Jump to content

1/48 Hotspur glider


Recommended Posts

I don’t usually have more than one model on the go as I like everything tidy and compartmentalised, but this one is another build for a client who’s requested it by mid-December, so I need to get on with it while I’m waiting for the F-16 exhaust.


DAA1-AFEF-6587-405-F-AF58-075-A2-C48-E37

 

It’s an oddly proportioned aircraft, looking like it should be Wellington bomber sized but is actually smaller than a Tornado, despite apparently being a troop carrier! It can’t have been much fun being squeezed into one of these in full kit on your way to get shot at. Massive respect to those brave lads. 
 

Oh good, more resin. 😐 And vac-formed canopies.

 

378-D380-F-7-E34-4385-8-AFF-6-D41707-D22
 

Metal undercarriage and lots of portholes. Masking should be interesting.

 

CF071-DB7-7803-484-D-82-B0-E27-D0-D91384
 

I’ve been asked to build this scheme, so I’ll look at it as good experience for when I get around to making my Canberra TT.18 from the Alley Cat conversion pack.

 

403-BB369-AE0-C-4223-8926-A3-C2-B7-A0-FE

 

Has anyone built this kit, or have any tips for spraying those stripes!?

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Those side profiles make me think the poor thing desperately needs to... errmm... relieve internal pressure?  Might be perfectly accurate, but seems more bloated than my mental image of the beast.

 

This'll be fun to watch!

 

bob

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

From the few photos I’ve found of these it looks like the interior was a sort of yellow-ocher colour, a bit like Jaguar wheel wells. I’ll dry brush over the interior detail once the paint is dry.
 

D06-F811-F-7469-4152-8-B70-3-F140-B9369-

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A bit more progress on the glider, with the cockpit interior done, windows added (not looking forward to masking those!) and the fuselage halves now being forced together. It’s not the best fit but some liquid putty and plenty of sanding should sort it out.

 

334691-C4-07-C8-43-A8-8-CC0-016-BF7-B637
 

61-B1-DB46-A2-CB-48-AC-98-EC-5-B487-E5-A

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember making a 1/72 Hotspur after I had built a Horsa and Dak to tow it.  I seem to remember all three tail surfaces being very similar!  Never really sure, other than for training, how useful they would have been.  The Horsa and US Waco (Hadrian) gliders seemed far more useful

Edited by bar side
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve sanded down the fuselage after letting the putty dry overnight. Much smoother now. I used little blobs of blu-tack to cover the numerous portholes in the fuselage sides ready for spraying.

 

CE5523-A3-60-F9-4-C2-C-82-AE-4-B514-B6-A

 

The wings needed some filler at the roots too.

 

5-AD0-E94-A-3-BB1-4495-9302-F3103732-F45

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can anyone recommend the best way to spray resin without the paint forming globules over the surface? Even the white primer I just tested on an offcut did this, it didn’t take smoothly.

 

Is it just a case of hot soapy water first, or turps, or will I need a whole different range of paints to Tamiya and Humbrol acrylics? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After giving it a good wash with hot soapy water and testing the Humbrol brown on an offcut of resin, I decided it was safe to spray the airframe. I tested out spraying yellow over the dry brown on the offcut too and it took absolutely fine.

 

Taking advantage of a rare dry day in east Cheshire to do the spraying outside. I had to rig up this contraption as there are no jet pipes to poke the canes into.

 

EF8-D3-D7-B-DA1-A-4383-8209-E9-A71-C24-A
 

2-C07-A56-D-5467-4018-A107-7618-A18-C738
 

So there we go, Humbrol acrylic can actually be successfully sprayed directly onto resin …
 

47-FC516-F-FE86-46-E6-B886-0-E0409319-CD

  • Like 5
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quite a bit of progress this weekend, all of the airframe main colours sprayed on.

 

The yellow and black took ok, very relieved! Just needs a bit of touching up in a few areas now, but it could have gone worse. 

 

81-B0-DFB3-BCCD-470-A-82-C1-3428-D832388

  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh lord. I wish I'd seen this post sooner. God job on the glider so far!

Sorry this is a bit late but the markings in the box are a bit off. The stripes underneath should all be parallel. The centre fuselage ones are wrong. If you look at some photos of the Hotspur from the side it looks off because of the way the curve of the fuselage distorts the stripe on it's way around. Gliders follow the same standard underside scheme as as tugs. (I am towing a target, I am the target being towed :))

Also, I've had a long debate with Aeronut about this but from empirical evidence, the interior was painted aluminium at least up to the rear of the pilots compartment. This is based on photo evidence, the inside of the original at tail section the Museum of Army Flying and the fact that the RAF AP states that for wooden aircraft internal non-inclosed surfaces should be finished this way (its also the spec given for the Horsa glider).

The pilots section we can't confirm as we can't fine a clear picture and the last surviving example is an oddity. The seat pans, back rests, instrument panel back board, control columns and frames around the cockpit opening all appear to be cockpit green. The cross frames and internal framing of the cockpit canopy is aluminium. We haven't conclusively worked out what the cockpit sides and floors were...yet. Also the "L" on the nose should be yellow if you're following the kit scheme.3

Oh and the little "windows" in the doors are actually holes for putting your hand through to lock/unlock the door. They were filled with a press in rubber black rubber plug and not perspex.

Sorry again I didn't see this sooner when you've got so far into painting it. I'm genuinely curious to see how it turns out as I've got one on my shelf to build when I get the time!

 

Edited by OneEighthBit
  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks so much for that info @OneEighthBit, I think some of this is still salvageable.
 

Not sure with the stripes I’ll have to see how the yellow and black take, I’ve resprayed some areas of both already as the yellow is such a horrid colour to work with! I’ll definitely change areas of the cockpit though and paint the door ‘windows’ as handles.

 

Strangely, the seats didn’t come with back rests in the kit, I’ll make some from plastic card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it helps with the stripes - here's the official RAF diagram of how they should be painted. Note that they are centred on the port underside roundel: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lMzlUld4WOlFN3yZjpJjvsmMz5Eg-q8I/view?usp=sharing

The seat backs were just a small piece of ply I would guess about 4-5" x 12" fixed to the cross member with some framing. They weren't on early gliders around the vintage of the one you're making. If you want an idea it's item 3 in this diagram: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1n6gYC_B3YneFvC_FwdBCSw5g7srzqTi2/view?usp=sharing

 

The door plugs looked like this: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NMU-qwHpoSfLWcvn1BuryegvY1SxAPAM/view?usp=sharing

Edited by OneEighthBit
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Fantastic info @OneEighthBit, thanks! I’ve actually just resprayed the stripes under the fuselage, hopefully these are a bit closer to how they should be.

 

A5-D1526-D-0-ECF-46-D2-8-DA1-C23-FA71-AB

 

Just a bit more touching up needed and then I can start on improving the cockpit. 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

More progress and this glider finally feels like it’s coming together now. Fuselage skids on, and cockpit done including the decals. I repainted the cockpit frames silver.

 

ACCB15-B3-8725-489-E-83-D7-D4-B6-C3-C6-D

 

F8-F49937-DD33-4-B93-8770-CA4897932067.j

9-B8-B363-C-3-C76-45-AB-A8-CE-2391197-BA

 

 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm watching this build having just acquired one myself.

Its going to be difficult to 'rivet count' on an aircraft that didn't have more than a hand full of rivets in it but I have more than a passing interest having helped conserve the surviving original rear fuselage now incorporated in the recreated Hotspur at Middle Wallop; hence my discussion with OneEigthBit about the interior colour.

I'm sorely tempted to add to the interior detail and pose my model with the canopy open.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Aeronut said:

I'm watching this build having just acquired one myself.

Its going to be difficult to 'rivet count' on an aircraft that didn't have more than a hand full of rivets in it but I have more than a passing interest having helped conserve the surviving original rear fuselage now incorporated in the recreated Hotspur at Middle Wallop; hence my discussion with OneEigthBit about the interior colour.

I'm sorely tempted to add to the interior detail and pose my model with the canopy open.

Same. I've got a specific glider I want to recreate that's going to take a lot of modification of the base kit. Nice to see some of these kits starting to be built though!

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...