1:32 Curtiss H-75

The Hawk 75 and markings that were painted over

Masks for the Curtiss H-75 kit in 1:32 scale from Azur. In the set there are three masks for the round national insignia and masking of the cockpit canopy, separately outside and separately inside.

One airframe, four sets of marking

Few aircraft went through as many markings as the export version of this fighter. It was delivered to France, where it carried the round roundel. After the armistice some of the machines found themselves under the administration from Vichy and were given conspicuous distinguishing stripes. Other examples were taken over by the British, renamed and painted over with their own roundel. And several dozen flew as far as the north, where the blue swastika of the Finnish Air Force was added to them, a marking with no connection to Germany at all, introduced as early as 1918. The repaints were moreover done quickly and over the original shape, so the old marking showed through under the new one. For a modeler that is a rewarding subject: a faintly showing outline under fresh paint gives a model a story.

A design that aged quickly

The airframe came about in the middle of the thirties and its radial engine gave it reliability but not speed. Pilots praised its agility in a turn and its simple handling, but against the European fighters of the time it lost out in speed as well as in rate of climb.

On the spraying

If you want to suggest an older marking showing through, spray it first in full color and cover it with a thin coat of the new shade. The coat has to be thin enough for the shape underneath to remain sensed.