Hajo L.

I´d like to show you my current project, the HFB-320 ECM Hansa Jet by Sova-M. This is a Short-Run-kit, recognisable by the missing part numbers on the sprue - but the instructions have a plan where you can localize the parts. Nevertheless the cockpit has a lot of details, including pedals, which I have left away since they won´t be visible later. Fitting the cabin windows was hard work, because they barely fit into the holes. But after using brute force they are pretty well stuck and won´t fall out. The instrument panel is done with a nice decals, and to be on the safe side I added some weight to the nose. Glueing the two halves together was fairly simple and easy, even though they don´t have pins to help position the two pieces. Since the two halves were a slightly bit warped I started glueing aft and continued my way forward. I also added a crew, using pilots from the Revell Modern NATO-pilots set. The forward swept wings look cool! Unfortunately I had a small hick-up, then some more trouble and fortunately a happy end. This is how that event started: I think the problem is clar: The Jet is not sitting straight, which is the result of an improper installation of the main gear-box on the port-side. This can happen with a short-run, since positioning parts may be more tricky than on an "usual kit". I take full responsibility here! Then I tried my first solution: Cutting the port main-gear strut, sand it shorter and re-attach it. Well, it all went well until I tried to cut it off - with a soft "piiiing" the cut-off part flew away and fell vitiom to the carpet-monster. Or the couch-monster. Or whatever took it... 😞 Fortunately I just had finished a 1/72 Su-27 in flying condition, and simply raided one of the main gear struts from that kit. Voilà: The last two days I added all the small stuff like antennas to the belly and the top of the aircraft: And now I´m waiting for a fellow modeller to finish the updated camoflage-plan. He told me that the plan of the kit is incomplete and missing some green spots on the wings. Hopefully I can start painting today or tomorrow. HAJO

I have to admit that I´m looking at the current GB-situation with some sort of disbelief and grief. We currently do have only two active GBs, and those are not thaaaat active as we all thought. ( I mean, a Top Gun-GB. TOP GUN! Are you guys listening to me?? TOP GUN!!!) my idea is that we may need some sort of relaxation here. When I need some relaxed modelling - usually after I have done a couple of kits that required research, scratch-building and finally look like a certain original - I turn to some wild, no real-world oriented "what if". Examples? My "Killer Egg", an Alouette III with external weapon mounts for anti-tank-duties: My "moving bush", a Humvee with sepcial camo-netting: My OV-10G "Super Bronco": Just relax during the build, no need to check resources and books, just do what you´d ever wanted to do on a kit! Legal for the "What If-GB" are: - Anything without a real-world reference - Anything that has never left the drawing board - Anything that has only made it to prototype-status, but now built as "line aircraft", e.g. the two-seater A-10 - like this one...: Ok, are you guys creative enough for THIS GB? 😉 HAJO

Well, if we´d get a start on january 1st, I´ll wait with my planned "What if"-build until then.... HAJO

I´d like to show you guys my latest catch: The HFB-320 ECM Hansa Jet by Sova-M in 1/72. The HFB 320 is a mid-wing monoplane of conventional layout, with rear-mounted twin jet engines beneath a T-tail. Constructed entirely of metal, it has a 10-seat passenger cabin and retractable tricycle undercarriage. An unusual feature of the aircraft is its forward-swept wing, which is mid-mounted in the fuselage. This arrangement allows the main wing spar to pass through the fuselage behind the passenger cabin, allowing a longer cabin with more seats while maintaining adequate headroom in the small-diameter fuselage. The German Air Force had ordered 13 HFB 320s in 1963. As part of the evaluation of the type, two preproduction aircraft were delivered to the ErpSt 61 test wing at Oberpfaffenhoffen in 1966. This resulted in six aircraft being ordered for VIP use by the German Air Force. Production deliveries for use as VIP transports commenced in 1969. A further eight Hansa jets were purchased by the German Air Force for ECM training, these being delivered between August 1976 and April 1982. The German Air Force replaced its VIP Hansas with Canadair Challengers in 1987, but the ECM aircraft remained in service until 1994. (Wikipedia) I don´t have any previous experience with Sova-M from Ukraine, but it looks like the company already has some exoerience with short-run-series. This particular kit is also a short-run, limited to a production size of only 450 pieces, which forced me to order it from Hannants before it runs out of stock... 😉 At first glance very fine detail and a lot of parts = a lot of modelling fun! The instructions are quite clear and to the point on only a few pages. Sprue A: Fine and crisp details are prove that todays short-run kits usually don´t have to fear the competition with "big producers". Wings and their details: Sprue F is included twice, while sprue G contains the specific parts for the ECM-version. Antennas and other small parts in detail: Interior details and jet engines: Cockpit: Engine details, they will be improved by PE-parts that come with the kit: Besides clear parts and decals the kit includes PEs for grills and windshield wipers as well as masks for the clear parts. Looking good, literally! 😉 Not too much markings, but I´m ok with that! And the camo-scheme, which should leave no questions. Color codes are done according to the Humbrol-system. Update Jürgen Busse, aka "Viking", was so kind to provide us with an updated version of the camoflage plan. Especially the top and the bottom were incorrect, since the green color was missing there. Jürgen is also working on a correction set for the decals. Recommended colors are RAL 7030, RAL 7012 und RAL 7009. HAJO

Updated the new painting profile for Norm 85. HAJO

During the last days I continued working on the HFB-320. Fortunately my fellow modeller provided me with the updated camoflage-plan. I will post it in the review of the kit. First I painted the bright grey, using Revells 75 that got some white mixed into it. Eventually some blue would have been good here, or adding some drops of Revells 43 and 76. But I´m happy how it looks now: Then I added Gunship-grey, which is Revells 77. You may add some drops of Revell Blue Grey 79, but I think it´s "blue enough": And finally some Revell Green 65, which got a little bit of yellow (15) into it: The final picture shows the Hansa with all details like antennas and stuff painted. All that´s missing are the position lights and the wheels. And of course decals. And that´s where I am right now: I have just finished adding the decals. They are good to work with, but a lot of small stencils are missing, and the big decals for the wings are in the wrong color. Also, the bird has only one "Balkenkreuz" on the upper and lower side and not two, and those coming with the kit are too big. However, the above mentionend fellow modeller already announced to be working on a correction set of decals (and also on a "Fly Out"-version), so I recommend waiting for that set. HAJO

Sorry, I´ll try to clean-up my PMs. I have no problem extending the topic, we can also call up on all "Luftwaffe 46"-folks who may join. HAJO

Moritz, take a guess why I bought that Alouette III from your stash... 😉 HAJO

Well, I don´t have the feeling this thing is flying very high... We´re barely off the ground with 10 votes.... HAJO

After having done a HH-3A, I got some serious mojo to do the original "Navy Sea King". I plan to modify a Revell Westland Sea King-kit to a SH-3H, using all the leftovers of my previous built of the Fujimi-kit to convert the british/german Sea King into the US Navy sub-chaser. I´ll surely keep you posted, but will also start asking questions. For the start, I´d lke to know what color the external fuel tanks usually had on a sea King, as I plan to attach one and at least a single Torpedo as armament. HAJO

Guys, I owe you some pictures of the finished Sea King: HAJO

I use and like imgur.com Works good! HAJO

Looking forward to more progress! HAJO

I´d be interested in a couple of artwork for helmets in 1:72. HAJO

Well deserved! HAJO

Very nice! I hope the transfer will go well without any damage to the model! HAJO

No, I was using the Revell struts, since the Fujimi-struts are mounted on my HH-3A. I had to shorten the Revell struts by approx. 1 mm to sit straight with the Fujimi-sponons, which are bigger than the Revell-ones. I love your WIP, haven´t seen it before! As for your other sponson-problem: I have no idea if my Sea King will sit "right", since I haven´t glued on the wheels yet! HAJO

Blast from the past! This old SH-3A was my very first model, must have been around 1985! I still have it in my parents attic and pictured it for this build. Back to 2018: The Revell landing gear fits good enough into the Fujimi-sponson: This is where I am at the moment: HAJO

Just to give you guys some feedback I´ll throw in th epictures of my work so far. If you look close you will notice that the kit is the Westland Sea King of Revell, which got some treatment (and part form the Fujimi SH-3H) to look like a Sikorsky. I love how the instrument panel and console are looking. Those are simply the kits decals on the structured surface. Looks like real! As usually with helicopters, I put a layer of kleenex into the cabin, using some amount of white glue. Painted grey it gives the look of the typical isolation. Two operators have taken place and are already working hard:

Thank you very much for your insights and stories! I think I will re-consider my plans and hang two torpedos on my Sea King. HAJO

In this case I´m referring to an external tank for my SH-3H. The Fujimi-kit comes with them and I´d like to mount one just because I can. 😉 The Sea King will sport "Bicentennial"-decals as seen on the cover of this box here: https://www.scalemates.com/kits/167509-fujimi-7a28-sikorsky-sh-3h-sea-king HAJO

Lovely! HAJO

You´re experience and knowledge looks flawless to me and is very welcome, thanks a lot! Hope you get well soon, doesn´t sound like fun! Any advice on how to paint an external fuel tank? HAJO

Another curious question: The Fujimi kit offers two slightly different types of torpedos: To me it looks like the two above have bigger rudders and a chute, while the two below have no chute. Any ideas? HAJO

Very nice! What kind of situation will you model? Recovery? Launch? HAJO