Curtiss F11C-2 Goshawk by Monogram

1/72 scale
Kit No. 6796
Retail: $15.00 – 25.00 (aftermarket)
Comments: Simple construction, pilot figure and drop tank, two-piece cowling, cockpit detail consists of an instrument panel decal, separate radial engine and display stand included

History

The Curtiss Navy Hawk was one of the most famous military aircraft of its time. Together with Boeing, Curtiss was the major supplier of fighter aircraft for the U.S. Armed Forces from 1925 to 1937. The distinctive appearance of the Navy Hawk coupled with the colorful military markings of the era make it a continuing and timeless favorite with model builders even in the 21st Century. It saw more combat as an export than it did with the U.S. military, fighting in China and Thailand during World War II despite its obsolete status by the late 1930’s.

Originally designed for the U.S. Army, the Curtiss biplanes served a long and active career with the U.S. Navy and Marines. Many were produced for export. The Curtiss Hawk was one of the few peacetime fighters built in the 1930’s to see action, mainly border incidents and small-scale wars abroad. The Curtiss Goshawk remains one of the most attention-getting planes flown by the Navy in the early 1930’s, which considering that only 27 aircraft flew under the F11C-s designation, is quite remarkable.

Twenty-eight production model F11C-2’s were ordered in October 1932 by the Navy. One plane was held back for conversion to a new prototype; the other 27 were delivered to U.S. Navy Squadron VF-1B aboard the carrier U.S.S. Saratoga in February 1933. Their careers as F11C-2’s were relatively short. In March 1934, they were redesignated BFC-2’s (bomber-fighters, or in more modern parlance, fighter-bombers).

On paper at lease, eleven aircraft were transferred to the U.S.S. Enterprise in 1938 as the newly formed Bombing Six. There is no solid confirmation that these aircraft ever flew off of the Enterprise deck, for they were replaced by Northrop BT-1’s at the same time that the Enterprise was commissioned. The only squadron documented as having flown the F11C-2 was the VF-1B, the famous “High Hat” squadron, which operated the type for five years from February 1933 to February 1938.

The F11C-2 Goshawk was relatively small by modern standards, with a wingspan of 31.5 feet, and a length of 22 feet, 5 inches. Powered by a 700 hp Wright Cyclone 9-cylinder radial engine, its top speed was 198 mph with a service ceiling of 24,000 feet. Armament consisted of two synchronized Browning .30 caliber machine guns, with the ability to carry a streamlined belly tank that could be switched out for a single 500 lb. bomb. All the Navy Hawks were of sturdy construction, featuring a welded steel tube fuselage, riveted metal frame tail surfaces, and tapered wooden wings, all fabric-covered. The upper wing was a single unit with parallel box spars, its ribs cut from plywood reinforced with cap strips. Ailerons, incorporated into the upper wing only, were activated by a pushrod from the lower wing.

The Navy Hawk was the subject of a large number of field modifications independent of the usual factory-based evolution of fighter designs. The F11C-2 traces its origin directly to the Curtiss racers developed for the U.S. Army and Navy during the immediate post-World War I years. The very first Navy Hawk fighter carried the designation F6C-1. Appearing in 1925, it was the only Curtiss naval fighter to be directly comparable to the Army models. A series of modifications and new variants appeared until in 1932 a new version of the Hawk appeared that was so different in appearance from its predecessors, it was given the designation F11C-2.

Initially a pure fighter, it would later be designated a fighter bomber and fitted with racks beneath its lower wings when the need arose for a dual-purpose naval aircraft. These aircraft would be designated BFC-2 and BFC2-1. While its service in front-line carrier-based naval squadrons was relatively brief, the F11C-2 was a vital component of U.S. naval air power for a critical period during the 1930’s that saw the rise of multiple fascist dictatorships.

Construction

The Curtiss F11C-2 Goshawk, released by Monogram in 1968, lives up to Monogram’s reputation for simple, nearly trouble-free construction. The fuselage consists of four parts, the two fuselage halves with cabane struts and fixed landing gear with spats integrally molded, in addition to a long upper engine deck covering, and a smaller lower engine covering. The pilot figure is to be painted and cemented into the left fuselage half before the fuselage is closed up, likewise for the positioning of the instrument panel decal.

A small amount of putty and sanding may be necessary to hide the join seam along the dorsal spine of the fuselage, but the work involved is minor. Although Step 1 of the instructions advise cementing on the windshield and telescopic gunsight, these are best left until the latter stages of construction with all painting and decaling are complete, and minimal handling of the fuselage lies ahead before completion. Step 2 involves construction of the two-piece cowling, single part for the radial engine with a separate exhaust manifold (for which machined slots are provided to make for smooth cementing of the manifold to the engine), and the two-bladed propeller.

A note on Step 3, where the tail section, lower wing, drop tank and support strut for the tail are cemented to the fuselage. The trailing edge of the center section of the lower wing will need a bit of sanding to fit flush into the lower fuselage, and getting the support strut into place can be a bit fiddly.

Step 4 see the fitting of the main landing gear wheels and the mating of the upper wing to the lower wing. This stage is always a bit challenging as there are ten points that must be aligned for the upper wing to fit properly, the four cabane struts, the four load bearing struts, plus the two actuating rods for the ailerons. The tail section is easy but unless you are using quick drying cement, you may have to monitor is as the glue dries to be sure it continues to be aligned properly. I have built two of these kits. With the first one, the upper wing went on smooth as silk; with this kit, the load bearing struts on one side were just a hair short and did not want to align properly. Zap-a-Gap saved the day.

Painting

The Goshawk’s paint scheme is a faithful recreation of the colors in which U.S. Navy aircraft of the late 1920’s and early 1930’s operated, the so-called Yellow Wings era. The cowling is Lemon Yellow, a Tamiya acrylic chosen to match the vertical stripe on the fuselage provided by the Starfighers decal set. The fuselage itself is a combination of Model Master Light Grey, an enamel, and Model Master Aluminum, a non-buffling metallizer for the areas of the fuselage sides below and immediately behind the cockpit. Painting the fuselage accurately required two rounds of masking. All struts as well as the drop tank are airbrushed in Model Master Light Grey. Both sides of the bottom swing and the under side of the lower wing are airbrushed in Model Master Aluminum. The upper wing is airbrushed in a Polly Scale acrylic, Orange Yellow.

Markings

Given the age of the kit and condition of its factory decals, I abandoned the kit decals and used Starfighter decals for the Curtiss Goshawk, “F11C-2 BFC-2 Goshawks 1933-38,” Set No. 72-107. These are out of production but can still be found on auction sites on the web. If you can lay hands on them, do it, as they are top quality decals and can still be obtained for a reasonable price. They have beautiful color, are fully in register, and they are neither too delicate nor too difficult to handle, as some brands can be. They also respond well to decal solvent and products like Tamiya’s Mark Fit.

Conclusion

This is a simple, enjoyable kit that remains popular despite its age because of the opportunity it provides for colorful paint and marking schemes, and the continued availability of matching aftermarket, high quality decals. While small and simple, it can be a bit more work than modelers anticipate — I’d call it almost a weekend kit, and well worth your time and effort. Highly recommended.

 

References

  • Monogram kit instructions
  • Profile Publications Number 116: The Curtiss Navy Hawks; Copyright Profile Publications Ltd., Leatherhead, Surrey, England.