Hi there

I was going to do my usual in-box review of Platz's neat new Global Hawk, but with the Fw 190D finished I couldn't resist trying a quick build before I start setting up a new workspace next week. It should be a real busman's holiday for me - not usual era, and not my usual scale to work in.



It might not be a real "weekend build", but I'll be keeping an eye on the hours I spend on it. I'll make a start this afternoon.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Well I've made a start - and done my usual thing and ignored the instructions! They suggest installing the engine parts before joining the fuselage halves. That's fine, but it'll make cleaning up the joints around the exhaust awkard. Opening slots in the locators means the engine can be installed later:



With the fuselage halves joined, I decided to add part B4, the upper tail (for what of a better description). This has some mould marks to clean off and is also a bit of a loose fit.



Photos of the full-size machine show a very smooth finish around the tail, so I've applied Squadron putty. I looks worse than it is:



Turning to the wings, the fit is good, but I found the lower surface can benefit from a little extra support at the wing root to avoid the chance of a step:





All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Jean-Luc should approve of this one - Clothes Pegs City!



Good grief those wings are long! Somehow, for me at least, talk of a reconnaissance drone conjures up images of an overgrown r/c model aircraft, but this beast has a wingspan greater than a B-24 Liberator!

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

I knew it wouldn't take long before I got into trouble once I was out of my WW2 "comfort zone"! I think I need a bit of help and advice on suitable colour schemes...

I was planning to go for the kit's attractive NASA option, but checking the web all I can find are shots of earlier aircraft in NASA markings, so they have different style undercarriage and fairings, and presumably a shorter wing. Can anyone confim that NASA has (or intends to use) the RQ-4B?

The shots I've found of a mock-up of the Luftwaffe version also show the old-style twin-mainwheel undercarriage, plus different sensors(?) on the side of the nose.

Any help would be much appreciated.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

It "wood glue" if only it would dry! Ouch! Sorry...

So much for my almost-weekend build - I loaded the nose with weights and flooded it with PVA. Will it dry? Not a chance! Every time I move the model, the noseweights shift. Next time I'll use CA.

So, once it decides to dry, I'll get back to the build...

All the best

Rowan

I drip melted candle wax to fix noseweights. If you keep the nose cold with an icecube adn don't pour in to much wax in one go then the plastic does not melt from the heat and the fix is perfect

Hi Drabslab

It does seem to have set OK - just in time for me to have to stop work while I set up a new workroom! I'll flood the nose with some latex just to be sure nothing can come adrift at a later date.

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

How does the saying go? - "Act in haste, repent at leisure..."

Trying to fix the nose-weight with PVA was a huge mistake - well over a week later and the stuff still hasn't set! I've tried warming the kit, but it must be because there's basically no airflow inside the confines of the nose, the PVA simply won't dry and oozes out whenever I try to work on the model!



As a last resort, I've tried washing the stuff out - so, hopefully, that will mean I can get on if the water dries out...

I guess modelling's all about learning, and this is one mistake I won't make again!

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Well, I don't want to tempt fate, but I think my poor disaster-prone Global Hawk has finally dried out! I'll leave it cooking gently on a hot water bottle overnight and hopefully get on with it in the morning. And to think this was intended to be a really quick build before I set up my new workroom...

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

What a treat it is to be able to pick up the Global Hawk again without PVA / Latex goo pouring out! So, it's back to work at last!

I've restored the panel lines around the fuselage with the excellent RB Productions Scribe-R (fast becoming one of my all-time favourite indespensible tools), and brushed some thick old enamel paint over the seams to be sure they're really smooth:





Once that's dry and sanded I should finally be able to crack on...

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan

well it seems thes drone thingies tend to be rather "one man show threads" .

Your model looks very nice! Hope such thing will also be published in 1/48. Even if it is as large as a bomber it would be nice to have one as the Luftwaffe will introduce the "Eurohawk" too.

all the best

Steffen

very interesting build Rowan - these 'types' are actually quite attractive modelling subjects. will look different on the shelf that's for sure..

Cheers guys

Platz actually do include Luftwaffe markings, but the kit's details don't match the photos I've seen of the German mock-up so, like the NASA option, I'm not sure how strictly accurate they are...

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

Just to pick up Steffen's point about the size of the beast - this is the 1:72 Global Hawk sat with Hasegawa's 1:48 Bf 109G (or "hopeless wart" as Gaston might describe it. ).



I'd love to see the RQ-4B in 1:48 too - I'm just not sure I'd have room to build one.

All the best

Rowan

Wow!



The americans always like it bigger!

Jean-Luc

Hi Rowan

Looking really good and it is larger than I thought (and I've seen the Eurohawk mockup personally several times). Though I do not think building the thing would be a problem but storing it or taking it to shows.

And there might be a challenge for the manufacturer to get such wings done in styrene in 48 scale with the proper strength ...

anyway, nice build even if not my scale!

all the best

Steffen

Hi Rowan
The comparison is amazing, that wing span looks greater than some of the WWll heavy bombers. I noticed on the NASA website they have acquired a few examples for research purposes. Thanks for the build progress so far.
tim

HI Tim

Yep, it's a whopper! I really want(ed) to do mine in NASA colours, but all the pics I've found so far of NASA Global Hawks are the earlier version, so I think mine will end up in a USAF scheme... All being well, I'll finish this (construction-wise) this weekend and get some paint on ready to decal it next week.

All the best

Rowan

Hi Rowan,

Did some digging myself and the RQ-4A (Block 10) Global Hawk has a wingspan of 116 feet and a payload of 2,000 pounds, while the RQ-4B (Block 20) has a wingspan of 131 feet, a payload of 3,000 pounds, and a redesigned nose.

They changed the RQ-4B to accommodate U-2 sensors and increase the payload. I see they plan on a Block 40 with a new mapping radar. I'll keep looking to see if I can find any NASA pictures.

Oh, yeah, the Luftwaffe versions incorporate an EADS Sigint package, so that's why it looks different.

Hope that helps.

Tom

Hi Rowan,

Here's a link to a photo of a NASA RQ-4A, http://air-attack.com/images/single/662/NASA-Dryden-Receives-Two-Early-Global-Hawk-Aircraft.html.

Will keep looking for more for you.

Tom

Hi Rowan,

Sorry to post a bunch of times, but I keep finding stuff. Hope you don't mind!

Here's a link to Dryden Flight Research Center's home page, with a NASA Global Hawk in flight, http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/home/index.html.

HTH...

Tom

Humblest apologies, Rowan! Sorry to waste your time on the RQ-4As. Would help if I read your posts more carefully .

Tom

Hi Tom
Any idea how much the RQ-4A (Block 10) Global Hawk costs? If they are going cheap I wonder if its possible to convert them to carry a pilot. Just think of the milage.
tim

Hi Tom

Please don't apologise - I really appreciate your taking the trouble to hunt stuff down!

Ironically, while I was away at the weekend I spotted a reprt suggesting that it's planned tyo fly Global Hawks on missions over the UK! As if we don't already have more than enough surveillance cameras following our every move here... (that remark's probably ensured another one aimed at Castle Aeroscale! )

All the best

Rowan

Hi again

A little more progress. With the airframe complete, I've been doing battle with white paint. It's amazing how many coats of the stuff those long wings have taken:



I began with Humbrol matt white enamel, but wasn't very happy with it. I won't say it was badly yellowed, but it was a distinctly "warm white" - possibly fine for older, or weathered a/c, but I felt something modern like the Global Hawk would be finished in a much purer white. It was also in danger of turning out grainy, so I decided to treat it as an undercoat and switched to LifeColor acrylic, and I'm much happier with the result.

Once it's all had a chance to dry thoroughly I'll go for the Gunship Gray - again Humbrol, but satin this time, so maybe I'll have better luck...

All the best

Rowan