AZmodels and Special Hobby DH Hornets mash up

[JamesP]

Like many I was excited by AZmodels release of the DH Hornet with the promise of an accurate and buildable model. I'd had the Special Hobby F1 kit in the stash since it's release and had heard complaints about it but not really looked at what they were. I'd also built the Magna F3 (Frog clone) many moons ago, so thought I'd get the PR2 boxing from AZmodels.

 

I was disappointed to learn that the PR2 never really went into service, and thought about using the markings from the SH kit. Then I decided I should build them together with AZ kit as an F1 with and the SH wheels up as the PR2. I then added the Aerocraft replacement engine and props into the mix. I ended up using the best bits of both kits to build the F1 as well as I could. In summary

 

AZmodels as F1 used:

• Aerocraft engines and props
• SH resin gun trough
• SH main legs with scratch built oleos and axels
• SH resin main wheels

Additional Details:

• Fuel dump pipes
• Hole for gun camera
• Tailplane tab actuators
• Landing light

 

Special Hobby PR2

• AZ engines and spinners
• Tail wheel from Matchbox Beaufighter

Additional Details:

• Corrected canopy shape
• Corrected wing dihedral
• Corrected cockpit opening (too small!)
• Camera ports
• Landing light
• Replaced incorrect AZ roundels and flash (really?) 

 

I followed @David A Collins excellent series of builds of the AZ kit. Personally I still think the AZ kit is a missed opportunity with some indifferent moulding (the legs are awful),many mistakes of the past repeated (panel-lines everywhere) and details missed (actuators).

 

AZmodels as the F1 in 'spurious' Chevron markings but looks cool as...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is the Special Hobby as the PR2

 

 

 

 

Here with my now yellowing Manga F3

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2021 by JamesP

[Homer]

Beautiful models, well done 👏. 

[Tbolt]

Very nice work. Those spinning prop discs look good.