Fleet Air Arm Group Build

Sweet!! Nice pics, Darren!

I know I'll probably get whacked for saying this, but I love the lines and the overall shape of the Hurricane. The Spit is definitely cool (it's my Dad's favorite bird, bar none!), but the Hurricane just seems to me to have just a bit more character.

*ducks and runs!*

Speaking of Sea Hurricanes..................this is a Mk.Ib.   Nice!

Everyone peers at Mike's photo's..........

"oooo! aaaahhh..........that's how he did it! "

Mike- very nice work indeed! I like all the extra details that you are adding. Your arrestor hook looks great!   I will have to try that myself one day. Thanks for all the pics, its great to see how you are progressing with this one.

As promised guys, here's what I got so far.....painting on the 'pit will commence shortly.

The 'pit. I added some wire using stretched sprue and .010" solder, piping with .020" solder, a resin/PE control column, and a small spring wrapped around thin styrene rod and painted with white glue for hose sections. The trim wheel was cut away from where it was mounted, and reattached along with a PE chain to a new frame piece made from styrene rod. Seat mounting points were also added.

A resin seat from CMK, with a PE height adjustment mechanism and a headrest made from sprue. I read where headrests were added to a lot of sea hurricanes.

The IP, pretty much OOB except for a few levers/panels made from sheet styrene, stretched sprue and white glue knobs, and I enhanced the framework around the compass.

The arrestor hook....

....where it's gonna go....

...and sort of what it looks like installed. The fit needs just a bit of tweeking, but it should work out OK. I shaved the back surfaces of the two long rods so the cross-section is almost semi-circular in shape to give the illusion of it being deeper into the fuselage. When I press it down into place, it fits fine.

L & R side panels...

That's it so far....now it's on to the spraybooth!

PS- just want to say that I'm havin' a blast with my first GB! Thanks again, guys!

Daywalker wrote:

Mike- I am really looking forward to seeing pics of your Sea Hurricane!  It's not often one gets to see one of those.  A rarely modeled bird indeed!

TANGO 1 wrote:

It would be great to see how you are doind the conversion, I was wondering how you would tackle the arrestor hook. Looking forward to seeing your pics.

Thanks, guys! Pics should be up shortly. Reference photos were hard for me to find, but I did find a site that showed the installation of a resin conversion, so I used that as a guide. All in all, I'm pleased with how my scratchbuilt conversion is turning out.

Daywalker wrote:

Darren- Check it out, I think you will be quite impressed!  The amazing thing is that the restorers stripped off all of the paint that was covering up the ORIGINAL wartime paint from '44.  Now, it looks just like it did then, worn, scuffed, and faded.  great book for warbird fans who want to see how those planes really weathered.  Right now, I am reading a book about Swordfish pilot Commander Charles Lamb from the H.M.S. Courageous.  Very interesting book.  Only difficulty is picking up some of the English dialect, hard for a colonial to understand sometimes. Mike- I am really looking forward to seeing pics of your Sea Hurricane!  It's not often one gets to see one of those.  A rarely modeled bird indeed!

Wow! and to think I was stood right next to that Corsair too. I have found where I can get a copy of the book-I will get one next pay day.

Your Swordfish book sounds good too! And you are learning the "Queens English" at the same time

My current read is about Sharky Ward, who commanded 801 Sqn during the Falklands air campain. Its full of really interesting stuff about the FRS.1 Sea Harriers that flew off HMS Invincible during the conflict.

wyoroy wrote:

Darren, on your IP is the instruments decals or what I have never really been able to get that look without using Waldron punch sets.   I love the look of your cockpit thus far. I like the photo of the engine.  It's a shame that you can't do much with a 1/72 scale engine.  If I did the detail would be so small that no one could see it. Roy

Thanks Roy,

I did the I/P with the kit decal, its needs setting solution to get it to snuggle down into the detail, but it looks OK when its done. I would'nt like to detail an engine in 1/72, maybe Eduard do a PE set for it? To be honest, I would'nt bother if it was me.

ruddratt wrote:

Darren, that looks real nice! Ditto to what Rick said about the IP....top notch work, my friend! I was going to post pics of my Hurricane so far (thought I'd at least have the assembled 'pit painted by now), but I got sidetracked doing minor surgery on the underside of the fuselage to accomodate the scratchbuilt arrestor hook that is currently under construction. Darn near forgot about that detail, but it wouldn't look like a Sea Hurricane without it. Pics tomorrow for sure!

Thanks Mike! It would be great to see how you are doing the conversion, I was wondering how you would tackle the arrestor hook. Looking forward to seeing your pics.

Darren-

Check it out, I think you will be quite impressed!  The amazing thing is that the restorers stripped off all of the paint that was covering up the ORIGINAL wartime paint from '44.  Now, it looks just like it did then, worn, scuffed, and faded.  great book for warbird fans who want to see how those planes really weathered. 

Right now, I am reading a book about Swordfish pilot Commander Charles Lamb from the H.M.S. Courageous.  Very interesting book.  Only difficulty is picking up some of the English dialect, hard for a colonial to understand sometimes.

Mike-

I am really looking forward to seeing pics of your Sea Hurricane!  It's not often one gets to see one of those.  A rarely modeled bird indeed!

Darren, on your IP is the instruments decals or what I have never really been able to get that look without using Waldron punch sets.   I love the look of your cockpit thus far. I like the photo of the engine.  It's a shame that you can't do much with a 1/72 scale engine.  If I did the detail would be so small that no one could see it.

Roy

Darren, that looks real nice! Ditto to what Rick said about the IP....top notch work, my friend!

I was going to post pics of my Hurricane so far (thought I'd at least have the assembled 'pit painted by now), but I got sidetracked doing minor surgery on the underside of the fuselage to accomodate the scratchbuilt arrestor hook that is currently under construction. Darn near forgot about that detail, but it wouldn't look like a Sea Hurricane without it. Pics tomorrow for sure!

Daywalker wrote:

Darren- That's cool!  In fact, that's the EXACT aircraft I am modeling in this GB!  That's KD431, subject of the book "The Time Capsule Fighter".  I bought the book last year when it came out, it is an INCREDIBLE book that shows every detail about that you could ever want.

Hey Frank,

that sounds like a great book, I'll have to look out for it over here.

Thanks Fella's,

Darren-

That's cool!  In fact, that's the EXACT aircraft I am modeling in this GB!  That's KD431, subject of the book "The Time Capsule Fighter".  I bought the book last year when it came out, it is an INCREDIBLE book that shows every detail about that you could ever want.

Very nice work on the pit Darren.  The IP came out really nice.

Regards,  Rick

Looks like I'm on night watch again!

I was doing some research on my Corsair and came across these.....

I took these pics at the Fleet Air Arm Museum a couple of summers ago, not the best photo's in the world, but I got a nice shot of the engine in case anyone finds it useful.

See you on the next watch,

Hi folks,

after a busy day I have spent the evening in the workshop. First up, here is what I did with my Corsair 'pit.

Did the first coat of camo on the Hellcat too, all that masking tape is there to protect the invasion stripes that I have already done.

I have started painting the engine parts for the Corsair, I am considering adding some wiring, I will consort some pics first before I do.

See you later, I'm off for a nice cold one.

"Now hear this......."

"Lt. Ruddrat will now be Flying a Sea Hurricane Mk.II (1/48 Hasegawa) for the duration of this deployment. His Swordfish has now been stored below decks until further notice.

"Lt. Daywalker has drunk all the rum again so he will not be flying on this evenings CAP." 

"That is all......" 

Mike,

check yours!

Hey crew-how's everyone doing?

I got into the workshop early thias morning and made a start on the camo pattern. I've laid down a  faded slate grey, once its had time to cure, I'll get the EDS grey on as well.

In, the meantime, work continues on the Corsair's interior.

Busy...busy....busy....

Thanks Darren,

I am away from the workshop today and keep thinking about my Hellcat......extra dark sea grey/slate grey camo....mmmmm!!

What the heck is going on around here, I step away for a whole day and a bit and I've got 2 whole pages of posts to scroll through and catch up on

Darren, nice job on the Spitfire, Lynx and the Hellcat .  I really felt for you with the Lynx as that was turning out a really nice build.  It's great to hear that some kind sole has some spare doors for you.

Dave great looking progress on the Firefly and the Barracuda, they are both looking like real winners

Cheers 

Leon-

Thanks for your compliments and for posting that link-very useful information.

Dave-

Thanks! Lucky enough, someone has agreed to donate some doors to my poorly Lynx so hopefully I can get that one finished up sooner rather than than later.

Leon-

Thanks, that's great link!  Looks like the second one mentioned would be an easy conversion, all one would have to do is delete the outboard guns.  Very intriguing...

DAVE; the Barracuda and Firefly are coming along nicely.  I look forward to seeing somepaint on the 'cuda.

DARREN; the Spit turned out very nice and the lynx and the Martlet (did I miss anything are looking good too.  Too bad about the doors but hopefully someone will come up with some spares.