Hasegawa 1/48 Hawker Typhoon Mk.1b for my D-Day GB....

[UKguyInUSA]

Hello Guys,

The following Build Update Reports #1 and # 2 for my Hasegawa Hawker Typhoon Mk.1b were originally included within my D-Day Group Build thread. Report #1 was issued last week and # 2 yesterday, but both reports either missed everyone's attention as there were no comments made, or, it isn't interesting enough to receive any comments, but I hope after all the effort it takes to create a build thread including photos and video, that this isn't the case? I try my best to read and make comments on every new thread that I see, which can be illustrated by checking the number of posts I have made within the short period of three months that I've been a member....1159 posts in total including this one. I understand that not everyone has the fortune of ample spare time and posts can be missed, but the odds of two posts related to GB/SIG's being completely missed and not commented on starts to draw attention and make me ask myself whether this is the right forum to be in? Maybe the mixed media content which seems to be heavily based on Armor, Artillery and Figure diorama's is an indicator that the majority of the members within this forum prefer threads related to those subjects, and thus, threads on Aircraft don't grab everyone's attention? Or, maybe there is an issue with me? I'd hate to think that in some way unbeknownst to me that I have disappointed anyone in anyway, but if I have, then let me know so it can be discussed. I would appreciate any candor that could highlight and help me understand my above inquiry so that going forward, I don't feel like all the effort that I'm putting into builds, build threads, photography and videos are going unnoticed or being ignored, and thus, indicating to me that my effort is being wasted within this forum? I don't wish to sound like I'm whining either, but in my personal and business life, if I feel there might be issues, I get them out in the open and discuss them so that concerns don't fester on my mind or the other person / persons involved and changes can be made to improve.

One question regarding build threads: Does the moderator / group leader of GB threads and SIG threads get any kind of alert that a member who is entering into their GB or SIG has made a post related to it, and therefore, they can then indicate to the entrant with a comment on their post that they are interested with the activity of the GB or SIG they are in charge of? Or, as a GB / SIG moderator/leader that position is assigned with the understanding that a concerted effort will be made by the moderator/leader to be actively involved within the posted threads of the entrants within his/her GB/SIG?

Thanks,

Martin

Build Update Report #1:


So, I finally got my Mojo back after 7 weeks since I last did any modeling!! I managed to get a few hours in yesterday and a few hours in today, but unfortunately, because this is the July 4th weekend, I'm going to be busy with family all weekend and will not be able to get back onto her until next week.

This is my first Build Update report #1 for my Hasegawa 1/48 Hawker Typhoon Mk.1b;

The cockpit was painted and assembled and fitted into the starboard side fuselage half, along with the painted radiator assembly.










The wheels were assembled and smoothed down then painted, along with a muddy wash because during action in Europe they often landed and were parked on turf.



Some other parts that I got painted whilst still attached to their runners; these all will be given a oil paint wash for weathering. I also dry fitted the main-frame to check fits and they look pretty good. I don't think I'll be needing any filler on the fuselage joints or the wing root to fuselage joints.



I completed the propeller assembly, too and gave it some weathering. The Hasegawa propeller assembly has the same design as the Tamiya kits; a rubber bushing is fitted inside the propeller which then push fits snugly onto a spindle extending from the front nose end of the fuselage assembly.









So far, I'm pleased with how it is going and think that it is going to be a good build. I was going to add after market 3 inch 60lb rockets to the undersides of the wings, 4 on each wing, but....I ordered them prior to my vacation and they were shipped whilst I was away....they haven't "arrived" here!

Therefore, I'm just going to proceed as is, straight out of the box, and if time allows before the deadline, I'll try my hand at building my first ever diorama....just a simple one showing the plane parked in a grassy / dirt area on a wooden base.

Okay, thanks for taking a look, all comments including constructive criticism is most welcomed, and, if you'd like to see my Build Update Report #1 Video on YouTube- here is the link;

Cheers,

Martin


Build Update Report #2:


Hello Guys,

I managed to get a bit more done today so this is my second build update report;


I glued the two fuselage halves together then taped and clamped them and allowed them to set overnight.




This morning, I removed the clamp and tape from the fuselage assembly then glued it to the wing assembly. I then taped the wings from one tip to the other to pull the wing root to fuselage joints together, then I placed a clamp at the location where the rear part of the wing assembly fits into the underside of the fuselage. I allowed this to set for 6 hours.







After the glue had set, I removed the clamp and the tape and checked the joints. Everything looked good and no filler would be required, just smoothing / filing of the glue joint areas. It was now time to fit the three cockpit area fuselage panels. Usually, model planes include two complete halves of a fuselage, but Hasegawa designed this model and their molds with interchangeable inserts so that two versions could be accommodated- the "Bubble Top Canopy" style and the "Car Door Canopy" style. My model will be the latter one.





I glued the larger Port Side Fuselage Panel in place first....








Followed by the rear Starboard Side Fuselage Panel....





Then finally, to complete the three panels, the last one to be glued into place was the front Starboard Side Fuselage Panel....





I then glued the underwing bomb pylons into place, one on each wing....





Followed by gluing the 4 front Cannon Barrel Fairings into place....





When everything was set, I smoothed down glue joints and re-scribed some of the lost panel line and rivet details. I then masked the plane in readiness for applying an all over coat of Model Masters Grey Primer. I started by covering the wheel wells with their doors / covers by sticking them in place with white-tac...







I then placed some white-tac into the front radiator housing to mask that, along with masking the cockpit area with Tamiya tape....





I then masked the rear side of the Radiator Housing with damp tissue and then placed small amounts of white-tac over the exposed wheel axle location holes....





I then pushed cock-tail sticks into the two front wheel axle location holes and one into the rear wheel location hole. These would then act as a stand to allow me to spray the whole of the airplane with Primer in one session, by holding the plane by the rear tail fin/rudder, first spraying the underside, then turning over, spraying the top side, then completing by sitting the model down onto the three pegs and spraying the tail fin/rudder area that my fingers were holding onto and covering....




The Model Masters grey primer was then sprayed all over.....





This was dry within an hour, but I allowed 3 hours before I applied my pre-shading. Unfortunately, my 0.2 needle / nozzle were not working on my airbrush, even though the black paint had been thinned down 50/50 with 91% Iso-Propyl Alcohol, therefore, I used a small flat brush to apply the thinned black paint.








So, that's it so far. My next stage will include masking areas on the undersides of both wings to apply white bands as the first stage of creating the white and black stripes. When those white bands have dried, I will then mask them to air-brush the black stripes. After allowing them to dry, I will mask off a "band" at the tail end of the plane then air-brush the underside grey, followed by the upper-side grey camo color. When that has dried, I'll mask the shape of the Camo and then airbrush the RAF dark Green camo. I'll remove the masking for the tail band and re-mask each side of that band and then air-brush the Duck Egg Green color band.

That's it for now, thanks for looking and as always, comments and constructive criticism are most welcomed.

If you'd like to watch this update on my YouTube channel, here is the link for this latest Build Report #2 video:

Cheers,

Martin