Silver Wings Hawker Demon, RAAF. FINISHED.

[ericg]

I was looking to fill a gap in my model collection and decided on starting the Silver Wings Hawker Demon which came out a couple of years ago. I have pretty well all of the eras of aviation covered in my collection apart from a current day jet fighter and a between the wars military aircraft. The Super Hornet that I am working on is taking another break and I was not enthusiastic about any of the other models that I have started. This one has been one that I have wanted to do for a while and now seemed like a good opportunity. Despite being optimistic that it would be a relatively straight forward build, there are a number of things that will need to be done to make this into a RAAF aircraft.

A very small but well packed box (just the way I like em...) reveals some lovely resin and photo etched components.



The usual taped together Silver wings fuselage.



So, looking at many pics of the RAAF machines, it seems like there are a few mods to make. Firstly, there are a couple of windows on each side of the lower fuselage that will need to be made. The are contained within a panel as per below.



Careful marking out and scribing with a pin.



Chain drilling out the window keeping away from the scribed panel line.



Using a file and knife I worked the hole out to the lines. I still need to work out how I am going to accomplish the glass in the new holes, but that will be a problem for later.



There is a small access panel that needs to be scribed, and holes that need to be filled where the long exhaust should have gone on the British machines.



The new panel.



The hole where the starter crank is inserted could do with a bit of a tart up.



Some Stainless steel tube is inserted in the hole and glued.

Edited June 29, 2016 by ericg

[ericg]

The almost completed inner framing of the cockpit. This required alot of work to get straight and I have done most of the assembly unpainted so as to avoid any surprises later on. Most of the cross members have been substituted with brass rod. I have primed it in this pic.

 

 

The completed rudder pedal/floor assembly.

 

Edited March 28, 2016 by ericg

[LSP_Kevin]

Nice start, Eric! Such a fantastic-looking aircraft.

 

Kev

[Kagemusha]

Another one to follow... 

 

You're probably aware, but just in case you're not there is an RAAF decal sheet and conversion set available  http://www.southernskymodels.com.au/search_result_product.html

[Gene]

Nice subject - great start!  Really like this plane

[airscale]

love the look of the Demon and really looking forward to it getting the ericg treatment

 

..always loved the idea of those polished engine panels in foil or something

 

can't wait to see it come together

 

Peter

[ericg]

Another one to follow... 

 

You're probably aware, but just in case you're not there is an RAAF decal sheet and conversion set available  http://www.southernskymodels.com.au/search_result_product.html

 

Thanks Kagemusha.

 

I have seen the conversion set and wanted to have a go at doing my own modifications to the model. I want to make the new tailwheel assembly in brass if I can. The scheme that I will be doing is going to be quite boring, so I reckon I should be able to get by without the decal sheet.

 

Eric.

[Simmo.b]

Snuck this one by me!!

Nice start, will be good to see how you tackle this one as I have several SW kits on the "to do" list.

[Whitey]

Airline pilots are sneaky buggers Simmo. The poor ol' passengers don't get to see what is going on up front any more either.

[Kais]

Bravo Eric.

(Silver)

[ericg]

Thanks guys.

 

Some more work.

 

I have pondered over the colours of the interior for some time and have found that it is quite hard to nail down a specific colour combination of these aircraft as there are not many good photos out there, and if there is, they may not be that accurate as they are mostly restored examples. Here is my best guess at the moment.

 

Remember, being a work in progress there is lots more to do, shading and washes for example. You can also see how I have thinned the resin around the small window cut out from the inside so that it looks a little more realistic when viewed from the outside.

 

\

 

I decided to paint the cockpit frames black, with a wooden floor.

 

\

 

I set up my Proxxon drill press as a poor mans milling machine, with a milling bit inserted into the chuck.

 

 

And milled some flat spots on the bottom of the resin wheels.

 

 

I am replacing the kit resin Lewis gun with one from the Wingnut Wings RFC Armaments sprue. Easier to clean up and not warped.

 

 

After seeing someone reach over the table (they don't have barriers at this show)  and spin one of my props on my Flying Pancake at a show once, I have made sure that if I can beef up the propeller attachment then I will do so with metal.

 

I cut off the very inadequate resin stub on the back of the prop and inserted some 4mm dia Aluminium tube, with an outer sleeve of close fiiting brass. I will glue the brass tube through the front of the nose and into the firewall, which will allow the prop to spin and also allow it to be removed during transport.

 

 

Edited March 29, 2016 by ericg

[Hubert Boillot]

Very nice work, Eric. Wasn't the silver-doped fabric linen-colored inside (with wooden stringers) ?

 

Keep it coming

 

Hubert

[ericg]

Hi Hubert, which part do you mean? I have painted the rear part of the cockpit in a linen colour with the red dope effect mottled on.

[Hubert Boillot]

Yes, I see it now !

 

The metal parts for the inside of the Hawker Fury were apparently painted light grey. Maybe it is applicable to the Demon as well ?

 

Hubert

[ericg]

Hi Hubert, it is about 50:50 as to which colour the metal parts are painted......Some pics I have seen are grey, some are black. 90% chance I will have it wrong though!

 

Some more work.

 

I needed to think of a way to make the glass panels either side of the fuselage. I was out of flat pieces of clear plastic, so after a  quick visit to my modelling guru, I had the required bits, which were some spare parts from another kit.

 

 

I cut the plastic down to size using my MK 1 Eyeball, ensuring a press fit.

 

 

I filled the outer join with superglue, allowing it to wick into the very small gaps.

 

 

Sanding the whole area allowed the clear part to blend into the resin, which allows for a very nice and very strong fit. (in this pic can be seen the very small white shim that has been uncovered by the sanding process. I wasn't happy with the shape of the hole when I initially made it).

 

 

After a damn good polish, the windows have come up just like bought ones! I plan to cut masks that will be slightly smaller than the windows to allow a nice finish.