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Hasegawa 1/32 BF2C-1


automaton

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Greetings, all, here's my entry:

 

bf2cpost01.jpg

 

The shrinkwrap was still on the box, so here's the first sunlight these parts have seen since, probably, the early '70s . . .

 

BF2C-1pos02.jpg

 

Doesn't look like many parts, does it? :) I have a Vector engine somewhere that I may use, though the kit one doesn't look all that bad for the vintage of the kit (except for what will probably be pretty laborious cleanup of parting lines on the sides of the cylinders) . . .

 

BF2C-1post03.jpg

 

I've found some reference material online, but no good views of the cockpit interior. Anybody know a link with something on the cockpit? :help:

 

Looks like some of you already have a good start made on this GB, should be fun.

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

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Goshawk has something appealing to me. Maybe because of its prominent cowling and undercarriage. Anyway, one of the airplanes on my "to do list". I'll be watching with interest.

Sorry, no cockpit references here....

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Goshawk has something appealing to me. Maybe because of its prominent cowling and undercarriage. Anyway, one of the airplanes on my "to do list". I'll be watching with interest.

Sorry, no cockpit references here....

 

 

Hi Tomek

 

Yeah, I also like the lines of this old plane in those gaudy 30s yellow wing liveries, especially from a front 1/4 view. And who knows, I might even be better off if I don't find too much in the way of references, as I don't plan on trying to go overboard with added detail on this project. I'm just going to try for the best build quality that I can manage on a straightforward build, and don't plan to weather it period.

 

I worked quite a bit on my other current project today, and when I'd messed with it all I could take for the day, did a quick dry fit of the BF2C-1. Fitwise, it's pretty darned good for a kit of its vintage, especially a biplane kit. I'll post some pics tomorrow.

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

Edited by automaton
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Got a bit of progress made on this one, mostly "exploring" the kit:

 

BF2C-1post04.jpg

 

The engine has pretty crisp looking detail, but . . .

 

BF2C-1post05.jpg

 

the molds were very offset radially in the engine area. Those parting lines are so offset that cleaning them up would result in cylinders with an oval cross-section rather than round. Guess I'm going to have to dig out that Vector engine.

 

BF2C-1post06.jpg

 

BF2C-1post07.jpg

 

BF2C-1post08.jpg

 

As you can see, the fit isn't at all bad on this old kit. Surface detailing is also pretty good for a kit of this vintage. Cockpit detail is pretty sparse, and I've had very little luck finding references. I guess I'll be using a bit of what Shep Paine used to call "creative gizmology" in there. ;)

 

BF2C-1post09.jpg

 

The way Hasegawa molded the lower wings results in a seam on the bottom surface about 8mm from the rear edge. Guess they did this in order to avoid problems with a thick trailing edge, but getting all that rib detail right on the resulting filling job will be pretty laborious.

 

BF2C-1post10.jpg

 

Also, you can see in this pic that there is a sinkmark in the corresponding area of the top surface which will be almost as bad. At least there won't be panel lines and rivets to replace close to the filled area.

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

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While you have this dry fit, you might take a moment to plan your rigging, and drill out your holes with the correct angles.

 

Yeah, but here's the scary thing: this is only my second biplane ever (unless you count a novelty "Snoopy's Sopwith Camel" thing I built as a little kid). :piliot: Any advice that any of you bipe veterans want to pass along will be welcome. ;)

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

Edited by automaton
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This engine reminds me furiously of a #@! PoS!!@## after-market engine I got from Engines & Things. Since then I have moved (happily) to Vector resin engines.

 

I'll follow this one closely Automaton !

 

Hubert

 

PS: did you know that the LG was the same as on the Grumman FF fighters ?

Edited by MostlyRacers
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Not sure if it is OK to link to other forums, so I didn't do that, but the Aircraft Resource Center website has a walk around of the model 111 which looks like the BF2C-1 except for the cowling. There are two interior views available in the photos, with some detail. The walls were boxed in with an aluminum sheet metal interior inside the fabric and rib exterior.

Look on that website under Walkarounds, Biplanes, Curtiss Hawk 111.

 

I also saw a discussion in their forum pointing to someone's image shack photos:

 

http://img249.imageshack.us/i/img00007bk2.jpg/

 

That photo shows a clearer photo of the same Thai Curtiss fighter interior.

 

Googled the "Curtiss BF2C-1 interior drawings" and found a few of these.

 

Tnarg

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Yeah, but here's the scary thing: this is only my second biplane ever (unless you count a novelty "Snoopy's Sopwith Camel" thing I built as a little kid). :piliot: Any advice that any of you bipe veterans want to pass along will be welcome. ;)

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

 

I have only done a few but find drilling holes right through the wing then pulling 4lb fishing line through the holes works well and is easy. Glue one end in the starting hole with CA then thread through the end hole, pull tight and glue with CA. Then trim off the extra, fill the holes with white glue and touch up with paint. Here is a link to my Se-5 build where I used this method

 

LINK

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This engine reminds me furiously of a #@! PoS!!@## after-market engine I got from Engines & Things. Since then I have moved (happily) to Vector resin engines.

 

I'll follow this one closely Automaton !

 

Hubert

 

Sp: did you know that the LG was the same as on the Grumman FF fighters ?

 

I agree Hubert, I've used some Vector stuff in the past, and it's always gorgeous. And re: the landing gear, I'd noticed it was very similar to the Grumman, but you're saying it's the exact same thing?

 

Not sure if it is OK to link to other forums, so I didn't do that, but the Aircraft Resource Center website has a walk around of the model 111 which looks like the BF2C-1 except for the cowling. There are two interior views available in the photos, with some detail. The walls were boxed in with an aluminum sheet metal interior inside the fabric and rib exterior.

Look on that website under Walkarounds, Biplanes, Curtiss Hawk 111.

 

I also saw a discussion in their forum pointing to someone's image shack photos:

 

http://img249.imageshack.us/i/img00007bk2.jpg/

 

That photo shows a clearer photo of the same Thai Curtiss fighter interior.

 

Googled the "Curtiss BF2C-1 interior drawings" and found a few of these.

 

Tnarg

 

Thank you, Tnarg! :bow: I had actually found the ARC images of the Hawk III, but those imageshack photos I hadn't found, and they are extremely useful in a lot of ways. Not the least reason is the clear view of the rudder pedal (one of the parts I'm going to need to scratchbuild). I did a bunch of Googling without finding anything close to those-excellent! I'll be more at peace with this build now, knowing I have the info to make the cockpit at least reasonably accurate.

 

Love it, looking forward to more.

 

Thanks, Keith. I worked on it quite a bit today (pulled the lower wings off the test build and did a bunch of filling and sanding). I figured I'd get that out of the way first, as it promised to be drudgery (and has lived up to the promise so far). <_<

 

I have only done a few but find drilling holes right through the wing then pulling 4lb fishing line through the holes works well and is easy. Glue one end in the starting hole with CA then thread through the end hole, pull tight and glue with CA. Then trim off the extra, fill the holes with white glue and touch up with paint. Here is a link to my Se-5 build where I used this method

 

LINK

 

Thanks for the suggestion, Ron. I'm going to look at the link to your Se-5 build tommorow after I get in from work. I haven't ever really researched how to do biplane rigging, so I definitely need to see how people go about it before wading in.

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

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I agree Hubert, I've used some Vector stuff in the past, and it's always gorgeous. And re: the landing gear, I'd noticed it was very similar to the Grumman, but you're saying it's the exact same thing?

 

Automaton

 

From what I've read (can't remember where though :BANGHEAD2: ), the Us Navy asked Curtiss to adopt the Grumman landing gear system for its carrier-borne fighters. It should be (but anyone more knowledgeable please correct me) the same as the one on the Grumman FF

 

Hubert.

Edited by MostlyRacers
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Here is a link to a walkaround of the Thai Hawk III with cockpit details: http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/DETAILSITE/dsindex800.htm. Go to Thai aircraft and click on the box with hawk III.

 

 

And another one:http://www.plastikowe.pl/galerie/lotnictwo/curtiss-hawk-iii

 

Hans

Edited by Hans
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Here is a link to a walkaround of the Thai Hawk III with cockpit details: http://109lair.hobbyvista.com/DETAILSITE/dsindex800.htm. Go to Thai aircraft and click on the box with hawk III.

 

 

And another one:http://www.plastikowe.pl/galerie/lotnictwo/curtiss-hawk-iii

 

Hans

 

 

Thanks, Hans! With these pics and the ones on the link that Tnarg posted, I'll be set up for scratchbuiling a cockpit for this kit. :speak_cool: There will still be a bit of detective work/guesswork involved in determining which details apply to the BF2C-1 (with some of the pics being from a BF2 with fixed gear and some from a Hawk III), but I'm thrilled to have these. It's for sure that even if I guess wrong in some cases, the cockpit will end up much more accurate than it would have without these links. I can't believe how many references I missed, guess I'm not very good with Google. :P

 

Regards;

 

Automaton

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