Last Build of 2018...Hase 1/48 Typhoon Mk.1B COMPLETED

[AeroplaneDriver]

Next up is my 15th and possibly last build of 2018. 

Hasegawa's 1/48 Hawker Typhoon bubbletop.  So far it seems a nice enough kit.  Not perfect, but thoroughly enjoyable.  One solid day of building has the fuselage together and wings on, and ready to start painting tomorrow. 

Not sure how I'm going to finish it...leaning towards OOB, but also considering a USMC Whif as flown during the long bloody campaign following the invasion of Japan in early 1946. 

Biggest disappointment so far was the seat.  Kinda blah effort.  I doctored it up with padding made from a ball of blu-tac rolled out, cut, and painted, and Eduard RAF belts.  I considered doing a more accurate Sutton harness from scratch, but given the tight confines of the cockpit, not much will be visible anyway so I'm happy with this.


Kit seat


With a little detailing. 

[Old Wombat]

15 builds? All brilliant? And here's me, struggling to finish my ... what? ... second?

[zenrat]

Painted blu tac.  Brilliant.
You have just solved for me an issue which has seen my scratchbuilt Winnebago project stalled for years.
Thanks.

Oh, and the seat looks much better like that.

[comrade harps]

Not sure how I'm going to finish it...leaning towards OOB, but also considering a USMC Whif as flown during the long bloody campaign following the invasion of Japan in early 1946. 

Operation Downfall invasion stripes?

[Old Wombat]

Not sure how I'm going to finish it...leaning towards OOB, but also considering a USMC Whif as flown during the long bloody campaign following the invasion of Japan in early 1946. 

Operation Downfall invasion stripes?

Yeah, but which/what stripes? The planning doesn't appear to have reached that stage before the Japanese surrender. I'm trying to figure something out for one of my builds.

[NARSES2]

Looking forward to this, one of my favourite aircraft. I've built a whole slew of Academy 1/72 ones, including a USAAF one in Italy, but never thought of a "Downfall" one  Great tip re the Bluetack 

Yeah, but which/what stripes? The planning doesn't appear to have reached that stage before the Japanese surrender. I'm trying to figure something out for one of my builds.

Very much so. Given most USAAF aircraft were natural metal by then, then black or dark blue seems to be obvious, but that doesn't help the USN/USMC or RAF/FAA. My feeling is that eventually they would have settled for a combination. Black/dark blue on NM aircraft and white on camouflaged ones. Just a single stripe on wings/tail and fuselage. I hasten to add I have nothing to base that on however.

[KiwiZac]

I love the idea of American engineers wrestling with Sabres. Even Kermit Weeks had to get a Brit to do his for the Tempest V, and he's just retired so they boxed it all up!

[AeroplaneDriver]

Much as I like the USMC idea (invasion stripes were going to be a single white and single yellow stripe side by side on wings and fuselage), and I toyed with a USAAC 1945 version in OD over Neutral Gray, I think I'm going to go RW with this one and build it OOB with the D-Day stripes.  I've been on a real WW2 history kick lately (planning a trip to New Orleans after Chrimbus to visit the US National WW2 Museum), and I think this will look nice on the shelf beside the RW Spit IX I did back in the summer.

White primer is on, and since the pic was taken the invasion stripe areas have been masked. 



The idea of a USMC or USAAC version is intriguing though and I think I may be keeping my eyes open for another on an unnamable auction site for a future project.

[AeroplaneDriver]

I think this is my first time ever doing invasion stripes with paint instead of just decals.  It made for a lot of masking, but I'm pretty happy with the result. 

Off to the Monday Night Football game now...more progress later in the week hopefully. 

[Old Wombat]

WOW!

[NARSES2]

WOW!

Yup 

[AeroplaneDriver]

Last completed build of 2018!!  Went with an OOB Real World build on this one.  It was a lovely kit with no real issues at all.  Hardest part was the masking for the camo and invasion stripes.  The white part of the stripes is painted, but the black is the kit decals, which went on beautifully.  I found two more Hase Typhoons on eBay at a steal with about $60 worth of resin and PE included so I see another of these in the not too distant future, most likely a USAAF or as previously discussed a USMC version. 

But for now....My real world RAF 247 Sqn Typhoon Mk.1B, June 1944













More Whifs next year I promise!!! 

[TomZ]

Wow, love it.

TomZ

[kerick]

Really nice work!!

[NARSES2]

Come out well, one of my favourite aircraft