1/72 Hawker Hawkinge

[Brian da Basher]

In 1933, the R.A.F. issued a new specification for a single-seat, monoplane fighter. The Hawker Aircraft Co. Ltd. responded with design 148 which was powered by the new Bristol Cutlass engine. The airframe was designed to be as aerodynamic a fit as possible around the amazing new Cutlass engine. The new aircraft, in a radical departure for the time, was armed with four 20 m.m. Bofors cannon and featured cool as-all-get out spatted landing gear. In a nod to the pilots of the era, it had an open cockpit. The new design was quickly accepted by the R.A.F. who insisted the Hawker Co. replace the Fury biplanes on order with the new fighter which was called the Hawkinge. With war clouds gathering over europe, this decision proved fortunate indeed. In 1936, Nazi Germany attempted to annex their neighbor Austria. The Austrians were not in a military position to do much against the Nazi threat, but they were able to summon international aid through the League of Nations. Great Britain, sensing this would be a way to stop Herr Hitler in his tracks, immediately sent as much military assistance as they could spare. While the R.A.F. was not willing to deploy their newest fighter, the Hurricane, overseas in such circumstances, they did send a squadron of Hawkinge fighters to counter the Nazi threat. No. 666 Squadron, the Welsh Lions, led by S/L (Later Sir) Martin  Higgenbottom-Higgs was able to successfully deter the Nazis by amazing displays of their flying ability and through the sheer intimidation factor of their spats. His aircraft shown here downed four Heinkel 51s during the height of the conflict when they overflew Lintz. S/L Higgenbottom-Higgs later went on to fame as a proponent of the "big Higgs" theory of air combat during the Channel Islands conflict. The Hawkinge was replaced in front-line service by the Hurricane in 1939 and Sir Higgenbottom-Higgs' Hawkinge is now lovingly preserved in the Telford Museum of Aerospace.

1st of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

Well for those of you wondering what happened to my Gee Bee's spats, here's the answer. The base kit for this was a 1/72 RoG Tempest that Leigh was kind enough to send me. The Gee Bee spats seemed such a natural fit with the sharp lines of the Tempest that I had no choice but to proceed...

2nd of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

There were very few modifications necessary to put this build together. In keeping with the retro look of the spats, I tossed the bubble canopy and went with an open cockpit. I used a quarter of an old drop-tank for the headrest fairing and was lucky enough to find an almost-perfect windscreen in my spares box. A little bit of sanding later and I was all set.

3rd of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

The four-bladed prop had broken during shipment, so making it a more 1930's style two-bladed prop wasn't hard. Plus, I now have two more prop blades in my spares box! I used correction fluid to fill in small gaps in the landing gear covers to conceal the retractable gear from the kit. Here's a shot of the underside.

4th of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I used Testor's acrylics Light Ghost Gray for most of the paintjob. The blue "racing stripes" were done with Polly Scale Blue. As usual, the entire model was brush painted by hand. I thought the hardest part of the build would be the painting, but what gave me the most fits were the decals. Most of them came with the Tempest kit and were fine, but the fuselage roundels and those on the underside of the wings were from my spares and were terrible. The entire sheet was one large piece of decal film, and they didn't stick for beans. I ended out glueing them down with Elmer's™ White School Glue. I decided to toss the codes that were from the same sheet and used ones from an Eduard SE-5 sheet instead. Here's a pic that shows off the blue paintwork nicely.

5th of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[Brian da Basher]

I built this little fighter in tribute to Martin (our fearless SIG leader) and all the other wonderful U.K. Whiffers. I never cease to be inspired by my English cousins!

Last of 6 pics.

Brian da Basher

[The Rat]

That looks perfectly natural! And with spats!!!  

Oh, forgot to say - LOVE the name, and it has to go on ARC for Silly Week!

[GeorgeC]

A Tempest with spats <shakes head>  What a beautiful job , the protoype scheme is gorgeous.  

[K5054NZ]

Awesome. Just plain awesome. I HAVE to do one of these in BoB earth/green with black and white unders. Someone get me a Tempest, NOW!


Fanbleedintastic bro! I LOVE IT!


B)  B)  B)    B)  B)  B)  

[NARSES2]

Started my day with a smile - thanks Brian    

[Martin H]

Started my day with a smile - thanks Brian  

Like wise        

Love the back story Brian. And i love the look of the Hawkinge

[Chap]

Fantastic! Lovely plane and backstory once again.

~Steve

[markm70]

Sweeeeeet!  

[kitnut617]

That's brilliant, of course it would have been in competition with the Miles Fighter wouldn't it  

http://www.answers.com/topic/miles-m-20

Just a small suggestion, maybe a much broader prop  

Robert

[Leigh]

Yeah he does it again   Though I am pondering how to pronounce "Hawkinge"
and wot the hell it means? Looks right for that period very Peashooter to me, maybe some rigging to hold the wing on?
Possibly next time you can try Future to set your decals, I've heard it works well with problem decals