This is my first actual build blog here on aeroscale.

My modelling subject is Curtiss Hawk H-75A-6 of Finnish Airforce, serial number CU-560.

This Curtiss or "Sussu" as it was called by the finns, was flown by 2nd Lt. Kyösti Karhila. He scored 43 and 1/4 victories, of which 13 1/4 with Curtiss and rest with Bf 109 G-6. I chose him as my subject, because 2nd Lt. Karhila is the only ace that was born in same city I live in.

My basis for this build is Academy P-36, with Eduard PE set #48 336 and AML "Best Finnish of Hawks over Karelian sky (#AMLD48017)" decals.



Here is 2nd Lt. Karhila in front of his plane in 1942

2nd Lt. Karhila in the middle with black overalls

Here is CU-560 taking off in 1941

CU-560 in april 1942 at Suulajärvi. I'll build the model as it was at this point of war. I'll probably build this kind of base for it also.


Finnish Curtiss' had german 70/65 camouflage at the beginning of the war, this is the camouflage I am also planning to paint.




I wanted to show my model with some hatches open, so I drilled holes around the mainteance hatch and cut it off with hobby knife.




I represented the framing of the fuselage with tamiya tape of 3-4 layers and some polystyren rods.



I added oxygen tank and some other devices there. I also added thin strips of ps with holes drilled to them to be used to attach the fishing line depicting rudder etc. cables.

Hi Tuomas!

This looks like a great start. I shall be following you in your build. It is great to have the photographic references.

Could you down-size the images though, as lot are over 4MB each, and the whole thread is already 46MB! By the end it will take someone on a modem a week to read the thread

Hi Ben,
Thanks for your nice words. Tbh I thought I had clicked the "resize" box when uploading photos to imageshack, but apparently not. I have now replaced old oversized pics with new 800x600 ones.

EDIT. I just noticed that I typoed the heading - correct register number is CU-560 NOT CU-505