The Old Hawk Lysander
I was excited to hear that Airfix was coming out with a new-tool Lysander this year I have always liked the look of this aircraft going back to my youth when my mom, for Christmas, 1973, gave me the Aircraft in Profile volume that contained the Lysander. In that same time frame I made the Hawk kit. Since then the kit has been released by Testors, and Lindbergh via Round2, and probably others I'm unaware of. Inspired by Airfix's announcement, I decided to take another crack at the Hawk kit and found a very inexpensive kit online.
This time I added some framing in the cockpit, seatbelts, a more detailed instrument panel, and the landing lights on the wheel spats. Since the decals were unusable, I picked up some Aeromaster decals, which cost me more than the kit, (how often that happens!) but figuring I'd use the extra markings on the Airfix kit, it was worth the expense.
All in all, a very enjoyable experience. It has me very much looking forward to doing the Airfix kit, which looks lightyears ahead from all the reviews that I've seen.
Very cool. I need one
Thank you George. And, yes you do!
Very nice result!
Thanks Chris!
Well-done Scott. Build & finish look great.
Thank you Bob!
Very nice work here. That canopy is flawless.
Well, Brian, I don’t know about flawless, but I’ll take the compliment. Fortunately the framing is well delineated. Thank you!
Excellent work. One of many good things about that Hawk kit is that it’s a Perseus powered Mk.II. Airfix is doing a Mk.I/III with the Bristol Mercury.
Thank you John! It is a Mk. II. Fortunately, the Aeromaster decal set came with several Mk. III options, one of which I will likely use on the Airfix kit.
Excellent result from the elderly Hawk kit, Scott!
Thank you Spiros! This particular boxing was from the 60’s and while it’s elderly, it’s still not as old as I am.
A beautiful result, Scott @guitarhack5
I always thought the Lysander was a small aircraft, but after seeing it in real I was impressied by its dimensions.
Thank you John! It is a big aircraft. I got to see a real one hanging in the National Air and Space Museum a couple years ago.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
G’day Scott (@guitarhack5),
I much prefer the elegance of the Fi 156 Storch.
To me, this is an aircraft that only its mother could love.
That said, I’ll be looking out for the Airfix kit because it is still a funky looking aircraft.
I don’t know the Hawk kit, but you have certainly made the most of it.
And in Free French colours!
Very much liked!
Thank you Michael! I like to think of it as ‘Ugly Cool’ like an F4 Phantom. As John Healy noted above, the Hawk kit is a Mk II, so if you want a full collection of Lysanders…
Very nice, Scott.
Thank you Gary!
Wow, what a great build. Very interesting scheme!
Thanks Felix. I have always liked the British desert camo scheme. Adding the Free French markings made it a bit more unusual.
I love the old Hawk kits and great job on your Lysander. This paint scheme looks nice on your build.
Thanks Bob! I cut my modeling teeth on those old Hawk kits. I could always talk Mom into buying me one or two at Gemco when I was oh so much younger. I think she liked that it kept me busy for awhile,
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Scott, yours is a beautiful build, all the more so for its unusual camouflage and markings. This old kit still makes a marvelous canvas. Even with all that 'glass' it's hard to see the improvements you've made, but the satisfaction that comes from making those successfully must be great. You will be delighted and astounded by the new Airfix kit. The box is full of and heavy with frames that have all the visible details and 'extries' a modeler could want, though I'm sure the aftermarket will find things to correct and add. My only disappointment is the markings provided, but there are several alternate sheets intended for the Hawk/Testors kit that can be adapted for this one and surely more specifically for the Airfix kit will soon join the lot. Congratulations on your build - looking forward to seeing what you do with a more thorough kit to work with!
Thanks Christopher! I tried taking some photos of the cockpit details through the ‘glass’ but, they didn’t show much. It’s visible in person and was satisfying to do. I am very much looking forward to the Airfix kit! I think I know which Aeromaster scheme I’m going to use the new one!
Excellent build, and looks great in those markings and scheme. Well done.
Thanks Greg! It is one of my favorite schemes. I don’t know why, but Stone, Dark Earth and Azure Blue appeals to me quite a bit.
Excellent work on that old kit - those old kits can be made into fine looking models with a little effort.
All of the above! Did this kit waaay back when I was in high school, great job.