1/72 Heller E-2C Hawkeye

by Alex Sidharta

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There's not many choices available when speaking of a Hawkeye model in plastic. Fujimi did it a long time ago and its availability has been on and off.  Heller used the same moulding as Fujimi's but in a different kind of plastic.

 

Upon opening the box, I found a detailed plastic parts and superb landing gear struts. Cockpit is basic with a floor, bulkhead, 2 seats, 2 figures, decal instrument, and control columns. The clear parts are thick but the interior still can be seen through it. I added nothing to the cockpit and begun the main construction phase.

 

I tried to use CA glue for the construction but I found the plastic "refuses" to bond together. So it came the Revell glue which is a very good type of plastic glue. It melt the plastic and hard as the plastic in about 2 hours.

 

Construction stage was a horror.  There were no single parts that fit together.  I used filler on almost every joint!  The nose was entirely re-shaped.

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I was about to slam this model during this stage but I managed to remember that this model was a commission job.

 

When I finally finished the construction, I found it relaxing to paint this model in a single Light Ghost Grey color.  I pre-shaded the model before applying Model Masters paint.

 

 

Finishing the painting stage, there was another thing to do. I put the radome into its place and...........a tail-sitter it was !!!

 

I (thought) I had put enough metal leads inside the front fuselage but it proved wrong. This was the second time I wanted to slam it again....

 

I took a whole week break before went back to the model and with a clearer mind, I found some places in wheel wells where I can put more weight. Phieeww...., it worked. I added some walls to cover the additional weight and repainted the white wheel wells.

After all the tiny-things glued in place, the model looks quite beautiful, at least from 3 feet away. The landing gears do enhance the look of this watch-bird and I am happy to see a smile on my customer's face when I delivered this model to him.  He surely didn't know anything about my plan to slam this model, not once but twice ! :)

Alex 

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Photos and text © by Alex Sidharta