DONE +++ Hawker Sea Hawk T20 trainer (a.k.a. 'The Puffin')

[Dizzyfugu]

Well, it's a weird coincidence, but my contribution will be a response (after three years) to a submission from the 2015 One Week GB: a Hawker Sea Hawk trainer variant built then by Glenn Gilbertson, who called for alternative interpretations of the theme:



More here: http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,40426.msg680191.html#msg680191

He (successfully) mated a Sea Hawk fuselage with the nose section of a Hawker Hunter two-seater - a nice concept (since there had never been a Sea Hawk trainer), even though I personally found the result to look a little nose-heavy. However, the idea made it onto my project list, and now it's time to offer my alternative of the theme. 

My build will be based on the lovely Hobby Boss Sea Hawk in 1:72, but the nose section will come from a different donor aircraft. And my Sea Hawk trainer will probably end up in classic late Fifties USN colors and markings.

Parts set aside, waiting for the GB to start officially... 

[The Chaos]

This looks 

[Dizzyfugu]

A re-edit of the post: the look at the ingredients:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Things are moving, and so far, as expected, quickly. Separate work on the cockpit section (new interior, including a floor and rear bulkheads) and the fuselage (halves closed, tail and stabilizers mounted) speed the project up, but the complicated task - the "golden cut that will mate the new cockpit to the fuselage - lie still ahead.

A look at the main landing gear wells - a very nice kit!


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Here's a look at the cockpit: left over srom my recent BAC Bushmaster build, the ruins of a Matchbox Strikemaster fuselage. Since the cockpit is rather primitive and empty, I added a floor and rear bulkhead, and it will receive different (= better) seats.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


Here's a look into the air intakes - even with a duct simulation!


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The lower fuselage half; the landing gear wells are already in place and the front section has been cut away in the hopefully right position. The plan is not to make the forward fuselage longer than the original.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

...and this is the completed hull, right before the major cuts:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

Day #1 already ended with the successful nose transplantation and the first coat of (massive) putty. Ahead of my personal progress guesstimate - and, after the first PSR tour this morning, the rhinoplasty looks vers successful. Weird thing is, though, that the result reminds A LOT of a McDonnell F2H Banshee night fighter!  Odd!

Here's a look into the modified cockpit. The canopy will also be cut away, so that it can be displayed in open position:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Then, things became serious: the cut on the Strikemaster nose! I settled for a staggered cut, so that I could use the original spine section behind the canopy, for an even transition into the Sea Hawk's dorsal section:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

With the donor cockpit as benchmark, the upper half of the Sea Hawk's fuselage cout be cut open, and with some slight trimming things looked like this on the 1st day's evening:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Last measure of day #1: lots of putty, so that it could cure well over night.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[Dizzyfugu]

Second PSR turn, and things start looking "good". Even though I am not certain about the eventual outcome. If the original is a "Sea Hawk", then we might now get a "Puffin"?!

Progress is still good, though.

Here are some live pics from day #2, afternoon.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The flat Strikemaster bottom is the biggest challenge, which results in a square shape. Blending it into the circular Sea Hawk body is not easy, but the result so far looks surprisingly conclusive.

[The Wooksta!]

That's a lot closer to copies of the HSA drawings I've seen.  Although I'd like to see it done with a P1081 instead...

[TheChronicOne]

Lookin' good!

[Dizzyfugu]

Impressions from deep into day #2.

Dry-fitting the canopy - looks a bit tadpole-ish, just like Glenn Gilbertson's approach. But, effectively, the whole thing is just a little (2-3mm) longer than the original Sea Hawk.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


A look at the belly. You might guess the heavy body work involved into the intersection between the flat Strikemaster underside and the round Sea Hawk fuselage. Looks pretty conclusive, though.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


The kit comes with a lot of antennae as OOB parts, but I replaced them with thin wire.


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


...and at sunset the kit was ready for painting. Things started with a coat of a very light grey from the rattle can on the undersides...


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

while the wheel well covers still wait for their paint shower on a piece of tape:


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

That's looking remarkably good Thomas, and VERY plausible too! 

[Dizzyfugu]

Thank you. Well, the thing is a bit tadpole-ish, and also reminds of the A-6 Intruder. But it does not look worse than the TF-102, when compared with its fighter ancestor.
However, I am amazed how well the Strikemaster nose fits onto the Sea Hawk fuselage, and without the original air intake "ears" it looks much more elegant.
The nose section has something Sea Venom-ish about it? Looks very British to me. 

[NARSES2]

That's looking remarkably good Thomas, and VERY plausible too! 

Very much so

[PR19_Kit]

The nose section has something Sea Venom-ish about it? Looks very British to me. 

Yes, the big fat canopy looks very much like a Sea Venom, especially the later ones with the bulge above the pilot's head.

[Dizzyfugu]

More news, from yesterday evening (Day #3) and this morning (landing gear added):


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20 trainer; 1958 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr


As the next step the landing gear will be painted, and then a light black ink wash will follow. Looking very good so far! 

[Snowtrooper]

The Strikemaster nose is definitely characteristically British and since it's quite narrow, suits well to all kinds of two-seater conversions such as this

[Weaver]

Thank you. Well, the thing is a bit tadpole-ish, and also reminds of the A-6 Intruder. But it does not look worse than the TF-102, when compared with its fighter ancestor.
However, I am amazed how well the Strikemaster nose fits onto the Sea Hawk fuselage, and without the original air intake "ears" it looks much more elegant.
The nose section has something Sea Venom-ish about it? Looks very British to me. 

Funnily enough, I was going to post that a two-seat Vampire/Venom front end would be the optimum way to do this if you had a free choice of donor kits. One option for my FAA-buys-USA timeline is a Grumman Panther night-fighter using this principle.