Hawker Hurricane Mk.1 – A01010 [1:72]

[Aussie Jeff]

I bought this little kit to go with a Mk.1a Spitfire that was one of my first builds back in October last year.  It’s one of Airfix’s entry level kits in a simple end-opening box with the painting and decal guide on the back of the box. Entry level it might be but it’s a great little kit and makes a fine little model in my opinion./media/tinymce_upload/1ee33c46b0bb2637a59d230d9d777b6a.jpg

 

I had a small issue fitting the wing assembly to the fuselage but I think that may have been me not removing paint from some of the inner mating edges.  This resulted in the front edge of the fuselage being a bit proud of the wing part – a little bit of filling and it was okay.  You will notice I drilled out the gun ports but got them out of line so filled them to try again later.

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As is my method I then started the main paint scheme.  I do this as I have the habit of breaking the more delicate parts such as antennae, under carriage etc so I leave them until later.  I applied the base coat of Dark Earth (this little pot from a starter set seems very dark) to the top and side surfaces and marked out the pattern for the subsequent coat of Dark Green.  Unfortunately there doesn’t seem to be much contrast between these colours, will be interesting to see if there is a difference when I get new paint.  The undersides were painted in the suggested black/white scheme.  Once dry a coat of Long Life Floor Polish (Aussie equivalent of Klear) was applied in preparation for the decals.

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The decal sheet is relatively simple with only a few of those nasty microscopic ones, but I have come to appreciate the difference these do make so I think they are worth the effort.  I made a bit of a bodge-job of the red gun port decals but they did allow me to get the gun port holes better aligned.

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Then it was on to fitting the undercarriage, propeller and other small parts.  I’m making this with gear down and an open cockpit (not an option in the instructions but I’ll figure it out) with the pilot in the seat.  Once everything was fitted, except for the clear parts, I sprayed the whole model with several light coats of matt lacquer to reduce the sheen.  The canopy frames were carefully painted with Dark Green both inside and out (another thing I have found to improve results), any over-paint cleaned up with a sharp cocktail stick and then dipped in the Long Life polish to seal the paint down.  All the clear parts are stuck on with PVA glue.

The last extra bit to go on is the ‘wire’ from the tailplane to the antenna and, voila, another completed model – and another I am quite pleased with.

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[T2B]

That's another good effort Aussie Jeff. The dark earth dark green contrast is good and in my opinion accurate, it always looks better once the Matt is applied and the gloss sheen gone! And I always leave off all delicate parts until the end aswell or they do get broken! And you have utilitised a classic Airfix transparent stand.

 

Well done on your build!

[Kenneth ONeill]

Nice build - Oh and many of us have issues with breaking off aerials, exposed gun barrels and the like so tend to leave them until we're otherwise finished.

Ref the gunports decals: On real RAF fighter aircraft of the period these were canvas patches used to denote "aircraft armed" and keep dust out of the gunports, when time permitted. They're allowed to be crooked, ripped or even missing.

To quote from The Battle of Britain (1969 film) "Get those bowsers out of here! We'll go with what we've got!" and more quietly, to the crew chief "You know what to do with the lame ducks."

[Aussie Jeff]

That's another good effort Aussie Jeff. The dark earth dark green contrast is good and in my opinion accurate, it always looks better once the Matt is applied and the gloss sheen gone! And I always leave off all delicate parts until the end aswell or they do get broken! And you have utilitised a classic Airfix transparent stand.

 

Well done on your build!

I bought a set of those stands (2 x large, 4 x medium & 6 small) a while back (when I was a little 5acker they used to be included in the kit) but the only problem is you have to cut your own slot. They don't offer much articulation but they are unobtrusive. 

[John Symmons]

Hi Jeff

 

Well done Aussi Jeff, and I see you're climbing the learning curve very well Can't wait for your next adventure and more lessons. How did you cut the cannopy or was it already in two parts? Your effort at painting the inside frames of the cannopy was very brave and a credit to your steady hand. Just hope your Spitfire doesn't feel like an ugly duckling next to a nice new Hurricane.

 

You do seem the building up quite a nice collection of WW2 single seater fighters. You'll soon have to make another 800 km trip trip the rate you're going, but I see you still have a Lancaster to go. So another interesting build coming up.

 

Remember we do this for fun                            John the Pom

[T2B]

It was 1 of the many reasons I grew up loving Airfix kits, the free stand in every kit, but Humbrol stopped all that in the early 90s and flashed over all the stand slots. But yes the transparent stands don't stand out quite like the current heavy black stands, fortunately I've still got quite a supply left over from scrapped models to use as and when!

[Aussie Jeff]

How did you cut the cannopy or was it already in two parts?  

The canopy was already in two parts, just needed to see how it would sit. Quite liked the result. And I'm still working on the steady hand

You do seem the building up quite a nice collection of WW2 single seater fighters. 

Yes, I may even be getting a bit obsessive as I appear to be gathering a small 'stash' of future builds - the Lancaster is a little way off - for some reason I revere that aircraft and don't want to stuff it up.  Hopefully the Catalina is next, but like I said a have a few to choose from now. Here's my collection of finished models since November (except for the 'Eurofighter Typhoon' that I'm not mpressed with and would look out of place.

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[Tomek22]

Looks very well, your Hurricane. Nice collection, too. 

[Kenneth ONeill]

Jeff, I've pointed this out a few times, but the Airfix "Eurofighter" tool is actually of an EFA Development Aircraft, and not a Eurofighter Typhoon. (my example was built as DA4 in her black period)

[Aussie Jeff]

Jeff, I've pointed this out a few times, but the Airfix "Eurofighter" tool is actually of an EFA Development Aircraft, and not a Eurofighter Typhoon. (my example was built as DA4 in her black period)

So does a Eurofighter Typhoon exist or didn't it make it past the development stage. Or if it does exist what are the major differences? I tried Googling it but found it all too confusing. :)

[Ratch]

Sometimes ignorance is bliss  😛

[T2B]

Sometimes ignorance is bliss  😛

Agreed!!

 

And your collection is coming on well.

[Kenneth ONeill]

Jeff, I've pointed this out a few times, but the Airfix "Eurofighter" tool is actually of an EFA Development Aircraft, and not a Eurofighter Typhoon. (my example was built as DA4 in her black period)

So does a Eurofighter Typhoon exist or didn't it make it past the development stage. Or if it does exist what are the major differences? I tried Googling it but found it all too confusing. :)

The Eurofighter Typhoon does exist; it's just that the Airfix kit isn't actually of it (the differences are minor but in plenty of other fields it would be mis-selling to sell item1 as item2).

[Dark Earth]

Those little Hurri's are a pleasure to build - a gem of a kit.  And you've done a superb job on this one.

Chris

[Govols]

Are the edges between the dark earth and dark green on Hurricanes and Spitfires hard, soft, or semi-soft? It's difficult to tell. 

Thanks!

[Ratch]

I think they were hard, though I spray mine soft.

[Discostu]

Are the edges between the dark earth and dark green on Hurricanes and Spitfires hard, soft, or semi-soft? It's difficult to tell. 

Thanks!

l’m led to believe that rubber mats pre cut in a standard pattern were placed on the aircraft during painting, so demarcation should be hard. This only applied to factory finished camo, any repainting in the field may have softer  edges.

Cheers, Stuart.

[Brian54]

Really nice model of the Hurricane. I too made this kit and found it went together without any drama. Only the wheel well required a bit of alignment on construction. I too have found that making the smaller kits can be very satisfying. I've just completed the Boulton Paul Defiant and it is interesting to place it next to the Hurricane to give some idea of the size difference between this and the Hurri.

I have also made an attempt on the Airfix Eurofighter as one of my first kits after returning to modelling and found the fit around the front fuselage to be less than perfect. I was also warned about the difference between this and any operational version,as the F2 as stated on some versions. The airbrake is the main visible difference so it ended up faired over.  

Airfix were very quick to produce their EFA kit in 1990 but have not updated or produced an operational version.

As far as current RAF types are concerned it's strange that there have been no updated Hawk T2 or Typhoon FGR4 in 1/72 releases even from other manufacturers. As for the F-35B Lightning  looks as if the first RAF version in kit form  will be out next year but not from Airfix.