Pro Resin

1/72 Curtiss F6C-4 "Hawk" model kit

Product # R72-022

Product Article by Steve Bamford on Oct 25 2006 

 

 

 

This resin model kit is the Curtiss F6C-4 "Hawk" fitted with wheels and the 420hp 9 cyclinder Pratt and Whitney R-1340 Wasp radial engine.  This bi-plane dates from the 1926 time period and this aircraft served mainly with the USMC with VF-1M, VF-9M and VF-10M.

 This new resin kit from Olimp Models is part of their new Pro Resin line of resin kits.  This little 1/72 kit comes packed in a VERY sturdy little box.  Upon opening the box, I was treated to a beautiful sight of a delicate little multi-media kit which includes mostly resin parts, photo etch and a clear acetate instrument panel and a decal sheet.  This is "the full meal deal".....no need to add anything to this kit except for some rigging lines and possibly some added engine detail if yoiu are up to the chalenge of super detailing  atiny 1/72 radial engine although the kit cylinders do provide very respectable detail already. 

Now....this is a resin kit, so it will require the use of CA glue (Crazy Glue) to assemble it and the parts are going to need a tiny bit of cleaning up, but this is very minimal and will not in any way detract from the joy of building this kit.  If you've ever done any work with resin parts before you will have no problem tackling this kit......go slow....be patient and enjoy the build.  I did a dry fit of the fuselage halves and they lined up perfectly.....this kit should go together well if the rest of the kit has the same excellent level of fit.  

As you can see from the sample of photos of the resin parts below, the fuselage detail on the sides of the fuselage is well done.  The wings have realistic wing ribbing detail and will look quite convincing of the finished kit.  The seat is well done in resin and once you paint it up it will look very good.

Click on images below to see larger images

cylinder, wheel and cockpit floor wheels
The attachment points for the resin parts is wonderfully thin making the removal of the parts from the resin casting blocks a quick and easy job.  Detail is very crisp on most parts and the finished products will be a treat to behold. 

The inclusion of Photo Etched parts and an Acetate instrument panel tells me that Pro Resin is something I enjoy seeing from Pro Resin.  The PE parts are tiny and very well formed.  They include items that will be well visible to the viewer of the finished model and these PE parts will enhance the delicate look of the finished model.  And yes the photo etch parts include seatbelts.  

The kit parts are pretty straight forward and the 4 pages of instructions cover the assembly process in a clear and easy to follow way.  The instructions include paint codes in Humbrol, Model Master and Revell colours.

The one decal option is for a Curtiss F6C-4 Hawk with the Marine Corps, Bruno A-7397 of VF-9M.  This aircraft is overall Aircraft Gray on the fuselage and underside of the wings with Insignia Yellow on the top of the wingswings....A pre-war scheme.  The nose and bright Insignia Red.  The U.S. national markings are bright Red/White/Blue.  

The decals are very clearly printed....not too thick...not too thin and of good colour coverage.  

In 1/72 you are dealing with tiny tiny model kits.....especially little pre-war biplanes.  And I hear you asking......"but does it have interior cockpit detail?".  Darn tootin'....although I'm not sure how much you'll be able to see once it is assembled....but it is there!!!

Click on image below to see larger image

This is a sweet looking little kit and if you want to try a multi-media pre-war kit then you will do well to check out these new multi-media kits from Pro Resin at Olimp Models.

I would like to thanks Oleg at Olimp Models for sending me this review sample.

Steve Bamford

Photos and text © by Steve Bamford