**** DONE: GB-57 1/48 Curtiss Hawk-75A-3 - WW2 Foreign Service

[T Bolt]

User Name: T Bolt
Name: Glenn
Category: Advanced
Kit: HobbyCraft P-36
Scale: 1/48th
Accessories: Microscale Decals

I will be building a Vichi French Curtiss Hawk 75A-3 of the 2nd Escadrille GC II/4 at Dakar Senegal 1942.

I did some searches into Dakar and French West Africa during the war as other that operation Torch, it was an unknown aspect of the war to me. I was surprised to find that during the battle of Dakar (again, new to me) The Hawk 75 pretty much kicked the Allies ass.
That's what I love about this hobby, always learning new things about history.

This will be the fourth time I've built the HobbyCraft P-36/Hawk 75 kit plus a couple more if you include their P-40C and I have to say I love these kits They are simple but build into a very nice finished product and have room for upgrading it you want to.
I will be starting after I get my two GB-56 builds wrapped up this weekend.

That's what I love about this hobby, always learning new things about history.

This will be the fourth time I've built the HobbyCraft P-36/Hawk 75 kit plus a couple more if you include their P-40C and I have to say I love these kits They are simple but build into a very nice finished product and have room for upgrading it you want to.

I will be starting after I get my two GB-56 builds wrapped up this weekend.

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice one that will put a dent in your paint stocks.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Good one Glenn, I love those Vichi stripes on a plane.

 

[T Bolt]

Good one Glenn, I love those Vichi stripes on a plane.

That's what sold me on it

 

[Ralph Haus]

Fantastic ! Not only paint stock but masking. Patience not withstanding. Looking forward to the color progress shots.

 

[le_steph40]

Nice choice Glenn

 

[T Bolt]

The decals were waiting for me in the mail when I came home last night and look to be in good condition.
I have searched but have not been able to find a picture of this particular aircraft. If anyone has one I would be grateful.

 

[Ralph Haus]

The decals were waiting for me in the mail when I came home last night and look to be in good condition.
I have searched but have not been able to find a picture of this particular aircraft. If anyone has one I would be grateful.

View attachment 709563View attachment 709562

Decals?? And I thought you were going to be maskin-n-paintin? Not sure which would be the bigger challenge though? Wrapping those bands around the nose will be interesting.

 

[T Bolt]

Not sure if I'll be using the red stripe decals or not at this point but even if I do there will be plenty of masking going on with the 4 color camo plus yellow cowl and tail.
Here's the masking on the last Hawk 75 I did for Group Build #12 with similar camo.

 

[Ralph Haus]

Not sure if I'll be using the red stripe decals or not at this point but even if I do there will be plenty of masking going on with the 4 color camo plus yellow cowl and tail.
Here's the masking on the last Hawk 75 I did for Group Build #12 with similar camo.

View attachment 709578View attachment 709579View attachment 709580View attachment 709581

I feel your pain. I, rightly or wrongly, tend to use a lot of tape myself when masking. Tape is cheap (washi anyway) and frustration to high when over spray appears!

 

[Wurger]

 

[rochie]

love how the colours are called out in both French and English

 

[le_steph40]

Glenn, If I'm not mistaken, the colors painted on the French H75s are Kaki, Gris bleu foncé and Ombre Calcinée or more probably Marron (Brun) for the upper surfaces and Gris bleu clair for the lower surfaces

 

[Wurger]

Hawk 75A-3 de la 2e escadrille (SPA 153) du Groupe de Chasse I/4, basé à Dakar à l'été 1942. Le groupe obtint plusieurs victoires sur des appareil de la britannique et français libres au cours des raids de septembre 1940, septembre 1941 et août 1942. L'appareil porte les bandes de neutralité de Vichy, apparues en juin 1941, et un camouflage inhabituel, le Gris Bleu Foncé usuel étant remplacé par du Chamois, afin de mieux camoufler l'appareil sur fond désertique.

Hawk 75A-3 of the 2nd squadron (SPA 153) of the Groupe de Chasse I/4, based in Dakar in the summer of 1942. The group obtained several victories over British and French aircraft during the raids of September 1940 , September 1941 and August 1942. The aircraft bears the Vichy neutrality stripes, which appeared in June 1941, and an unusual camouflage, the usual Dark Blue Gray being replaced by Chamois, in order to better camouflage the aircraft against a desert background.

the source: Curtiss P-36 Hawk

 

[Wurger]

And the another rendition of the profile for the kite ...

the source: the net.

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks Steph, that will be useful.

That's wonderful Wojtek, I looked all over and could not find a profile. Now I can start working out a guide sheet for the camo pattern.

 

[Wurger]

Thanks Steph, that will be useful.

That's wonderful Wojtek, I looked all over and could not find a profile. Now I can start working out a guide sheet for the camo pattern.

My pleasure Glenn.

Here is a screenshot of the PrintScale no.72-315 decal sheet. The rendition for tops can be useful as well.

the source: Print Scale -72-315 Curtiss P-36 Hawk

 

[T Bolt]

Thanks Wojtek. that will be a big help

 

[T Bolt]

Here's the kit.
I've built this one so many times I could probably do it blindfolded.
I hope to make a start on it within the next couple of days