**** DONE: 1/48 Hawker Typhoon 1B - Mediterranean Theater of Operations

[JKim]

Username: JKim
First name: John
Category: Advanced
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Hasegawa
Model Type: Hawker Typhoon 1B
Aftermarket addons: Ultracast exhausts, Eduard canopy masks, Techmod decals

Desert Typhoon? Apparently so... three Hawker Typhoon 1b aircraft were sent to the Middle East in 1943 for desert trials. The trials were satisfactory but before the Typhoon could see any desert combat, they were replaced by the Spitfire Vc. According to an article by Gordon Birkett found at Welcome to ADF Serials, the three Typhoons were recorded as EJ906, R8891 and DN323 and are assumed to have worn the standard RAF desert camo scheme: Dark Earth (brown) and Mid Stone (sand) on top and Azure Blue below with black spinners.

NOTE: I am aware of Sergio's wonderful build of the Hasegawa kit in essentially the same scheme. Sergio used the Techmod's decals for EJ906 but I'd prefer to model a different aircraft other than EJ906 if possible. Techmod also offers markings for another desert camo Typhoon (B8925 "B") but I can't find any supporting data for this aircraft.

So... I am going to try and portray DN323, which is depicted in the picture above. I say "try" because I don't have the decals for this aircraft. I'm assuming I can use the kit decals for the national insignias but the codes "DN323" and "Y" will have to be found elsewhere. I will check my decal spares but I may have to spring for a set of RAF 8" codes. The "Y" is not critical since there are pictures of DN323 which are missing the "Y".

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Very nice and a unique selection.

 

[JKim]

I just received the kit in the mail yesterday but am not planning to start on this build until the P-47D is complete. But I have had a look inside the box just to get initial impressions of the kit and can share that with you.

Here's the kit... typical Hasegawa box. Two separate baggies... one small one for the clear parts and one big one for all of the other parts. Had a couple of free floating parts so I can't rate Hasegawa packaging very high. Artwork is great though... typical Shigeo Koike... striking and detailed.

Clear parts look decent. The option to show the unique "car door" open is available WITHOUT having to cut any clear parts, which is a definite plus.

The fuselage uses a modular approach to accommodate both tear drop canopy and car door editions of the Typhoon. Upper fuselage requires four additional pieces which complicates construction, adds unsightly glue seams that will need to be cleaned up and introduces the possibility of misalignment and potential putty work. Cost benefit to manufacturer: thumbs up... practical benefit to modelers: thumbs way down.

Panel lines look good. Based on the cover art, the radiator intake on the lower left is missing four little vanes mounted at 90 degrees of each other in an "X" pattern.

Not much detail on the inside of the gear covers but I'm not sure what the real thing looks like. I'm leaning toward an OOB build on this one. If I really wanted a super-detailed Tiffy, I'd be building the Airfix 1/24 kit.

Nothing unusual in the wings. No option to pose the control surfaces and the wheel is ribbed with hardly any other detail. I hate the decision to mold the base of wing guns on both the upper and lower wings as halves. Gun barrel fronts are then added to the bases. I would much prefer a one-piece molding of each gun separately but as it is, I'll have to deal with multiple seams for each gun... not fun especially when they are spaced so close together.

Wheels are molded in halves and are portrayed as weighted. This is the first time I've seen this on a production kit but then again, I have only recently gotten re-acquainted with the hobby after a long hiatus.

Exhaust tips are solid, which is the norm on Hasegawa kits. Although I've been eyeballing some beautiful resin exhausts from Quickboost and Ultracast, I'll probably bore out the kit pipes and save my aftermarket budget for the decal issues and some canopy masks.

Cockpit details are decent. The kit includes a fully molded instrument panel AND a IP decal. I'm so used to using aftermarket products, I'm looking forward to trying to hand paint this panel.

Spinner and three-bladed prop, which is appropriate for any early model Typhoon.

Instructions and decals are typical Hasegawa... nothing out of the ordinary here.

I'm going to put this kit on the shelf while I investigate the decal situation and finish up the Thunderbolt. I will most likely order canopy masks but this will probably be a mostly OOB build. Stay tuned!

 

[Wurger]

 

[le_steph40]

8)

 

[Crimea_River]

Looking very much forward to seeing what you do with this one John as I have a re-issue of this kit with the shark mouth decals. Mine has a couple of extra parts (4 bladed prop and some resin horizontal stabs) that nowhere near justify the stupid price I paid for this kit. I'll have a look and see what I can offer on the decals. I think the s/n is most important as the white "Y" would actually be easy to mask and paint.

 

[javlin]

Should look Nice John .Hollowed out Exhaust??

 

[JKim]

Looking very much forward to seeing what you do with this one John as I have a re-issue of this kit with the shark mouth decals. Mine has a couple of extra parts (4 bladed prop and some resin horizontal stabs) that nowhere near justify the stupid price I paid for this kit. I'll have a look and see what I can offer on the decals. I think the s/n is most important as the white "Y" would actually be easy to mask and paint.

I really like the look of the four-prop Typhoon! But yeah, some of the Hasegawa OOP kits are outrageously expensive. I resorted to a Japanese dealer to get this kit... not exactly cheap but less than $30US. With some reported issues on the modular fuselage assembly, this build should contrast nicely with the Tamy P-47D which just seemed to fall together.

Should look Nice John .Hollowed out Exhaust??

Yes, I'm going to gouge out the exhausts manually... I've had some past experience doing this! I'm a little concerned about the pronounced lip around the exhausts tips. Hollowing out exhausts with a drill/knife looks best when you take it all the way to the edge to get the thinnest wall possible but I'm afraid I'll damage the exhausts due to that lip. That's probably the first thing I'll tackle... if I really botch it, I can go aftermarket.

 

[destrozas]

Maybe not find much information the plane as serious that never came to be mounted for flight, what story you do head and I do not remember which of the serial was not put in flight, but hey, the 4 models exist some pictures of the 3 that were put in flight and one does not, the first if I remember correctly was the R8891 that fell faster with engine problems after the DN323 that just as he saw that happened in the priemro was the one who fell and EJ906 that the tube also problems.

I let a reference raf serials 1/48, i was looking to make a jumble of a plane and reuse leftover decals and do not see how I raised myself serials with these:

Colorado 48048 - Black RAF Serial Letters/Numbers.


are 6 ", 8", 18 ".

 

[JKim]

Maybe not find much information the plane as serious that never came to be mounted for flight, what story you do head and I do not remember which of the serial was not put in flight, but hey, the 4 models exist some pictures of the 3 that were put in flight and one does not, the first if I remember correctly was the R8891 that fell faster with engine problems after the DN323 that just as he saw that happened in the priemro was the one who fell and EJ906 that the tube also problems.

I let a reference raf serials 1/48, i was looking to make a jumble of a plane and reuse leftover decals and do not see how I raised myself serials with these:

Colorado 48048 - Black RAF Serial Letters/Numbers.


are 6 ", 8", 18 ".

Sergio... Are you saying that you have some spare RAF codes? I have need of two sets of black 8" RAF codes for me "DN323" build. If not, thanks for the Colorado decal source... I may have to go that route if I can't find spares.

 

[destrozas]

if you do not want to get the whole sheet of decals with Serial 8 and 18 "you have no choice, you can go for the homemade decals, you print it but to do so you need supplies, printer sublimation with 1200dpi not simulated , this is what I'll finish making

 

[Wayne Little]

real good choice John.

 

[JKim]

if you do not want to get the whole sheet of decals with Serial 8 and 18 "you have no choice, you can go for the homemade decals, you print it but to do so you need supplies, printer sublimation with 1200dpi not simulated , this is what I'll finish making

Ah, got it! Anyone have any experience with printing custom decals on an inkjet printer? I've seen Testors Decal Paper at my local hobby shop. I may take a look at that option.

Tinkered with the Typhoon last night... seat is pretty rudimentary but toying with the idea of scratching up a cushion for it. Also had a go at hollowing out the exhaust tips and blew out the very first one attempted due to the angle the tips are set at. The pronounced lips... the angle (hard to access with knife tip)... the thin-ness of the pipes themselves... I may go to resin.

 

[fubar57]

I've used the Testors system but the problem I had with the 8" numbers/letters was each part of the number was a dot, didn't look neat at all. There are drawing programs that eliminate this, I think Inkscape is one. I've also used it to make mottles(not an airbrusher...yet) and was happy with the result.

Geo

 

[JKim]

I've used the Testors system but the problem I had with the 8" numbers/letters was each part of the number was a dot, didn't look neat at all. There are drawing programs that eliminate this, I think Inkscape is one. I've also used it to make mottles(not an airbrusher...yet) and was happy with the result.

Geo

Thanks for the info Geo. I'll probably pick up a packet of decal paper and see how that works. Will keep the software note in mind.

Another question...

Any chance that the "Y" code on DN323 shown in the picture is Sky and not White? I'm hesitant on using the kit roundels since Hase/Tamy decals tend to be thick and the roundels cover lots of real estate. So I thought I'd kill multiple birds with one stone and pick up the Techmod set that Sergio used in his build...

Notice the "ZY" code? I could use the "Y" and roundels from this sheet and would only need to come up with the "DN323". If I can't come up those codes, I can always revert to depicting "EJ906".

 

[fubar57]

How about this John...

...there's a few more photos here...ADF-Serials Image Gallery :: 451 Squadron Hawker Typhoon :: DN323

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

I can't say for sure John but I think the dessert schemes typically used white lettering. As for home made decals, they turn out not too bad but not as crips as commercial ones. Here's a set of serials I made for a 1/48 Spit. If I recall correctly, I printed them from MS Word using an RAF font I downloaded from somewhere. The letter O was masked and painted. In the meantime, hang tight on buying anything. I will check today on what I have and get back to you tonight.

 

[fubar57]

Is this the site Andy? Simmers Paint Shop Forums - Downloads - Military Fonts

Geo

 

[Crimea_River]

No it was somewhere else that has since gone t!ts up but that one should do.