I obtained a detailing etch from Eduard through Squadron.com as well as replacement vacuform cockpits. In addition I am waiting on a bunch of resin detail parts from Valiant Wings publishing. Neat little set that contains a new prop, wheels, exhausts, gun barrels and a few other items.
Once the etch arrived I quickly realized if I was going to get this right I needed some reference pictures so I now have a copy of Hawker Hurricane Walk Around number 14 by Ron Mackay et al.
Getting stuck in the first job was to scribe panel lines in place of the raised detail on the kit. Alan Price describes how to do this in a short piece in AMW 15. This was my first time and I was thankful for his guidance. It is actually straightforward. You need a tool to scribe with. I got mine at my local Hobby shop, Maplewood Hobby. You then need various edges to guide your tool over the model. I had most success with a small steel rule and a flexible steel template. The picture below attempts to show the results on the lower wing. I guess the main point here is you are not trying to dig a trench. I found three light passes was sufficient to start. Then after lightly sanding the edges of the lines and any remaining raised detail away I was able to re-scribe the line and finish up with a recessed panel line that should show up well after painting and weathering.
With the panel lines scribed I have turned to the cockpit and the Eduard Etch. This is the third kit I've used etched parts on now - the Vixen being the only one I've actually finished. I just get anxious. All the top modellers make it look so easy but to me it requires major concentration. So here's the parts I've made up so far. The cockpit has been sprayed with Humbrol 78 and I've added parts to the seat, made up the cockpit framework, built the instrument panels and one of the cockpit sides.
Next up is to study my references so I can finish the cockpit.
As always any comments are always appreciated from fellow modellers.
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