I just ordered my 1st Lukgraph kit, the 1/32 Curtiss C7F-1 Seahawk. I'm looking for pictures or drawings of the cockpit and interior. If anyone can point me in the right direction, it would be greatly appreciated.

Joel

It's apparently a tolerably rare and obscure aircraft
Perhaps you could try the US Naval Aviation Museum? They've got one hanging in their rafters...

I imagine that the interior would be very similar to other Curtiss Hawks of the era, and in the absence of any pictorial proof, you can just smile and dare the penlight brigade to prove you wrong

Thanks Jessica,
Will take a look there.
Joel

Earlier this week I placed my order for the kit as it's listed as available. A follow up a few days later received a reply that he hadn't received the PE for the kits, so my order is on hold. I checked yesterday, and now there is a problem with the castings which he made, so he's recasting those parts. No mention of what parts, or how many. At this point I had no intention of just waiting till the kit is complete and ready for shipping. I emailed him to cancel my order for the above reasons, which he did.

I do realize that he could have shipped the kits with poor casting, but that would have most likely lost him more customers then his expanding line of would have gained. One would have assumed that he checked the casting prior to boxing, had the PE frets, and all kit parts before he listed the kit as available.

His kits are far from cheap, and I expected a more professional business model. It's just that simple.

Joel

Hi Joel

That's a real shame.

Having produced resin upgrades myself many years back, I can sympathise with them to an extent, because it was frequently a struggle to get parts and accessories produced for me to the standards I demanded.

That said, I never advertised a kit as available until I received the items and it was ready to ship. These days, thanks to the Internet, it's much easier to manage news releases, because one's not gambling on meeting print deadlines, so there's less excuse for mistakes.

It does still look an exciting kit, though, so I'm sad you cancelled your order - I'd have loved to see you tackle it.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan,
Believe me, I was looking forward to it.

The Golden Years of aviation has always been a interest of mine, and while I have little to no real interest in WW1 aircraft, there are certainly enough bi-wing aircraft in this period to make it more then interesting to me. Couple that with the fact I've never built a resin kit before, would have proved to be most, shall I say a enlightening experience and blog.

While I cancelled my order, my brother who has one of his kits, hasn't canceled his, so I'll be able to see the kit 1st hand, and then make up my mind if I want to purchase it.

I've also seen the fuselage of his Falcon up close and personal, taped up, and it does indeed look very, very nice.

Like you said, with today's online business model, there really isn't any valid excuse for not having all the parts, and having checked his own castings prior to listing the kits as available. It just seams to me that every email turned up another issue for delay. I still can't understand how he missed bad castings if he made them himself. Makes no sense to me. It would have been easier for all concerned if he just took a deposit. I would have ordered, then waited knowing that the kit isn't ready for delivery.

Joel

Hi Joel

I'm glad you're keeping your options open. Perhaps you could convince your brother to do us a write-up (also on the other kit he's bought)?

All the best

Rowan

Rowan,
Will do.
Joel