Irish Air Corps BAE Seabhac, Loaded for Bear QRA c.2015

AeroplaneDriver · May 13, 2020, 12:05:42 AM

While I'm finishing up a quick RW Tamiya Spitfire I thought I'd start getting ready for my next build...finally a Whif after a few real builds...

I got this kit a few months ago on sale from Hannants, along with the decals in the hope that the "Small Nations" GB would make it through polling. Since it didn't I figured I'd just go ahead and jump in now.

Backstory involves Putin's Russian Bear awakening a little earlier than in the real world, with Russian Air Force and Naval forces probing NATO territory on a regular basis. The RAF are stretched to the limit and facing an ever shrinking budget. Many of the Russian Bear flights probe the western defenses of the UK, resulting in a lot of Tornado and eventually Typhoon scrambles being sent to defend Irish Airspace in accordance with a long standing agreement.

With RAF Air Defense assets stretched a clever bod in Whitehall hatches a plan to fund the Irish Air Corps from the Foreign Aid budget in a tidy little arrangement that also benefits BAE as the Hawk production line is looking at a diminishing order book. Financed by the UK the Irish Air Corps received 14 Hawk 200s and two Hawk 100s in 2006. The aircraft operated through a bilateral agreement with the UK that saw close coordination with the UK air defence network as well as refueling assets. Pilots did initial training alongside RAF counterparts though the two 2-seat Hawk 100s and a simulator at Baldonnel allowed for most training beyond initial pilot training to be carried out in Ireland.

The arrangement proved beneficial, easing the burden on the RAF immensely and adding a useful element to the air defence of he British Isles. Though the Irish Hawk mission was very heavily focused on Air Defence, normally carrying two Sidewinder (ASRAAM after 2016), two AMRAAM missiles and an ADEN cannon pod, Irish Hawks were also cleared for a variety of air-to-ground weaponry and a significant percentage of pilots maintained currency in close air support and maritime strike roles.

Old Wombat · May 13, 2020, 03:16:43 AM

Watching!

Dizzyfugu · May 13, 2020, 04:43:08 AM

Nice idea.

Captain Canada · May 13, 2020, 06:10:22 AM

Can't wait for this one. The little Hawk 200 is like the coolest thing going !

nighthunter · May 13, 2020, 11:02:24 PM

Yes!

AeroplaneDriver · May 14, 2020, 10:59:26 PM

Got started on the Seabhac tonight. (Irish translation of Hawk, pronounced "showuk" with the 'ow' pronounced as if you hurt yourself.)

It doesn't seem a bad little kit, but definitely a step down after a few Tamiyas in a row. Tonight has just been getting the cockpit done and ready to join the fuselage halves.

I feel like there may be a tiny bit of warpage in the forward fuselage. Nothing a bit of Tamiya Extra Thin wont fix thought.

Cockpit is fairly nice, if basic. Panels are suppled as decals. They are VERY thin and almost melt with just a dab of Microsol. They aren't positioned exactly right but from normal viewing distance it looks ok. A few switches are picked out in white, red, and yellow with a toothpick. There is a little length of bent piping that goes on the left side of he black equipment box on the rear deck, but it went flying from my tweezers grasp and I don't know where the hell it landed. It can be added at the end so I'm not going to stress over it. If it turns up great, if not I can easily replace it with a little bit of wire. There is no throttle in the kit so I fashioned one from some scraps of stretched sprue. Not very accurate, but its accuracy is proportionate to its visibility. The seat will go in at the end. I'd planned on a resin seat since I have a nice MK.10, but honestly with a little doctoring up the kit seat will be fine I think.

It's early yet, but leaning towards a loadout as mentioned in the backstory with the ADEN pod on centerline, inboard fuel tanks, outboard AMRAAMS, and wingtip Lima Sidewinders.

That may change to a ground attack load though with CRV-7 pods or Mavericks.

Or maybe one of those Sea Eagles in the Kinetic Sea Harrier box would look nice...hmmm....

Captain Canada · May 16, 2020, 06:35:37 AM

Looks like a seabird grabbing a fish in that pic lol

Cockpit looks good too !

DogfighterZen · May 17, 2020, 12:47:35 PM

Watching this, i love that little bird! Nice work on the pit.

AeroplaneDriver · May 17, 2020, 11:31:49 PM

A little decent progress this weekend. I'm not 100% sure about the two tone green...I think I'm going to sleep on it. It just didnt come out the way I envisioned. It may grow on my though.

AeroplaneDriver · May 18, 2020, 09:40:55 AM

In better lighting I'm a lot more happy with the two-tone green. I think I'm going to move on to decals.

chrisonord · May 18, 2020, 03:49:47 PM

Looking good Mr Driver, I am looking forward to seeing this one finished for sure. I wish someone would bring one out in 1/72nd scale again.

AeroplaneDriver · May 19, 2020, 12:27:46 AM

Moving along nicely...markings on, should be finished tomorrow.

Dizzyfugu · May 19, 2020, 12:39:25 AM

Uh, jungle green!

DogfighterZen · May 19, 2020, 05:55:59 AM

Looking very good!

Quote from: chrisonord on May 18, 2020, 03:49:47 PM
I wish someone would bring one out in 1/72nd scale again.

Same here!

PR19_Kit · May 19, 2020, 07:21:19 AM

What's with the extra mini-tailplanes that Hawk 200s have? $:-\$

The original Hawk T1s didn't have them, but T2s and Hawk 100s do have them, very strange.

And why call a single seater Hawk a 200 and a two seater a 100? Someone got their thoughts mixed up there.

AFAIK the M'box Hawk 200 was modelled from the mockup as that didn't have the mini-tailplanes fitted.