Jump to content

PK-27 Hawker Siddeley Hawk - Even further down the rabbit hole!


Recommended Posts

Okay...   looks like I've been dragged into the Matchbox rabbit hole.  :lol:   This is my fourth entry in this GB, with another four planned.

 

This is the Hawker Siddeley Hawk.   I shows just how old this kit is, simply by the use of "Hawker Siddeley".   The kit was released just as the aircraft itself was coming into service.  In fact, it was so early that both marking options were for prototype aircraft.

 

spacer.png

 

No big story behind this one.  I built the kit as a callow youth and chose the boxtop option. So I'll do the same again.  

 

I have plenty of aftermarket decals if they are needed.  However, my experience in my Jaguar and A-7D builds is that although the fifty year old decals sheets look a bit worse for wear, they behave very well indeed.  I've probably jinxed it now...  :lol:

 

Needless to say, this will be another nostalgia build.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Like 17
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Leading by example in this one, Sir.

 

I'm surprised we haven't seen more examples of this one in the GB yet due to so many of us building it previously.  No doubt once you get going, it will encourage lots of others to build theirs.

Good luck with this one.

Cheers Pat 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

8 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

In fact, it was so early that both marking options were for prototype aircraft.

 

That seems to be true for quite few kits released in the 70s!  A nice scheme for the Hawk though :thumbsup2:.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The box contents might be a bit basic for a good quality Hawk, however I dare say Roy Huxley did kick some serious goals with that box art - A prototype Hawk flying over the 1974 Farnborough Airshow static display in the glow of a yellow sunset.... very nice! 

Thanks for adding yet another kit to your already large contribution Enzo and from what you're saying you are only just half way there! 

Cheers, welcome aboard and best of luck.. Dave 

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a very simple kit, even for the time.  However, the cockpit has a tub, which was not common for Matchbox kits.  There are no wing fences but I'm not sure whether the aircraft actually carried wing fences for its initial flights.   I know that wing fences were fitted eventually but they were much further inboard than we are used to seeing today.

 

spacer.png

 

spacer.png

 

The transparencies even include the inter-cockpit windscreen.

 

spacer.png

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

There are no wing fences but I'm not sure whether the aircraft actually carried wing fences for its initial flights.

I believe the Matchbox Hawk is based on the mockup, not on the actual flying prototype.

 

Excellent choice!

 

Cheers,

 

Andre

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Hook said:

I believe the Matchbox Hawk is based on the mockup, not on the actual flying prototype.

 

That would not surprise me.  There are two strakes on either side of the airbrake that are missing as well.

 

However, I have found out that Matchbox retooled this kit (keeping the same PK number) to include the wing fences.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Let's get started.  Hold on tight, rider!  :D 

 

The first thing was to build the cockpit.  It's a nostalgia build, so no extra detailing involved.

 

spacer.png

 

The fuselage goes together quickly.  I added my usual overabundance of ballast.  The intake parts were sprayed white on their interior surfaces.

 

spacer.png

 

Seat s and crew fitted, together with the intercockpit windshield.  The edge has been carefully painted white. 

 

spacer.png

 

The one piece canopy was then fitted and masked off.

 

spacer.png

 

  • Like 13
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice progress Enzo and I didn’t know this kit came with the inner canopy glass as well, thats quite novel. One does get a little disappointed when you loose that shiny coloured plastic after filling and sanding, but these kits are were we honed our skills and I often laugh when new modellers snigger at the small gaps that can sometimes appear on new tool kits… Ha!! get yourselves one of these babies and then lets hear the complaints! 

Cheers.. Dave 

  • Haha 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The wings are simple assemblies - an upper and lowersurface part for each wing.   As this is the initial release, there are no wing fences.  The later Red Arrows boxing was retooled to have wing fences.

 

spacer.png

 

Main assembly complete.

 

spacer.png

 

And primed with my usual grey car primer from a rattle can.

 

spacer.png

 

The fuselage upper decking was then sprayed with white car primer from a rattle can.  I find that this is the best way to paint large areas of white, provided that one sprays a number of thin coats.  Spray it heavily and it will run!

 

spacer.png

 

Upper decking masked off with Tamiya tape and masking tape.   Once I took the photo, I realised that the line to the nose is slightly too low, so I'll need to remask it.  Not really a difficult job...

 

spacer.png

  • Like 8
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/21/2022 at 12:11 AM, Enzo Matrix said:

The kit was released just as the aircraft itself was coming into service.  In fact, it was so early that both marking options were for prototype aircraft.

Matchbox Hawk was in fact very good shapewise. It had also correct air intake shape on the fuselage sides. A feature that Airfix failed. Both of them had problems with the main wheel well doors. Matchbox one had a corner cut from the front edge-hinge line area. It should be a straight angle.

 

Also first Hawks were built using the production jigs so technically they were not prototypes in the traditional sence but pre-production development aircraft. This is just trivia... ;)

 

Cheers,

 

AaCee

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, AaCee26 said:

Also first Hawks were built using the production jigs so technically they were not prototypes in the traditional sence but pre-production development aircraft. This is just trivia... ;)

 

Not trivia at all! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very nice, Enzo, and no faffing around. This will look good in the scheme. 

I remember doing a Revell Hawk - it was in fact a test piece I did for the big 1.32 Red Arrows kit I was doing. I'm wondering if it was was this original Matchbox tooling and with the extras, or if they did a new one. 

I can tell you that it has the 2 stakes under the tail, and they were aerofoil shaped instead of being flat plates, and I was too late finding this out. (same mistake made on the big one!!) 

And a separate airbrake piece to fit open if required. 

I expect Scalemates has the answer to my question...... 

Carry on there, looking good 👍

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Enzo the Magnificent changed the title to PK-27 Hawker Siddeley Hawk - Even further down the rabbit hole!

I sprayed the wings with Xtracrylix XA1015 Light Aircraft Grey and masked off the relevant areas.  I then used red car primer from a rattle can to provide an undercoat and Sprayed Xyracrylix XA1217 RLM23 over the top.  Xtracrylix provide XA1014 Red Arrows Red but I have always found that to be too light for the trainer scheme.

 

Masking removed.   It's not too bad.  The red demarcation on the side of the nose is a bit dodgy.  Rather than potentially mess things up with remasking and respraying, I'm hoping that a white decal stripe will solve the problem.

 

spacer.png

 

But wait!  What's that lurking in the background?!?!?  :hmmm:

 

 

  • Like 7
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's this!

 

spacer.png

 

When Matchbox kits were originally issued, I always wondered what it would be like to build two of each in the two schemes supplied.  Well, now I'm going to find out.  :thumbsup:

 

I couldn't find an original boxing so went for this one instead.  This is the 1982 release which was retooled to incorporate the wing fences and strakes under the rear fuselage.

 

Compare this one with the original kit above.  The strakes are just above the fuselage hump.  Ignore the fact that the cockpit tub is missing.  That fell off in the box!

 

spacer.png

 

You can see that the wing fences have been added,

 

spacer.png

 

I won't be using either of the kit schemes.  I will be building this is the second option from the original kit.  I will ignore the strakes and remove the wing fences.

 

 

 

 

  • Like 10
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yet again excellent progress Enzo and the 1st boxing is looking beautiful in that original red / white / LAG scheme. All glossed up, it will look a treat. 

And yet another kit unearthed from the deep stash, glad to see you will be around these pages for a good time longer. 

Cheers.. Dave  

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

A minor update to the trainer Hawk.  I sprayed the anti-glare panel. 

 

spacer.png

 

And the camouflaged counterpart has caught up quickly.

 

spacer.png

 

The camouflaged version has the gun pod installed.

 

spacer.png

 

And is now primed ready for painting

 

spacer.png

 

  • Like 12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve recently been looking for images of XX154 in her very early days and she seems to have had wing fences well inboard, around the point where the leading edge sweep changes.  I haven’t yet found out when ‘154 got her outboard fences and vortex generators though.

 

With regard to the strokes on the lower rear fuselage these started out as quite vestigial but were increased in size as a result of flight test experience, again I’ve not found a date, or dates, when the changes were incorporated.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The camouflaged aircraft was the sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1004 Dark Sea Grey followed by a couple of coats of lacqer.  Next step was to mask the camouflage with my usual technique of Blutak worms, masking tape squares and Copydex to seal everything.

 

spacer.png

 

The camouflage was the sprayed with Xtracrylix XA1001 Dark Green.  Just visible on the underside of the forward fuselage is where I masked off and sprayed the undersurfaces with Xtracrylix XA1015 Light Aircraft Grey.

 

spacer.png

 

A few coats of laquer on both models and then it was time for the decals. 

 

Sadly, the decals from the original kit's sheet were not nearly as well preserved as those in my Jaguar and A-7 build in this GB.  In addition, the roundels for the trainer version has some very strange proportions.  So, I improvised.  The trainer roundels came from an Xtradecal sheet.  Most of the camouflaged aircraft markings came from an unused Airfix Hawk sheet.  The Matchbox sheet from the later kit provided some usable stencils as well.

 

spacer.png

 

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, George Norman said:

Good God they are very nice, Just out of a 1970's RAF yearbook! the Red scheme is just soooooo lovely. You are making this modelling lark look easy!

 

 

I never post my cockups on the site!  :lol:  

  • Haha 3
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...