Grumman E-2C Hawkeye
French Navy Special Schemes

Kinetic, 1/48 scale

Reviewed by Mick Evans

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The Northrop Grumman E-2C Hawkeye is an American all-weather, carrier-capable tactical airborne warning (AEW) aircraft. This twin turboprop aircraft was designed and developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s by the Grumman Aircraft Company for the United States Navy as a replacement for the earlier, piston-engined E-1 Tracer, which was rapidly becoming obsolete.  The aircraft’s performance has been upgraded with the E-2B and E-2C versions, where most of the changes were made to the radar and radio communications due to advances in electronic integrated circuits and other electronics.

The French Naval Aviation (Aeronavale operates three E-2C Hawkeyes and has been the only operator of the E-2 Hawkeye from an aircraft carrier besides the U.S. Navy.  The French nuclear-powered carrier, Charles de Gaulle, currently carries two E-2C Hawkeyes on her combat patrols offshore.  The third French E-2C Hawkeye has been upgraded with eight-bladed propellers as part of the NP2000 program.  In April 2007, France requested the purchase of an additional aircraft.

The Flottille 4F of the French Navy’s Aeronaval was stood up on 2 July 2000 and flies its E-2C Hawkeyes from its naval air station at Lann-Bihoue deploying to the Charles de Gaulle.  They took part in the operations in Afghanistan and Libya.

Kinetic first released the E-2C Hawkeye in 2009 and was reviewed by Brett Green upon the kit's original release.

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Thumbnail panels:

There are no new parts in this kit so I will not go into detail again.

Markings

This edition contains all-new decals for two aircraft schemes:

1. Grumman E-2C Hawkeye BUNO 165455 of Flottile 4F in 100th Anniversary of French Marine Aviation in 2018.  The aircraft is overall grey with colourful tail and nose markings. The right-hand tail fin has a colourful bald eagle painted over the French national colours while the left-hand fin has a gold anchor painted over the French national markings.  A large Aeronaval anchor marking to painted to the top of the radome.

2. Grumman E-2C Hawkeye BUNO 166417 of Flottile 4F in Tiger Meet 2016 colour scheme.  The aircraft is overall grey with colourful tail and nose markings. The tail fins and nose have colourful yellow and black tiger stripe markings painted on them.  A large Aeronaval anchor marking to painted to the top of the radome.

Markings are designed by Fightertown Decals.

Decals are by Cartograf and are nicely printed and in register.

Kinetic's 1/48 scale E-2C Hawkeye is still an impressive model of an interesting subject. Its modest parts count of less than 200 parts should make it a relatively straightforward project for the intermediate modeller.

This issue is actually $13.00 cheaper than the original release too, making it great value.

Thanks to Lucky Model for the samples

Review Text Copyright © 2022 by Mick Evans
Review Text and Images Copyright © 2022 by Brett Green and Mick Evans
Page Created 8 December, 2022
Last updated 8 December, 2022

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