Beyond The Sprues
Current and Finished Projects => Physical Models => Aero-space => Topic started by: Brian da Basher on December 23, 2015, 08:43:42 AM
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(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_001.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_001.jpg.html)
The Bendix trophy left such a mark in aviation that it's practically a household word.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/bendix%20trophy.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/bendix%20trophy.jpg.html)
Equally prestigious, yet utterly forgotten today is the Hendrix trophy.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/hendrix%20trophy.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/hendrix%20trophy.jpg.html)
Awarded for only a few years, the Hendrix trophy would leave its own mark in the annals of air racing.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_003.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_003.jpg.html)
It all began during the depths of the Great Depression when the Ford Motor Co. purchased the airplane engine division of cash-strapped Curtiss-Wright. These odd bedfellows would yield yet more strangeness when Curtiss designed a new air racer around the Ford R-1841 Willow Run 14 cylinder radial engine, then the most powerful power-plant available.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_001.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_001.jpg.html)
Featuring an enclosed cockpit and the most intimidating spatted landing gear yet seen (even the tail wheel was spatted), the new Curtiss racer was the last word in streamlining.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_002.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_002.jpg.html)
Unfortunately at first, the streamlining stopped where the cowling ended.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_003.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_003.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_004.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_kitprop_004.jpg.html)
Fortunately, the Curtiss engineers figured out that adding a prop with a nice, pointy spinner also added another 5 1/3 m.p.h. to the racer's top speed. Not only that, but it upped the intimidation factor by 17%.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_002.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_002.jpg.html)
With the new prop in place and some solid test-runs under their belt, the Curtiss/Ford team felt confident as the 1935 Hendrix trophy competition approached.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/Hendrix%20trophy%20air%20races%20poster.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/Hendrix%20trophy%20air%20races%20poster.jpg.html)
They had reason for optimism. The day before the race, four competitors dropped out after catching a glimpse of the Curtiss/Ford Spatted Speed Hawk and its awe-inspiring undercarriage.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_004.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_004.jpg.html)
Fourteen others remained, including the well-known Swedish team and their #12 Bee Gee racer. Excitement was at a fever pitch as the aircraft engines sparked to life and were run up pending starter's orders.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_005.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_005.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_006.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_006.jpg.html)
The Curtiss/Ford Spatted Speed Hawk acquitted itself well and as the first day of racing concluded, it was in 5th place but had set course lap-time record as the engine started coming into its own.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_009.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_009.jpg.html)
After the second day of racing, the Curtiss/Ford team found itself in 2nd place, just behind the Swedes and their #12 Bee Gee . The third and final day of the Hendrix trophy competition would prove if the Spatted Speed Hawk had what it took to be a winner.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_010.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_010.jpg.html)
The race was a real nail-biter as the Spatted Speed Hawk and the Bee Gee traded first place many times. A crisis struck in the 34th lap when a hydraulic line ruptured in the Curtiss/Ford machine. Fortunately, the leak was within reach of the pilot and he was able to plug it by using a baloney sandwich from his lunch (the real pros always pack a lunch for air racing).
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/read%20the%20manual.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/read%20the%20manual.jpg.html)
Though widely overlooked, Oscar Meyer baloney has unique properties which make it ideal for plugging hydraulic leaks.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/BOLOGNA-Day2.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/BOLOGNA-Day2.jpg.html)
By lap 38, the Spatted Speed Hawk had regained lost ground (err, air) and was once again vying for 1st place.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_007.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_007.jpg.html)
As this newspaper clipping from the Renton Reporter attests, the Spatted Speed Hawk was finally able to take the lead and win the Hendrix trophy.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/Hendrix-Press%20Clipping.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/Hendrix-Press%20Clipping.jpg.html)
The last running of the Hendrix trophy took place in 1937, a full 30 years before the hit single Purple Haze was released. Very few mementos of it (the race, not the hit single) have survived except for this crude Mach 3 kit, so named because that's the speed at which it hits the wall when you give up in frustration.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_008.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_008.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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This all began with a classic 1/72 Heller Curtiss Hawk 75 I picked up recently. Isn't that box art exciting? Makes me want to take off to meet the Hun!
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/Heller%20Curtiss%20H75%20box.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/Heller%20Curtiss%20H75%20box.jpg.html)
Great works of art aside, P-36s can be a challenge to modify. The Heller kit even more so because it has this terrible anhedral or downward droop to the wings. The last time I built one, I sort-of corrected it by using fat rubber bands to hold the wings while the super glue set. This time I was going for something a little more radical.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogwings_01.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogwings_01.jpg.html)
Actually, that wasn't done to fix the droop, but to give me a clean wing to start from. It did help as the thinner card made the wing a little more flexible. Sanding back the ends of the upper wing panels where they meet the wing root seemed to cure it.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogwings_02.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogwings_02.jpg.html)
You may have noticed that amazingly aerodynamic tail wheel. One of the brass collectors from a Monogram P-36 was used along with half of the kit tail wheel. A bit of sprue plugged the wheel well.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogtailwheel_01.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_xprogtailwheel_01.jpg.html)
The canopy was a bit of luck as I found what I think are refugee Fw-190 canopy parts that fit like a charm. The sharper angle of the new windscreen seemed to give it a good look for racing.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_012.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_012.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_013.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_013.jpg.html)
Decals were mostly from the venerable Testors/Hawk Howard "Ike' except for the Ford logos which come from a trimotor.
The reason for this is because some later photos of the Howard "Ike" had this great Chevy logo on the wing.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/Ike%20Chevy%20marking.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/Ike%20Chevy%20marking.jpg.html)
Well, I didn't have any Chevy logos in the decal dungeon, but I did have a few for Ford. Then I imagined Ford buying the Curtiss-Wright engine division and I had a good chunk of the back story. Here's the standard upper/lower views. I really liked how the color of the Howard "Ike" registration matched what I used to tint the canopy.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_00_upper.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_00_upper.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_00_under.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_00_under.jpg.html)
The spats were made with my patented "glue a half wheel on a stick and wrap it in sheet" method. The model was brush-painted by hand in acrylics, Poly Scale Lettering Gray and Model Masters Aircraft Interior Black mostly.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_014.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_014.jpg.html)
I had a lot of fun on this model which took about a week from start to finish.
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_016.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_016.jpg.html)
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_015.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_015.jpg.html)
I hope you enjoyed the Spatted Speed Hawk and reading a little more forgotten history. Here's one last shot of those incredibly intimidating spats. Aren't you glad you don't have to race against this beast?
(http://i1099.photobucket.com/albums/g392/Bri2k/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_017.jpg) (http://s1099.photobucket.com/user/Bri2k/media/Curtiss%20SSH/SSH_017.jpg.html)
Brian da Basher
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So thatz the story ???
Bet newspaper clippings of that were among those in grandmothers Tacoma attic. Lots of aviation and a few sports clippings. Though saw clippings in the 60s and for some reason some memories of then are vague. Them spats have a seriously fast streamlined look.
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the Hawk 75 looks surprisingly good in this rendition ! :)
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Very 30's Art Deco looking design, Brian! So was Capt. Yossarian the pilot?
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Very 30's Art Deco looking design, Brian! So was Capt. Yossarian the pilot?
Actually, it was flown by Hungry Joe (hence the baloney sandwich). Yossarian was close by in case a bombardier was needed.
Glad you guys like this one. I had a blast building it!
Brian da Basher
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Question Brian: What do you have more fun doing: building yet another awesome kit or the back story which is not baloney. ;)
Either way they are both first class.
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Love that trousered main landing gear and faired tailwheel :-*
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Love the creativity and work in both the model and the backstory; I always enjoy your efforts.