Hawker What Was and What If, Part 1: After the War - Tempest F.6 and Cyclone F.1

[CammNut]

As an alumnus of Hawker Aircraft (Kingston 1976-78), and after years of doing only what-if models, I have decided to join the real world and tackle all of Hawker's post-war aircraft - in 1/72. I am going to try to do it chronologically, however tempted I am to jump to my favourites.

I started with the Tempest, developed during WWII but operated for a few years after the war. The model is Airfix's new-mould (2021) post-war Tempest V. Model Alliance provided the colour scheme and decals - a 213 Sqn Tempest F.6 based in Egypt in 1949.



The F.6 (left) was the last of the Tempest family to be produced by Hawker and was optimised for hot-climate operations, with increased cooling, combining the Tempest V's Sabre engine installation with the Centaurus-powered Tempest II's wing leading-edge radiators.

I had to change the chin intake and add the wing radiators to make Airfix's V into an F.6. A few aftermarket bits were added: Special Hobby exhausts, seat and gunsight; BarracudaCast spinner and inlet filter; and (excellent) Quinta 3D cockpit decals. MonteX canopy and wheel masks were used. Otherwise OOB. Paints are Tamiya and Humbrol.



I quickly realized how tedious real-world modeling can be. All that having to make sure it's correct. So I decided to reward/incentivize myself by making one Hawker what-if for every real-world build. To start, I decided to pair the real Tempest F.6 with the unbuilt P.1030, a "Super Tempest" derivative that would have been powered by a mighty 24-cylinder, 3,500hp Rolls-Royce Eagle.



The model (right) combines the fuselage of a Pioneer Sea Fury (stretched forward of the tail), with the nose, wing and tailplane of Unicraft's resin P.1030. Contraprops are from a Wyvern, landing gear from a Sea Fury. The wing lacked gun ports and blisters. The former were drilled, the latter carefully transplanted from a Sea Fury. The wing also lacked the exhaust slots for the leading edge radiators, which were scratched. By far the hardest part of the build was scratching acceptable 12-stack exhausts for the Eagle.



Colour scheme is that of a post-war Tempest F.2 with 33 Sqn in Malaya in 1949, with decals from the same Model Alliance sheet as the F.6. Showing no originality whatsoever, I chose the name Cyclone for the P.1030 - a monicker many others have picked for their Hawker whifs and one the company would have got around to using eventually.





Now, if only I could find that Freightdog P.1027 conversion for the Tempest...

[DogfighterZen]

  

[PR19_Kit]

Can't go wrong with an Eagle up front and a Wyvern contra-prop. 

[Old Wombat]

  

[Pellson]

They're both nice work indeed, but the Cyclone is outrageously good! Love it! 

[kitbasher]

Ooh, nice!  Looking forward to part 2 👍

[zenrat]

 

[NARSES2]

They are very nice sir   

I've the KP Tempest F.6 in the stash and was thinking of it for the Operation Downfall GB, but then I've been thinking of a lot of things for that GB 

[CammNut]

Thanks folks. Fun start to the project. The Airfix Tempest is a very nice kit and the P.1030 is a beast.

[su27rules]

      

[Captain Canada]

Excellent work. They are both terrific looking machines.

[chrisonord]

Very nice indeed. 

[Rick Lowe]

 

[zebedee]

Very nice... definite flavour of Camm there with the Cyclone F.1

Zeb

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Great stuff - I look forward to the series!