Hawker Henley Mk IV Divebomber

[sequoiaranger]

>Your putty fu is fight [sotoolslinger]<

In the bomb recess area, there are a lot of odd-shaped cavities that would not be seen from below with the bomb in the way, but nonetheless needed "filling" to seal it up and keep paint and sanding dust out of the cockpit. So....I used paintable bathtub caulk to fill in the space! I wanted to see how caulk would work for other applications (not so well, methinks) by using it "harmlessly" here. The caulk is also guaranteed to fight mildew---how I hate mildew in the cockpit! 

>Hmmmm. I do like where you're taking this.<
>Liking the recessed bomb bay as well.... it makes a lot of sense<

Thanks. I think it will look "tough" when I get done. Seems like this finalizing PSR work is taking FOREVER, but I think it is necessary for the overall effect.

[sequoiaranger]

Setbacks aplenty have struck this last week (therefore no updates), but I'm finally making headway toward painting.

I had found that some CA had flowed inside and into the propeller's inside hub (that USED to spin freely) and froze it (probably when I did my "belly" attachment and wing-spar cutting). So...I gouged out the nose, and now have an insert that I will put in, post-paint, to have the propeller spin. The white inside is the backing for the exhaust stub placement. The wing-leading-edge oil coolers are gouged, the double-row exhaust positions are gouged, the "car door" outline is gouged, and now the air vents to exhaust hot air (the vertical gouge behind the engine exhausts) are gouged. I have a pair of nice, PE grilles (from a Fw-190V18 kit) to put there on either side. (I originally was going to use three P-51 grilles per side, but STUMBLED on the Fw grilles gathering materials for my He-121 high-altitude fighter). When done, there will be black in back of the grille to show off the perforations. Also, a small gouge is in the "former oil cooler" area of the main air intake, that will have a small fan (propeller--thanks to a 1/500 ship model!) for cooling when the aircraft is stationary. Don't look for THAT one to spin, too! The double-barreled carburetor is not gouged out, but two tubes blended into the nose (but looks so nice!) SO MUCH is going on up there on the nose, but that's partially due to my whif engine (air-cooled "X"-24), so it's all my fault anyway!

There is one small "gouge job" left--outline the canopy so it fits in a slight groove flush with the fuselage rather than "overhang" when it sits in place.

[thedarkmaster]

 

[Gondor]

sounds as if you are building a face with the nostrils above the prop and the open mouth radiator below the prop (nose)

Gondor

[John Howling Mouse]

Go, go, go!!   

[Pablo1965]

Go ahead!

[pyro-manic]

I'm enjoying watching this one come together. Keep it up!

[sequoiaranger]

drkmstr, Gondor, JHM, Pablo and Pyro--thanks for the encouragement. I won't let you down.

I just had a "D'OH!" (slap forehead) moment: I carefully glued the main canopy in the grooves I dug, realizing only AFTER it had all set hard that I now cannot (may not) be able to put the turret in properly. There is a deliberate overhang of the main canopy that kind of envelops the turret--"designed" that way to minimize air backwash. I put some bracing in the turret well so that the turret goes in vertically and won't wobble. Unfortunately the vertical-ness means that I cannot tilt the turret to fit in under the overhang. Hmmm. I have many painting steps before I have to deal with that. I *MAY* have a one-time chance to "snap" the turret in, but I could never get it back out for appropriate masking for the main painting. So I will leave the turret out and hope for the best down the pike. At worst, I will have to trim the overhang, POSSIBLY re-instating it afterwards.

I have sprayed white-undercoat-and-yellow-overcoat for the "Operation Pedestal" markings, and will have to mask them off to put on the main camo. I have a "light Azure" blue for the undersides, then Medium Sea Gray overall on top, followed by masking off the pilot's "replacement"  car door, then putting on the Light Mediterranean Blue swaths in typical British style. I may put an extra mid-squiggle of the opposite color in the middle of the swath of color (a gray squiggle in the blue, and a blue squiggle in the gray) for a "whif" camo effect.

[sideshowbob9]

If I kept a tally of all my doh! moments......

Looking forward to seeing this lovely lady completed!

[John Howling Mouse]

Is the turret supplied in parts (halves) where you could carefully (read: surgically) assemble it "in situ"?
Or is it something you could separate into parts for this purpose?

[sequoiaranger]

>Is the turret supplied in parts (halves) where you could carefully (read: surgically) assemble it "in situ"?
Or is it something you could separate into parts for this purpose?<

Thanks for the concern and idea. The turret has been fully assembled and glued. I do have another glass top (two pieces side-to-side) that, in a pinch, I could build "in situ", but I would have to un-glue the gunner, guns (probably break them off, etc.) and maybe break up the turret well. NOT a prospect I relish.



I also may break the in-fuselage retaining ring into a "C", and "snap" the turret in from an angle at the last minute. I had put the retaining ring in to keep the turret from wobbling (and it was only oh-so-slightly) and now have gotten myself into this fine mess!

As I said, however, I don't need to resolve the turret issue for awhile, as I am in the "decorating" phase. I have a few ideas in mind, but the "assemble-in-situ" is the most drastic, destructive, and complicated means of getting the turret in, so I will keep that in reserve as a last resort.

[sequoiaranger]

Ahhh! The *FUN* Part--decorating.

I masked with low-tack painters' tape. I put a yellow fore-tail and wing-tips for "Operation Pedestal". There will be more yellow on the wing leading edge mating up with the tips, but that will be decal (clear decal painted with same yellow as tip). Underside masked to make straight line demarcation with top colors. The top colors are "Mediterranean Blue" and "Medium Sea Gray". I "compromised" with myself and added a color wiggle of the darker color in the middle of the lighter color to the typical British scheme--the idea being going from Mediterranean to "tropical" Indian Ocean warranted a bit more blue and that was the easiest expedient during a rush to a battle scene.



The close-up shows the "replacement" car-door (which will be further outlined in thin black pen, methinks) and the fine mesh of the engine cooling-air outlets. I had to paint them separately, black out the "opening" underneath, and then carefully install them. I did a better job on the other side, but I like the effect of the black showing underneath--a better "3D" effect. The mask stays on the canopy/turret area until glosscoat, decals, and dullcote are done.

[sequoiaranger]

Hallelujia! More *FUN*!

The "Operation Pedestal" markings are on. "A 8 @ H" was one of the 803 Squadron FAA Blackburn Skuas that got a hit on the Konigsberg in 1940, so I continued the tribute. I put an additional "H" on the lower cowl for the maintenance crew (some Typhoons had that). Note the "Excalibur" badge denoting its parent aircraft carrier (more on backstory, to come). I did that on a computer and made a decal for it. The Royal Navy serial # is from an unknown FAA aircraft, but "J" was a common first letter for Typhoons and Tempests. The yellow wing bars match up with the wing tips, deliberately overlying the roundel. From this angle you can see the car-door mismatch and the "extra squiggle" camo idea. I may put some kill or mission markings on, but otherwise I am done with decaling.



I am going to experiment with rattle-can Testors Dullcote. Wish me luck. I have had such POOR luck with various airbrushed flat finishes (lacquer, enamel, acrylic--they all SUCK, for me). Unfortunately Testors does not market their Dullcote in jars anymore (I have an old one from the 1960's, but it is no longer good)), just pressure cans. A test-spray on a "beater" came out nice--a consistent finish with no whitening.

[Pablo1965]

Wow I see a terrible dive bomber and a wonderfull scheme. It is hypnotic, I can stop to see it.

[ChernayaAkula]

Whoa, the camo is something else!    Jolly nice work so far!