Curtiss P-6D, conversion from 1/72 Monogram P-6E

[Old Man]

This is an idea I've been kicking around a while, and this seems a good opportunity to take a shot at it. The original P-6 resembled the eventual P-6E only in the way all Curtiss Hawk biplane fighters had major components in common. Everything from the original P-1 pursuit to the final Hawk III export fighter shared a common basic structure. A variety of engines, both vee and radial were employed. The basic girder structure of the fuselage did not change as it was variously fleshed out with stringers. Undercarriage arrangements varied, little variations in the tail assembly were rung. The wing structure remained the same (with the disastrous exception of the 'metallized' BF2C) throughout..

 

Here's a couple of pictures of the original P-6:

 

 

 

The P-6D was basically this machine, fitted with an early turbo-charger:

 

 

 

So, I'll be starting out with this:

 

 

I will need to scratch a fuselage, and details, but wings and tail will certainly be from the kit....

Edited September 27, 2022 by Old Man

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Welcome with a very interesting subject, looking forward to how this progresses. 

[Jinxman]

That looks like a very nice little project - looking forward to seeing it progress.

[Toryu]

Great idea - good luck!

[Old Man]

I've been able to get up to some benchtime this weekend.

 

I wanted to get something in one this one first. Usually I'll start with the hardest bit, since if you can't get that right everything else goes to the experience pot alone.  I haven't done one of these in a good while, though, so I'm beginning with the easier bits.

 

I'm using as a sort of scratch-sheet a sectioned profile of a Curtiss Hawk exported to the Dutch East indies (a reproduction of this was recently made). It was a P-6 fitted with the radiator arrangements of the earlier P-1, so from back of the engine it's right enough for whacking things into shape.

 

 

This segment extends to the front of the cockpit, with the 'step' corresponding to where the headrest is.

 

Sides cut to measure from 30thou/0.75mm sheet, bent to match bottom outlined on another piece of same. Excess trimmed down. Turtleback piece is a triangle of 2mm sheet, trimmed and sanded. Belly built up with layers of 30thou, stepped at each vertical section mark.

 

 

Belly shaped by sanding.

 

 

Turtle-back shaped by sanding.

 

 

 

The kit wings serve as a gauge. The sides of the fuselage have been extended to where the rear cabane struts sprout. It has been given a floor, and some shims. The 'notch in the wings is 13mm, the extended sides are 11mm apart, which allows for the fillets moulded to the kit fuselage.

 

After this fitting, I added belly to the extension. A front piece of proper curve went under the floor. The belly here is hollow, three bits of 30thou (the center one bent to a curve) skin it.

 

 

I'll get something in at the cockpit front, and start to construct the basic nose.

 

I've decided to trust the Squadron/Signal planes in their 'Army Hawks' number. They look like the photographs....

 

 

I won't dive straight into it yet, though, I want to pick up the threads of the Wildcat and Vichy Hawk project.

 

 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Good work so far looking forward to the next stage. 

[jean]

Hi Old Man,

 

Now, this is serious business you are getting into! Scratching ONLY a fuselage... No comment

But knowing your work ethics all will be just right.

 

Have fun!

 

JR

[Toryu]

Really nice scratch-work going on here. It will come out great!

[Old Man]

I meant to shift to the Navy Wildcat v. Vichy Hawk project, but I couldn't tear away from this short of getting the tricky bit under my belt.

 

So I've kept on to the nose. I've usually done things like by shaping thick laminates, but after so long a lapse I thought of trying something new (with much less dust), and have built a sort of framework, based on a profile piece in the center, that gets skinned section by section.

 

 

The center line is the thrust line, all others indicate where some 'shelf' or 'bulkhead' of the framework goes.

 

 

This is the upper decking skinned on the portside, still open to starboard. Two pieces of 0.75mm/30 thou sheet to each segment.

 

 

Here it is in profile, with full upper decking covered, and lower wing very roughly where it ought to go.

 

 

This is the upper portion of the nose skinned. At the very front is bits of doubled 2mm/80 thou sheet. That simply has to be sanded to shape. Below this is the radiator tunnel.

 

 

Here the front is shaped, and capped with a disc of 6mm. The portside segment left open is where the oil cooler ducting shows.

 

 

The sides of the tunnel are cut to match the profile, bent where things narrow and angle sharper up.

 

 

This is the two pieces taped together in profile. Width matched, but mating needed adjustment to get things like wing roots and cockpit and ducting in proper relation.

 

 

Here the pieces are mated. Radiator tunnel was trimmed at the rear, fuselage sides trimmed back a bit.

 

 

Here's the ducting on the port side. The front opening begins near the front of the shaped nose-pieces. The skinning was applied over the opening, not in it, there is a slight bulge in pictures.

 

With the basic shapes in hand, surface detail  is next, once I've sorted out the cockpit and upper decking behind the firewall.

 

This far into the project, I finally came on a decent looking drawing of a stock P-6A:

 

 

No idea its provenance, though someone may recognize the signature. The bit of slant before the cockpit shows in photographs.

 

 

This is an odd drawing long in circulation as a P-6, it has P-6D ducting (somewhat exaggerated) while being otherwise unexceptional. It being Curtiss, the wings and tail are fine....

 

[AdrianMF]

Nice work on the fuselage. It’s an odd looking airframe to my eyes but you have captured the shape well. 
 

Regards,

Adrian

[Toryu]

Real nice piece of scratch-building and a pleasure to see it grow!

[jean]

I maintain what I have already said: "Really impressive scratch".

This is way out of my league.

 

JR

[Old Man]

On 10/18/2022 at 11:07 PM, AdrianMF said:

Nice work on the fuselage. It’s an odd looking airframe to my eyes but you have captured the shape well. 
 

Regards,

Adrian

 

 

It is quite an odd looking duck. I got interested in the 'pre-E' types when I saw a picture of one sold to N.E.I. captioned as a P-6E, and whatever it was, clearly it was no 6E....

[Old Man]

5 hours ago, jean said:

I maintain what I have already said: "Really impressive scratch".

This is way out of my league.

 

JR

'Don't sell yourself short, Jean.

 

Most of this is pretty simple. For me scratch-building has always seemed more a question of nerve than skill. You've certainly got the skill.