Miles M.5 Sparrowhawk 1/72 SBS model

During the Christmas Holidays I wanted to unwind by building an easy, relaxing kit and I was also wondering how I could manage to build some of my SBS models resin kit, which I’ve never done before. I have plenty of them in my stash, but I never had the courage to build any of them.

When I first saw the completed model of David Hényk’s Sparrowhawk G-AELT I was really in the mood to build mine too – the 1935‘ King’s Cup Sparrowhawk G-ADNL in the cream finish.

The build was straightforward, the only serious issue with the kit was my incompetence of gluing the parts together with the CA glue :). All parts fit perfectly and the joints of parts even had enough space for the layer of paint which I really appreciated during the build. The only minor blemish was the matt surface on the wings and fuselage parts which was easily smoothed out with very fine sanding paper and water.

However, the SBS model company is really far ahead of other resin model manufacturers and they really know their craft well.

As I decided to open the cockpit doors, it was necessary to pay more attention to this detail. The process consisted of making new door frame and cleaning the cockpit rim carefully. Due to the fast build, the only other issue with the kit was gluing the engine part to the fuselage which, to me, didn’t fit very well. Followed by applying the surfacer 1000, I airbrushed the airframe with AK Real Colors Cream White and Gunze Super Clear varnish. The decals were exceptional and without faults. After two weeks, my work was complete. A few original photographs helped me during the build, mainly to verify the kit’s instructions (the original airframe had black wheels, metallic windshield rim and airscrew cap).

It was a real pleasure to build this kind of a model kit without any major issue and in one haul. The finished Sparrowhawk is now proudly standing alongside other sporting planes in my show-case and I am looking for another SBS kit build, maybe the Miles Whitney Straight will be on the table soon.