Angus Tura

Hello. I'd like to add this to the group build: There are pretty nice RAF decals in the box but I have also got some Caracal ones which have more stencils and so on: There are two kits in the box and it looks very nice quality. Alan

Col. I'm sorry but this is never going to get finished in the time of this group build because I am bleeding determined to finish my F-15 (another unfinished GB for me). So, I'm going to slide this into 100years of RAF instead. It will hopefully be finished in time for me to start the 1960s GB on time... ...a pattern is emerging! Alan

Thanks very much for that information. Here is the photo from the Robert Jackson book "Hawker Hurricane." Blandford, London (1988): The photo is captioned saying this is Northolt, September 1939. It also says this is L1823 and that it was the last Watt's propeller-equipped plane used by 111 Sq. "relinquished...July 1940". The same book however says too that Hurricanes from L1780 onwards were de Havilland propeller equipped. So, at least one of these statements cannot be right! Judging from what you say, Graham, about the retrofitting of three-blade propellers being fairly involved (and back at the factory, if I understand you correctly), then I think it would be fairly credible that this plane would look much like this 2 months later. Any other views from you Hurricane experts gratefully received. Or, if anyone is aware of a photo of a 111 squadron plane at Drem or Wick with a Watt's propeller, I'd be glad to know, Thanks v. much, Alan

Hello. I've searched this long thread and can't find an answer, but my apologies if this has been asked before. I'm building the Airfix Mk.1 as a 111 sq. aircraft in Scotland in the winter of 1939-40 in the Hawker GB. I would like to put the Watt's propeller on but I don't know if that can really go. According to a history of Drem airfield, 111 squadron arrived at Drem in early December 1939. There are a number of photos of Hurricanes of 111 squadron at Northolt in September 1939 with Watt's propellers in the Robert Jackson Hurricane book. 111 went to Wick on 27/2/40 and all of the photos of their hurricanes at Wick that I can see in the same book and on line, show three bladed propellers. So my questions are: were three bladed propellers retrofitted? If they were, when? Is it likely that there were any two bladed propellers still on 111 sq. planes at Drem after 7/12/39? Apologies for the obsessive nature of the question! Thanks for any help, Alan

Thanks for replies. Chris, thanks for the tip. I love the sentence, "Finished with a wee buff...." Either you have polished the plastic...or handed the mitten to a small but attractive Scottish person! Col, yes. I was also surprised but there they were. Having found the internet photos I also find several photos in print, in the Robert Jackson Hurricane book, of 111 Sq. Hurricanes at Wick. Unfortunately I think all of their Hurricanes would have been retrofitted with three blade propellers by the time they got there. A shame: it would have been nice to do the fabric wing with the Watts propeller. I do want to do the kit OOB but I like cockpits open, and I want to fix the wheels and the wing, a la Chris and make the instrument panel better. So, I thought I'd do those things first and then just build it. So first the canopy. I carved off the canopy rail behind the cockpit but then the canopy stands too proud of the coaming behind the cockpit: So, I've sanded down the coaming to let the canopy sit down properly but this serves to show that the canopy is wider at the back than the front: So a small former made out of matchsticks, bit of wood and epoxy: I tried a hairdryer on it but without success so I held it over boiling water for 15s, then cold tap and: It worked! And I haven't melted the canopy! Celebratory glass of Diet Irn-Bru! Next the other stuff. Alan

I want a quick build and thought this: ...built OOB, with Xtrakit decals for a 111 Squadron Mk.1 at Dyce, Aberdeen (on the right here): would be ideal... After reading about the kit here on Britmodeller, however, and slightly tragically looking at serial numbers in the Hurricane Datafile, I now realise that you can't have these decals on that wing. I do want to make some "Scottish" subjects, just because I'm Scottish. After some Googling last night I read that 111 Sq were sent to Wick in the winter of 39-40 and I found a very helpful picture of two of their hurricanes facing each other. So, there is a view under both wings. I'm not sure of the copyright situation for photos, and I don't want to get banned. Here's a link: https://www.worldwarphotos.info/gallery/uk/raf/hurricane/groundcrew-refuelling-hurricane-mk-i-l2001-ju-b-of-no-111-squadron-raf-at-wick/ The codes are in a fairly weird style which will be a bit challenging, and I'll need to think about the four spoked wheels and the metal panels missed on the wings, but it should be doable and looks a nice kit. Hope to start cutting this evening. Alan

Some of the huge stock pile of vampires that I couldn't squeeze in to the 1960s build! Maybe very late/PR Scottish-themed spitfire. Alan

This would be very good. Please count me in, Alan

Lovely. Count me in please, Alan

Thanks for that chaps. I am replying to keep this high up on the board in the hope that it is seen by someone who knows Steve. Alan

Paul, That's not quite right. I certainly don't think there's anything "suspect" about the Bovington date. Our, Huddersfield, show was on the second Sunday in February for many years and was often the day after Yeovilton. We moved to the third Sunday to try to avoid that, and because the weather might be fractionally better. Last year we found ourselves double-booked with the Huddersfield Trampoline Club and so couldn't have our choice of rooms. So, this year we have taken 11/2/18 because there is trampolining to be done on 18/2/18. Only after we had committed to 11/2/18 did we hear about the Bovington Show. We are dependent on income from the traders who attend our show, and so we are keen to avoid the dates of other shows. I'm sure that the continued existence of the Tank Museum is not dependent on a few traders on a cold day in February and to that extent they might well care less than we do about this issue, but I do think our clashing dates is just an accident. Yeovilton knew years in advance when their shows would be, and I hope that the Tank Museum might also know their dates for years to come, and then we would simply avoid those dates. So, I'll be in touch with Bovington before we set our date for next year. My apologies for the length and tedium of this post! Alan

Hello, This model was entered in competition at the Huddersfield show today. It was attributed to Steve Raey (his friends entering it thought.) I wonder if it might be Rae. Or Reay. It won our vignette class but wasn't picked up again at the end of the show. The trophy was picked up, weirdly. If you are Steve, or know Steve, please let me now, Alan.

Thanks for kind comments about our show today. I thought it felt a little quiet too but the door staff thought that our footfall was about the same as previously: ~750 paying visitors. Sorry they couldn't raise a smile. It can be pretty stressful. If the show was quiet, I think it probably has more to do with us clashing dates with Bovington, to whom we lost a few traders, than to us following Bolton, which we've done for quite a few years. We don't have to clash like that again I hope: Bovington appeared in the calendar after we were committed to today. I was running the competition and there were a number of models entered for a modeller by his chums. The modeller's name was Steve Rae, I think. His people weren't sure if it was Raey, or Reay. He won the vignette class but the model wasn't picked up: If you recognise it, or know Steve, please let me know and we can bring it along to some show or other that he might attend. I'll post this in the AFV forum as well. Thanks again. Alan

Phantome. That looks great. I just posted yet another failure to complete and you have given me hope and comfort with this 20 year delay. Alan

Oh dear! Another unfinished group build: I can't quite believe that it's two months since I posted on this. Meantime I haven't even started the F-104. As you can see everything is just about ready for paint here. I do at least find that I'm still enthused by this and will just keep going...in aircraft RFI...not here! I've been too busy with work and Christmas and, of course organising bits of the Huddersfield Show to which you must come. Put all ideas of Bovington next Sunday from your mind! Alan