Project for the day #2

[AeroplaneDriver]

I finally decided on my first effort for the Airfix GB, so the finished product will be posted there.



This will be my first attempt at totally rescribinh raised panel lines.  Since the detail that is there is pretty crude and I am not building this as a straight Sea Hawk, I have the freedom to improvise on the panel line locations a bit.

Bits of the backstory to come.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Today's progress while tending the smoking pork;

Panel lines rescribed.  most look decent, but a few will be filled and redone, at least partially.  I used artistic license for a few, since the surface detail on the kit was pretty rudimentary.  I also added some access panels using a sheet styrene template (gotta get me one of those Verlinden/Tamiya template deelies!!).



I cut out auxiliary air intake doors on top of the fuselage.  The Seahawk had these type of doors (I assume that's what they are from the pics I have) a bit further back, and more of them, but I'm happy with mine.  to make 4 small doors I cut two large holes and split each hole in half with styrene strip.  Since the pic was taken I've addedthe doors, dropped in like the upper aus doors on a Harrier intake.



I added basic details to the gear wells.



No work on the tail, since once the fuselage is assembled the tail will be trimmed and shaped to accept a "butterfly" tail like the Supermarine 508.

Now...for a little of the backstory...

When Montgomery's assault on Rommell's forces at El Alamein stalled and the tide of the battle turned against the British it was a turning point in the war.

Many historians feel that if Monty could have defeated the Afrika Korps the invasion of Italy would have followed soon after.  From then it may have been possible for an allied invasion of France to begin as soon as spring 1944, with the allies reaching Berlin by the end of 1944.

Such an outcome would have been a blessing for the millions who died in the war from 1945-1949.

Once Hitler had pushed the British back in North Arfica and captured Montgomery, he turned his attention inwards to the dark continent's vast natural resources and east to the oil fields of Arabia.  While the war in Europe dragged on in a stalemate engineers on both sides set to work on newer, deadlier weapons.

In Britain Sydney Cam set ot work on a jet-powered version of the Haker Fury.  This design matured until it bore little resemblance to the original Fury.  The prototype P.1040 first flew in early 1946, powered by a Rolls-Royce Nene centrifugal flow turbojet producing 5,000lbs of thrust.

This new prototype showed great promise, and in May 1946 the Air Ministry placed and order of 138 production aircraft, now known as the Hawker Tornado.  The Tornado differed from the original P.1040 in that it had a "V" shaped Butterfly tail tested in the P.1040A instead of the P.1040's mid-mounted conventional tail.  The RAF's first Tornado entered service in March 1947.

The Tornado was also ordered by the RCAF and the USAAF and saw extensive service throughout the remainder of the war.  The Tornado's four 20mm Hispano cannon and the ability to carry bombs, rocket projectiles, and some of the first guided air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons made it a valuable asset when the invasion of Europe finally came in spring 1948.

More details of the Tornado's service record and tech specs as the build progresses.

[cthulhu77]

SUUUUWHEEEET!!!
  this is going to be a great jet...

[Maverick]

Wicked backstory AeroplaneDriver... altho... (bugger.. JMN mode...) Hawker already flew a Tornado being one of the early permutations of the Typhoon / Tempest family......

[AeroplaneDriver]

Wicked backstory AeroplaneDriver... altho... (bugger.. JMN mode...) Hawker already flew a Tornado being one of the early permutations of the Typhoon / Tempest family......

Yeah, but since it was the name used in an abandoned Typhoon/Tempest variant I figured it was reasonalbe to resurrect it for a Fury follow on.

[Maverick]

Touche AD... and thus the evil JMN is slain!!!!  

[Gary]

In Canada a clunk was heard as a fat man's jaw struck the floor.

Hey, no fair, he knows how to build models!