1/72 Hawker Tempest Mk I

[Ron Bell]

This was done as a challenge. A couple of friends of mine purchased this at the IPMS Nationals and more or less dared me to make it. So being the chump I am, I searched out the needed donor kit and had at it when I got home. The conversion kit consisted of six parts, two fuselage halves and four radiator parts, two tops and two bottoms. You had to cut into the donor kit's wing to inset the radiators. I've seen this conversion done a couple of times and done MUCH better than mine, but I think you can get the general idea of what a Tempest Mk I looked like anyway. I did personalize it in one way, I assumed that since it was a prototype that perhaps it was still being test flown by Hawkers, so I put my pilot in a white jump suit as I've seen on many newsreels of the era. Don't mind the color shift, he really isn't orange. In reality, there were two prototypes built, one of the car door variety and the other with the final bubble top. The shift away from the wing mounted radiators to the more recognizable chin one was due to a change in power plant as the original intended one had development problems. 

[Nick Filippone]

Nice work, Ron. I did that conversion myself about 50 years ago using the old Frog Tempest. I used a plug of balsa to reshape the cowl and sheet plastic extensions at the leading edges of the wings for the radiators. 
I have always thought that this configuration was the most aesthetically appealing of all the Typhoon/ Tempest family. Nick

 

[Ron Bell]

It is not only aesthetically more appealing, when it first flew in this configuration it went faster than any other aircraft that Hawker had designed to that point.  While this conversion was a bit of work to get it all to fit, your way sounds a lot more ambitious. 

[VMF211]

GREAT job Ron, well done!! I never thought I'd ever say "That's s good looking Tempest" but that really is a nice looking bird.

[ghodges]

Terrific Tempest conversion, and one that I'd totally forgotten about in that illustrious Hawker line. The fact that only the written description tells what work was done and cannot be easily seen on any areas of the model shows just how well you blended it all together. Challenge accepted and conquered! Congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

Gil 

[Mark Deliduka]

Ron, I'd say you nailed it perfectly, considering there's no way to tell what was original kit and what was the conversion parts! Wow, this is some stunning work! Those who bought this and challenged you owe you dinner and a round of drinks!