1/48 Hawker Seahawk Mk.100/101

Description

This is an injection-plastic aircraft model kit.

Yet another beautifully done 1/48 jet from Trumpeter. The Seahawk was an important early jet fighter for the Royal Navy and several other air arms, and this kit seems to do it justice. The cockpit is very complete, with photo-etched belts on the seat as well as a photo-etch/film instrument panel. The intakes and exhausts are nice and deep, as is the multi-part main gear bay insert. The wings can be attached in the folded or extended positions, and the flaps and speedbrakes can be attached “clean” or “deployed.” Underwing armament consists of drop tanks and rockets. Surface detail looks quite nice, without the thousands of tiny rivets that cover some other releases. The gun ports really do need to be drilled out, though, as they are just indentations on the bottom of the nose.

Decals are provided for three aircraft: VA+229 of MFG 1 (or 2!), West German Navy in 1958; RB+242 of MFG 2, West German Navy in 1960 (with fearsome shark-mouthed drop tanks); and “W” of 300 Sq. Indian Navy aboard the INS Vikrant in 1960.