Best Hurricane Ml.1 1/48

[Oberleutnant]

Hi Gents,

 

Could you recommend the best Mk.1 Hurricane in 1/48 scale please?

 

Looking to get one asap but thought it worth a second opinion.

 

Thank you.

[neilh]

There have been plenty of threads on this topic. Search out posts from Troy, who has researched all the available kits pretty thoroughly.  If it was me, I would go for the Airfix kit as long as you are OK with a metal winged version. According to Troy, the curve where the wing meets the fuselage is not quite right but shape wise it is much better than the Italeri kit and the Hasegawa kit. The Hasegawa is still a nice kit and as a non expert it looks pretty good to me, but the under  fuselage joint is a little tricky. If you want a rag wing , and can find one , the Classic Airframes kit is harder to  build but you can substitute some detail parts designed for the Hasegawa kit ( like metal undercarriage legs) that ease the clean up and build. Personally having built one and trashed 2 , I would avoid the Italeri effort.  My favourite is the new Airfix kit. If you do go for that one, read the build reviews because its a complex kit and one little misalignment will make the rest of the build tricky.

[Oberleutnant]

1 minute ago, neilh said:

There have been plenty of threads on this topic. Search out posts from Troy, who has researched all the available kits pretty thoroughly.  If it was me, I would go for the Airfix kit as long as you are OK with a metal winged version. According to Troy, the curve where the wing meets the fuselage is not quite right but shape wise it is much better than the Italeri kit and the Hasegawa kit. The Hasegawa is still a nice kit and as a non expert it looks pretty good to me, but the under  fuselage joint is a little tricky. If you want a rag wing , and can find one , the Classic Airframes kit is harder to  build but you can substitute some detail parts designed for the Hasegawa kit ( like metal undercarriage legs) that ease the clean up and build. Personally having built one and trashed 2 , I would avoid the Italeri effort.  My favourite is the new Airfix kit. If you do go for that one, read the build reviews because its a complex kit and one little misalignment will make the rest of the build tricky.

Hi Neil,

 

Thanks for the response.

 

I will hunt down Troy and go in with a view as the airfix kit being the best.

 

Cheers for your time.

[tango98]

PM sent Guy.

 

Dave

[Oberleutnant]

22 minutes ago, neilh said:

There have been plenty of threads on this topic. Search out posts from Troy, who has researched all the available kits pretty thoroughly.  If it was me, I would go for the Airfix kit as long as you are OK with a metal winged version. According to Troy, the curve where the wing meets the fuselage is not quite right but shape wise it is much better than the Italeri kit and the Hasegawa kit. The Hasegawa is still a nice kit and as a non expert it looks pretty good to me, but the under  fuselage joint is a little tricky. If you want a rag wing , and can find one , the Classic Airframes kit is harder to  build but you can substitute some detail parts designed for the Hasegawa kit ( like metal undercarriage legs) that ease the clean up and build. Personally having built one and trashed 2 , I would avoid the Italeri effort.  My favourite is the new Airfix kit. If you do go for that one, read the build reviews because its a complex kit and one little misalignment will make the rest of the build tricky.

 

Hi Neil,

 

Sorry to be a pain but do you know where I would fine Troys reviews?

 

Can't find them on his profile and its work in progress/ ready for inspection.

[Troy Smith]

23 minutes ago, Oberleutnant said:

 

Hi Neil,

 

Sorry to be a pain but do you know where I would fine Troys reviews?

 

Can't find them on his profile and its work in progress/ ready for inspection.

Does not cover the new Airfix.

This does

 

 

you will be sorry you asked now,

If you're not a anorak, the new tool Airfix is your best bet, note all 4 boxing's , BoB, Trop, Sea Hurricane and set with ground crew and vehicles contain the same plastic.

You can do pretty much any Mk.I apart from planes from the first two product batches, the L**** and N**** serials.

 

Any specific questions? 

 

HTH

T

 

 

 

[Oberleutnant]

34 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

Does not cover the new Airfix.

This does

 

 

you will be sorry you asked now,

If you're not a anorak, the new tool Airfix is your best bet, note all 4 boxing's , BoB, Trop, Sea Hurricane and set with ground crew and vehicles contain the same plastic.

You can do pretty much any Mk.I apart from planes from the first two product batches, the L**** and N**** serials.

 

Any specific questions? 

 

HTH

T

 

 

 

 

No that's lovely, thank you!

 

Plenty to  get me reading.

 

Ta.

[Oberleutnant]

On 8/9/2018 at 9:54 PM, Troy Smith said:

Does not cover the new Airfix.

This does

 

 

you will be sorry you asked now,

If you're not a anorak, the new tool Airfix is your best bet, note all 4 boxing's , BoB, Trop, Sea Hurricane and set with ground crew and vehicles contain the same plastic.

You can do pretty much any Mk.I apart from planes from the first two product batches, the L**** and N**** serials.

 

Any specific questions? 

 

HTH

T

 

 

 

Hi Troy,

 

Just looking into buying a Hurricane kit 1:48 and it seems there is actually very little available.

 

I cannot find the Airfix version anywhere (out of stock) except a shipment from Japan which said in stock yet when you process it says it isn't!

 

The Hawegawa one is bloody expensive.

 

This leaves the Italerie version which on Amazon has acceptable reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italeri-510002705-Hurricane-Mk-PRM/dp/B005OB9E5M/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1537179145&sr=8-5&keywords=hurricane+1%2F48

 

Do you have much knowledge of this please?

 

If no good I might hunt for a Spitfire Mk.1

[dragonlanceHR]

Plastmodel.pl has the Trop and SeaHurricane in stock.

 

IMO Italeri is not worth buying.

 

Vedran

[Troy Smith]

26 minutes ago, Oberleutnant said:

This leaves the Italerie version which on Amazon has acceptable reviews:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Italeri-510002705-Hurricane-Mk-PRM/dp/B005OB9E5M/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1537179145&sr=8-5&keywords=hurricane+1%2F48

 

Do you have much knowledge of this please?

 

 

yes..... 

 

I am a bit of an anorak.... but not recommended.

 

The Airfix one is about,  I'll PM you in a mo..

[Seahawk]

On ‎8‎/‎9‎/‎2018 at 9:54 PM, Troy Smith said:

 

If you're not a anorak, the new tool Airfix is your best bet, note all 4 boxing's , BoB, Trop, Sea Hurricane and set with ground crew and vehicles contain the same plastic.

You can do pretty much any Mk.I apart from planes from the first two product batches, the L**** and N**** serials.

Given that all 4 contain the same plastic, note that the Sea Hurricane and Trop are both apparently available from the Airfix website.

[brewerjerry]

Hi

    slight thread drift

    but what is the verdict on the old monogram hurricane, think it was a Mk II ? 

    cheers

      jerry

[Troy Smith]

12 minutes ago, brewerjerry said:

Hi

    slight thread drift

    but what is the verdict on the old monogram hurricane, think it was a Mk II ? 

    cheers

      jerry

Toy like, due to the retracting undercarriage feature.  

It's not bad overall shapewise,  and is a useful source of 44 Gal drop tanks and Vickers S guns, which look decent though I have not checked thoroughly. Also maybe the rocket blast plates.

 

The kit has bits to make a IIc, IId and IV, but the wing panels are for the 8 gun A wing, so it's most like a IIa.

 

I did start trying too accurise one, it's possible but really, why bother.   I'd only do it 'because it's there'    and I have fond memories of it being the only 1/48th kit available..

 

HTH

[tempestfan]

46 minutes ago, brewerjerry said:

Hi

    slight thread drift

    but what is the verdict on the old monogram hurricane, think it was a Mk II ? 

    cheers

      jerry

Some 30 years ago, SMI had a feature comparing all the Hurri kits in all scales. IIRC the reviewer concluded it was „fat“ around the cockpit, possibly also with an excessively thick wing (to accommodate the retracting u/c).

[brewerjerry]

Hi

   Thanks for the thoughts on the monogram kit

  cheers

    jerry

[Old Fogey]

https://www.wonderlandmodels.com/products/airfix-148-hurricane-mki-tropical-model-kit/?exchange_rate=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwrZLdBRCmARIsAFBZllGtfnLUa7uOdYizoVXWP7NvKE1qcbJmC6dh5ZmGDeqvU4rTZ7Y27sIaAkIkEALw_wcB

[SleeperService]

Mainly a question for @Troy Smith but feel free to join in everyone

 

I was very fortunate today and picked up a Ready for Battle set for £8.00 at the charity shop. The Hurricane is noseless but the rest is OK. Having read many posts about the Hurricane I took the kit and compared to the Bentley drawings in Model Aircraft Monthly 11/2005 as recommended by yourself.

 

I have seen several references to chopping out at the transport joint but this still leaves the doghouse looking wrong and a profile that's rather too rounded. This is what I've come up with as nearly as easy but a lot more effective. I would be grateful for your comments before I make an idiot of myself.

 

 

The first vertical panel line needs moving back about 1.0mm to be nit-picky. There is a definite break at the doghouse top to the rear fuselage curve in profile, this cuts out the offending section completely. If you think it may work I'll have a slash and burn session later

 

Thanks for all the effort you must have expended sharing information for us all. This thread has become a very valuable one IMHO

 

 

[Troy Smith]

15 minutes ago, SleeperService said:

This is what I've come up with as nearly as easy but a lot more effective. I would be grateful for your comments before I make an idiot of myself.

I think that the best was to cut off the tail, as IIRC, the extra length was  just in front of the fin, about where it bends in, and then take out 2mm. 

 

This was hmm,  OK, I just drew some lines on your pic, to show where I would cut

tumblr_pwhse8qbGi1t8blhlo1_1280 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

and by careful undercutting of the tail plane fairings, use those to cover most of the cut line,  the vertical cut in front of the access door is where the fabric stops, so is easy to make good. Does that make sense?

 

I don't have a photo, I did do this on the 72nd fabric wing kit though.  The difference is subtle, but noticeable, as this in front of the fin is just a little wasp waist-ish.    Does this make sense?

 

Where you propose top cut will be a nightmare to make good the fabric  and that is always the killer for a decent Hurricane model.  

 

HTH

 

[SleeperService]

44 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

This was hmm,  OK, I just drew some lines on your pic, to show where I would cut...

...and by careful undercutting of the tail plane fairings, use those to cover most of the cut line,  the vertical cut in front of the access door is where the fabric stops, so is easy to make good. Does that make sense?

One of the issues with this kit is that there is no fabric effect on the doghouse side. To represent the different texture I'll try to have a matt finish on the fabric and shinier on the metal.

 

I do like your solution though so I'll give it a try. Thank You for the rapid reply. That is a very smart solution to an issue that should not have happened to quote the BoB film. I see that your solution also gets rid of the strange angle just ahead of the access door.

 

Further to other posts I've just made a 1.0mm dia tool from some Albion tube to replace the fasteners, seems to work well in a pin vice. 

[Troy Smith]

26 minutes ago, SleeperService said:

Further to other posts I've just made a 1.0mm dia tool from some Albion tube to replace the fasteners, seems to work well in a pin vice. 

Beading tool.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/23pcs-Beading-Tool-Set-Diamond-Stone-Pearl-Grain-Tools-Set-Header-With-Wood-Q7c7/25032497721

 

is the way to do the fasteners 

[SleeperService]

Thanks Troy beading tool ordered.

 

Just been looking at the profile of the doghouse. The kit matches K5083 in Bentley's drawings BEFORE the revised fuselage. Odder and odder...

 

[Work In Progress]

15 hours ago, SleeperService said:

One of the issues with this kit is that there is no fabric effect on the doghouse side. To represent the different texture I'll try to have a matt finish on the fabric and shinier on the metal.

 

This doesn't make sense. On an actual Hurricane there is no textural difference between the doped fabric over the wood of the doghouse and the adjacent metal panelling. The doped fabric is completely smooth, and the finish is the same.

[Troy Smith]

15 hours ago, SleeperService said:

One of the issues with this kit is that there is no fabric effect on the doghouse side. To represent the different texture I'll try to have a matt finish on the fabric and shinier on the metal.

probably easier to do during painting, the difference between metal and fabric, well, there is some evidence that the fabric faded more, or weathered to a matter finish that photographs lighter...

ROYAL AIR FORCE: FRANCE, 1939-1940.. © IWM (C 1518)IWM Non Commercial Licence

note the paler colour outboard of the gunbays, [and where the chipped paint ends], which matches the fabric fuselage. note the colour of the metal nose.

This is an airframe that has had a few months outside though.

in this pre war colour shot, not the very bottom DE corner of the doghouse is a lighter tone than the metal panel below

Hurricane by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

 

But, for model use, I'd suggest polishing the paint in the metal parts and/or using chalk pastel to 'fade' the fabric areas,  this also changes the sheen. 

more period colour here

https://www.flickr.com/search/?w=8270787@N07&q=hurricane

Bear in mind the bit under the cockpit is likely to get 'buffed' by the getting into the cockpit.

the difference between fabric and metal only seem to be on early planes, so maybe a change in paint type had an effect as well?

Sea Hurricane by Etienne du Plessis, on Flickr

Quote

EDIT I tried to dull down the fabric on my Hurricane

 

50620679 by losethekibble, on Flickr

 

Quote

 

I have been experimenting with ground up chalk pastels.

 

I also scrubbed the fabric bits with pale grey chalk, and then washed it off, a little remains, and it has both matted and faded the fabric bits, quite subtly, though I still need to do the starboard wing,  the difference is just visible above.

 

 

 

Quote

 

I do like your solution though so I'll give it a try. Thank You for the rapid reply. That is a very smart solution to an issue that should not have happened to quote the BoB film. I see that your solution also gets rid of the strange angle just ahead of the access door.

 

Not sure what you mean.... I'll have a look at the kit later.

[J Sherratt]

A very interesting topic here - lots of useful information. Thanks.

 

An Airfix 1/48 Hurricane is definately on my shopping list! John

[SleeperService]

3 hours ago, Work In Progress said:

This doesn't make sense. On an actual Hurricane there is no textural difference between the doped fabric over the wood of the doghouse and the adjacent metal panelling. The doped fabric is completely smooth, and the finish is the same.

Looking at the first two photos Troy has posted the effect is less than elsewhere but still there. The Airfix kit is smooth as it is (correctly) at the front end. However it is a minor irritation compared to other things and I'm with Troy in that it can best be sorted at the painting stage.

 

About the differences the smooth panels should look darker than the rougher fabric surface. In the same way gloss varnish darkens a colour. Subtle will be the watchword.