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.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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
Click on
images below to see larger images
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