1/48 Curtiss Hawk 75
This is the old Hobbycraft kit with aftermarket upgrades and some details added by me. Aftermarket items are:
Resin 2detail engine and cowling
Legend cockpit set
Eduard Zoom set
Master gun set for P-40B
AML and Berna decals
Before assembly I added cockpit hood sliding rails and front fairings made from plastic strip and rod. The windscreen on Hawk 75's did not have outer front canopy frames but had interior framework. I sanded off the outer frames and polished the windscreen to bring it back to a clear state. The interior framework was made from rod and strip stock with wires from stretched sprue. The kit's canopy headrest is too small so I made one from 3M poster putty. The OPL31 gunsight came from the spares box and I added a mirrored disc to represent the reflector element. I then attached the reflector and tinted plates. The kit rudder was replaced with one from an old Medallion Models resin kit. It is more accurate and has the cutout for the rudder post which I added. The aerial mast supplied in the kit is too short and wide for the French Hawk so I used one from the spares box that was taller and I sanded it to a thinner profile. Apiece of brass tubing was used to represent the fuel dump pipe on the fuselage underside. The Master set supplied the ring and bead sight, wing guns and pitot tube. Brake pipes were done from lead wire.
AML decals were used for all marking except the roundels which came from a Berna sheet. Rudder stripes and wing walks were applied by paint. I used a combination of Hataka and Pollyscale water based paints for the finish. The model represents the Hawk 75 A-1 flown by Sgt. Chef Frantisek Chabera, 5+2 victories, 4 escdrilla GC II/5,Battle of France 1940
Excellent result from that kit, and great finish! I have several in the stash and would like to know more about the aftermarket engine/cowl set. How was the fit and finish, and how different from the kit parts?
Thanks for the kind words Colin.@tail-dragon The engine and cowling are pretty much a drop fit. to the kit. Removing the print runners from the cowling requires careful cutting as the cowl is very thin at the gill area where many of the runners are attached.
Nice work, Dale. I still like that kit alot.
Thanks John.
Wow, Dale, you certainly put a lot of extra work into that kit, and it really shows, fantastic result.
Thanks George, glad you like it.
Beautiful result on an old reliable Hawk-75. Great use of after market upgrades to get the result this classic plane deserves.
Thanks very much Bob.
Looks great! Those French schemes seem to be hard to pull off for some reason, but yours looks great. I like the details that you've added too, particularly the gun sights, the open cowl flaps, and the R2D engine. I've got their F-82 exhausts, and it's a quality product... and that engine just looks 1000x better than what the kit provides.
Thanks Andrew. I agree the R2D items are top quality.
Excellent result, Dale! All the extra work paid off!
Thanks so much Spiros!
This is a beautiful Hawk, Dale @dtravis
Very nice work with a lot of extras making it look even more realistic.
The chosen scheme is great and beautifully applied.
Thanks for the compliments John.
Nice work on this old chestn ut, @dtravis, and an excellent result.
You'll be happy to know the guys at Clear Prop told me their H-75A-3/P-36A-C will be coming out next spring.
Thanks Tom.@tcinla Thats good news on the Clearprop kits.
Well done, Dale (@dtravis). I still have a bunch of these old Hobbycraft kits floating around, and they still build into nice models with a little TLC. You have really brought out the best in this kit.
Thanks George. @gblair I agree these old kits still have some life in them.
Hi Dale!
I have not heard of "Resin 2detail". Are they still in business and how do you get hold of them?
Bruce
Yes Bruce Resin 2Detail is in business. You can find them
on EBAY.
very good paintwork!
Thanks Lis!
Looks great - well done!