WAK Curtiss P-6E Hawk 1:33

[Alcides]

Very nice. I voted on this one and I think is beautiful. I know the wheel pants aren't aerodynamic but the looks very good. I love this age of aviation.

[shrike]

It beats me how some of you guys can set aside a build and return to it months or even years later.
Once I lost the narrative thread with this one it was hard to get back to it, but here it is.

Continuing from the last entry (was it really that long ago?) I got into rolling exhaust pipes -I cheated and used cigarette paper as is my wont for smallish tubes - rolling and cutting to a convenient length. Once glued on to the sides, I used a pair of very large shears to cut them all even. It worked, but I knocked a couple off and that's when I made a discovery. Too many pipes! The P-6E has a Curtiss Conqueror, which is a V12 with 2 exhaust valves (and thus pipes) per cylinder, giving a total of 24 - an even dozen on each side. Somehow there are 13 on each side.

The prop rolled and formed up without any issues, and captures the original pretty well.

Adding the top wing was the only snag, and I accept responsibility for it. It turned out OK anyway.
First I chose not to use any wire, which turned out was a blessing because I needed to trim the N struts to fit. A number of my inconsistencies built up, and while I could get the cabane struts to match up fine the wing sat crooked. A little massaging (manipulation? wrenching? brute force?) finally got it to sit straight.

To sum up, it's a pretty good kit of an iconic airplane that will reward the careful (and not feverish, distracted, displaced et c.) builder with nice model. All of the 'Hard' bits yield good final results -the wheel pants are still some of the best I've done, (I have an admitted love/hate relationship with those)and the nose is easier than it looks.

Now the workbench is cleared for the next project and thread

[Alcides]

I don't think anyone is going to count the the pipes, so is ok.

Thanks for the advices. Your build looks very good and you have a very nice model to display. Congrats !!!!

[Don Boose]

Superb, Mark! Terrific model of one of the beautifullest airplanes of all time.

Glad you brought it home.

Don

[Bomarc]

And I'm the one who supposed to be too damn skilled for his own good?! Feh!

Extra cylinders or not (more horsepower!), it came out beautiful Mark. I too am glad you kept at it (all the kvetching not withstanding).

Mike

[pahorace]

Hi,
it came off an exceptional model. Very attractive.
Although by your demonstration, it seems easy to build, I think, so that a model is very demanding.
Compliments!

Orazio

[wag]

Very well done. It certainly captures the look and feel of a Curtiss Hawk.
Wayne

[kenlwest]

This really turned out Great! I'm glad you carried it out to the finish line.

Ken