"Hotrod" Harvard from the 1/32 Kitty Hawk Texan kit

[DerekB]

Starting another build based on the 1/32 Kitty Hawk Texan kit...

Back in 1993, Guido Zuccoli fitted a pair of CAC Boomerang replica outer wings (converted from Harvard III wings by Sanders Aviation) to his Harvard III VH-SNJ!

According to Matt Denning, who wrote an article about this plane, this resulted in a "Hotrod" Harvard which had 10% faster cruise speed, 50% faster roll rate and aileron deflection loads 40% lower!

 

Below is a drawing of a standard Harvard III with the Boomerang outer wings overlaid...

 

Harvard with Boomerang outer wings fitted by Derek Buckmaster, on Flickr 

 

Apart from the swapped outer wings, the aircraft was stock, and painted in its original RNZAF colours as NZ1085. Luckily the Kitty Hawk kit includes RNZAF markings, so the fuselage and wing centre section will be quite straightforward and OOB. The canopy framing will need to change.

 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2023 by DerekB

[Out2gtcha]

Love it!

[MikeMaben]

 

            

 

 

[DerekB]

OK, work has started. I've added some stringers to the insides of the fuselage side panels and started some interior green painting. 

 

And now some playing around... here is the Kitty Hawk Texan kit with a set of CAC Boomerang wings from the cool Alley Cat resin kit... this gives an idea of where this is going...

 

P1080728 by Derek Buckmaster, on Flickr

 

The colours of VH-SNJ are exactly as shown for RNZAF colours in the Kitty Hawk kit.

 

OK, no, I'm not really going to donate the wings from my Alley Cat Boomerang! 

 

I'll be converting the Kitty Hawk kit wings to match the Boomerang wings...

[DonH]

Wow, what a cool idea. 

[LSP_Kevin]

Great project, Derek!

 

Kev

[KUROK]

Interesting idea for a project.

I'm following with my interest!

[ericg]

Nice!

 

Will watch this one with interest.

 

Cheers,

 

Eric.

[DerekB]

OK, so this build seems to have ground to a halt, but not entirely. I've started on the cockpit interiors, and been in contact with the Zuccoli family - owners of the real aircraft! I've been continuing my research and gathering more bits & pieces, including Mustang wheel hubs.

 

I've actually completed the same build at 1/72 scale for a BritModeller group build, here's a link to the build log:

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235093482-vh-snj-harvard-iii-with-a-difference-172-heller-kit-finished/

[bdthoresen]

That’s super cool, D. Here in St. Augustine, there was a gentleman who owned a Boomerang replica, which was a cut and spliced T-6G. The thing looked pretty close to an actual Boomey, and was a real hot-rod. He sold it on a few years back…..

 

Really looking forward to what you do with this!

 

Thor    

[KiwiZac]

I hope you continue with this one day Derek, it's so cool! I wonder if I can convince any of my Harvard-owning mates to do this in 1/1...

 

Also for anyone doing the RNZAF option in the Kitty Hawk kit: based on that image you'll need to refer to photos of the real NZ1065 as the underside of the wings should have the full serial.

[themongoose]

Cool build, i love these unique 1 off aircraft! Going to enjoy this 

Edited June 25, 2022 by themongoose

[DerekB]

Doing some more research for the cockpit of this build, I contacted the owners of the full-size plane. Glad I did... it has a Mustang seat in the rear position!! Plus the instrument panels don't match any standard Harvard or Texan I've seen. So now to order a resin Mustang seat, and figure out how to replicate the instrument panels...

[KiwiZac]

Little details like that are part of why I love modelling warbirds. I'm excited to see your version!

[KiwiZac]

Have you been able to progress further on this, Derek? I'd hate to see such a cool project fade away.