Airfix 1/48 Hawker Hurricane Mk I

[speedgraflex]

It’s always a pleasure to see how you problem solve! My limited experience with Airfix designs (1/72 Kingfisher old old molds and 1/48 Mustang relatively new molds) made me wonder about the role of “fit” within their kits. The old designs were just as fiddly as the new ones. So when I read your issues I was not surprised, really. Probably more sympathetic than surprised.

How do you prep Airfix plastic?

[jeaton01]

Bruce, unless it's nasty resin I don't prep parts in regards to mold release. I do use Windex for cleaning the model before the main color coats but for small parts it doesn't seem to be a problem, especially after I have dropped them on the floor a few times. I do use mostly enamels and lacquers, if I restricted myself to water based acrylics I would have to be more careful.

I don't understand the concern about mold release with injected plastic. I have a friend who has a number of big machines making propellers for R/C airplanes and the only thing going into those machines are plastic beads under high pressure that produces the heat to fill the mold. Perhaps the low pressure molding process on limited run kits is different, I haven't seen that process.

The Airfix plastic is pretty soft and I look at it pretty close to check for square edges and warps but these new kits are molded very well. The oldest Airfix kit I have built is the Westland Whirlwind and it was very clunky plastic in comparison to what Monogram and Revell were doing at the time.

As for the fit of this kit, the parts do fit very well, once you puzzle out how they were intended to fit. I think the instruction writer perhaps missed some of it because of being too close and too familiar with the subject. I don't think I would have any trouble building a second MWD now that I know what the right locations are.

[speedgraflex]

Bruce, unless it's nasty resin I don't prep parts in regards to mold release. I do use Windex for cleaning the model before the main color coats but for small parts it doesn't seem to be a problem, especially after I have dropped them on the floor a few times. I do use mostly enamels and lacquers, if I restricted myself to water based acrylics I would have to be more careful.
.....

As for the fit of this kit, the parts do fit very well, once you puzzle out how they were intended to fit. I think the instruction writer perhaps missed some of it because of being too close and too familiar with the subject. I don't think I would have any trouble building a second MWD now that I know what the right locations are.

Great points here! I put in bold water based acrylics because I agree. I have painted my share of resin garage kits and agree it’s the type of paint as well as decent prep! Good styrene generally requires far less prep and is far more forgiving!

[jeaton01]

Another back and forth day on the MWD. I had to pop off the cab and cargo body parts because there was a twist in the frame that was not letting all the wheels rest on the ground, and the fit between the cargo body and cab was still not right. The tires all have molded flat spots which is nice, but what is not nice is that the front axle has a scale caster angle so that complicates the location of the flat spots on the front wheels. The wheels are separate from the tires and not keyed so it's up to the builder to set the tire in the right position. Silly me, I didn't figure out the caster thing until I had the wheels assembled assuming a vertical king pin. In addition, the frame had a twist that would not let the four wheels rest on the ground simultaneously. I was able to get the twist out of the frame and I may or may not sand the flats on the front tires some, don't know.

I removed a little bit from the back of the frame and that let the cargo body move forward enough to get things in shape on that issue. If you don't put the canvas top on the cab it's not that important, but if you do, as I did, then there is no room for fudging because there are two little posts on the two front corners that go between the firewall and the soft top. If the alignment is not spot on you can't get those posts to align at the right angles in front and side view. I think I have it now, you be the judge! It is a quaint little thing, by US sensibilities, but more modern looking than the Albion, I think. Somewhat similar to the Dodge WC-52 series in size. It has a very tight engine compartment.

[Medicman71]

Very nice!

[Stikpusher]

That is an interesting looking vehicle indeed. I see the functionality of the design. The small windscreens and canvas side doors speak to minimal fuss for comforts. I can imagine that it was wet and cold in the cab during anything but warm weather.
It looks like you have the challenges overcome with the wheels and cargo bed tarp. All it needs now is a wash and some detail painting of the fine bits.

[jeaton01]

What, I gotta do more work? I put some decals on today and worked on the figures some.

[jeaton01]

Did some more work on the Bedford. Decals were applied and settled OK with Mr. Mark Softer on two of them, the gas patch and the number 3 on the front, which went on a part with a fair bit of relief. I did some local washes and added some mud on the tires and areas people might step using Tamiya Mud and Light Earth weathering sticks., I tried a light grey wash on the black engine and it softened the Tamiya paint, to my surprise, as it was a Tamiya wash. Touched up the offended area.

There are a lot of figures with this set, including two pilots and a dog, which looks like it might be an english setter. I put them together in the poses Airfix showed and now must face the doomsday task of trying to paint them up without recreating the zombie apocalypse.

The last photo is the complete contents of the Ready for Battle set. Assuming no Zombie outbreak I may be getting close on this one.

[Stikpusher]

Looking better and better. I’m looking forward to seeing how the dog comes out.

[jeaton01]

Are there english setters with black coats