1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed P-3F Orion

Gallery Article by Seán Langley on May 7 2009

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Here we have an Orion with a bit of a twist: it’s a P-3F, the variant sold to Iran in the late 1970s, before the Shah was deposed.  I can’t be certain but from the markings on the tail I think this one may be post-revolution.

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It’s Hasegawa’s old stalwart, the P-3C, in one of the earliest 1980s boxes, built from that box apart from the camera fairing under the nose - which is almost totally wrong, I believe, but perhaps they re-fitted it or something.  The national markings come from an old Superscale sheet; cost me an arm and most of a leg, but I’d wanted to do this particular colour scheme for over twenty years, so ... The rest are from the box, and they stood up pretty well to sitting around for all that time, apart from being irretrievably yellow.  Amazing what a coat of pastel dust and a careful choice of camera setting can conceal, though.

Every model should be a learning experience or it’s no fun.  So, what did I learn making this?

  1. If you have engraved panel lines - and especially if you take a month to engrave your own - clean them out after every coat of paint.  It’s tedious but it’s vital.

  2. However much weight you think you need, you need more.  This thing has weights inside the propeller spinners.

  3. Future isn’t smooth.  If you brush it on,  take care to spot bubbles and wipe them over, or you get pimples.

  4. The more you add to your aerials, the more they’ll sag, unless they’re wire-taut to begin with.  I recommend not spraying them with matt varnish.

  5. Use less PVA!

Seán Langley

Photos and text © by Seán Langley