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Hurricane IIa, Z2402, GL-P


Mitch K

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This will be my contribution to the GB. I've got a Revell 1/72 scale Hurricane IIa/b (the result of a find of Ebay). I know this will have issues around the rear fuselage looking like corrugated iron rather than doped fabric, weird fuselage stringers at the rear of the "hump" and a short doghouse. I'll accept the former two and I've cured the latter before in a MkIIc build. I suspect there will be the same issues around fit that arise from engineering in the kit. We shall see.

The markings are from Xtradecals' 72161. This purports to be a 185 Sqn aircraft, based on Malta. What drew me were the codes: GL-P. I've spend a lot of my life working to the GLP regulations, which are designed to "... try to ensure the uniformity, consistency, reliability, reproducibility, quality and integrity of chemical tests..."

The idea of trying to bring "uniformity, consistency, reliability, reproducibility, quality, and integrity" to a build of a Malta-based aircraft struck me as slightly amusing.

Some sources quote Z2402 as being in a non-standard upper surface scheme, but an opinion on this site argues convincing that the aircraft is in fact in standard Temperate Land Scheme above with the undersides possibly Sky or Sky Blue. I'm going with the latter. After all, any deviations from normal would have to be noted, authorised and have their impact assessed under GLP!

I'll do some pics later.

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Hi Mitch,

I see you are going for the Revell offering, which is the same one that I am tackling (except that I am doing the IIc).

I concur on the short doghouse needing correction,

This afternoon I took the time to look carefully at the kit, and I feel like I want to start by putting together all the wings' components, including the underneath center part. Things may be possibly incredibly "pliable" when glued together, so a couple of spars to stiffen everything up seem the reasonable route.

What is your take on these wings?

Cheers

JR

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JR, I seem to recall that where the outer panels for the lower wings attach it's very easy to get things lined up wrong. This affects the angle of the lower wing, and the cross section. The joint itself was pretty poor too as I recall. Whilst my own lack of competence can't be totally ignored, I think some of this arises from the "over engineering" this kit suffers from to allow the many different marks and models from a single basic mould.

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Great decal sheet!

What you wrote is possibly why I was never really keen about chemistry: too exact a science! Geology was far more down my street... and what do I end up doing, but geochemistry?.... I nonetheless made a point of honor to always keep it as inconsistent, unreliable and erratic as possible!!!

Really looking forward to your build!

JR

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Hiya Mitch,

Good luck with this one. I take it that you have a copy of the well known photograph of GL-P? If not then let me know and I`ll send you one and take care with the camouflage pattern because the one in the decal instructions doesn`t look right to me,....... the left hand side of the aircraft is unknown so I would just go with a standard pattern rather than the non standard one shown,......I also agree that it should be Dark Earth & Dark Green with Sky Blue undersides.

Cheers

Tony

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The ribbing on the rear fuselage can be improved quite easily Mitch. Mask the area off then apply automotive hi-build primer, when hard scrub back with green scotchbrite or micromesh until the raised ribs show through. Repeat until happy. Not my technique I got it from John Adams but it's simple and works well.

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The ribbing on the rear fuselage can be improved quite easily Mitch. Mask the area off then apply automotive hi-build primer, when hard scrub back with green scotchbrite or micromesh until the raised ribs show through. Repeat until happy. Not my technique I got it from John Adams but it's simple and works well.

It's not so much the way the ribbing looks, it's the fact that behind the "hump", the ribs run down into a set of parallel horizontal ones, rather than all gradually meeting near the tail.

Good advice though!

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Hiya Mitch,

Good luck with this one. I take it that you have a copy of the well known photograph of GL-P? If not then let me know and I`ll send you one and take care with the camouflage pattern because the one in the decal instructions doesn`t look right to me,....... the left hand side of the aircraft is unknown so I would just go with a standard pattern rather than the non standard one shown,......I also agree that it should be Dark Earth & Dark Green with Sky Blue undersides.

Cheers

Tony

Thanks Tony,

There are one or two on this site in the WW2 area if you look hard enough. I think that the standard pattern seems more likely and that the "non standard" pattern idea has come about from a mis-interpretation of the effect of orthochromic film on tonal differences. But that's just my interpretation.

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Hiya Mitch,

What I`m trying to say mate is that I agree that it should be DE/DG and not DE/MS,...but just don`t follow the camouflage pattern (ie the camouflage shapes,..not colours- which also are wrong on the sheet too!) and instead find a photo of the left hand side of a Hurricane wearing the standard camouflage pattern and copy that,.....not the incorrect ones shown on the decals.

Cheers

Tony

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Hiya Mitch,

What I`m trying to say mate is that I agree that it should be DE/DG and not DE/MS,...but just don`t follow the camouflage pattern (ie the camouflage shapes,..not colours- which also are wrong on the sheet too!) and instead find a photo of the left hand side of a Hurricane wearing the standard camouflage pattern and copy that,.....not the incorrect ones shown on the decals.

Cheers

Tony

That what I said! Standard disruptive pattern. I've got the old Camouflage and Markings publication with the scaled drawings, so it'll be right!

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I've put the wings together and I'm not too happy. There's a lot of flash on the model, which is irritating but no big deal, plus some nasty shrinkage on several bits but the wings were something else! One wasn't too bad but the other was short-shot around the flap and wing root, with another bit of the wing root being mis-shapen with excess plastic. Oh joy!

I'll try to take some pics tomorrow to show how much fut this is going to be...

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Cockpit built, detailed up a bit and put in, positioned to allow the doghouse to be extended once the fuselage is closed up. So far, so good.

glp_2_zpsgfpdkjbh.jpg

Here are the wings. From the front it looks like this. The undersides of the wings line up to be even, and leave me this lovely gap.

glp_4_zpsrvtw6s8l.jpg

The underside is even worse. With the excess misshapen plastic and the shrinkage cut away, I got this. The white plastic card is a fillet to hold the wing together and give something for the copious amounts of filler I'll need to bottom out onto!

glp_3_zpscdoug4xr.jpg

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I've put the wings together and I'm not too happy. There's a lot of flash on the model, which is irritating but no big deal, plus some nasty shrinkage on several bits but the wings were something else! One wasn't too bad but the other was short-shot around the flap and wing root, with another bit of the wing root being mis-shapen with excess plastic. Oh joy!

Hi Mitch,

I can see that you are not having an easy time...

My Mk IIc kit has quite a lot of flash too, but so far I haven't found any grossly deformed areas, although I am a bit disappointed with the overall look of the plastic.

The worst area was on the radiator, where a lot of plastic was missing on the sides. Bottom line, I used quite a lot of CA glue and elbow grease to get it back into shape. No free ride I'm afraid.

To make matters worse, the radiator flap has a nasty ejector mark on the inside and the edge is missing a lot of plastic. But in order to remove it and replace it with a home made flap to leave open, I have to cut out the rear face of the radiator unit, as it is located too far back.... and so it carries on!!!!

So not the easy kit I thought it would be, and I can see I am not the only sod who has problems!

Re your wing and the beautiful chasms it displays, I would go for some slivers of plastic and CA glue, sanded after 5 to 10 minutes. Far better than straight putty, as you can re-scribe it more easily. Just protect the surrounding details with tape before you start!!!

But it will get just right in the end.

On my build I am busy rebuilding the dog house and I will post some photos before the week end.

I may use the tip I read above about toning down the fuselage structure, with which I am not happy either...

But it is a beautiful plane and well worth the sweat and tears (of frustration!).

Keep strong!

JR

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JR,

My plan will be to go with white Milliput (my go-to for these sorts of problems), with the edges taped off and well shaped with a well-wetted sculpting tool to minimise sanding. For another GLP in-joke, we have a statement of intent before undertaking the work! I've a million of 'em :clown:

At the same time I'll deal with the sinkage on the sides of the radiator, which is really quite bad.

What slightly concerns me is how the issues associated with the wings are going to impact the geometry of the wing to fuselage joint. That's before I even consider what the fit fit will be like - how much effort is it going to take to get the wings to sit at the correct angle, and symmetrical...

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Mitch,

looking at the gap on the underside of the port wing, it would appear that the wing root is pretty much where it should be... or am I reaching? Bottom line, the damage and painful repairs should not affect the top of the wing root, hence the geometry. You can PM me your choice insults if I were to be wrong!

Re the radiator's sides, I am so happy I was not the only one!!!

Have fun

JR

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Mitch,

looking at the gap on the underside of the port wing, it would appear that the wing root is pretty much where it should be... or am I reaching? Bottom line, the damage and painful repairs should not affect the top of the wing root, hence the geometry. You can PM me your choice insults if I were to be wrong!

Re the radiator's sides, I am so happy I was not the only one!!!

Have fun

JR

JR, I *think* you're right. I set it up that way, but until I try it, who's to know? As for the insults, they'll all be directed at me, so don't worry, but they'll be so loud you'll hear them without a PM! :angrysoapbox.sml:

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Slow progress. I am beginning to suspect that work is the curse of the model-making classes...

The initial filling is completed: this is largely white milliput and so took minimal sanding, but the CA glue stains were a bit more unforgiving. A bit of Squadron white elsewhere dealt with other twists, warpsand knotholes. The doghouse has been extended with plastic card, put in in laminations and cut/sanded so the canopy will go on.

glp_5_zpsvwg8lqam.jpg

Underneath, she still isn't very handsome. I *think* the filling has got most of the problems done, but what I'll do it give her a final polish with micromesh, do the minimal rescribing she needs then wash and prime her. That's the only way I'll find out. The radiator needs some filler but I'll use Kneadtite green here - it doesn't sand off well but it polishes out a treat in weird shapes like this. The oil cooler and elevators are up next, and some detailing of the cooling flap on the rad.

glp_6_zpsivziccpg.jpg

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Mitch, considering the mid-oceanic rift that was gracing the underside of the wing, you've achieved a fantastic recovery! I am impressed.

I know the Mk IIc does not have a headrest. Has yours?

You are right: any work or activity that stops one torturing plastic is a curse! I have been in the pretty much the same predicament than you, but I will (OK, should!) post something over the week end.

One thing is sure though: your Hurri will be finished well ahead of mine!

Keep on fighting!

JR

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  • 4 weeks later...

I've blown in the undersides in a pale blue shade, but the picture didn't come out and I didn't find out until I'd masked her up! Anyway, here she is after two thin coats of Dark Earth and waiting to be masked up for the Dark Green.

glp_7_zpsxctxxoib.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...

The green went on without difficulty, and after the usual dotting and dodging in of where paint had infiltrated under the masks, a coat of Klear went on. This time it went on without any issues!

The decals are from Xtradecal and went on really easily, with a touch of DecalFix. I'll go over them later and make sure no additional treatment is needed, then add a few stencils from the kit sheet.

I've added brake pipes on the main U/C so the end is coming into sight!

glp_8_zpsp7k9twfo.jpg

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Hi Mitch,

it is shaping up quite nicely and will look stunning after some mat varnish.

Well done!

Life has caught up with me and my Hurri is suffering from my having to re-do my kitchen's roof, ceiling, etc...

But I have hopes to be able to do some good on Sunday and take some photos... You will then see how glacial my progress has been!!!

Congrats on a beautiful Hurricane!

Cheers

JR.

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