* HAWKER TORNADO ( Sister to Hawker Typhoon )New Project to build 1/48 Model *

[73north]

Hi ,

I have bought the Car-Door Hawker Typhoon in 1/48 Scale which I intend to convert

to the 1st Prototype of the Hawker Tornado , using a ModelMaker to construct 4 inserts which will be a new, slightly longer streamlined nose ( like the Hurricane's ) , and Upper Solid Metal Fuselage ( Humpback like Hawker Hurricane ) , a new smaller Rudder

and lastly , a New Ventral Underside Radiator ( again , quite like the Hawker Hurricane )

The Hawker Tornado is the Rolls-Royce Engine version with the Ventral Radiator underneath , it had two rows of exhaust pipes for the X Engine Layout ,

(2 engines in V format , one underneath the top one ) which i will use the QUICKBOOST Hurricane Exhausts to replicate ( they were identical )

I also have the Type B Decals for the RAF Roundels and the rare Edaurd Etch for the Typhoon Car-Door version

The Inserts should be ready in one month approx, then later in the year I will begin construction - this will be only the Second Tornado ( the first was made by a Japanese Modeller who exibited it on Youy Tube )

The other alteration is to create 12 Machine Gun ports and underside wing spent cartridge ports

regards David

View attachment 26677

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[Bunkerbarge]

Hi David, good to see you are still around. I see you are still building Hawkers then, you must like them!!

Do you know anything about the two rows of exhaust manifolds on the one in the picture?

 

[73north]

Hi Richard ,

the two rows of exhaust manifolds were unique to the Hawker Tornado

as it was powered by the Rolls Royce Vulture Engine which was a X-24 Layout which is one of the few configurations of X-type engines known to have been produced. The design consists of a pairing of V-12s joined to a common crankshafts, which is lighter than the similar W-block or H-block designs, which require two crankshafts. However, none of the existing X-24 engines were particularly successful; few saw service, and their production lifetimes were very limited. Postwar developments of the turbojet and turbofan engines apparently obviated the need for large aircraft engines of this type.

This will be a virtually unique Model , and will require the 4 parts , as there is nothing that I can use from an existing Model to scratch build

regards David

 

[Bunkerbarge]

I can see the challenges with the engine configuration, that crankshaft is being asked to do rather a lot of work and keeping things cool would have taken some doing. It's always interesting though to see just what engine configurations manufacturers come up with over the years, which reminds me of the amazing Deltic engine as used in railway engines and minesweepers and the medium speed opposed piston engine I once sailed with, which was a marvel of engineering inginuity!!

Interesting to see the white and black undersides and the similarity to the Hurricane.

 

[73north]

I recommend the copies

of Aircraft Illustrated - Nov and Dec 1971 -

on the Hawker & Tornado , nothing has ever been bettered for great detail

 

[stona]

That looks like an interesting project and some airplane. What date were those very nice pictures taken?

Steve

 

[73north]

They were taken on 6 October 1939 , before the first test flight

 

[73north]

update to the Hawker project

Hi

just to give a quick update

and prove that I really was creating something unusual

and a one-off



This is the underside of the Tornado , I won't post any pics of the upperside

as this Model is going to be featured exclusively sometime this year in one of the Modelling websites and I don't want to spoil the excitement -

safe to say however that this Model will be as good

as a what if they made it by Hasegawa as a shortrun Model kit -

in the fine detail ( it utilises the Car door Typhoon kit )

The Model is substantially complete except for the 4 bulges for the nose section

which the tornado needed for the RR Vulture Engine

I suffered delays last year when I approached a never to be named prototype

modelling company - and they did nothing for 3 months then made out it would

cost £ 2000 + to do the alterations !

anyway I used a different company - the replacement company would have made this a lot quicker but the recession caused them to pay off a lot of employees so they can't do work so quickly

The Model will be finshed ready to build by the end of next week

when I will take possession of it , for the next stage

enjoy

 

[Bunkerbarge]

This is taking shape very nicely and I'm looking forward to seeing how it goes together. That really is a lovely bit of woodwork around the nose, you can tell how well it has been put together by the perfectly symetrical edge to the wood. I'm sure when this is painted you won't even know it has been modified.

 

[73north]

That really is a lovely bit of woodwork around the nose, you can tell how well it has been put together by the perfectly symetrical edge to the wood. I'm sure when this is painted you won't even know it has been modified.

Actually this is a solid nose of Modelling urethane whch has been cut and sanded to shape

plus the upper fuselage has been altered using the same stuff = this is not wood

much lighter ,stronger and easier to shape

the professional Company recommended this method , rather than vac form plastic

( and much cheaper and more accurate as well )

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Sorry Dave I couldn't tell the material but the workmanship remains of the same standard!!

 

[73north]

Thanks Richard

no need to apologise ,the fault was all mine - I should have made it clearer what the material was,

the urethane stuff was poured into the Front Nose , then when it hardened ,

it allowed the Modelmakers to cut off the beard radiator ( as it was solid the plastic can't shatter )

and re-fashion then nose chin to the same shape and outline as the Tornado .

This is as accurate a re-construction as I can possibly make it

I look forward when the article is online , to posting more pics

exclusively here on the Forum

best wishes David