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1/48 Kinetics E-2C Hawkeye

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  • Member since
    June 2014
1/48 Kinetics E-2C Hawkeye
Posted by BrandonK on Monday, June 24, 2019 12:30 PM

Hello all,

This one was just completed for the Eye in the sky GB. It is a Kinetics 1/48 E-2C Hawkeye from the mid 1990's. The kit is not hard to build but will take you some time due to its complexity and all the little things that you have to do that slow you down. It is well detailed and the fit overall is quite good. However, there are two exceptions to the fit that I ran into that other reviews also noted. One was the two halves of the fuselage can be grossly warped and will require significant effort to correct in clamping and heating of the plastic to get it to relax back into the correct alignment. And the second issue is similar in the fit of the upper wing section to the fuselage, which also took significant clamping and heat to correct. Once this was done the kit builds with very little effort and its nicely detailed with panel lines and rivits.

I painted it with primarily Gunge Mr Color and some Model Masters paints. I weathered it with oils and pastels. It is built OOB with only the addition of antenna wires. 

The kit calls for 100 grams nose weight; I added over 120 grams and it is balanced. It will tail sit if a just barely touch it. It rests on the gear, but just barely. This too was also mentioned in the other reviews.

FYI, this kit is nearly the size of the B-17, just a tad smaller.

Thanks for looking, I hope you enjoy something different.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: USA
Posted by keavdog on Monday, June 24, 2019 1:25 PM

Nice job.  That is an impressive looking bird.  

Thanks,

John

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: State of Mississippi. State motto: Virtute et armis (By valor and arms)
Posted by mississippivol on Monday, June 24, 2019 1:30 PM
Very nice!
  • Member since
    November 2008
  • From: Far Northern CA
Posted by mrmike on Monday, June 24, 2019 1:48 PM

Outstanding! Interesting aircraft and yes, a challenging build. I'm working thru the same kit, and finding that I need to be very deliberate about fit and alignment, although I don't have the warpage that you and others have mentioned.

A question...how did you decide which of the engine nacelle side panels were correct? There are two versions in the kit, and I can't find any good reference to tell me which ones are appropriate. A big thanks for the nose weight info!

Good photos of a very nice build - appreciate your taking the time to post it outside the GB.  
 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Monday, June 24, 2019 3:21 PM

mrmike
how did you decide which of the engine nacelle side panels were correct?

I looked at as many pics as I could and I didn't see any that looked much like the others and I took a leap of faith and used the ones I did as I "felt" they looked the best. I had the same issues, no references to which one is right. Thanks for the kind words.

BK

 

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Monday, June 24, 2019 3:21 PM

keavdog

Nice job.  That is an impressive looking bird.  

 

Thanks, I really appreciate it.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Monday, June 24, 2019 3:21 PM

mississippivol
Very nice!
 

Thanks buddy, I appreciate you stopping by.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Monday, June 24, 2019 3:23 PM

I forgot to mention. The stencils and insignias are the only decals used, the rest of the bird is all painted, and it was a ton of work and masking.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Northern California
Posted by jeaton01 on Monday, June 24, 2019 6:31 PM

Well done indeed.  I am surprised that 100 grams was enough with the wings stowed.

John

To see build logs for my models:  http://goldeneramodel.com/mymodels/mymodels.html

 

  • Member since
    April 2009
  • From: Longmont, Colorado
Posted by Cadet Chuck on Monday, June 24, 2019 9:36 PM

That's really beautiful  work, BrandonK!  The folded wings look they were a tricky job.

Hasegawa made a nice 1/72 model of this, which I built a few years back.  The fit and design of the kit was excellent, and I had no trouble with it.  The results were really nice, and to this day it remains one of my favorite models.

Gimme a pigfoot, and a bottle of beer...

  • Member since
    November 2009
  • From: Twin Cities of Minnesota
Posted by Don Stauffer on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 8:36 AM

Looks great!

Don Stauffer in Minnesota

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:25 AM

That came out great! I really love the wingfold and weathering. You painted up the unit markings yourself? 

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:34 AM

stikpusher

That came out great! I really love the wingfold and weathering. You painted up the unit markings yourself? 

 

Nah, the eagle is decal, but all the stripes (the tail has tons) and the de-icers are all painted. Masking and painting was about 8 trips to the booth just for the tail and de-icers. Working around that tail is a huge pain for painting as is painting around the engines on the inside as the angles don't allow for good AB usage. It was a challenge to paint that's for sure.

Thanks for the complements, I appreicate them.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:35 AM

jeaton01

Well done indeed.  I am surprised that 100 grams was enough with the wings stowed.

 

Thank you, Sir. Ya, 100 grams won't work. It needs a bare minimun of 120 to just barely sit right. Thanks for the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:38 AM

Cadet Chuck
That's really beautiful  work, BrandonK!  The folded wings look they were a tricky job.

Thanks man. The wing fold method they use works very well and is well set up. It is delicate and you can't handle them once installed. All built up the kit is rather difficult to handle without getting in trouble with all the fiddly bits. Thanks for the kind words. Good luck on yours, I look forward to seeing it.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 9:38 AM

Don Stauffer

Looks great!

 

Thanks Don. I appreciate your stopping by and the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    August 2015
  • From: the redlands Fl
Posted by crown r n7 on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 10:24 AM

wow nice final count down stuff BeerYesYes the 1980 movie..

 

 

 Nick.

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 9:51 AM

crown r n7

wow nice final count down stuff BeerYesYes the 1980 movie..

 

Thanks Nick. If I had a Tomcat with it, it would be perfect. Perhaps a Zero in the background. That's actually a great idea for a GB. It would allow for AC carrier, Zero's and other early 80's AC. Hmm. Hey, thanks for stopping by and the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 9:57 AM

That is very nice, really well done, and nice to see it with the folded wings. Really makes me want to dig out my 72nd Fujimi kit.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 10:07 AM

Bish
That is very nice, really well done, and nice to see it with the folded wings.

Thanks Bish. I folded those wings for two reasons, the look is pretty cool, but I also considered the shelf space it would save. It is still quite a big bird. Thanks for stopping in and the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England
Posted by Bish on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 10:38 AM

I know what you mean. I have the Goffy Models wing fold set for mine, it is a nice look.

I am a Norfolk man and i glory in being so

 

On the bench: Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.3/Fujimi 1/72nd Ju 87D-3

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 11:08 AM
Very nice work on an interesting looking aircraft

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Naples, FL
Posted by tempestjohnny on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 11:31 AM
Great build BK. I've always had an affinity for the Hawkeye

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 7:16 PM

Tojo72
Very nice work on an interesting looking aircraft
 

Thanks man, I appreciate it.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Wednesday, June 26, 2019 7:17 PM

tempestjohnny
Great build BK. I've always had an affinity for the Hawkeye
 

Thanks, TJ. I always liked the looks of the Hawkeye too. The kit is a bit pricey but it is very nice when done. Thanks for the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    May 2016
Posted by learmech on Thursday, June 27, 2019 10:13 AM
Thanks a lot Brandon, Now I have to build one of these.
  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Thursday, June 27, 2019 2:00 PM

learmech
Thanks a lot Brandon, Now I have to build one of these.
 

LOL, its really a good kit. Be ready for a bit of a lengthy build, it won't be done in a weekend. Thanks for stopping in.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

  • Member since
    April 2013
  • From: Eleva, Wisconsin
Posted by Greatmaker on Thursday, June 27, 2019 2:13 PM

It looks terrific! I haven't done any modern birds yet but when I do I hope I can do half as good a job on them as you did on this one. Splendid indeed!

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
Posted by BrandonK on Friday, June 28, 2019 6:35 PM

Greatmaker

It looks terrific! I haven't done any modern birds yet but when I do I hope I can do half as good a job on them as you did on this one. Splendid indeed!

 

Well, thank you GM. I appreciate the kind words.

BK

On the bench:

A lot !! And I mean A LOT!!

2024 Kits on deck / in process / completed   

                         14 / 5 / 2  

                              Tongue Tied

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