Curtiss P-6E Hawk

Classic Airframes

Classic Airframes 1/48 P-6E Hawk is available online from Squadron.com

Reviewed by Brett Green

Classic Airframes must be considered to be the champions of neglected aviation subjects.

Their new range of Curtiss Hawks will be great news to between-the-wars modellers who have watched glumly from the sidelines as dozens of new kits are released from other eras.

Classic Airframes' P-6E Hawk is another genuine multi-media kit that makes excellent use of resin for fine details.

This little aircraft contains only 39 grey styrene parts. The surface detail of these parts is of very high quality. Panel lines are crisply engraved, and the extensive fabric areas are nicely restrained - very convincing. Although there are very few imperfections on the parts themselves, smaller parts are surrounded by a thin, ragged boundary of flash. In my opinion, some of the smaller plastic parts including the cockpit framing and aerial masts would have been better off cast in resin. Even so, the flash will not be difficult to remove.

Two clear vacform parts are moulded onto a small sheet. These windscreens (an original and a spare - always an advisable idea) are crystal clear.

Around 23 parts in pale cream-coloured resin are the highlight of this kit, and the exhaust stacks have to be seen to be believed. These complex little assemblies are cast as one piece for each side, and all twelve stacks on each side are hollow. This is a real work of art! The cockpit parts are very nice too - especially the floor and seat.

The decal sheet (plus small supplementary sheet) contain two wild marking options.

Six pages of instructions call out construction over twelve steps using diagrams and text descriptions. A rigging diagram is also included.

A letter-sized colour marking sheet and template guide for nose markings round out this small but comprehensive package.

Engineering is typical of recent Classic Airframes releases. There are no locating pins, but the small size of this model should make alignment relatively straightforward. The enclosed cowl and in-line engine is also much simpler than a highly visible radial engine. Lower wings are butt-joined with the fuselage. I suggest reinforcing this important join with piano wire or brass wire. Perfect alignment of these parts will be essential if the top wing is to fit properly. Also check the fit of the rear-top fuselage insert before joining the fuselage halves. You might need to do a little trimming or padding.

Classic Airframes has once again broadened the spectrum of available models. Curtiss' Hawks were an important aircraft in an interesting stage of US aviation history. It is great to now see them in 1/48 scale.

As I say in all my reviews of Classic Airframes kits, don't expect this kit to fall together by itself. However, a moderately experienced modeller will have few difficulties finishing the Hawk. The overall detail and the finesse of the resin parts should result in a very handsome model. I am sure it will be more than worth the effort for dedicated biplane modellers.

Highly recommended to the neglected 1930's biplane modeller!

Thanks to Jules Bringuier of Classic Airframes for the review sample. Classic Airframes kits are available worldwide through hobby retailers and at Squadron.com.

Review and Images Copyright © 2001 by Brett Green
Page Created 21 April, 2001
Last updated 22 July, 2003

Back to HyperScale Main Page

Back to Reviews Page