Special Hobby 1:72 Curtiss Hawk H-75
Discussion
So in a fit of enthusiasm I've started my 1:72 Special Hobby Curtiss Hawk H-75.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk
I figured that since the wife grudgingly allowed me to start the Spitfire, she wouldn't notice a second model being built simultaneously. This is on the basis that most women know nothing about model building and are absolutely hopeless at aircraft recognition. If this turns out not to be the case, this will be a very short thread.
Anyway, I've been after one since getting to have a poke around and sit in TFC's example at Duxford last year:
http://fighter-collection.com/cft/hawk-75-2/
Special Hobby are a Czech manufacturer of limited run kits. Couldn't find one at Telford, but at Huddersfield one appeared, so I snapped it up:
Being limited run (the moulds aren't as robust as in a mass produced kit) the parts require a bit more work than those of Tamiya or Hasegawa. For example, the tailplanes don't have any locating spigots, and there is more flash. Surface detail however (the thing that really matters IMO) is excellent.
As you can see from the photo, it's a multi-media kit, with injection moulded airframe, photo-etch fine details, resin cockpit/wheels etc. and a vac-form canopy. Some of the parts (cowling & wheels for example) have two options to suit different engines fitted to the various marks of the aircraft. Basically you get pretty much everything you need to build a nice model. Price for all this? Just £9 !
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-36_Hawk
I figured that since the wife grudgingly allowed me to start the Spitfire, she wouldn't notice a second model being built simultaneously. This is on the basis that most women know nothing about model building and are absolutely hopeless at aircraft recognition. If this turns out not to be the case, this will be a very short thread.
Anyway, I've been after one since getting to have a poke around and sit in TFC's example at Duxford last year:
http://fighter-collection.com/cft/hawk-75-2/
Special Hobby are a Czech manufacturer of limited run kits. Couldn't find one at Telford, but at Huddersfield one appeared, so I snapped it up:
Being limited run (the moulds aren't as robust as in a mass produced kit) the parts require a bit more work than those of Tamiya or Hasegawa. For example, the tailplanes don't have any locating spigots, and there is more flash. Surface detail however (the thing that really matters IMO) is excellent.
As you can see from the photo, it's a multi-media kit, with injection moulded airframe, photo-etch fine details, resin cockpit/wheels etc. and a vac-form canopy. Some of the parts (cowling & wheels for example) have two options to suit different engines fitted to the various marks of the aircraft. Basically you get pretty much everything you need to build a nice model. Price for all this? Just £9 !
Edited by dr_gn on Monday 13th May 21:23
Hmm
Women not knowing anything about airyplanes... RISKY RISKY
Do you remember a few weeks ago there was a stunning picture posted on the 'stunning pictures' thread in planes trains and boats?
Horrendously jagged lumps of Andes with a pair of grey Pucaras almost lost against the mountain face?
My missus walked into my hobby room and said.
"Lovely photo of those Pucaras, where was that taken?"
When I got my breath back I mentioned how gobsmacked I felt.
"You should realise that when we are exposed to aeroplanes we learn by osmosis"
She is a huge Vulcan fan too though and does seem to know more than I would have expected about aeroplanes.
So be very careful "she may hit you only wernce!" It might be enough.
As for the Hawk, looks a very nice model
hope you get away with it
( I got "have you been spraying again?" this evening after an airbrush session way up the blimmin garden)
b
Women not knowing anything about airyplanes... RISKY RISKY
Do you remember a few weeks ago there was a stunning picture posted on the 'stunning pictures' thread in planes trains and boats?
Horrendously jagged lumps of Andes with a pair of grey Pucaras almost lost against the mountain face?
My missus walked into my hobby room and said.
"Lovely photo of those Pucaras, where was that taken?"
When I got my breath back I mentioned how gobsmacked I felt.
"You should realise that when we are exposed to aeroplanes we learn by osmosis"
She is a huge Vulcan fan too though and does seem to know more than I would have expected about aeroplanes.
So be very careful "she may hit you only wernce!" It might be enough.
As for the Hawk, looks a very nice model
hope you get away with it
( I got "have you been spraying again?" this evening after an airbrush session way up the blimmin garden)
b
perdu said:
Hmm
Women not knowing anything about airyplanes... RISKY RISKY
Do you remember a few weeks ago there was a stunning picture posted on the 'stunning pictures' thread in planes trains and boats?
Horrendously jagged lumps of Andes with a pair of grey Pucaras almost lost against the mountain face?
My missus walked into my hobby room and said.
"Lovely photo of those Pucaras, where was that taken?"
When I got my breath back I mentioned how gobsmacked I felt.
"You should realise that when we are exposed to aeroplanes we learn by osmosis"
She is a huge Vulcan fan too though and does seem to know more than I would have expected about aeroplanes.
So be very careful "she may hit you only wernce!" It might be enough.
As for the Hawk, looks a very nice model
hope you get away with it
( I got "have you been spraying again?" this evening after an airbrush session way up the blimmin garden)
b
"most women" Women not knowing anything about airyplanes... RISKY RISKY
Do you remember a few weeks ago there was a stunning picture posted on the 'stunning pictures' thread in planes trains and boats?
Horrendously jagged lumps of Andes with a pair of grey Pucaras almost lost against the mountain face?
My missus walked into my hobby room and said.
"Lovely photo of those Pucaras, where was that taken?"
When I got my breath back I mentioned how gobsmacked I felt.
"You should realise that when we are exposed to aeroplanes we learn by osmosis"
She is a huge Vulcan fan too though and does seem to know more than I would have expected about aeroplanes.
So be very careful "she may hit you only wernce!" It might be enough.
As for the Hawk, looks a very nice model
hope you get away with it
( I got "have you been spraying again?" this evening after an airbrush session way up the blimmin garden)
b
72twink said:
We now have 2 reasons to follow this thread! It'll be interesting to see how this goes together, I'm currently dabbling in their Spit Vc, legacy of a winter sun break on Malta.
Ahh, another Special Hobby curious modeller?So after about 1/2 hour of cleaning up with a blade and sanding sticks, I've taped the main structure together. Of course there are no locating pins. I must say it is much, much better than I expected for a kit of this type:
You can see the totally plain tailplane stubs: I'm planning on through-drilling and putting some thin brass rod through there to locate in corresponding holes I'll drill in the tailplanes.
The one thing that I'm a bit apprehensive about is the vac formed rear canopy glazing, and how it will fit. I think I'll do that next just to get it out of the way.
Anyway...
Spent this evenings alloted time to cutting and shaping the vac-formed glazing (which is a b
h of a job). Still, it gives a more realistic effect than injection moulded plastic at this scale. Not sure about the windscreen profile - I think it should be less bulbous, but it might look ok when trimmed. There are two sets of all the glazed parts in the kit, just in case:
And I started to fettle the resin cockpit. Here are the parts with some of my own refernce pictures of the aircraft. That was a great day at Duxford!
Spent this evenings alloted time to cutting and shaping the vac-formed glazing (which is a b
h of a job). Still, it gives a more realistic effect than injection moulded plastic at this scale. Not sure about the windscreen profile - I think it should be less bulbous, but it might look ok when trimmed. There are two sets of all the glazed parts in the kit, just in case:And I started to fettle the resin cockpit. Here are the parts with some of my own refernce pictures of the aircraft. That was a great day at Duxford!
The engine is a bit of a blob. I like modelling engines, and since I can't find a resin replacement (didn't try too hard TBH, plus I like messing about with bits of wire) I thought I'd try to improve it:
First off, the reduction gearbox casing on the front of the engine was a bit lop sided. I drilled out the centre hole on the pillar drill to get everything square, then stopped with the drill still in. This way the plastic cooled around the drill and made it into a nice spigot for...mounting in my trusty ML7 for a bit of turning action:
This improved things a lot. Next up was to cut the moulded-in pushrod tubes off and make some new ones out of brass wire. Then I made a circular ignition wire conduit out of brass tube joined with some st.st. wire and cyano:
The pushrod tubes obviously need trimming and squaring off at the ends, and the ignition leads (lead wire) routing properly, but it will look OK:
I'll also add a pitch control unit to the top of the casing, and a few more wires.
First off, the reduction gearbox casing on the front of the engine was a bit lop sided. I drilled out the centre hole on the pillar drill to get everything square, then stopped with the drill still in. This way the plastic cooled around the drill and made it into a nice spigot for...mounting in my trusty ML7 for a bit of turning action:
This improved things a lot. Next up was to cut the moulded-in pushrod tubes off and make some new ones out of brass wire. Then I made a circular ignition wire conduit out of brass tube joined with some st.st. wire and cyano:
The pushrod tubes obviously need trimming and squaring off at the ends, and the ignition leads (lead wire) routing properly, but it will look OK:
I'll also add a pitch control unit to the top of the casing, and a few more wires.
I love the Hawk. I tried building the Monogram one a while ago and ruined it by cracking the canopy.
I've bought a replacement kit since and will have another go.
I fancy doing it in an all metal pre-war USAAC scheme. Although I don't think I'll be going to the detailing levels that the good Dr is.
I've bought a replacement kit since and will have another go.
I fancy doing it in an all metal pre-war USAAC scheme. Although I don't think I'll be going to the detailing levels that the good Dr is.
Eric Mc said:
I love the Hawk. I tried building the Monogram one a while ago and ruined it by cracking the canopy.
I've bought a replacement kit since and will have another go.
I fancy doing it in an all metal pre-war USAAC scheme. Although I don't think I'll be going to the detailing levels that the good Dr is.
I have the remains of the spare vac form canopy if you want it.I've bought a replacement kit since and will have another go.
I fancy doing it in an all metal pre-war USAAC scheme. Although I don't think I'll be going to the detailing levels that the good Dr is.
ETA I found the Monogram version at Telford, it's supposed to be the next best kit and there are some good detail sets available for it IIRC. The person wanted stupid money for it though, something like £20.
Edited by dr_gn on Thursday 16th May 09:00
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