ththtttu7 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 (edited) With the instrument panel shroud painted black and the canopy glued down, the aluminium doped colours have been applied. This was a can of Humbrol polished aluminium applied over a coat of grey primer. It's dried with a nice satin-matt sheen, and resembles the original aluminium dope painted over the wing and fuselage Irish linen covering well. Edited December 7, 2020 by David A Collins 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Crikey this is moving very quick now, great work David. Are they releasing the Navy versions? Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 7, 2020 Author Share Posted December 7, 2020 1 hour ago, bigbadbadge said: Crikey this is moving very quick now, great work David. Are they releasing the Navy versions? Chris Hi Chris, I haven't read anywhere that Navy versions are planned unfortunately. Having got this far with building the RAF F.3, you can see that it wouldn't take much to convert it to a Sea Hornet F.20 though. You'd need to add the attestor hook, a pair of hooks for the catapult, move the pitot tube inboard, on the exterior. Within the cockpit, the pilots ladder is relocated above the ammunition boxes, and a pilots head damper is added behind the seat armour. The rest can be managed with paint differences. Maybe I'll convert one in this thread after the F.4. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 7, 2020 Share Posted December 7, 2020 Thanks David, interesting thought, would be great to see you do the conversion, but only if you were going to anyway, don't do it on my account. How many did you get??? Thanks Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 8, 2020 Author Share Posted December 8, 2020 (edited) This is the finished F.3 fuselage. The four rockets and two b0mbs will be added when their paint is dry. I've painted this as WB881, 5R-E of 33 Squadron based at RAF Butterworth, Malaya in the summer of 1952. Photo credit to F/Lt Lumsden who flew this aircraft. F.3 ready for inspection here: That'll be it for a while from me, as I've run out of some key paint colours, and will have to re-stock to start the F.4. Edited December 15, 2020 by David A Collins 15 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 11, 2020 Author Share Posted December 11, 2020 (edited) Following a short interlude waiting for paint to arrive, here is the first stage of the Hornet F.4 build. So what's different between an F.4 and earlier marks? All were produced with the downward pointing camera, located in the underside door. This is the same position as the rearmost PR.2 camera. The cannon armament was retained from the F.3, as was the instrument panel shroud and gunsite. Unseen to the modeller though is the tropicalisation kit. To complete the set of four main RAF Hornet colour schemes, this one will be painted in the green/grey upper-side camouflage and PRU Blue underside. The C/O's machine had white spinners, and there were red and blue flight spinner colours too. Serial numbers for the 12 aircraft produced ranged from WF968-WF979. I've chosen WF978, Q from blue flight as the subject of this build. Photo credit to F/O Andy Whitsun. 80 Squadron were based at RAF Kai Tak, to provide air defence for Hong Kong. All Hornets were ferried there with the long range external tanks fitted. In the main, all of the Hornets were supplied in aluminium doped finish, so the tanks were painted accordingly. When the Hornets flew longer range sorties, the distances often necessitated fitting these tanks again. Later in their service use, you would sometimes see camouflaged aircraft fitted with aluminium coloured tanks, but always with empty rocket rails. Edited December 12, 2020 by David A Collins 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 The F3 looks wonderful and you have done a cracking job on it. Looking forward to the F4 the camouflaged aircraft with the aluminium coloured tanks would interesting to model. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 13, 2020 Author Share Posted December 13, 2020 (edited) 2 hours ago, bigbadbadge said: The F3 looks wonderful and you have done a cracking job on it. Looking forward to the F4 the camouflaged aircraft with the aluminium coloured tanks would interesting to model. Chris A typical example with the aluminium coloured tanks. Photo courtesy of F/O Andy Whitsun. Edited December 13, 2020 by David A Collins 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 14, 2020 Author Share Posted December 14, 2020 (edited) F.4 work in progress. The three main colours were masked and sprayed yesterday. Decals for 80 Squadron have been applied today. Details still to add: Port wing landing lamp. Camera port. Paint undercarriage bays. Pitot tube. Engine exhausts. Empty rocket rails. Fit wheels, nav lights and propeller assemblies. Edited December 15, 2020 by David A Collins 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 15, 2020 Author Share Posted December 15, 2020 (edited) I'm pleased to share with you the last of these RAF Hornets produced from the new 1/72 AZ Models kit. F.4 ready for inspection here: Edited December 15, 2020 by David A Collins 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 They look splendid and are not helping my resistance to the AZ kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadbadge Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Cracking job on all 4, they do look absolutely splendid. Chris 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Happiness is a table full of Hornets, eh? They look terrific David, hard to pick a favourite, best I have one of each. Steve. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulaero Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 On 03/12/2020 at 16:49, David A Collins said: You're right. In fact deHavilland studied versions of the Hornet and Mosquito with Griffon engine's and came to exactly the same conclusions. Sorry , I'll call the fun Police. Undoubtedly it may not of worked CoG balance and fulcrums and all that but I am talking about a model , just to see what a brute it would look like . Not a classic elegant DH design which they were well known for.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 13 minutes ago, Paulaero said: but I am talking about a model You're making me tempt myself with a 'jet age' pair of Pythons - contra props of course! Now, where are those old Frog Wyverns? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 18, 2020 Author Share Posted December 18, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Paulaero said: Sorry , I'll call the fun Police. Undoubtedly it may not of worked CoG balance and fulcrums and all that but I am talking about a model , just to see what a brute it would look like . Not a classic elegant DH design which they were well known for.... Just in the same way the Napier-Heston racer and the Gee Bee R1 were intended as agile sprint racing machines. A Griffon or Sabre modified what-if model Hornet racer would be cool to see. Edited December 18, 2020 by David A Collins 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 18, 2020 Share Posted December 18, 2020 David I've done a Sabre Fury conversion of the Airfix Sea Fury and I suspect the Hornet wings would have dropped off with the weight- they are BIG! Les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Hi David I'd like to build the AZ kit as Sea Hornet F20 TT193 in its civilian role as CF-GUO. Do you have any info on where its vertical camera port/ ports was/were located? les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 20, 2020 Author Share Posted December 20, 2020 5 hours ago, gunzo said: Hi David I'd like to build the AZ kit as Sea Hornet F20 TT193 in its civilian role as CF-GUO. Do you have any info on where its vertical camera port/ ports was/were located? les Hi Les, The vertical camera installation on Sea Hornet F20 TT193 in its civilian role as CF-GUO, must have been in the same/similar location to the forward PR2 position. I'm not aware of a photo showing it, but it is a logical location based in the following reasons: (1) Once the four cannon and ammunition boxes are removed there is a big vertical space under the rear of the canopy down to the underside of the belly doors. (2) Placing the camera here doesn't affect the fuel tank capacity located behind it. (3) No effect on centre of gravity. (4) Operator sitting above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 Thanks David That now makes sense of where I understand the camera operator was situated- presumably all pretty close to the CofG. I guess the armoured seat back was also removed for access (seems to be absent in photos)? Les 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k5054nz Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 On 12/8/2020 at 8:03 AM, David A Collins said: Having got this far with building the RAF F.3, you can see that it wouldn't take much to convert it to a Sea Hornet F.20 though... A thing I love about this forum is that just as I think to ask questions someone else does it! 8 hours ago, gunzo said: Hi David I'd like to build the AZ kit as Sea Hornet F20 TT193 in its civilian role as CF-GUO. Do you have any info on where its vertical camera port/ ports was/were located? les And again! Although I'm thinking TT193 in-service, or wait until she's restored and do it right... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 6 minutes ago, k5054nz said: Although I'm thinking TT193 in-service, or wait until she's restored and do it right... I may already be a tad too old for that option. Fingers crossed 'though! les 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manuel Posted December 20, 2020 Share Posted December 20, 2020 (edited) 42 minutes ago, gunzo said: I may already be a tad too old for that option. Fingers crossed 'though! les Not impossible but considering the leftover .... http://warbirdsnews.com/aircraft-restoration/de-havilland-sea-hornet-airworthy-restoration-project.html Edited December 20, 2020 by manuel correction of erros on text 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ththtttu7 Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 17 hours ago, gunzo said: Thanks David That now makes sense of where I understand the camera operator was situated- presumably all pretty close to the CofG. I guess the armoured seat back was also removed for access (seems to be absent in photos)? Les Hi Les, That's a good observation you've made on civilian photos depicting CF-GUO. The pilots armour plate is absent. It is likely that this was cut off level with the canopy rails, as the pilots seat attaches to it. Failing that, if it is removed completely then you would have to make new top attachments for the seat. Depending on how the camera operator got into the aircraft too, then with the armour removed this would give them access from the front. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gunzo Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 50 minutes ago, David A Collins said: Depending on how the camera operator got into the aircraft too, then with the armour removed this would give them access from the front. As things stand, I'm going along the lines of a new seat attachment bar and the photographer's 'hand hold' being one and the same. Slight digression; I'm awaiting copy of a Canadian Aviation Historical Society article which seems to quote camera operator John Duffin having seen leaking glycol from the 'port observation window' on its (to date) final flight. Les 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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