Is there anything wrong with the Fly 1/32 Hurricane I?

[Procopius]

The thought of an absurdly large Hurricane that I'll never have time to build feels strangely appealing to me, and so I wonder, can anyone tell me if anything's wrong with the 1/32 Fly kit of the Hurricane I? I'd hate to have an inaccurate unbuilt kit in my home, after all. Many thanks in advance for any input you have.

[johnny akes]

General consensus is that while it's accurate in terms of shape it isn't an easy build, having a very 'short-run' feel to it. The surface textures are good though and if you stick with it you can end up with a good-looking result. Definitely a subject which in this scale deserves the attention of a mainstream manufacturer though. 

[grahamf]

No nothing at all it's an excellent kit, also having an idea of the tremendous amount of work that's gone into producing it, We should give them our support and not encourage the mainstream producers to duplicate it. Let the hard work pay off for the smaller people.

 

Graham

[gingerbob]

Yes, there is- I haven't got one!

[Work In Progress]

It's probably the best Hurricane kit extant for overall shape accuracy and surface treatment, in any scale.

[FZ6]

It's a really nice kit. I have the MK I and the MKII they look nice. Raised and recessed detail.

The wheel hubs are a little small and you only get the four spoked wheels early MK I hurricanes had five spoked wheels. Not sure when the change over occurred but Grey Matter resin do both four and five spoked wheels in 1:32.

 

Regards,

Mark

[Troy Smith]

10 hours ago, FZ6 said:

It's a really nice kit. I have the MK I and the MKII they look nice. Raised and recessed detail.

The wheel hubs are a little small and you only get the four spoked wheels early MK I hurricanes had five spoked wheels. Not sure when the change over occurred but Grey Matter resin do both four and five spoked wheels in 1:32.

 

Regards,

Mark

The only Hurricane's with the 5 spoke wheels are the first two Hawker built batches, who have are the L**** and N**** batches.

These also lack the rectangular access hatch on the starboard side.

A look here

https://www.super-hobby.co.uk/products/Hawker-Hurricane-Mk.I-17126330.html

 

Shows this hatch, 

The open one here for clarity

 

I don't have a Fly kit, so can't comment in detail, though if @Work In Progress rates it I'd trust his judgement.

 

Fly seem patchy on their marking research, the IIc Trop kit has  two options drawn from ancient profiles that do not have supporting photos,  so worth checking the details.

Given they have done a Finnish boxing (these were early planes and lack the above hatch and need 5 spoke wheels) and a Mk.I Trop, I assume a BoB one is due.

 

HTH

T

[Procopius]

3 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Fly seem patchy on their marking research, the IIc Trop kit has  two options drawn from ancient profiles that do not have supporting photos,  so worth checking the details.

Given they have done a Finnish boxing (these were early planes and lack the above hatch and need 5 spoke wheels) and a Mk.I Trop, I assume a BoB one is due.

The boxing with a Finnish Hurricane on the lid contains two BoB marking options: Johnny Kent's 303 Squadron machine, and another from a Czech squadron.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Procopius said:

The boxing with a Finnish Hurricane on the lid contains two BoB marking options: Johnny Kent's 303 Squadron machine, and another from a Czech squadron.

Doh!

 

I only looked at the fuselage sprue.

 

Right, as I said, Fly are bad on makings, the Czech DU-J is a fabric wing plane, L1936 IIRC,  the Finnish predates the rectangular hatch and has 5 spoke wheels.

The Malta plane has been discussed, it a dark blue, not light one 

I can't properly see what's the spinners and props are like, but as this is an area that causes a lot of confusion, I wouldn't be surprised if there was a glitch.

Minor points, easily sorted I hope.

 

HTH

T

 

[Troffa]

"I'd hate to have an inaccurate unbuilt kit in my home"  

 

🙂 

[Sgt.Squarehead]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 5:33 AM, Procopius said:

I'd hate to have an inaccurate unbuilt kit in my home, after all.

    

 

Of course there's a simple solution to your dilemma, it's one that I use constantly.....Just purchase a selection of intimidating aftermarket parts that you could use to correct it, if you built it, which you won't.....Problem solved! 

 

[Procopius]

1 hour ago, Sgt.Squarehead said:

    

 

Of course there's a simple solution to your dilemma, it's one that I use constantly.....Just purchase a selection of intimidating aftermarket parts that you could use to correct it, if you built it, which you won't.....Problem solved! 

 

Oh, I'm also doing that (now that I've bought the kit). HGW fabric belts ahoy!

[mack]

I have the Fly Hurricane Mk. I and I'm committed to build it, or at least to start building the kit...

I'm surprised by the relative small number of aftermarket products for this kit. I'm only aware of the above mentioned fabric belts and the Yahu instrument panel. I would have liked a flap set (resin or photoetched), separate ailerons (resin), 5 spoke wheels and a couple of propellers as most of the sets conceived for the PCM kit are unavailable nowadays.

 

I there any early windscreen & canopy available? I would highly appreciate if someone can indicate me a source for such a part.

As for the errors in the proposed markings, what would be the right definition for the DU-J / L1936 (wings, propeller, windscreen, wheels, radio mast, exhaust etc)

 

Thank you,           

[Troy Smith]

6 hours ago, mack said:

I would have liked a flap set

Hurricanes do not have dropped flaps on the ground unless lowered for servicing.  

Pilots forgetting to raise their flaps got "fined" a round of drinks at the bar!  

 

6 hours ago, mack said:

I'm surprised by the relative small number of aftermarket products for this kit.

It may not need them....  not everything actually needs aftermarket

anyway, here's a list of Grey Matter 1/32nd Hurricane resin

https://www.ebay.co.uk/str/greymatterfigures/1-32-Hurricane/_i.html?_storecat=3575271015

 

they do a fabric wing conversion.  with flaps

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GMAB3202-HAWKER-HURRICANE-MkI-FABRIC-WINGS-WITH-POSTIONABLE-FLAPS/222079555869?epid=1713279787&hash=item33b4f9191d:g:6oYAAOxyThVTanLx

though this misses that the inner wing panel is fabric covered, and looks like a scaled up version of the 1/48th MDC set, which I was not too impressed with.

 

 

6 hours ago, mack said:

what would be the right definition for the DU-J / L1936 (wings, propeller, windscreen, wheels, radio mast, exhaust etc)

 wings - fabric

prop - De Havilland Hurricane 

Antenna - pole type

wheels - 5 spoke (unless replaced)

Exhaust - see pic, standard type.

windscreen, hmm, would need to check the photos of L1926 in a training unit, in Hurricane at War 2, nosed over, which clearly shows still fitted with fabric wings

small pic here which is hard to make out details.  the one in the book mentioned is bigger

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=yXkpDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT455&lpg=PT455&dq=hawker+Hurricane+l1926+55+otu&source=bl&ots=C2t9OSIDgX&sig=JFnd5Sz1WL4u3riyFgxT3l9hiVg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjwofnz5oHcAhVLhSwKHS6BCEcQ6AEINzAF#v=onepage&q=hawker Hurricane l1926 55 otu&f=false

 

Note, the serial is now the standard 8 inch type, when built the L**** and N**** planes have 6 inch high serials,  so given L1926 was a fairly early plane,  probably has had a major overhaul  by this time and been repainted, possibly even re-fabriced

 

here's L1926 as OP-M of 3 squadron in early 1939, the 6 inch high serial is clearly shown here on L1937

 

interesting subject as photos exist at 3  distinct stages of service

 

HTH

[mack]

On 7/3/2018 at 5:02 AM, Troy Smith said:

...

 

 wings - fabric

prop - De Havilland Hurricane 

Antenna - pole type

wheels - 5 spoke (unless replaced)

Exhaust - see pic, standard type.

windscreen, hmm, would need to check the photos of L1926 in a training unit, in Hurricane at War 2, nosed over, which clearly shows still fitted with fabric wings

small pic here which is hard to make out details.  the one in the book mentioned is bigger

...

Note, the serial is now the standard 8 inch type, when built the L**** and N**** planes have 6 inch high serials,  so given L1926 was a fairly early plane,  probably has had a major overhaul  by this time and been repainted, possibly even re-fabriced

 

here's L1926 as OP-M of 3 squadron in early 1939, the 6 inch high serial is clearly shown here on L1937

 

interesting subject as photos exist at 3  distinct stages of service

 

HTH

Thank you very much for the information.

 

Is it only my wishful thinking that wants to see a late windscreen in the 1939 photo (L1929 as OP-M)?

 

Regards,

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, mack said:

Thank you very much for the information.

 

Is it only my wishful thinking that wants to see a late windscreen in the 1939 photo (L1929 as OP-M)?

 

Regards,

I'm afraid so, this reminded me to look at Hurricane at War 2, the pic of L1926 at 55 O.T.U. shows it still fitted with the early type.

[Jamie @ Sovereign Hobbies]

On ‎6‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 2:18 PM, grahamf said:

No nothing at all it's an excellent kit, also having an idea of the tremendous amount of work that's gone into producing it, We should give them our support and not encourage the mainstream producers to duplicate it. Let the hard work pay off for the smaller people.

 

Graham

I'd click the Like button a hundred times on this if I could.

 

Bringing a product out is a huge financial risk for a small player, and it's very hard to get established in this market. There's nothing that pains me more here than seeing a "little guy" produce something new and with a lot of merit only to be met with "I wish some big faceless giant would copy it, help themselves to 90% of the little guy's potential sales due to wider distribution networks and thus bankrupt him".

 

Large companies seldom have any incentive to improve until someone else moves some aspect of the product forward, forcing them to adapt. Revell were quite happy to sell that absolutely dreadful 1960s tooled 1/72 P-51D kit even a year or two ago. If people don't support little companies trying to do something new and better (like give you an accurate 1/32 Hurricane) then all you'll get is big companies selling you the same old junk forever more because nobody is threatening their comfortable market share.

[MIkeMaben]

 

Fly got the molds for the Hurricane from HPH. I think they added

the resin parts (incorrect wheels, tires too large and wheel too small)

and the cockpit and clear parts. It's a nice kit however.

 

 

[Procopius]

12 minutes ago, MIkeMaben said:

 

Fly got the molds for the Hurricane from HPH. I think they added

the resin parts (incorrect wheels, tires too large and wheel too small)

and the cockpit and clear parts. It's a nice kit however.

 

 

Good to know, Mike. Do you recommend any replacement wheels on the market?

[MIkeMaben]

1 minute ago, Procopius said:

Good to know, Mike. Do you recommend any replacement wheels on the market?

Actually no, the only accurate (dimensionally) wheels are the PCM resin.

Their quality leaves something to be desired. Barracuda's Spitfire wheels

are nice but the tire diameter is a little small. Same with GMF's.

I plan to rework the Barracuda wheels.

HPH

 

[Kallisti]

I've built the Fly IIc and have the IId and IIb in the stash. They are not easy to build but they look the business

 

You can see my build of it for my "Clang!" here

 

 

 

[mack]

On 7/4/2018 at 10:43 PM, Troy Smith said:

I'm afraid so, this reminded me to look at Hurricane at War 2, the pic of L1926 at 55 O.T.U. shows it still fitted with the early type.

Apparently my quest for a fabric winged Hurricane with late windscreen and DH prop was futile...

Anyone having an early Hurricane PCM kit to sale? I'm really interested.

 

Regards, 

[VMA131Marine]

I have a pair of the Fly Hurricane Mk.II kits and am sorely tempted to replace the mostly photoetched Fly cockpit parts with the Grey Matter Figures resin cockpit. The reviews I've seen suggest that the Fly cockpit is difficult to build accurately. The GM cockpit is for the Revell kit, but suspect it could be adapted.

[Kallisti]

Having built both the Fly kit and a  Revell with the Grey Matter cockpit, I'd be hard pushed to decide which one is better or worse.
I'm not sure what reviews are saying about the Fly cockpit but I don't remember finding it all that difficult to build. It is a short run kit so its not so easy as a Tamiya kit might have been...

This was my Fly cockpit in progress 

 

 

and this is my Grey Matter cockpit from back in 2012 when I added a scratch built rear to the framework to allow me to open up the fuselage panels behind the cockpit

 

 

One of the biggest obvious differences is the side panels for the FLy kit are moulded into the fuselage sides whereas for the Grey matter they are attached to the frame as the Revell kit has no internal detail at all.