Modelling a Mk1 Hurricane night fighter

[Antb]

Hi all, 

 

Hope you are all enjoying the festive period. 

 

In the new year I'm wanting to build the 1/24 Airfix Mk1 Hurricane but not wanting to do OOB I'm looking at something different and modelling a night fighter. 

 

I have the Gleed LK-A markings and having done some preliminary research note that there is a MK1 night fighter also coded LK-A. 

 

I like the idea of modelling this aircraft but have a couple of queries before I take the plunge. 

 

Firstly is the aircraft in day colours the same aircraft in the night fighter scheme?  

 

Was it overpainted in the night fighter scheme and therefore would the day scheme show through in areas of wear? I understand that the early night paint didn't adhere very well so assume if it was over painted then the day scheme would be quite visible. 

 

I've seen the night fighter with both 3 and 6 exhausts stacks with the same markings. Does modelling the aircraft with the 3 stacks matter as I have seen pictures of the aircraft with the 3 stacks. 

 

Is there any visible difference between the day scheme hurricane and a night fighter aircraft? Are there any modifications or changes that are needed overall? 

 

Apologies for all the questions but my knowledge is limited apart from the bit if information I've found and the photos online. 

 

I'm also sorry if my questions appear dim too. I'm just unsure as can't find the answers 

 

I'd be very grateful for any assistance or pointers. 

 

Thanks in advance 

 

Ant. 

[Graham Boak]

If it is the same aircraft then it will have the same serial.  Without that piece of information I can't say, for it is likely that there were several LK.A Hurricanes.   

 

But yes, it will have been repainted.  If it was repainted with the standard Night (i.e. black) paint then the adhesion would be fairly good.  The appearance would have been smooth/satin.  If it was repainted with the Special Night (otherwise known as RDM2) then adhesion was awful.  The appearance would have been very matt when new and patchy after that.  What does it look like in the photo?  Which it had will depend upon when it was painted, early in the Blitz or later.

 

The other feature to look for is the exhaust glare shield, a small metal plate fitted behind and above the exhausts to help the pilot's night vision.  This can also be seen on day fighters of the period.

 

However these aircraft are popular subjects, so I suspect someone will be along with extra information before too long.

[Antb]

26 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

If it is the same aircraft then it will have the same serial.  Without that piece of information I can't say, for it is likely that there were several LK.A Hurricanes.   

 

But yes, it will have been repainted.  If it was repainted with the standard Night (i.e. black) paint then the adhesion would be fairly good.  The appearance would have been smooth/satin.  If it was repainted with the Special Night (otherwise known as RDM2) then adhesion was awful.  The appearance would have been very matt when new and patchy after that.  What does it look like in the photo?  Which it had will depend upon when it was painted, early in the Blitz or later.

 

The other feature to look for is the exhaust glare shield, a small metal plate fitted behind and above the exhausts to help the pilot's night vision.  This can also be seen on day fighters of the period.

 

However these aircraft are popular subjects, so I suspect someone will be along with extra information before too long.

Hi Graham 

 

Thank you very much for the information. Thats really helpful.

 

From what I can see there's nonserial as it has been painted out.

 

The photo is this one which I got from @Troy Smiths wonderful post a few years ago. 

 

Note the 3 and 6 exhausts stacks in both photos of what appears to be the same aircraft? 

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Antb

[Troy Smith]

30 minutes ago, Antb said:

In the new year I'm wanting to build the 1/24 Airfix Mk1 Hurricane but not wanting to do OOB I'm looking at something different and modelling a night fighter. 

 

I have the Gleed LK-A markings and having done some preliminary research note that there is a MK1 night fighter also coded LK-A. 

 

I like the idea of modelling this aircraft but have a couple of queries before I take the plunge. 

 

Firstly is the aircraft in day colours the same aircraft in the night fighter scheme?  

AFAIK, yes. P2798, retaining the oversize fuselage roundel and red spinner and nose flash

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234945878-night-hurricane/

 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235013125-some-question-on-night-fighter-black-hurricanes/

 

Quote

IN the pics below note the replacement panel taking a chunk out of the 'A', the 6 stub exhausts and the Sq ldr pennant on rudder. Note that the spinner is much darker than the pale blue stripes.

In the lengthy Hyperscale thread there are arguments for and against red vs blue, but as Gleed led 'A' flight, and red was the A flight colour, and it's the best match tonally in most of the pics, i'd say red.

Ian Gleed's

the broken 'A' is the result of a replacement fabric access panel, notice the stroke of the A is in the handhold

 

 so have shifted all the codes back, and also the roundel. Note the oil streaks on the gear door as well.

 The tail stripes are probably pale blue, note the squadron leader pennant under the windscreen, which is pale blue and red

 

30 minutes ago, Antb said:

 

Was it overpainted in the night fighter scheme and therefore would the day scheme show through in areas of wear? I understand that the early night paint didn't adhere very well so assume if it was over painted then the day scheme would be quite visible. 

Possibly.

 

30 minutes ago, Antb said:

 

I've seen the night fighter with both 3 and 6 exhausts stacks with the same markings. Does modelling the aircraft with the 3 stacks matter as I have seen pictures of the aircraft with the 3 stacks. 

 

30 minutes ago, Antb said:

 

Is there any visible difference between the day scheme hurricane and a night fighter aircraft? Are there any modifications or changes that are needed overall? 

apart from the glare shields, no.

 

some more Gleed pics, in day scheme.

 

[Graham Boak]

You can see the glare shield before the windscreen.  I'd say the paint finish looks pretty good.

 

The tall fin flash suggests an aircraft that's been around for a while, so I suspect it will be the same aircraft as the day fighter in the photos (typed before Troy posted).  The serial may have been repainted in red, and so present but not visible in the photo.

 

[Troy Smith]

5 minutes ago, Antb said:

The photo is this one which I got from @Troy Smiths wonderful post a few years ago. 

 

Note the 3 and 6 exhausts stacks in both photos of what appears to be the same aircraft? 

 

Edited 4 minutes ago by Antb

I think both have six stacks, though exhaust were easy enough to change, and offhand I can't think of a source of these in 1/24th.  

If you don't want to get too wrapped up, just use the 3 stack, as they certainly were fitted before the 6 stacks.

[Antb]

@Graham Boak and @Troy Smith thanks very much chaps, that really helps a lot. 

 

Really appreciate your help. 

[Troy Smith]

just for anyone curious, 

the black LK-A is same plane as P2798

 

same roundel, fin falsh  and code letter style and position, as well as the red spinner/flash.   

 

a couple of other points on the nightfighter, the canopy framing looks to be lighter, so may well be left in Dark Green,  and the inside of the gear doors looks to be black, or Night.

 

This is conjecture, but I'd not be surprised if there was a patch of Dark Green around the figaro cat on the emergency escape hatch,  or possibly the entire hatch was removed before the repaint.

 

[Antb]

21 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

just for anyone curious, 

the black LK-A is same plane as P2798

 

same roundel, fin falsh  and code letter style and position, as well as the red spinner/flash.   

 

a couple of other points on the nightfighter, the canopy framing looks to be lighter, so may well be left in Dark Green,  and the inside of the gear doors looks to be black, or Night.

 

This is conjecture, but I'd not be surprised if there was a patch of Dark Green around the figaro cat on the emergency escape hatch,  or possibly the entire hatch was removed before the repaint.

 

Troy that's superb. 

 

I can see a different colour around the canopy definitely and there seems to be a lighter patch around the squadron  leader marking below the canopy too. There's even an argument for the rudder not being black as the middle photo shows this to be lighter? 

 

Edit. Just had a look through the kit. There are glare shields included so don't need to scratch them up. 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2018 by Antb

[Troy Smith]

6 minutes ago, Antb said:

There's even an argument for the rudder not being black as the middle photo shows this to be lighter? 

 

it's angled and catching the sun. the image above that shows black.

[Antb]

Ah fair enough. Thanks again troy 

[mhaselden]

I'd have gone for red for the front of the fin.  That's how it was painted when in day fighter markings so why change for the night role when they persisted with a large A1 fuselage roundels and, coloured spinner and nose flash?  Also, there appears to be a pretty hard and consistent demarkation between the fin shade and the top of the fabric fuselage.