Acklington Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Finished this one two days ago, and here are the photos, followed by an interesting 'back story';Sea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (1) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (6) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (9) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (10) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (22) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (24) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrSea Hurricane IIc, NF700, 804 Sqdn, Ouston, January 1943 (27) w by Philip Pain, on FlickrThe kit was built 'out of the box', without modification, but the markings became one of my head banging exercises. I wanted a Sea Hurricane to join my RAF Ouston, Northumberland, collection, because 804 Squadron FAA were based there for a month in January 1943. This was the only time that the Navy ever used Ouston, and possibly they were doing trials or exercises with new built warships off the Tyne. I thought it would be easy to find 804's markings, given that it is well known FAA squadron, and I had a definite date to work with. Wrong!Sea Hurricane NF700 had an interesting history, and was originally built as a Hurricane Mk.IIc for the RAF with the serial number KW921. However it was retained in the factory and together with others was converted to become a Sea Hurricane IIc. Together with its six (later nine) companions NF700 was delivered to 804 Squadron and embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Dasher. In October 1942 they sailed for the Mediterranean to join the American led invasion of French occupied North Africa. This was "Operation Torch", and to try and disguise the British participation, all aircraft taking part were painted with American 'stars' in place of the British markings. The theory was that the Vichy French defenders were more likely to capitulate to their 'friends' the Americans.HMS Dasher returned to Britain late in 1942 and 804 Squadron disembarked and spent brief periods at two FAA airfields before arriving at RAF Ouston. By then it is assumed that the "Operation Torch" markings would have been removed and replaced with 804's normal codes, as shown on the model above. After spending the month of January 1943 at Ouston, 804 Squadron moved to Northern Ireland at the beginning of February, and handed all their aircraft over to 835 Squadron, including NF700. The story does not end there, because 835 Squadron had the aircraft overpainted in 'Arctic white' and embarked on the aircraft carrier HMS Nairana to join the Arctic convoys to Russia. It was on this voyage in 1943, that NF700 was landing back on the carrier in rough seas, when the pitching ship made it strike the stern, and it ended up crashed on the flight deck with a broken back. It was classed as a write off, and would have been stripped of useable spare parts, and dumped over the side into the sea. Cold and deep Arctic waters have low oxygen levels, so even salt water corrosion is held at bay, and it is quite likely that the remains of NF700 still exist to this day in its watery grave off Norway.The 'white' Sea Hurricanes of 835 Squadron have been much modelled, and therefore serial numbers for NF700 were readily available. So this was the serial I chose for the model. However the individual code letter it wore with 804 Squadron is unknown, so I guessed at 'S7-A' on the thin assumption that 804's Commander would have chosen the new aircraft with the 'best' serial number for himself.Thanks for looking. 39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FIGHTS ON Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 great looking build and thank you for taking the time & effort to give us the history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 A very excellent job on this, I'm liking the story that goes with it too. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith in the uk Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Lovely job a fine looking Hurricane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courageous Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Very nice . I have this kit near the top but the 'boss lady' wants me to the white one . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spaddad Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 orsum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vultures1 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Great build of a Sea Hurricane and looks really nice in those colours (although the white is good too!) Very interesting back story too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corsairfoxfouruncle Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Excellent Hurricane and great piece of history Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beard Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Lovely photographs of a splendid model and it's good to have the story of the real aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darby Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Looks good to me. Pusser's Sea Hurricanes look good no matter what the scheme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glatisant Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Like that a lot. Top class build. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevej60 Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Beautiful build,great background information and (to me) local,what's not to like?Now I want to go and buy Airfix's 1/48 Sea Hurricane and it's pay Day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andwil Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 What the others have said, nice model and interesting story. Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 What a lovely job and always nice to see a Sea Hurricane,....especially when it is so well done. I`ve had a look at Air Britain`s `Fleet Air Arm Aircraft 1939-45' to try and confirm a code for you,...but it says; NF700- TOC Yeovilton 12.42, to 787 NAS Wittering 4.43-6.43, 804 NAS stalled, heavy landing Charlton Hornethorne, Cat X 6.5.43 (S/L Barker). 835 NAS (coded 7T) from 9.7.43, hit round down broke back, HMS Nairana Cat Z 2.3.44 (S/L AR Burgham OK). So if these records are correct it seems to have missed Op Torch and the Ouston detachment,....... but please don`t think I`m trying to out do you or be clever,..... just passing on what I found as I thought you`d like to know,....I`ll gladly delete this if you wish. Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acklington Posted March 3, 2018 Author Share Posted March 3, 2018 Many thanks for the comments everyone, and to 'Tonyot' for its history extract. I have this publication and studied all of that batch of NF-serial Sea Hurricanes before selecting NF700 to model. There were a dozen possibilities but few of them specifically mentioned Operation Torch, HMS Dasher, or RAF Ouston. I was also referring to "Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm", and to other histories, and it seemed that the 'NF batch' went to 804 Sqdn as new aircraft, and 804 went on HMS Dasher to "Torch". NF700 was among the aircraft that 804 passed onto 835 Sqdn, and this happened after departing RAF Ouston. So everything seems to fit the history I have given for NF700, even if the 'official record' for NF700 does not record every event? I'm happy to stand corrected! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Wonderful build and backstory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyot Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 5 hours ago, Acklington said: Many thanks for the comments everyone, and to 'Tonyot' for its history extract. I have this publication and studied all of that batch of NF-serial Sea Hurricanes before selecting NF700 to model. There were a dozen possibilities but few of them specifically mentioned Operation Torch, HMS Dasher, or RAF Ouston. I was also referring to "Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm", and to other histories, and it seemed that the 'NF batch' went to 804 Sqdn as new aircraft, and 804 went on HMS Dasher to "Torch". NF700 was among the aircraft that 804 passed onto 835 Sqdn, and this happened after departing RAF Ouston. So everything seems to fit the history I have given for NF700, even if the 'official record' for NF700 does not record every event? I'm happy to stand corrected! No worries mate,......it was just the fact that Op Torch took place in November 1942 which stood out. Cheers Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted March 5, 2018 Share Posted March 5, 2018 Top modelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 (edited) Truly awesome. You have really gone into the research, you inspire us all. Edited March 8, 2018 by Hairtrigger Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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