Trumpeter 1/48 Seahawk Mk.100/101 Kit First Look

By Michael Benolkin

First Look

The Sea Hawk was a single-seat fighter that was designed by Hawker in the late 1940s, but further development and production of the type was transferred to Armstrong Whitworth (AW) in 1953. Powered by the Rolls Royce Nene 101 engine, the Sea Hawk F.1 (produced in limited numbers by Hawker and the remainder by AW) entered service with the Royal Navy. The Sea Hawk F.2 followed with the addition of hydraulic-boosted ailerons.

The Sea Hawk gained a fighter-bomber capability with the FB.3 and FGA.4 versions. The FB.5 (and a number of retro-fitted FB.3) received the more powerful Rolls Royce Nene 103 engine. The Sea Hawk FGA.6 (as well as some re-fitted FGA.3) and the Sea Hawk Mk.50 were fitted with the Nene 104, equipped with US-made radios, and modified in 1959 to carry the Sidewinder missile.

The Federal German Navy adopted the Mk.100 strike fighter and the Mk.101 radar reconnaissance variant. These were identifiable by an enlarged vertical stabilizer for additional yaw stability.

Back in mid-2004 , Classic Airframes released this subject in 1/48 scale and it wasn't a bad kit, though it was targeted for the modeler experienced with resin and limited run injected styrene parts. Take a look at our in-box and build reviews. Classic Airframes had also released the Seahawk FGA.6, as did Trumpeter last May ( look here).

Well Trumpeter has released this subject in the same scale and this time, the kit is targeted for the average modeler. The kit consists of five parts trees molded in light gray styrene and a single tree of clear parts. A small fret of photo-etch is also included that provides two parts - an instrument panel face (accompanied by acetate-printed instrument faces) and a part that represents the seatbelts and shoulder harnesses for the ejection seat buckled together. This is about as easy as it comes.

You won't be lacking for details and options. Among the highlights of this kit:

• Nicely detailed cockpit and ejection seat
• Nicely detailed main wheel well that won't require any grinding to install (the CA resin wells took a bit of work to get inside)
• Movable tail hook
• Positionable flaps/dive brakes
• Positionable wings (flight or folded)
• Positionable canopy
• External stores include a pair of drop tanks and eight rockets

Markings are included for three examples:

• Seahawk, VA+229, MFG 1 West German Navy, 1958
• Seahawk, RB+242, MFG 2 West German Navy, 1960
• Seahawk, IN238, 300 Sqn, Indian Navy, INS Vikrant, 1960

This is another nice offering from Trumpeter and this provides a mostly-styrene option for this subject for those modelers uncomfortable with resin or limited run kits.

My sincere thanks to Stevens International for this review sample!