1/72 Testors Grumman E2C Hawkeye

Gallery Article by Chip Berseth on June 23 2009

 

With the 2009 spring semester winding down the modeling bug made its appearance. Studies were becoming few and far between and finals were now upon me. Dreading this, I decided that when I was done with my last final I would plunder my stash and get something built. I had been bitten and found myself in need of an antidote quickly!

 

I was in the mood to build something that would be easy and simple. Besides that I also wanted to build something that I didn’t have in my collection yet, something that would add a touch of uniqueness to my plastic air force. After sifting through my stockpile, I discovered a little gem that had escaped my attention for some time. Eyeing the box up and down, and side to side, I was convinced that this would fit the criteria for my next build.

 

Testors boxing of the E2C Hawkeye surely fit the mold of simple, easy, and unique. Picked up from a local hobby shop a few years ago, it originally ended up there as a kit with little hope of a future. Assembly had been partially started by the son of its previous owner. Parts had been painted, and others had been cemented together. In short, it was a mess. But I felt with some elbow grease and some patience (along with my superior skills as a modeler) it could work out. So with that I cracked it and never looked back.

 

Starting with the severely under detailed cockpit and moving on, assembly was a breeze as there were few parts and not much in the way of detail. The instructions were relatively simple to understand and pretty straight-forward.

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Painted with Model Master Enamels, it sports the typical naval scheme of gull gray on top and flat white on the bottom. Red areas such as those on the tail and landing gear doors were painted Model Master Acryl “Guards Red” (a vibrant red, in my opinion). After allowing the paint to cure it received multiple coats of Future to ensure a smooth surface for the decals.

 

Looking at the decal sheet I was skeptical. It was an old kit, the sheet was starting to yellow, plainly said they looked gross. After letting them soak in warm water and then applying them with no trouble I was amazed and relieved. To compound this joy, they even reacted well to Micro-Sol and Micro-Set, two valuable tools in my arsenal and highly recommended.


Adapting to modern challenges this Hawkeye carries two cameras housed in a box like structure on the front windscreen. One is a forward looking IR camera and the other is a Hi-Def digital camera otherwise known as a “Cartel Camera”. Used for gathering evidence and recording valuable footage of smuggling operations, this gives the Hawkeye a valuable edge in the expanding war on drugs.

 

 

With imagination running wild I decided to make it part of a bigger picture. Using an old picture frame that I picked up at a thrift sale sometime ago, a simple carrier deck was painted on it, and arresting wire added.

A quick word about thrift sales (or commonly called “garage sales”), these are a great place to pick up diorama supplies and other valuable modeling tools. Picture frames for instance, can be picked up on the cheap and made into display bases that tie the whole project together. They also work for diorama bases too, the possibilities are endless.

 

Using the wire on the back of the frame, I took a few strands and twisted them to give the impression of cable. I then glued one end to the frame, positioned the middle around the arresting hook, and then glued the other end to the frame. Finally back after a long mission, this Hawkeye is ready to catch a wire.

 

With that completed it was time to sit back and admire the whole picture. For an older kit it turned out to be a beauty. The outcome was exactly what I had in mind, and it looks nice sitting next to my other modern U.S. Naval aircraft.

 

Sometimes all is not lost; it just takes a little more work than usual. But good results can come. I would recommend this kit if you come across it somewhere (perhaps at a thrift sale). It’s easy, and it looks pretty decent when displayed.

 

Thank goodness summer is here, let the building begin! Until next time, happy modeling my fellow plastic patriots.

Chip Berseth

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Photos and text © by Chip Berseth