# DeHavilland's prettiest twin



## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Classic Airframes 1/48 DH Hornet F.3
No. 80 Sqdn. Kai Tak, Hong Kong, 1954.
The ultimate expression of the lean, mean twin-Merlin wooden fighter.

























Let's not mention how much I hate vac canopies and had to struggle with BOTH the kit-supplied ones to get one good windshield, which didn't really fit anyway. And let's not mention the left side, which is missing half its insignia due to a sneak masking tape attack that ripped the decal off the model. And let's not mention the ends of the tailwheel forks that broke off when I dropped the model, and are now replaced by badly-sculpted putty.

Other than that, a really nice model of one of the prettiest planes ever.


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## Just Plain Al (Sep 7, 1999)

OK, we won't mention those things. Are those the kit supplied decals? I don't think I've ever seen a color picture of one of these, didn't realize that the hubs were blue, looks kind of "racy". Really nice build John.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Ah, let's not mention the decals! :lol:
They're the kit decals, but there was a problem. Classic Airframes makes two Hornet kits - the F.1/F.3, and the Sea Hornet with radar nose and 2nd crewman. Each kit has apparently 2 decals sheets = major markings and special marking. I got the major markings for the F.3, but the roundels for the Sea Hornet. Had to do some creative cutting, and steal the fin flash from a Mosquito sheet I had


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## Guest (Apr 14, 2006)

Probs aside she's a beauty.
Though my affections lie more with her elder and larger sister so to speak, can't fault it and i'm in full agreement with the fact she's a pretty lass.


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## fluke (Feb 27, 2001)

Thats a real purdy aroplane ya got there John.

Really...I like it! :thumbsup:


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## Y3a (Jan 18, 2001)

That reminds me...I gotta go get Propane refills for the Mosquito trap....


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## Capt. Krik (May 26, 2001)

Y3a's mosquito trap problems aside, the plane looks great. Fact is I probably wouldn't have even noticed any problems if you hadn't mentioned them. Even now I have a hard time seeing any real flaws. 
I'm with you John on vacuum formed stuff. Hate it, hate it, hate it! Just one of those things you have to put up with on some kits. Actually the canopy looks very good in the pictures. The whole plane looks great. Nice job!


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Web page up:
http://www.inpayne.com/models/hornetf3a.html
Page 2 has closeups of the kit's resin cockpit. The seat belts are etched brass aftermarket.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I'm suprised Brent Gair hasn't noticed this yet. I thought "DeHavilland" would attract him like blood to a shark! :lol:


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## Brent Gair (Jun 26, 1999)

Oh I most definitely have noticed! I noticed it the first day you posted it.

But there is not much to say because you always do a superb job and I've learned expect that you'll always do a superb job.

I built one Hornet model in my life...a 1/72 scale FROG kit about 35 years ago. And I agree that it's a gorgeous plane. It must have been one hell of a hot-rod with over 4,000hp hauling one guy. I also have to think it must have been a very good carrier plane with that sloping nose and forward cockpit...amazing front/downward visibility compared to some poor guy coming in nose-high with a Corsair*.

Like so many of those late war piston engined super-planes, it just fell victim to bad timing. I think the Hornets were just starting deilvery to the Far east weeks before the end of the war. Between the end of the war and the ascendency of the jet, development of planes like this hit a brick wall.

*I'm reminded of a story about the development of the Navy's F4D Skyray. The day before they were set to show the wooden mockup to the Navy, a Douglas engineer sat in the cockpit and yelled, "Jeezuz Christ...you can't see down!". Supposedly, the nose was chopped off the mockup and a sloping nose built before the Navy saw it.


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## agentsmith (Mar 27, 2005)

Great looking Hornet!

Years ago I got to see an RC model of a Hornet fly and that thing was FAST for a prop model. I talked with the pilot about how it flew and he said it handled well and was easy to fly, even when one engine failed it could be flown safely without too much yaw like other twin engined RC airplanes have. He said take-offs and landings were hard to do because it ground looped very easily.

Agentsmith


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

I have a magazine article on the Hornet - the first photo is an all-silver-doped F.1 gliding with both engines off and those big-ass props feathered, the pilot smiling for the camera. The caption said feathering both was one of the Hornet's "party tricks," 'cause it glided so well.


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## John P (Sep 1, 1999)

Brent Gair said:


> Oh I most definitely have noticed! I noticed it the first day you posted it.
> 
> But there is not much to say because you always do a superb job and I've learned expect that you'll always do a superb job.


 There ya go! I was missing you 'cause I was fishing for a ego stroke 

Thanks, Brent.


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