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Hawker Typhoon, Car Door Type


Dpgsbody55

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It's been a while since I've posted a build here, and the main reason for that is that I haven't built anything.  Last July, I started a Trumpeter 1/32 Thunderbolt, went on holiday in August, and couldn't face it when I got back.  My "issue" (read as excuse) was that I'd reached the bit where i needed to detail the engine, with all those fiddly ignition wires.  A couple of attempts had me running, screaming, for the hills.  I started trying to hunt down some lead wire, but I'm having difficulty with that.  So to the Shelf Of Doom it went (hereinafter know as SOD it).  Next to be removed from the stash was an SH Yak 3, but that progressed no further than removing the box lid.  That was only a couple of weeks ago, and it didn't really float my boat.  After this???  Knowing my birthday was coming up and what I was getting, I decided to wait.

 

So here's my next build, something I see as a bit easier than the thrice accursed Thunderbolt.

 

hnoTDr.jpg

 

I've also bought an Eduard cockpit detail set and some seatbelts for it, but having seen the kit belts, I may put them aside for a 1/24 Hurricane I have in my stash.

 

The lid was eagerly removed and a few hours spent studying the instructions.  First issue:  Where's the paint chart, Mr Airfix???  Numbers indicating Humbrol paints don't cut it for me.  A search of the wide world of web found a suitable chart, so this is now taped up where it will be useful.

 

My first session involved putting the wing spars, cockpit side frames and firewall together, which was then clamped to the wing centre section for alignment.

 

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Next day, the rear cockpit frames went on.

 

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As the side frames were a little bent, some careful clamping was needed, but to some degree, it pulls itself back into place.  It just needs a little encouragement.  The whole assembly was sprayed with Tamiya rattle can aluminium, then the firewall and cockpit frames were painted flat black.  After that, the cockpit build began firstly with rudder pedal heel boards and rudder pedals, then adding more bits as per the instructions.  I'm presently at the end of page 2.  Don't ask how many more to go.

 

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I'll probably dull down the black frames with a little dry brushing.  Next up is the more intricate cockpit detailing.

 

I have to say this is a fantastic kit.  It doesn't appear to be that difficult; it's just that there's a lot off it.  My only criticisms so far are the lack of proper paint chart in the instructions and the slightly bent frames, although this is not difficult to correct.  Forty parts down, another 480 to go!!! :lol:

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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Well I've pulled up a chair for this one, let's hope you finish it! :popcorn: :please:

 

That would be my hope too.  I feel certain I will, but it might take a while.  I spent an hour or so starting the Eduard metal work today.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

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Guest Peterpools

Michael

Very nice choice and looking forward to following your progress. Nice start on the interior framework

Keep 'em coming

Peter

Edited by Peterpools
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A little more progress made in the last few days.  The last of the fuselage frames have been added, the right side console built and added and some of the detail parts from the kit also added.  Here's the right side console in all it's glory, complete with Eduard accessories.

 

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Looking at these pics in such size, I've noticed a couple of tiny areas that need a touch up.  This piece was (extremely) carefully added to the cockpit and it was a bit of a pfaff to get into place.  I've placed it as tightly as I can against the frames as everything is a bit tight in this kit.  The instructions say to put the pilot's seat in first, but I'm not ready to do that yet and I like to have a clear cockpit to detail before adding such a large part.  It turns out that the seat height adjustment handle fowls the console a tiny bit, so I'm going to have to do some jiggery pockery to get it into place.  That said, I'm still glad I went down this route as I'm sure I'd never have got my R/H console in.  If I'd known this, when adding the wee green handle (part B23) into place, I'd have notched the console side in a little more beyond the notch already in that part (A15) and that would have solved my problem.  I'll have to think of something else.  I must say that it really is necessary to trial fit all parts and the fit is not quite Tamiya perfect.  The next shot is the console in place.

 

sVog0o.jpg

 

After letting the cement on this dry, I placed the outside face (part B14) of this into place.  Next up is the junction box and cable (part A12) in step 23.  In my opinion, the instructions here are wrong as there was no way I could manoeuvre  this into place.  I removed B14 and placed the junction box and cable into place, then put back B14.  I think step 24 should be done before step 23.  Ditto the left side in that step 25 should be completed before you put in the console on that side. The next picture is of the other side of that console, with the junction boxes and cables in place.

 

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Airfix provide these junction boxes with the cables, which is great, but as you can see, the white cable on the outer side of the console shades the forward of the 2 junction boxes show, (A12).  The rear junction box (part A10) is ok to be fitted as directed, but I'd suggest that it's best to fit both boxes at the same time.  I've also made a rudder trim wheel, which is the small brown part you can see above the brown elevator trim wheel.  I did have an Eduard bit for this, but it disappeared int the never never.

 

Next up is the left side console and throttle quadrant, seat, and control column.    Another 10 parts down; 470 to go.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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  • 3 weeks later...

Work continues, slowly, on my Typhoon.  The last couple of weeks have seen the cockpit finished and work started on the engine.  To me, it's a pity that the engine, according to the instruction at least, say you can have the engine completely cowled, partially cowled or totally uncowled, but no combination of the 3 is possible.  In other words, if you want the engine displayed in all it's glory, you can't fit the cowlings.  Pity!!. 

 

Anyway, here's the left console and throttle installed.

 

OlDSQd.jpg

 

I think that grey knob on the left console is actually the engine primer, so it has since been repainted brass.   Next up, the seat was fitted with Eduard seatbelts.  Only the lap belts are fitted at this time as the fuselage needs to be in place to fit the shoulder belts.  Like the right side console, there are lots of Eduard extras added. 

 

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The control column was added after the seat.  The seat was quite a fiddle to get in, for the reasons I mentioned in an earlier post.  Seatbelts and spark plug ignition wires are the 2 things I hate doing most, but in these scales, they're a must.  I'd originally intended to use microfibre belts, but the ones I bought drove me bananas.  Aside from the pfaff of threading tiny belts through even tinier buckles, I can't get them to sit properly.  I've tried the scrunching trick, but all I got was a curl.  So these were "put aside".  So onto the interwebs to order a set of Eduard steel belts which arrived about a week later.  While waiting for these to arrive, I plodded on with the instrument panel, oil tank and engine.

 

The instrument panel is a 2 part construction of a clear back with the instruments themselves embossed to fit into the grey plastic panel face.  Onto the clear back you add decals provided in the kit.  So I painted up the panel face in flat black, gloss blacked the instrument bezels, and painted the temperature and oil pressure bezels the appropriate colour.  The instrument dial decals were then added to the clear plastic bit with the intention of then gluing the painted panel over the top.  I put the first six decals in place and let them dry, then tested my theory.  As 5 of the 6 came off, I concluded that THIS WAS NOT A GOOD IDEA.   :doh:   So the offending decals were re-attached and once dry, a drop of clear gloss varnish added to each.  In 3 more sittings, I finished it all off, and here's the results.  It looks better to me than I've managed to show in my photo, and I'm pleased with the results.

 

KTgCWB.jpg

 

A handle was added from the Eduard cockpit detail set as directed, which you can see below left of the green oil pressure gauge.  The oil tank was then fitted, together with a pipe that runs through to the engine's sump, then the IP was added.  The oil tank glues through to the front of the firewall, so once dry, this was painted black.

 

lAEEWr.jpg

 

I've also added the engine, in it's basic form.

 

Continued next post.

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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As mentioned above, the engine has been added.  I put the basic bits together while waiting for the seat belts to arrive, and painted the whole lot dark green using a Tamiya rattle can (TS9).  Here's a couple of shots; firstly the underside, then the top.

 

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The lightly painted parts on the top photo are barely visible to the naked eye, but on seeing the photo, I've since touched them up.  The kit instructions say to paint the whole thing coal black, but I think the instructions are wrong.  Having seen 2 examples on display in England, they're clearly green, so that's what I've gone with.  I submit into evidence, M'Lord, firstly a picture taken by me at Duxford, and another I took in the Science Museum in London.  Further research on the wide world of web seems to substantiate this too.

 

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I rest my case.  :popcorn:

 

So here's where it's up to now.

 

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The next couple of weeks will be detailing the engine.  The kit provides a huge amount to glue onto this, starting with the ignition system - all 48 spark plugs worth.  Thankfully, what's in the box is very complete, so it's for this reason my plane will have no engine cowlings.  I'm one of those who likes to see a detailed engine on planes of 32nd and 24th scales, and this could well be quite a jewel.  I'm disappointed I can't fit the cowlings, but I don't see the point of covering up the engine and to leave parts off to get the cowlings in.  However, I'd rather see manufacturers modelling the engine to the stated scale, rather than making them obviously miniscule to allow both.  Trumpeter are guilty of this, as anyone who has built their 1/24 Hurricane or 1/32 Mustang will attest, which to me nullifies the impact of any detail work you may choose to do on these sub assemblies.

 

Impressions so far.  It's not a difficult kit to build, but there's a lot of it and you need to take your time and test fit all parts.  There's a bit of flash on the trees which needs careful trimming before painting, and it's imperative that you follow the instructions carefully and assemble the kit in order.  For a modeller of my skills, there's not much extra you can add in the way of scratch built parts, but I'll see what extras I can fabricate if possible.  It's a great kit and I'm enjoying it tremendously.  I really hope Airfix do another WW2 plane like this in this scale.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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  • 1 month later...

The engine is now complete.  Progress has been slowed due to my being away in NZ for the last month.  The ignition system went in first, together with the wiring loom from the magnetos which were painted brass, with a wash of black to make them look more like the real thing shown in the picture previously.  From there I followed the instruction diligently to add all the other bits and pieces.  Some pieces were a real fiddle to get into place and trying to clean paint of mating surfaces was awkward, to say the least.  But all parts are now in place and I'm happy with the results  Here's the pictures.

 

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The radiator was made using the kit parts and painted Tamiya rattle can silver, the given a wash of black over the front and rear faces.  The results aren't too bad.

 

OOkMro.jpg

 

The underside, once completed, doesn't reveal a lot thanks to the ducting panel which was painted the same colour as the eventual underside of the plane.  I've since repainted this a lighter, more appropriate grey.  The hole in the carburettor intake duct is to allow the fitting of the radiator flap operating rod.  The 2 holes in the radiator take alignment pins cast into the bottom radiator cowl.   I haven't decided whether to fill these or leave them yet.

 

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The next step is to start fitting the wing components, starting with the undercarriage mounting points you can see held in place with my ancient clips on the front wings spar.  The wing centre underside will go on next.  This is the strangest kit I've ever built insofar as the next step has to be the wings, and not the fuselage.  Airfix have engineered a wonderful kit and if the method is cockpit/engine/wings/fuselage rather than cockpit/engine/fuselage/wings, then perhaps their approach is better.  I really hope Airfix will release another subject with this level of detail.  I'm really intrigued to see what it might be.

 

A question for those who may know more about the Typhoon than I do.  As part of the wing build, there are 4 tanks to go into the wings.  There are tanks in the leading edge of each wing, together with another tank further back in each wing.  I assume these are fuel tanks, and the kit instructions say to paint them silver.  However, I thought that these are self sealing tanks and were coloured a brick red.  Does anyone have any information on this?

 

Now to wing my way onto the next thrilling installment.  (Yes, I really did say that!! :doh: )

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
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