T2B Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 The new Airfix 1:72nd Scale Curtiss Tomahawk tool is an excellent model and has almost as much detail as the later 1:48th scale kit. I have previously made the AVG Curtiss Hawk and loved it. Hence I have wanted to do the other Airfix Curtiss kits ....../media/tinymce_upload/1d5576ae2fe032572afa79aa70902ff4.JPGSo to cut a long story short, the 2 Curtiss Tomahawk Mk.IIb kits were acquired./media/tinymce_upload/da25a40a7d4e4439c7ea45933e189f51.JPGIhave also recently added a Curtiss P-40E Kittyhawk from 'somewhere' else to my stash which i might also build as a small comparison?/media/tinymce_upload/10880cec4740a504add03c313a3edd3f.JPG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratch Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Amusing that the other brand chose the classic Airfix markings. Should prove an interesting comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted May 30, 2019 Author Share Posted May 30, 2019 Yes it's 1 of the reasons I was drawn to the kit, but 112 Squadron was a famous unit in the Desert AF. On first inspection it is a detailed tool, on par with the Airfix new tools!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweezers Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Question: Does the Kittyhawk contain locating pins and wing tabs? Glad Airfix insist on these Oh and pilots too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peebeep Posted June 7, 2019 Share Posted June 7, 2019 Amusing that the other brand chose the classic Airfix markings. Should prove an interesting comparison. There's some good reference pictures in various archives of that AK772, so It's a bit of a no-brainer for anybody researching decals. It's not just Airfix and Special Hobby that have offered it as an option, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter s Posted June 8, 2019 Share Posted June 8, 2019 "The other brand" have an amazing range of rare RAF subjects but Jesus are they hard work to build.... The Airfix are idiot proof in comparison. It's a shame the early variants are so different to the later versions with 6 wing guns that Airfix are unlikely to do such a variant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 @ Tweezers Yes there are location pins on this tooling and although no 'wing tabs', the wings assemble into a complete sud-assembly and then locate up onto the fuselage sub-assembly. Its similar to some of the new Airfix tools and looks impressive from the competition and i will try and show some pictures during my comparison build. @ Peter s Yes the brand in question do have some interesting and unusual RAF aircraft, though I have yet to build 1 despite my growing collection of their kits. However if those rare aircraft were in a Red Box, that would be much better!! And the Tomahawk kit is substantially different from a P-40E Kittyhawk so would require a complete new tool, however seeing as the original Airfix Kittyhawk seemed to be a good seller, I wouldn't rule out a future release?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted June 10, 2019 Author Share Posted June 10, 2019 Now on with the build. Well to be honest I started and almost completed the first Tomahawk from 73 Squadron RAF before I started this thread so here are the pictures of the finished aircraft./media/tinymce_upload/ca359022bbc45945cdcfe85a06a683ee.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/f9cb24b8c8175f56a60ecbf08081367d.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/bd2c1876546bba6de6618a9daa45c501.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/e6190abc00a1129fac9eee61524b5d62.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/c989413261b4aa2da29b4cd3a1339b4a.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/de5af9633c4745b88ccc1d26e78b6630.JPGSome will have noticed my variation in colour scheme? The kit call out is for the standard European Day Fighter Scheme of Dark Earth/Dark Green and Sky Type S. I swapped the Dark Earth for Desert Middlestone and Sky Blue for the under-surfaces to give a more Mediterrain/media/tinymce_upload/2dd90c457c4d8eaf19f334478378ccda.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/232ff2a094964409a56965d81fe4148c.JPGAt the moment my new Tomahawk sits nicely next to my AVG Hawk/media/tinymce_upload/10924229846f4f81b16364a5b72f4454.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/7e99dd646634a652554114550700947a.JPGI'll try and do better with my build thread of the 112 Sqadron DAF aircraft .............. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 3, 2019 Author Share Posted July 3, 2019 Just started the 112 Squadron Tomahawk and will show some of the build sequence. As usual we start with the office and interior fuselage detail and as with the Hurricane some parts are mounted on the lower wing section./media/tinymce_upload/48c43dd2cedcd1206da67b196ae52034.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/159462322d86057ee5361c888cee416f.jpgMore to follow ......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Jeff Posted July 4, 2019 Share Posted July 4, 2019 I have a 1:72 P-40E Mk.Ia from another kit manufacturer beginning with 'A' underway at the moment. Building it up as RAAF Sq.75 A29-133 'Polly' as displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. See:https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/encyclopedia/kittyhawk/http://warbirdswalkaround.wixsite.com/warbirds/nz3009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 5, 2019 Author Share Posted July 5, 2019 Just a little progress as this isn't my main build at the moment, so it's just an interior spray and a little detailing of the sidewalls to be done ......../media/tinymce_upload/aa2d2833c1be854adedbc2a75a8ef353.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Jeff Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Just finished my Academy P-40E Kittyhawk. You can tell it was painted with a hairy stick. 😀There was a RAAF scheme in the kit but the Australian War Memorial included additional decals to make up 'Polly' and a couple of others from the Milne Bay squadron./media/tinymce_upload/8bb3b2beab45ca0e7654874a66f8bc50.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/49bbcc4450eaf2e75a6974670de0ecec.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/cd5014433ec6495fa27ba1b068d3c2c5.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/04431429705c03bbd1b51b09b5be172c.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 20, 2019 Author Share Posted July 20, 2019 The build of the Tomahawk continues in between finishing off the Mitchell Mk.II and planning my next big build. The fuselage halves have been matted together,/media/tinymce_upload/3bacaa5edaaa61486ddb66e030288dcd.jpgAnd then the canopy parts were masked before fitting,/media/tinymce_upload/e207a7ce0d88496cda5a98793d80188f.jpgBefore a trip to the paint booth!/media/tinymce_upload/733c1d8bc5dc763ee61a19a667c39c2d.jpgNot everyone's method to spray the parts before assembly but occasionally it works for me? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 22, 2019 Author Share Posted July 22, 2019 The parts have all been painted and ready for assembly. /media/tinymce_upload/60f83da7c54f7d364087f83aaeff129c.jpgAssembly of the air frame is completed and only minor touching up will be needed later./media/tinymce_upload/d34e9cde2f49f7e9dd13ff8f3d60e126.jpgI also noticed a seem line across the engine cowling which was lightly sanded. The cowling, having only been placed on and secured with tape was removed./media/tinymce_upload/068c9b50463286c2f8965b55a4ebeb4b.jpgThen the Prop and Spinner were fitted without any messy masking during the painting process. And the cowling was then secured in place./media/tinymce_upload/2cf380c1e715658740984278362c433a.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad Paul B Posted July 23, 2019 Share Posted July 23, 2019 Nice work. I love the Desert Air Force colour scheme. The Tomahawk is a great kit - my son (11) said it was his favourite when he did the 112 Squadron one. He is trying tofind a Macchi M202 Folgore to match it up with in a dogfight.A Kittyhawk would be nice as well, though the radiator cowling on these is larger so a new fuselage tooling would be needed. Itwould also be nice in 1/24as this is a very striking aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 24, 2019 Author Share Posted July 24, 2019 Thanks Paul, I think another picture update is due tonight? And yes the Tomahawk is a very good kit with few issues but to do a Kittyhawk would require a virtual new tooling with differences to the wings and fuselage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 29, 2019 Author Share Posted July 29, 2019 Last week's update failed so I'll try again. /media/tinymce_upload/1db425c4e5e2b49946a9c571310fa376.jpg The kit was a starter kit so only included the basic decals of roundels, code letters, serial numbers and of course the sharks teeth. I wanted a few of the stencils from the expanded decal sheet so purchased 1 from Airfix. The decals have mostly been applied so the kit is almost ready for final weathering./media/tinymce_upload/9f138d84b306a84b04e697cba58f6328.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Jeff Posted July 30, 2019 Share Posted July 30, 2019 I'm really impressed with your camoflage work - If you don't mind me asking, what method do you use for masking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted July 31, 2019 Author Share Posted July 31, 2019 Thanks Jeff and no problem, but really it's quite easy once you get started. I usually spray the undersurfaces first especially if they are a light day camo colour. I then mask that and spray the lighter top camo colour all over the upper panels before using rolled white tack sausages to form the camo pattern and try where possible to follow the illustrated pattern. Tamiya tape is used to mask between the sausage lines where required. The darker camo colour is the sprayed on and if not overdone leaves a soft edge between the 2 camo colours. I usually leave about 24 hours between each colour application and masking for the next colour to allow proper drying and curing to reduce the risk of the tape pulling off any paint from under the masking when removed. I hope that helps as you start your spraying adventures and I didn't simplify it too much? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenneth ONeill Posted August 1, 2019 Share Posted August 1, 2019 That's the sort of general paint sequence I'd follow (except for things like RAF night bombers where I'd go Dark Earth, Dark Green and then Night). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter s Posted August 2, 2019 Share Posted August 2, 2019 Nice work. I love the Desert Air Force colour scheme. The Tomahawk is a great kit - my son (11) said it was his favourite when he did the 112 Squadron one. He is trying tofind a Macchi M202 Folgore to match it up with in a dogfight.A Kittyhawk would be nice as well, though the radiator cowling on these is larger so a new fuselage tooling would be needed. Itwould also be nice in 1/24as this is a very striking aircraft.I've almost finished an M202 (TBH I've had it almost finished for ages) italeiri kit from ebay. It doesn't seem that common but you should be able to get an M200 easily. The matchbox fiat cr42 biplane is obtainable too. You'll pay more than £10 for it... Probably closer to £20 but it's a decent model for its age. unfortunately the "6 guns in the wing" P40 variants are quite different. If Airfix made a new kit of one or would give a lot of options. They fought hard in Italy into 1944 and also india/burma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted August 6, 2019 Author Share Posted August 6, 2019 As promised the finished 112 Squadron Tomahawk Mk.II. Because my work space is such a mess at the moment it's just a couple of quick photos/media/tinymce_upload/e0ba9ea7f9fe2c0cedb97c26f319c429.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/7a2cdb0b913835e0f74dbd4af1d16fb6.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/16bcb2ff60a1a0f671b41057b3326d1e.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/203f833099d7eaa3398c2dbb014847ad.jpgMaybe more will follow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter s Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 That looks great! Also if you think that's a messy workspace I'm never showing you mine. Mine is a dusty landfill of unpainted pilots and bits left out to one side for projects I've been not starting for yearsBTW if that was my model as you've put exhaust stains on the belly Id also put some from the exhausts too. I can maybe see some but id do more. I think I can see some chipping at the wing roots. Again personally I'd go a little OTT as it's really only desert and Japanese/Pacific planes get sandblasted. It's purely personal choice though and I have spoilt models overweathering at the end. Ps I like the blue-tac shade you used underneath too. I tend towards vallejo. Their middlestone and dark earth are great but their azure is ridiculously dark and bright. Yours looks "right". I've the same kit in my stash and I'll copy your blue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knight90 Posted August 7, 2019 Share Posted August 7, 2019 As promised the finished 112 Squadron Tomahawk Mk.II. Because my work space is such a mess at the moment it's just a couple of quick photos/media/tinymce_upload/e0ba9ea7f9fe2c0cedb97c26f319c429.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/7a2cdb0b913835e0f74dbd4af1d16fb6.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/16bcb2ff60a1a0f671b41057b3326d1e.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/203f833099d7eaa3398c2dbb014847ad.jpgMaybe more will follow?Looks fantastic , cant wait to get stuck into making mine now 😆 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T2B Posted August 8, 2019 Author Share Posted August 8, 2019 Thanks Knight90 And you should enjoy it and hopefully you'll post yours, but any issues don't hesitate to ask! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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