Airfix Hurricane Interior Colour Confusion

[dr_gn]

Hello,

Re. the Airfix 1:72 fabric wing Hurricane:

The painting instructions for the cockpit (stage 6) are unclear to me. It indicates (quite poorly) a combination of grey and green for the sides, aluminium for the seat, and brick red for the rear bulkhead. The instrument panel part A2 being all black.

This can't be right surely - can anyone clarify what it means please?

Also, has anyone else had a moulding issue with the left side of the canopy?

Ta.

Edited September 20, 2014 by dr_gn

[Troy Smith]

Ignore it.

cockpit walls and bulkhead grey-green, framework and seat painted aluminium. Untouched since 1943 plane in Finland, original British interior.

more pics etc see here- http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234958668-classic-airframes-hurricane-mk-1-fabric-wing/#entry1614956

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234912484-hurricane-cockpit-reference-photos/

[dalea]

Glad somebody queried the brick red bit behind the pilot

[Edgar]

Glad somebody queried the brick red bit behind the pilot

If it was one with a two-blade prop, and therefore no armour plating behind the pilot, a red-doped fabric-covered area seems eminently possible.

[dalea]

I know about the amour plate. The question is ;-

what is the material which fills in the dog box behind the pilots head.

If it was fabric, fine.

Posted photos suggest metal

[Stew Dapple]

I know about the amour plate. The question is ;-

what is the material which fills in the dog box behind the pilots head.

If it was fabric, fine.

Posted photos suggest metal

That is part of the armour plate that Edgar refers to. Prior to the fitting of armour plate it appears to have been doped fabric.

Cheers,

Stew

[dr_gn]

Well here is the relevant step:

Pretty hopeless to expect anyone to get a good result from that alone I'd say.

I'm looking at finishing it as this aircraft:

AS well as the likely cockpit colours for this aircraft, could anyone comment on the validity of the details on there ie - the venturi tube on the cockpit side, the lack of tailwheel fairing, and the presence of the bulges on the nose? Oh, and are they the correct smooth exhaust stubs?

Thanks very much.

Edited September 21, 2014 by dr_gn

[Rabbit Leader]

I've just looked up the "Fighter Squadrons" quoted reference as listed in (what I presume) is the Xtradecal sheet.

My copy of this great book is the 1976 edition and although No. 56 Squadron can be found on Page 141, there are no photographs of Fabric wings Hurricanes (of this squadron) in this edition.

Aerodata International No. 5 "Hawker Hurricane 1" (Phillip J.R Moyes - 1978) does have both a photograph and a profile of 56 Squadron Hurricanes.

The photo does confirm Venturi's on the port side, however as this shot is taken from above and behind, it is too difficult to confirm the under fuselage strake and nose blisters.

The profile shows a/c J - L1574 with venturi, original under fuse profile but no nose blisters. To be honest - its only a profile, and none of the other later year a/c profiles have these blisters either.

It does mention Black / White / Aluminium undersides similar to the kit's No. 111 Squadron choice.

Not sure if this all helps, however this is what I can lay my hands on...

Now the wife and kids are off on Holidays for three days - so it's modelling time for me !!

Cheers .. Dave

Edited September 21, 2014 by Rabbit Leader

[Doug Rogers]

What, they've gone away and left you at home?? You lucky...

[Graham Boak]

The low little bulges came with the fitting of the Merlin III, which was supposed to have both a vacuum pump to replace the venturi and a pitch control unit for the constant speed prop. The bulges and the Merlin III appeared before either of these bits of equipment. I don't have my references to hand, but that's the one I was going to model and I removed the bulges after consulting the books. It's a very early serial - I don't recall just how early it has to be but I'm sure it's early enough.

[dr_gn]

Dave, Graham,

Thanks, all very helpful.

Any definitive answer on the brick red bulkhead?

Cheers.

[Edgar]

Don't forget it wasn't just a bulkhead; there was a storage area behind it (which would presumably require access) in which items like picketing rings and winding/starting handles were kept.

[Rabbit Leader]

What, they've gone away and left you at home?? You lucky...

Yeh - but working 0800-1900 on all three days!! - by the time I get home, I'm pretty knackered to do too much modelling.

Cheers .. Dave

[Troy Smith]

If it was one with a two-blade prop, and therefore no armour plating behind the pilot, a red-doped fabric-covered area seems eminently possible.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/61201-gloster-hurricane-cockpit-colour/

Specification F.7/30, 1-10-31 for the "Single Seater Day and Night Fighter" prototype designated that the cockpit should be "painted internally with an approved grey-green paint," and some Hawker biplanes had green in (parts of) their interiors. The S6 seaplanes had green interiors, as did the Gladiator, so it was early 30s. I'd hazard a guess that the reason was simply pilot comfort; green has always been viewed as a restful colour.

Remember that the Hurricane was basically a structure of metal tubes, with everything built on to it; like the Spitfire, Hawker might have viewed it as internal structure, so it was painted silver. The Pilot's Notes, for the Hurricane II, show the tubes as much lighter than the main part of the cockpit, so it appears to have been general.

Edgar

P.S. Anyone caught taking unofficial photographs, during 1940, risked being put on a "fizzer," hence the shortage.

The Bulkhead is plywood. It's part of the cockpit. I'd go with grey-green.

the 'doghouse' and round cockpit is plywood covered in fabric, hence the red oxide primer.

and earlier on, before paint.

from http://www.hawker-restorations-ltd.co.uk/_images/_completed/g-hury/hury3.html

while a restoration, they work to original specifcations. The Finnish plane is the oldest unrestored Hurricane AFAIK.

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/52968-hurricane-mk1-cockpit-colour/page-2?hl=hurricane#entry742480

inside of doghouse

Turtledeck seen from the opening on the port side. One of the museum workers said that the Interior Green inside the turtledeck is most likely to be nearest the original condition. Fabric interior colour is red dope.

note inerior wood is either grey-green in/near cockpit, and aluminium dope behind.

I know about the amour plate. The question is ;-

what is the material which fills in the dog box behind the pilots head.

If it was fabric, fine.

Posted photos suggest metal

Plywood.

Well here is the relevant step:

Pretty hopeless to expect anyone to get a good result from that alone I'd say.

The 156 grey sidewalls look to be a misprint, and they mean 56 aluminium, I'd suggest that 70 brick red is also a misprint for 78 cockpit green.

Or, ask Airfix.

[dalea]

I have - 56 squadron started Hurricane operations 4/38

Ventral strake incorporated on production line 7 march 1938.

L 1599 is very early serial. Betcha it was built without a strake

[Dave Fleming]

How restored is L1592 in the Science Museum, it has a Green Grey bulkhead

[Troy Smith]

How restored is L1592 in the Science Museum, it has a Green Grey bulkhead

restored by Hawker's in the 1950's

I've not seen any internal pictures, but when was it last down from the ceiling?

- http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/77454-48-hurricane-fabric-wings/#entry850215

Here is a picture of the one in the Science Museum, London, and I believe it is as was when operational - no restoration.

Hi David

I thought the same thing, but in one of those Polish monographs there is this picture.

L1592 on display in Horse Guards Parade, London, 1950.

IIRC L1952 went to Training Command and then was earmarked for preservation.

I presume these are the traning command colours, note sky band, C-type roundels and what i presume is the Day Fighter Scheme, not the dark undersides compared to the sky band.

later restored to BoB standard by Hawkers at some point in the 1950's.

Probably worth a thread on it's own.

Cheers

T

[dr_gn]

Thanks chaps.

Since nobody can find a picture of the rear bulkhead in red, I'll paint it green.

[Dave Fleming]

restored by Hawker's in the 1950's

I've not seen any internal pictures, but when was it last down from the ceiling?

L1592 on display in Horse Guards Parade, London, 1950.

IIRC L1952 went to Training Command and then was earmarked for preservation.

I presume these are the traning command colours, note sky band, C-type roundels and what i presume is the Day Fighter Scheme, not the dark undersides compared to the sky band.

Certainly not it's later in-service colours when it was with the Fighter Interception Unit. I think it was lat down from the ceiling in the early 90s when they re-did the Flight gallery.