well as the kit’s rudimentary exhaust stubs. I’ve also scratch built the gunsight, radiator cooling flap and the distinctive air intake dust filter as well. All paints are Vallejo Model Air. Decals are from the Almark C12 sheet celebrating Sgt. Mac Kennaugh. From this sheet the kit is finished as NV980 (US H) of 56 sqn. According to Chris Thomas’s Tempest Illustrated History for Eduard* this was delivered to 56 sqn in March 1945, damaged in action, repaired, returned to unit (as US J) and then lost due to enemy flak by 24 April. Barely a month and a half in theatre; a pervading theme of attrition also running through the later chapters of the Big Show. From the Chris’s book I have used the picture of it with US X (presumably soon after delivery) as a reference, I have kept the weathering light accordingly. * Yes. I do have the Eduard Royal Boxing for the Tempest Mk V. Given that it has taken 10 years for me to complete this small kit do not expect to see this showing up as a RFI any time soon! 35 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echen Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 The Big Show is a book and a half, read it several times. Your rendition of the Tempest certainly does it justice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Mc Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 That is lovely. The Heller kit is quite nice (and it did appear in Airfix boxes too). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murewa Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Awesome Tempest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Really very nice work! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erniewise Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, echen said: The Big Show is a book and a half, read it several times. Your rendition of the Tempest certainly does it justice. I certainly is. My first copy was found in a second hand bookshop in Fuengerola visiting a cousin. I read it in a day! I got the reprint by Cassell recently as it has been updated and has photos. I you havent read it yet, Lonely Warrior by Victor Houart, is as good a read but from a Belgian perspective. 1 hour ago, Eric Mc said: That is lovely. The Heller kit is quite nice (and it did appear in Airfix boxes too). Thank you. Heller kits of that period, with the Francise Bergese illustrations on the box, have a certain "je ne sais quoi" that set them apart for me. I have their Arado 196 and Dragon Rapide from that period in my stash to testify to that. 1 hour ago, Murewa said: Awesome Tempest! The aeroplane is, not so sure the model is! But thank you anyway. There are a lot of things that I will hopefully improve on when I eventually, in the fullness of time, further down the road, get to my Eduard Boxing. In the meantime I sponge up knowledge from the Britmodeller hive mind! Edited October 29, 2020 by erniewise punctuation added Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Excellent build and finish on the very old kit ! Wulfman 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the MDman Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Excellent job on that old Heller kit! Pierre Clostermann’s Big Show is the reason why I have a Tempest on the shelf too. What a marvellous book that is! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swralph Posted October 30, 2020 Share Posted October 30, 2020 Nice one Ernie. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GREG DESTEC Posted October 31, 2020 Share Posted October 31, 2020 Excellent modelling, at first glance I thought it was a larger scale. Very well done 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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