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Welcome to the 3rd instalment of my modelling rehabilitation. [Heaven's preserve us, he's off again! 🙄] Having re-learned and extended a few skills on the first 2, I’m hoping to take the process further and do modelling things I’ve never tried before, namely using PE parts and doing most of the painting with an airbrush. I foresee potentially much use of olde englishe language, carpet monster feeding and camo on next door's cat if he gets too close. This all started when I was grateful to receive from Mark @2996 Victor the highly regarded 1:72 Arma Hobby kit of the Hawker Hurricane IIb; which he’d started, but didn’t wish to continue because of his move to 1:48. He had been aiming to complete an example of a Polish Hurricane based at RAF Church Stanton, which is near where he grew up. One of the kit options satisfies this. Mark never stipulated that I should complete it this way, but I’m more than happy to go with his approach. From the instruction booklet the option is WX-B/Z3675 Hurricane MK IIb based at RAF Churchtstanton August 1941 ….. Allied with the Polish theme, many years ago, one of my parent’s friends and neighbours in Brighton was an ex-WWII Polish pilot who lived there with his English wife. To my regret, I never managed to sit down with him and quiz him about “what he did in the war”. Rather belatedly, this projected build will be a little tribute to Stan and his fellow Poles, as well as hopefully satisfying Mark’s aims. I have written some extended notes for myself which document all my ramblings and research mistakes, (if you think this post is bad you should try that!!! ) but here I will just cut to the key bits for (hopefully) interest and as context for the eventual modelling. I much prefer to know a bit about the subject, but sometimes wish I could skip the research as it would be simpler. Unfortunately, the chap on my shoulder just won’t stop asking questions ……. For various reasons I ended up looking at the operations of both 302 and 316 Polish squadrons in some detail, being the first 2 tenants of the then-new RAF Churchstanton (approximately south of Taunton, north east of Exeter). While I remember, thanks here to various people who helped when I posted some questions in the discussion forum including @GrzeM, @KRK4m, @JWM, @Bigos , @303sqn, @Troy Smith and apologies if I missed someone. According to the 316 sqn ORB (Operations Record Book) the squadron transferred to Churchstanton from RAF Colerne on the 2nd August 1941. On that date it flew into its new base with · 12 Hurricane IIa · 4 Hurricane IIb (Z3573, Z3586, Z5078, Z5080) · 1 Fairy Battle (R7410) · 1 Miles Magister (T9871) As an aside, an entry in the 316 ORB for 31/08/1941 states "The squadron took part in a Gudgeon operation .......... Nothing of interest was seen during the flight and all aircraft returned safely to base." Not having heard of it before, I posted a separate question about Gudgeon and an interesting discussion ensued https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235126804-what-was-a-gudgeon-operation/#comment-4714645 But back to the main story … This is what I found for 302 Squadron and is my summary from the squadron ORB. The squadron moved to Churchstanton on the 9th August 1941. It flew entirely Hurricane IIb until it converted to Spitfires after leaving Churchstanton. There is no mention of any other type of aircraft flown (eg Battle and Magister by 316 sqn) at this time. The ORB is very helpful during August 1941 as in the records it dispenses with the Z of the serial number (just retaining the numbers) and replaces it with what I take to be the code letter of the aircraft. So the kit subject WX-B/Z3675 appears as B.3675. [This was changed in subsequent months where the code letter was not noted, just the full serial like Z3675] The entries are, however, quite terse with little detail. The summary section records just the major actions. Like 316 sqn, as well as training 302 carries out Convoy Patrols and Sweeps. Forward bases mentioned include Bolt Head (near Salcombe), Exeter and Ibsley (near Bournemouth). On one sweep starting from Exeter the sqn lands at Warmwell (near Dorchester and Weymouth) before presumably returning to Churchstanton later in the day (it doesn’t say so specifically). I looked at the usage of the kit subject aircraft throughout August and into September (ie. the time at Churchstanton). In August the sqn was involved in 2 Bomber escort missions and 4 "sweeps over France" but our a/c did not take part. It carried out several uneventful Convoy Patrols. From the Gudgeon discussion noted above @303sqn noted No 2 polish Fighter Wing began to organise at Exeter early August 1941 and formed on the 18th of that month. The wing comprised of 317 Sqn at Exeter and 302 and 316 Sqns at Church Stanton. The prime task was to provide daytime protection to the South Coast ports and Exeter. The wing made its first operation at 3 squadron strength on the 4th September taking off from Warmwell under the command of S/Ldr Stefan Witorzeńc, flying high escort for 6 Blenheims on Gudgeon VI - an attack on ships and docks at Cherbourg. 302 Squadron engaged Messerschmitts over the target area, Witorzeńc accounting for one destroyed and Kazimierz Sporny one probable. This is how it is reflected in the ORB In early September the subject aircraft is mentioned on the 4th when there was a squadron operation out of Warmwell. It lands over 20 minutes after most of the rest of the squadron. The reason appears in the operations notes. [Explicitly linking the aircraft and the action noted requires 2 extracts. Pilot noted in paragraph, then pilot and aircraft combination in second item (see items highlighted in red by me)] [The aircraft mentioned in the entry above for the same operation as the one highlighted and flown by the wing leader S/L Witorzeńc is WX-A/Z3425] Just for completeness, from the ORB the following is a summary of the squadron permanent bases in the second half of 1941 – they were an itinerant bunch…… - 9th August 1941 from Jurby (IoM) to RAF Churchstanton [ORB] entirely equipped with Hurricane IIb - 5th September 1941 from RAF Churchstanton to RAF Warmwell (near Dorchester and Weymouth) [ORB] - 6th October (probably) from RAF Warmwell to RAF Harrowbeer (north of Plymouth) [Harrowbeer local history site] Unlike earlier moves, there is no explicit mention made for this move in the ORB. It just starts recording the place of events as Harrowbeer. Finally, just to box-off this Hurricane mini-saga, commencing 11/10/1941 and completed 15/10/1941 302 sqn was re-equipped with Spitfires (18 Mk Vb and 2 Mk IIa). If I get around to modelling a Spitfire Vb (quite possible) I might follow this further, but for now I’ve a Hurricane to build…… Having laid the background, I’ll get on with some modelling next time. But first a quick look at what Mark sent me. I know there have been lots of sprue shots of the estimable Arma Hobby Hurricanes, but this is a little different because it's been started I think I could get used to the pre-painted internals status – would save some angst on my part! To someone used to traditional Airfix renderings (some good, some bad, some indifferent) the parts on this kit seem very delicate and crisp. I just hope I can build it accurately enough that almost no filling and filing will be needed so that I don’t lose any of the fine surface detail which I think looks marvellous. Will do my best to keep the Bodgemeister at bay! Having looked around the subject of PE parts, this kit doesn’t appear to go over the top. Even so, I think I can see that there may be several items that I just wouldn’t bother with. But this time I will try some just for the challenge of seeing whether they work for me or not. Full marks for persistence & tenacity if you've stayed with it. Wouldn't blame you if you went I thoroughly enjoyed finding out all this stuff, and having never seen an ORB before I just felt the need to share it. Apologies if this is all "old hat". Thanks for looking – future posts will have less text!! Rob

I plan to build a Hurricane IIb from the Far East/Burma Campaign, either Z5659 or AP894 flown by W.J. Storey or BE171 by J.F. Barrick, as their markings can be made up from aftermarket sheets and generic serial number/roundel decal sheets. The Osprey book on Hurricane Aces 1941-45 lists all three as Hurricane IIbs, but then has Z5659 on the cover (and the colour profile later on) portrayed with only eight guns. Is this a mistake on the artist's part, or were the outer 4 guns sometimes removed to improve performance like the outboard cannon of some IIcs or (so I read somewhere) the wing guns of some Buffalos? Thanks in advance for your replies.