Sea Hawk T7

[JayBee]

Having lost my mojo big time since late last year I have done nothing in the model making field. So I decided to clear the workbench of all stalled projects and start something new.
I also had a deep think about why I had ground to a juddering halt.
I think the main reason was the RAF 100 GB, too many models being attempted, and none getting finished.
So I decided to start a new project which suited me.

I have had in the stash for a while two of the Hobby Boss 1/72 scale Sea Hawks. The FGA-6 and the Mk100/101.
The idea was to make a two seat trainer. This would have been a tandem twoseater with the taller fin/rudder of the Mk100.
That would require moulding a new canopy which is not a great problem for me.

Then one of the great failures from the RAF 100 GB came to my aid.
The Venom trainer.
I had started what I hoped would be a Venom trainer for the RAF, with my plans being to mate the nose of the Airfix Vampire T11 to the CyberHobby Venom NF-3.
HA! No chance.
I do not know where CyberHobby got their measurements from but there is no way that these two kits can ever meet anywhere.
So that project stalled crashed. And it lay there for a while.

Then I had the idea, "Could the Vampire T11 nose fit on the Seahawk?".
Would you believe it but the cross section of the two fuselages, at the point where they would be cut is an almost perfect match.
YES!

So here we go.
The AIRFIX Vampire nose is already part built, and I have started one of the Seahawks.
Despite comments about this kit's accuracy I find it a nice little kit to put together, "sort off".


So here is the first shot, with lots of masking tape to hold the top and bottom wings in place.




Why all the masking tape? Well look at the other wing which has not yet been taped and you will see.




With both wings well taped up I am just waiting for the glue to dry.



This shot has given me an idea for the final colour scheme. I do like military aircraft with colourfull markings. So the Suez stripes supplied in the kit just must be used.

[NARSES2]

Glad you got your Mojo back Jim  It's strange the way it can just disappear for no reason at all sometimes 

Then I had the idea, "Could the Vampire T11 nose fit on the Seahawk?".
Would you believe it but the cross section of the two fuselages, at the point where they would be cut is an almost perfect match.
YES!

Well that's handy  I do sometimes wonder where some companies get their measurements from ?

[kitbasher]

I started that option a while ago but the project has been stalled a while now.  of course being a miser I'm doing it the cheap (i.e. hard) way - Airfix FGA.6 (using the big fin/rudder) plus Merlin Vampire T.11 front.  As you say, the point where they match is nigh-on identical.

[The Rat]

This looks like a cracker, and brings more options to the table. 2-seat all-weather attack aircraft?

And it's given me another idea: 'Vampirising' a Sea Hawk. Remove the bifurcated exhaust and carry it straight through, and add a twin-boom arrangement for the empennage.

[PR19_Kit]

Lovely idea Jim, more power to you.

Reminds me I have a Venom Trainer to finish off too, but that failed at the painting stage. Nothing that a gallon of brake fluid wouldn't cure though................

[Dizzyfugu]

The combo works like charm - the only issue is thze different floor shape: the Sea Hawk is round, while the Vampire has a flat bottom. Sculpting this intersection is tricky...


1:72 Hawker Seahawk T 20; aircraft "A-256/XA454" of the Fleet Air Arm's 809 Naval Air Squadron; based on board of HMS Albion (R 07); 1959 (Whif/Hobby Boss kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

[JayBee]

The Vampire has a rounded fuselage cross section unlike the Strikemaster that you used.
However that does not help the fact that having cut the Sea Hawk fuselage and then mated up the two parts, they are not as close in size as I had anticipated.
More PSR than originally  expected. 

[Scotaidh]

Nice work.  Also, with regard to PSR - that's kinda what we do, isn't it?

I've heard that SEALs say "Embrace the suck."  In that vein, we would say "Embrace the PSR." 

[JayBee]

So having realised that the two fuselages would not fit very well, the main problem being that there was not enough contact to make a reasonably solid join, something had to be done.
So glue in some strips of plasticard.





Then once it had set enough, trim it down so that everything fits nicely, and glue the nose into place.





You can really see the difference in the fuselage dimensions here.

This next shot shows that the lateral dimensions are not so bad but to my mind this view makes it start to look rather like the McDonnel F2H-3/4 Banshee.





This last shot for to-day shows just how much difference there is between the two fuselages when seen from the side.
However it also shows that there is something else not right. Yes the whole nose section is pointed too much upwards.
Thankfully the glue had not set fully so the two parts have been pulled apart, and that will be the job for to-morrow!

[Gondor]

Maybe you should shorten the fuselage JayBee? I woould have cut back the to pf the fuselage between the wings so that the rear of the cockpit is further back allowing the Vampire iintakes to be nearer the intakes Seahawk fuselage. This would also mean that you will have to cut back the underside of the Vampire front fuselage to marry the two together resulting in the fuselage length being somewhat nearer for your trainer version to the length of the single seater which is what would be expected with a side-by-side version of a singe seat aircraft. But then again it's your aircraft and you will build it as you want. 

Gondor

[JayBee]

Far too much work inviolved there Alistair, this has to be a simple build to get my mojo back.

[Gondor]

Far too much work inviolved there Alistair, this has to be a simple build to get my mojo back.

Mind if I put that on my to-do list then?

Gondor

[The Wooksta!]

Hawker did drawings for a Sea Hawk two seater, both tandem and side by side.  I've some somewhere but I honestly don't know where...

[Weaver]

Watching with interest, not least because somewhere in the depths of my to-do list is a night-fighter version of my Royal Navy Grumman Panther with a Sea Venom nose on it...

[The Wooksta!]

TBH, all you really need to do is put a canopy over the original kit and open out the cockpit, rather than any more drastic surgery a la cut and shut.  Both the Sea Hawk and Panther are wide enough.  I've seen it done with the former a few years back.