Airfix 1/72 Hawker Tempest V A02109 Build

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

For my latest build I thought I'd do the new Tempest from Airfix, as I've been concentrating a bit on post war stuff of late.

The parts seem moulded well, with fine engraved panel lines, and good detail. There area some unused parts, that will be appropriate for a later series Mk. V, such as drop tanks, different main wheels (which even have the Dunlop logo moulded on) and a filter to go into the middle of the air intake. I should say that the drop tanks are moulded in clear plastic, the real thing had a clear panel in it to view the contents, so the tank can be painted, leaving the panel clear. Options to use in the kit include choice of spinners, either pointed or blunt, and wheels up or down.

The main fuselage parts don't have pins and holes, but rather pins on both sides that interlock.

The instructions are in Airfix's usual style.

[peebeep]

I recently did a review of this kit, but I don't wish to steal your thunder by linking through to it, other than saying apart from a couple of very minor glitches I would give this a highly recommended rating. The method of locating the fuselage is a neat solution to a common problem of getting shrink marks on the outside wherever a locating tower is positioned. The fuel tanks also had clear pylons which I took as the main reason for moulding them as a transparency. The were fitted within a metal framework and made from a plexiglass type material.

[peebeep]

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Hi Peebeep,

I didn't realise that you had already done a review of this kit, wasn't trying to step on your toes, hope you don't mind if I carry on with posting my build.

Here's shots of the sprues and the decals, by Cartograph of course.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

The internals of the Tempest are made up of various sub assemblies, for the radiator, seat and armour, instrument panel and tail wheel bay. The painting instructions for most of these is pretty good, apart from the radiator, which has no colour call outs at all. I gave it a base coat of black, from and back, dry brushed in dark aluminium to pick out the details, then painted the carburettor intake in aluminium.

The fuselage halves have representation of the structure moulded in, and some semblance of sidewall detail.

You can see that I have also assembled the wings here. They are one piece top and bottom, with the centre of the top wing also carrying the control column and foot pedals. These pedals are tiny, but still have callouts for 3 colours! The top and bottom halves of the wings fit together nicely, trapping wheel well wall pieces and the cannon barrels inside. The fit was fine, the only downside being quite thick trailing edges. Something easily fixed with a couple of swipes of wet and dry paper.

Interior was painted following Airfix's instructions, the only addition being Tamiya tape belts painted Humbrol cream. The surfaces then received a light grey drybrush to add some weathering.

[peebeep]

I didn't realise that you had already done a review of this kit, wasn't trying to step on your toes, hope you don't mind if I carry on with posting my build.

 

 

The review isn't on this forum, it's elsewhere. Last time I tried to post more than three or four images on a single post the forum software seemed to blow a fuse, so I didn't bother trying to post it here.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Hi PMP

Enjoying the build. Can you answer a question, is this new kit suitable for easy conversion to later variants of the Tempest?

What I mean by later variants are series two Tempests, the box supplies the drop tanks etc so do you think kit allows this alteration. This kit is series one with cannon sticking out from wings. The versions I am talking about have the cannon internally in wing with slight part sticking out.

Hope you continue this build project.

Rod

Hard NO! The Tempest V and VI both have Napier Sabre engines, and the Tempest II has a Bristol Centaurus.

See Hawker Tempest - Wikipedia .

[peebeep]

What I mean by later variants are series two Tempests, the box supplies the drop tanks etc so do you think kit allows this alteration. This kit is series one with cannon sticking out from wings. The versions I am talking about have the cannon internally in wing with slight part sticking out.

 

 

The guns are separate parts, so it would seem that a further series 2 issue was always intended. This is reinforced by the fact that the tanks are not for use in either of the schemes offered with the first release.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Hi Kenneth

I was only really meaning the Tempest my 5 variations. Wouldn’t do mk6 or mk2 variants.

Rod

Yeah, I read your post as being mark numbers, not series numbers.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Thanks for the message Rod, I see it's been answered already!

Anyway, back to the build. while waiting for paint to dry and glue to set, I was working on the prop. Started by painting the tips white undercoat then yellow, masked these off and painted the rest of the blade black, as was the spinner back plate, and the spinner itself was painted Sky Type S. All was assembled with no issues, matt varnished, and put to one side for later use.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

The rest of the airframe was constructed without any issues, everything went together well, and the only filler needed was a spot on the end of the chin intake. Clean up of seam lines was quick with some wet and dry of various grades. The only negative I have is that the wing trailing edges are on the thick side, and could do with thinning down. One thing I did like was the cockpit combing insert as a separate piece, allowing detailed canopy rails.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Painting was done by hand using Vallejo Model Air Paints. All the smaller parts such as undercarriage and exhausts were done at the same time. Now ready for decaling.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

A coat of gloss varnish applied, then decals added, I've gone for the plainer pre D-Day squadron machine option. For the most part decals went on fine with no silvering, as expected from Cartograph. Did have two issues though, 1, the shade of Sky used for the code letters and tail band looks a bit to blue to me, and 2, the yellow wing leading edge stripes. I did get these on, but they just didn't look right, being to wide at the tip. In the end I took them off again, masked up and hand painted them.

All was sealed with another coat of Future varnish, now some washes and weathering a coat of matt and adding the small parts.

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

Plenty of stencils included to make it interesting!

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

After the decals, and a panel line wash, the undercarriage was added. This is quite complex, but well detailed, and sturdy when completed. The wheels are moulded with flat spots. Then on went the rod aerials and pitot, then a sprayed coat of matt varnish. Next the prop and canopy went on, and construction was complete.

To finish things off some weathering powders were used for gun and exhaust smoke, and dirt around the wheels, and finally the green and red navigation lights were painted onto the wingtips.

Overall a good, well fitting and well engineered kit that offered not issues, and was an enjoyable build. When the boxing for the series 2 aircraft comes out, I may just get another!

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

[Pretty Mediocre Modeller]

The Tempest next to its older brother, the Hurricane.