Here is my finished Classic Airframes 1/48 Hawker Seahawk. The kit comes with lots of Resin, and P.E.
All of the reviews that I read were spot on with what I experienced, the Resin has lots of sanding to do on it and the fit of the fuselage was not that great. I did have a hard time getting the decals to settle as well. With one of them shattering on application.
I drilled out the gun ports and used Han von Hammers famous streched Q-tips for guns. I also used Fermis famous smash molding to make wing tip lights that I drilled a small hole in and used a drop of paint to make lamps.
I also decided to cut the canopy open since it didn’t fit right. The first time I have done that and was very nervous.
I drilled out and shaped the front intake area and had to make my own hud “glass”
Here you can see the seams left from the too high resin tub. Sanding it anymore would have gone through the floor. I added the wires based on photos I saw.
Reminds me of a whale or shark shape
Resin seat that came with the kit. I added the cushions using Milput. They look better in person.
This is a P.E. decal sandwich for the IP.
Seat in place:
I apologize for the quality of the following pictures. My camera is broken so I had to take them with my Tablet.
This is the first time I have not used pre shading and went with post shading. It came out great but the pictures are not high enough resolution to show them.
It inspires me to do some research on that aircraft in German service.
Oddly, the nose of that bird somehow reminds me a little of the Me-163 nose.
As you have credited Hans for the Q-tip technique, (sorry for the side-tracking) does anyone know why Hans von Hammer hasn’t posted in the FSM forums lately?
Yes, the aircraft has an odd shape - yet I find it generally pleasing -except for the shape of the tail.
A shame about Hans, he posted a lot of interesting and useful information in the FSM forums till recently.
Ninetalis…Thanks for the comments. If you get the Trumpeter kit you will have to report on the fit. The fit of this one was “interesting” to say the least
Herc: Congrads sir! The Seahawk’s a beautiful plane and you did her justice. Gosh knows those Classic Airframes can be a bear to build but she turned out great!!!
Whilst the Seahawk was originally designed by Hawker the company, once it had finalised the design and produced the P1040 prototype and the first 35 examples at Kingston upon Thames for the Royal Navy, it switched production to its subsidiary, Armstrong Whitworth at Baginton, Coventry.
After the remaining F1s were built at Baginton, all further examples, including the German examples, were Armstrong Whitworth developed and produced aircraft so any model depicting other than one of the first 35 F1s is an Armstrong Whitworth Seahawk, not a Hawker.
Whilst many publications refer to the aircraft as a Hawker, the Fleet Air Arm in the UK designated the aircraft as an Armstrong Whitworth aircraft in its inventory and the overseas customers followed.
From the official Armstrong Whitworth Company history:
"Although basically Hawker designed, this single seat Naval jet fighter aircraft was so developed by A.W.A. that it is considered appropriate to include it in this historical review.
Full design responsibility for the Sea Hawk was assumed by this Company in 1953 and the subsequent years saw the introduction of full pressurisation, power controls, anti- ‘g’ system, full range of external stores, etc. involving four marks of aircraft.
After 400 aircraft had been delivered to the Royal Navy, orders came in from overseas, including 22 for the Netherlands and 68 for Western Germany."
I’m a complete sucker for the fast & pointy stuff, but quite a few jets of the Sea Hawk’s vintage are great looking birds & are extremely good to see flying - they are quite fast & agile while still managing to maintain the gracefulness of the likes of the Spitfire & Mustang. I’ve been lucky enough to see this one on a few occasions;
After seeing the model which looks great, I could not believe what you’ve gone thru building this model. The problems of the kit did not show at all in your finished built.
