**** DONE: 1/48 Hawker Typhoon Mk.1B 245 Sqn "Sharky" Commonwealth Group Build

[Airframes]

1: Ignore most references from the Hendon Typhoon! After being returned to the UK from the USA in the early 1960s, it was stored for a long time, with many parts missing. Without going into detail, most of the nose section, particularly the radiator etc, is 'mock up'. The spinner, for example, is a composite from (then) modern aircraft. The cockpit has American fittings not found on any other Typhoon! That said, it is a superb restoration given what the crew had to work with!
2. The kit wheels are more accurate in chord.
3. The dust filters in Normandy could vary in basic design, many being made 'in the field'.
The basic design was a wooden box around the 'real' bullet-fairing filter, central in the rad /oil cooler and, contrary to popular belief, was not that common, as it was a PITA and not very effective, in comparison to overheating on the ground. The latter was a constant problem, as were start-up fires, with the Sabre engine.
Check refs for the specific aircraft, as there were many anomalies with the Tiffie, including the Tempest tailplane / four blade prop fitment!
Little hint - the whole thing is a bl**dy minefield !!!
Good luck mate!

 

[N4521U]

1: Ignore
2. The kit wheels are more accurate in chord.
3. The dust filters i

Little hint - the whole thing is a bl**dy minefield !!!
Good luck mate!

Your scaring Me about mine now!!!!!!!!!

 

[Wayne Little]

Your scaring Me about mine now!!!!!!!!!

You can handle it Bill!

 

[Crimea_River]

Thanks for the update Peter. Strange about that gap. Almost loks like a problem with the moulds.

 

[ozhawk40]

1: Ignore....work with!
2. The kit wheels are more accurate in chord.
3. The dust filters in Normandy could vary in basic design, many being made 'in the field'.
The basic design was a wooden box around the 'real' bullet-fairing filter, central in the rad /oil cooler and, contrary to popular belief, was not that common, as it was a PITA and not very effective, in comparison to overheating on the ground. The latter was a constant problem, as were start-up fires, with the Sabre engine.
Check refs for the specific aircraft, as there were many anomalies with the Tiffie, including the Tempest tailplane / four blade prop fitment!
Little hint - the whole thing is a bl**dy minefield !!!
Good luck mate!

Cheers Terry. With the tyres, I think we both could be right, as I've noticed both 'skinny' and 'wide' type tyres. Digging through my references and taking a few more pics at the right angle, I've created this montage that should illustrate more clearly the width in comparison to a period photo. The Hendon Typhoon tyres look about right to me and I'm comfortable that Sharky's are best represented by the Ultracast version. I haven't got a good clear head on shot of Sharky's tyres, unfortunately, to compare.

The carb dust filter is the 'cuckoo door' type. The picture posted on page 1 clearly shows this with just the front end poking through what looks like a wire mesh grill guard. Heres a couple of photos showing the filter in place. The second photo is from Osprey Combat Aircraft 86 - Typhoon wings of the 2nd Tactical Air Force and explains two of the no doubt many solutions to the dust problem.

Cheers

Peter

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks for the update Peter. Strange about that gap. Almost loks like a problem with the moulds.

Yes CR, it is. They are all the same. Strange that nothing was done by Hasegawa to correct this either.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Airframes]

Now that I've seen the resin wheels in place, I agree - they look more accurate than the kit wheels.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Gott'a go with Terry on the wheels, much closer to the real thing.

 

[Wayne Little]

Agree with you're observations guys....

 

[rochie]

dunno if you've got this one Peter.
from Osprey's Typhoon_Wings_of_2nd_TAF_1943-45

never mind should've read your earlier post !!

 

[Night Fighter Nut]

Good info here.

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks guys

It's been awhile - lead up to Christmas was busy, but now time to get on with this and my other entry.

Pic 1
The horizontal stabilizers will be replaced with the these Ultracast versions of the later 'Tempest' type. The later typhoons had these, and are confirmed for this aircraft.

Pic 2
The landing lights on many Typhoons were faired over. I believe this was more or less standard when the rocket rails were added, but I'm not 100% sure. I am sure that Sharky had them covered so they were glued in and filled/sanded.

Pic 3
Landing lights gone.

Pic 4
Seat painted aluminium. I also going to add a cushion from card stock in my next update.

Pic 5
Progress on cockpit so far. Seems colour choice is either interior green for early car door type Typhoons, and the later models having a matt black interior with aluminium tubing. There are not many Typhoons left. One complete more or less airframe and a couple of restored cockpit sections to go by. The pilots notes I've looked at do show the tubing to be very light, so I'm happy to go with the aluminium. A few more bits an pieces to add here, including the instrument panel and seat belts. I'll be going with a Sutton harness for this one from Eduard.

Pic 6
Props almost done. Backing plate is white with a blue spinner. I used a Humbrol colour close to the decal 'checks' that go around the rear fuselage. The spinner doesn't look overally 'glossy' in the photos so I'll fade and matt this down later. I also need to add some small stencils to the blades.

Pic 7
The dust filter. Cuckoo doors are the same blue as the spinner. I'm not entirely sure of the colour of the filter itself, but I've gone with a 'buff' colour.

Pic 8
Alighting gear and door covers done. I'll make them a bit 'dirtier' before installation.

Pic 9
Exhausts are by Ultracast once again. Very nice mouldings. Painted various hues of black, steel, blue and buff.

Well that's it so far, another update very soon. Thanks for looking.

Cheers

Peter

 

[T Bolt]

Looks like a lot of good progress!

 

[Wurger]

Really nice job so far.

 

[Airframes]

Very nice work Peter!
The landing lamps were, as you say, often faired over on RP equipped Typhoons only, but not all squadons, or even aircraft within a squadron, had this done. Finding references is often very difficult for a specific aircraft. Some had one lamp faired, and the other in use and, eventually, it was found that the covering was not required, as there was no damage to the perspex lamp cover from the RP exhaust. When faired, it was just normally a piece of aluminium, and the edge surrounds were visible, and often just painted in a single colour - probably light grey primer.
The cockpit was semi-matt black above the main tubular structure, at throttle height, with this tube very often in Cockpit Green, as was the cross-brace tube below the instrument panel. The tubular frame work below these areas was generally painted in 'Aluminium'.
If you are using pics of the interior of the 95% complete Typhoon at the RAF Museum, beware! This aircraft spent it's life in the USA before being returned for restoration and subsequent display, and there are a number of US additions to the cockpit!
If you have doubts on any area here, give me a shout.

 

[rochie]

looks good Peter

 

[Crimea_River]

I agree. The prop looks especially nice.

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

With all here Peter, it looking excellent sir!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

You have been a busy boy, very nice Peter, very nice.

 

[Wayne Little]

Great work Peter, good to see you back and on track mate....!