Pro Resin 1/72nd Curtiss P-1A, F6C-2 and F6C-3 Hawks By Matt Bittner

History

The history of the Curtiss Hawks is vast and spans multiple years. The P-1 was a United States Army Air Corp (USAAC) match for the requirement of a single-seat pursuit (the 'P' in P-1) aircraft. The P-1A was an improvement on the P-1 by lengthening the fuselage by three inches as well as adding the improved D-12C engine (the P-1 used the "standard" D-12). The aircraft was so well liked that the US Navy ordered the P-1 as the F6C-1.

The F6C-2 was an enhancement on the F6C-1 by replacing the "land-based" landing gear with gear that was better suited to landing on aircraft carriers. The F6C-3 improvements were actually done before the P-1A was put into production, therefore the P-1A was the direct result of the F6C-3 enhancements. These enhancements included the addition of the D-12C engine as well as the longer - and stronger - fuselage. In addition, the initial shipboard F6C-3s had the same landing gear and tail skid as the F6C-2, but later on those items were replaced by what was used on the production F6C-4s. However, the Marine Corp F6C-3s used the same land-based landing gear that was used on the F6C-1, or P-1A.

The Kit

All three kits have a number of common components. These are the wings, tail surfaces and cockpit pieces. The rest is different from kit to kit.

There are 37 resin pieces to the P-1A, along with 10 photoetch and a piece of clear acetate (used for such things as the instruments and the windscreen). There is only one set of markings for a machine of the 43rd School Squadron based at Kelly Field, Texas, in 1930.

There are also 37 resin pieces for the F6C-2 (difference being the fuselage halves as well as the undercarriage), but with 19 photoetch pieces (the additional being the spoked wheels as well as the landing cable "catchers" found on the underside of the axle) and also the clear acetate. Markings are again for only one machine, this one being from VF-2, NAS North Island, San Diego, California, 1926.

The F6C-3 naturally has more resin, since it represents the float version of the Hawk. It comes with 43 resin pieces but the same photoetch and clear acetate as found in the P-1A (10 and 5 pieces, respectively). Again only one machine is covered in the decal sheet, that being a machine from VF-5, Norfolk, Virginia, 1928.

All three kits are extremely well done and I haven't found any surface flaws with the resin pieces yet. The only possible problem lies with the first few kits of the P-1A - its fuselage halves are slightly warped, needing hot water to straighten out. Everything else in all three kits is extremely well done.

Construction of all three naturally starts with the cockpit, and the detail in all three is outstanding. The molded in detail is quite exceptional and to that you add a really well done floor with photoetch rudder pedals, a control stick and a resin seat with photoetch belts. Couple that with the photoetch and clear "film" instrument panel the cockpit is very complete - although the super detailer has plenty of room to add items to their heart's desire.

The instructions then have you assemble all the major pieces together. Install the cockpit pieces to a fuselage half, close the fuselage halves then add some of the flying surfaces. While the instructions have you add the upper wing in the same step, I would hold off until initial painting is complete.

The rest of the pieces are added once initial painting is complete. I like the way Pro Resin provides the exhaust stacks as complete items instead of gluing on separate exhaust pipes.

The final construction step is where each kit differentiates, since the P-1A has different undercarriage from the F6C-2, and the F6C-3 is completely different from the other two since that kit is float-based.

Kit Accuracy

The only place any of these kits fall from accuracy is the F6C-3. According to the Squadron Signal In Action book, the area under the tail around the tailskid should be shaped differently. The example catered for on the decal sheet appears to have the F6C-4-type tail skid installed, instead of the F6C-2. There is a picture of the exact aircraft that Pro Resin models on page 13 of Curtiss Navy Hawks In Action. Adding this feature appears to be as easy as doing some filing/sanding and adding a piece in front of the tail skid to "beef up" the area.

Possible Additions

At first I was hoping that the P-1A could be converted into later-series Hawks (P-1B and forward). However, the P-1B changed the shape of the under-nose radiator so that would be a major undertaking to convert.

In addition, the P-1 could be made from the P-1A easily, as there appears to be only a "real" three-inch difference in fuselage length between the P-1 and the P-1A. In 1/72nd this is practically immeasurable so all you need are decals to make one of the P-1s.

There is one other possibility for the purists out there who would like an example of every aircraft. Pro Resin could release the P-1A as the F6C-1, but as I mentioned it would be for the purists, as only five existed. Pro Resin could add a new decal sheet with the inclusion of the F6C-2 photoetch (as every photo I have seen of the F6C-1s show them with uncovered, spoked wheels). However, I'm not sure about the economics of such a release, so those wanting such an aircraft could purchase one of each and do their own combining - the only difficulty would be coming up with decals for the F6C-1.

Two other possibiliteis are: to make a land-version, initial-delivery F6C-3 by combining the landing gear from the F6C-2 and wheels from the P-1A (the images of these F6C-3s show a covered wheel, showing no spokes); or you could build a Marine Corp F6C-3 by combining the landing gear from the P-1A with the F6C-3 kit. Making the later-delivered F6C-3 (with the F6C-4 landing gear) will require scratchbuilding new landing gear struts.

(In above paragraphs I mentioned the F6C-4. Making an F6C-4 from the F6C-3 will require major surgery as it was radial powered instead of being powered by an in-line engine.)

Conclusion

One huge plus in Pro Resin's favor with their kits is the inclusion of a set of references. More model manufacturers need to follow Pro Resin's lead and provide this to their customers. That way we can see exactly what the company was looking at when they manufactured their kits. Being that as it may, the only thing I can come up with in regards to the shape problem mentioned above on the F6C-3 as that Pro Resin wanted to provide as many options as possible, with little expenditure in funds.

All in all, the three Hawk kits are extremely well done and are definitely needed. Years and years ago there was a vacuform-replacement fuselage from Rareplane's Rarebits line to convert the antiquated Monogram P-6 kit into the P-1A, and that was your only choice for making this early Hawk. This is no longer needed and can be considered outdated and best left ignored. These kits are very welcome and highly recommended. Now if only we could get some support decals so we could model different Hawks.

My thanks to Pro Resin for the review samples.