Hobby Boss 1/72 Seahawk

[stillp]

Picked this up at a local charity shop a while ago.
They have a regular donor who donates kits with added extras - in this case a tube of cement (I left that in the shop), two Humbrol paints, a brush, and an emery board. Not the greatest bargain, but it's in a good cause!

The brush isn't much good but it'll do for decal solutions.
Each sprue is in a separate sealed bag, with extra packing around the clear parts:

Nice finely recessed detail, and I like the horizontal divide for the fuselage and wings:

The kit offers three different schemes, with plenty of decals:I'm not sure the free paints (Humbrol 156 and 1945) are correct for any of the schemes, but I'll use them somewhere!
Right, let's get on with it!
Pete

 

[Dave Ward]

Pete,
did this a couple of years back - nice simple model - don't think it mentions adding a noseweight, but you'll need it to prevent tailsitting!
Dave
ps the HMS Albion finish is incorrect! large serial numbers were applied on the underside of the wings only not top

 

[Jakko]

Not an aircraft I’m particularly interested in, but it looks like a good kit, and hey, doesn’t everyone need grey paint at some stage?

 

[Tim Marlow]

Looks nice Peter. Interesting early jet type as well.

 

[stillp]

Pete,
did this a couple of years back - nice simple model - don't think it mentions adding a noseweight, but you'll need it to prevent tailsitting!
Dave
ps the HMS Albion finish is incorrect! large serial numbers were applied on the underside of the wings only not top

Thanks Dave, I'll bear that in mind. Anything else to look out for?
Pete

 

[Dave Ward]

Thanks Dave, I'll bear that in mind. Anything else to look out for?
Pete

Pete,
I seem to remember having a little trouble getting a good fit on the jet exhausts, but that may have been my fault....
Dave

 

[rtfoe]

The fuselage decal stripes may need a lot of decal juice to fit the top and bottom halves I think.

Cheers,
Richard

 

[Jakko]

Masking and painting them would be my choice.

 

[stillp]

I don't think I'll do the scheme with the stripes. Incidentally that one, XE375, was written off after the arrestor hook pulled out on landing! See https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?
id=154507
Dave, where did you put your nose weight? There doesn't seem to be any room!
Pete

 

[Dave Ward]

I don't think I'll do the scheme with the stripes. Incidentally that one, XE375, was written off after the arrestor hook pulled out on landing! See https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/wiki.php?
id=154507
Dave, where did you put your nose weight? There doesn't seem to be any room!
Pete

Pete,
I think I epoxied ball bearings behind the cockpit, as you have found out there's not any space in the nose, unless you use depleted uranium - or gold!
Dave

 

[stillp]

Thanks Dave. I'm a bit short of uranium and gold at the moment but I have got a kilo of steel shot, and quite a few used airgun pellets!
Pete

 

[stillp]

That should be enough weight:

I had to file quite a lot off the top of the intake vanes as they were stopping the upper and lower sections from closing properly. I might still have to reduce them some more but I thought I'd better get some white paint on while I still can.

The jet pipes fitted OK. There are some heat deflectors to add to them but I'll do that at the same time as joining the upper and lower wings/fuselage parts.
Pete
Pete

 

[stillp]

Well, the front of the fuselage is split horizontally, as you've seen. The two halves went together pretty well, with the exception of the trailing edge, which was too thick (as they usually are) and had a gap that needed some filler. The rear part of the fuselage is split vertically, and again, the two halves went together OK. Unfortunately the rear doesn't fit the front very well, leaving me with a dilemma - do I fill and sand until the join disappears, and lose a lot of detail, or just smooth it out a bit and put up with a step?

I've started by applying some Mr Dissolved Putty, but it's going to need a lot more sanding and a lot more filling to remove the step.
Pete

 

[Jakko]

Is there a step between the two halves, or just a gap? If the latter, I think I would carefully scrape down the putty, trying to not damage the detail on both sides of it. With a step that you need to conceal, you probably have no choice but to fill, sand, and re-engrave, I suppose.

 

[stillp]

It's a step Jakko.

 

[Mini Me]

Just caught up to this Peter......looks like a fun project so far. I'm sure you'll have it whipped into submission in no time. Rick H.

 

[boatman]

OH Pete im dissapointed that you aint gonna paint on the stripes as i have not ever seen one of these planes done in them an i think it will set the model as exceptenaly different from others ive seen
chris

 

[boatman]

Masking and painting them would be my choice. an if it was me Pete building this i would do what Jakko has said but just my opinion

chris

 

[Dave Ward]

Well, the front of the fuselage is split horizontally, as you've seen. The two halves went together pretty well, with the exception of the trailing edge, which was too thick (as they usually are) and had a gap that needed some filler. The rear part of the fuselage is split vertically, and again, the two halves went together OK. Unfortunately the rear doesn't fit the front very well, leaving me with a dilemma - do I fill and sand until the join disappears, and lose a lot of detail, or just smooth it out a bit and put up with a step?
View attachment 440830View attachment 440831View attachment 440832View attachment 440833
I've started by applying some Mr Dissolved Putty, but it's going to need a lot more sanding and a lot more filling to remove the step.
Pete

Ah yes, I had the same problem - I lined up the exhaust fairings, so the step was top & bottom - easier access to the filler! , but whichever way you do it, it's a bit fiddly!

here's mine ( 2019 ) - you can see the step on the top, there's a similar one on the bottom. I think there were a few panel lines to rescribe after filler, but not too many!
Dave

 

[Jakko]

It's a step Jakko.

In that case I’d say you’re probably just going to have to bite the bullet