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Here I am. Rock you like a hurricane (are you ready, baby?) The Airfix Hurricane 1/24


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Hello friends and welcome to my latest attempt at not going cRaZy! šŸ˜‡

having had a break from aeroplanes for my last few build I decided to come back home with a bang.

Airfixā€™s wonderfulĀ Hawker Hurricane 1/24.

I Bought herĀ a while ago from a Debenhams internet sale for the princely sum of Ā£16 pounds. šŸ¤— I have been waiting for the right moment to build her and now feels like a good enough time. I was wondering through the stash opening boxes and feasting my eyes here and there when the light soft blue plastic just called to me. šŸ¦•

sheā€™s pretty old so Iā€™m going to do some scratch work as I did with theĀ Messerschmitt. Iā€™llĀ have her worn and weathered too.Ā 

Now letā€™s not go all anal on this, Iā€™ll try my best but Iā€™m not a river counter so youā€™ll have to cut me some slack. I will however welcome all the help I can get. If youā€™ll care to tag along that is.

well then letā€™s get this party started.

Itā€™s only the box. šŸŒŖ

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As you can see sheā€™s a big un. Thatā€™s an A1 cutting mat. šŸ˜³

The sprues next.

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And some bits that fell off. šŸ¤£

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The instructions areĀ very old but comprehensive.

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A little bit too comprehensive. šŸ˜®

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Iā€™m going to have fun with this. šŸ¤—

Iā€™ll be doing the box scheme.

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but worn, not too much mind just to keep @Martian HaleĀ happy. šŸ‘¾

This will be my main guide.

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upon opening when I got it home imagine my surprise. šŸ¤©

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signed by the man himself. Itā€™s a sign I tells ya. šŸ¤“

Ooooooh itā€™s all very exiting but I canā€™t help but think that Iā€™ve missed something?Ā 

Feels like thereā€™s an elephant in the room.Ā 

Ā 

Ā 

Ā 

Hang on whatā€™s that over there?

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šŸ¤”looks like.........

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wait it canā€™t be.........Ā 

DON, DON, DONNNNNNNNNN!

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behold ze heffalump. šŸ˜³

big isnā€™t it. šŸ˜†

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Now in all seriousness Iā€™ve read various things about this here spinner. Iā€™ve seen picsĀ where it looks awful and some where it looks good. Iā€™m not quite sure what to do about it but I figured the BM massive could point me at replacements or similar but truth be told I did a dry fit and.

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I quite like it.

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itā€™s a hell of a hooter for sure but if it was fitted at some point Iā€™d it so wrong?

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Even side on it looks ok to me but what do I know. šŸ¤·šŸ»ā€ā™‚ļø Mr Scarborough suggests asking a friend with a lathe to make you a new oneĀ from wood or steel. šŸ˜³ This suggest that the after market models industry wasnā€™t established in the mid 1970sšŸ•ŗ Well there we are for now. Iā€™ll start with the engine I guess, I have the air scale IP decals and the Eduard belts wingingĀ thereĀ way from our BIG yellow friend as we speak. So join me if you will on a rather excellent adventure. ā€œMy first hurricaneā€ šŸŒŖ

Ā 

Hope youā€™re all having a lovely sunny week.

All the best and as always.

Ā 

Happy modeling.

Ā 

Johnny Hurricane. šŸŒŖ

Ā 

Edited by The Spadgent
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Oil collector ring, rotor prop, hook and head rest and it'll be great...

Ā 

Seriously though - good luck with this model. Ā You mind if I sit over to the side by the bar?

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Following to ensure that you get plenty of encouragement and I will try not to mention Macbeth too many times.Ā 

Ā 

MartianĀ šŸ‘½

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A lot of ongoing development of the prop on these.Ā 

Many pages have been written here and elsewhere.Ā 

Troy will certainly keep you right.Ā 

Just the one spinner in the box??Ā 

Ā 

The rotol prop couldn't accommodate the original small hurricane spinner, and they were fitting the Spitfire spinner until such times as a tailor made one for the hurricane came off the production line.Ā 

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I think you've got the Spit rotol spinner, and it should be bigger than the fuselage opening.Ā 

ca4103review_instr2

Ā 

G-AFKX was the hawker engine /prop test planeĀ 

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1 hour ago, The Spadgent said:

Mr Scarborough suggests asking a friend with a lathe to make you a new oneĀ from wood or steel. šŸ˜³ This suggest that the after market models industry wasnā€™t established in the mid 1970s

He's talking about the Mk.II conversion.Ā  Ā Which, BTW,Ā  is cobblers in the book.Ā  It's wrong.Ā  Ā Ā 

A Mk.II is NOT 10 inches longer,Ā  and it also misses the deeper radiator and wider carb intake.Ā  I digress.

The book is a product of it's time.Ā  Some of it is of use, some is wrong.Ā  in particular, the internal colour information. (see below)

Ā 

You can blame that @Max HeadroomĀ  for this....Ā  Ā 

Ā 

The kit spinner is too big, but so is the nose ring.Ā  Ā As best I can work out, Airfix made the engine and gun bays to scale, and then distorted the outer airframe to make them fit, so, the wing is too thick, the nose too deep and the nose ring/spinner is too big,Ā  and this is 2mm too deep.

the spinner is too big for the nose ring, it was designed for the Spitfire, which has a bigger nose ring,Ā  hence it juts out over the nose ring.Ā  This is correct (see pics below)

If you want too know more,( and on how to make a Mk.II, see here)

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980181-hawker-hurricane-propellers-and-spinners-a-modellers-guide/

Ā 

Oddly enough,Ā  as the distortion is evenly proportioned, it looks OK.Ā  Ā Unless you put it next to the Trumpeter kit, which for some reason I have never had explained, was researched by someone who knew the subject and what plans are good. It has some faults, but the main shapes are bang on,Ā  and why they have not scaled down the data and done them in 48th and 72nd is beyond me...

Ā 

There are some other glitches, the wing tip are too short, making the ailerons too long,Ā Ā and bulged.Ā  Ā  I think,Ā  (I've armchaired it) though have yet to try,Ā  that the faults listed can be fixed,Ā  Ā the one that can't without getting into messing with the rear fusleage fabric is that the fuselage is the right outline, but, the strake underneathĀ Ā is too deep,Ā  and the rear fuselage is too shallow.

Ā 

Al this said,Ā  people have been happily building the thing since the early 70's and it's a damn impressive model,Ā  Ā I got one for my tenth birthday in 1976 and it was my absolute pride and joy,Ā  until I got the above book out the library a while later and tried opening up the panels. (which made a mess)Ā  Ā I had a couple more, one was to be a IIA, and one ended up with a DH Spinner,Ā  as the DT-A V6555 profile in the book (which is most likely wrong, and no-one has seen the photo it's taken from)

Having picked a up a couple more really cheap that means I have 5 of them in total.....Ā Ā 

Ā 

What you do or don't do with the above is up too you,Ā  but if you wish to paint the model correctly,Ā  apart from the upper cockpit side walls Ā and rear bulkhead in grey-green, the lower internal cockpit panels are aluminium too see hereĀ 

Ā 

Ā 

A-LK fortunately is a well documented airframe,Ā  note, the serial is painted out, and there is a red flash behind the spinner,Ā Ā 

seen clearly here

Hurricane_Ian_Gleed_87_sqd_nose_flash.jp

seeĀ 

Ā 

Ā 

Ā 

the red noseĀ flash is not clear here, hence it being missed often.Ā  The pic above came out later, this has the exhaust shield fitted, the above does not

60a836afc4a0cd6395f6a88bb4b409c3--hawker

Ā 

Ā 

A-LK has most likely had the roundels repainted in the correct colours, note the plane in the foreground most likelyĀ is the bright prewar colours used by Gloster's, and has also flaked badly.

The spinner is most likely the brick red wartime shade, not pillar box red specified (HumbrolĀ 60 Scarlet?)Ā 

Ā 

You can if you wish use the kit decals to do A-LK as a nightfighterĀ 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235048534-modelling-a-mk1-hurricane-night-fighter/

Ā 

Gleed%2520Hurri%2520nightfghter_zpskyhb6

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the black LK-A is same plane as P2798

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

Ā 

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

Ā 

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, Ā or possibly the entire hatch was removed before the repaint.

Also, is there a lighter patch round the Sqd Ldr pennant below the cockpit? (masked and left Dark Green) never noticed that before.Ā  Ā the funny 'A'Ā  is due to aĀ  replacement hatch as far as I can see......

Ā 

one of the Figaro cat hatches was on display at RAF Hendon,Ā Ā 

Figaro800x458.jpg&key=f1f040dc193c210267

Ā 

Note the hatch is an escape hatch, and NOT an access door,Ā  is made of fabric covered plywood, as is the entire doghouse. ( So no scuffed back to bare metal)Ā  you can see scuffs in the fabric at bottom left, or you can if you download the picĀ to get rid of the photobucket logo ....

there was another version of the cat as well

Gleed-portrait2-opt%255B1%255D.jpg&key=c

Ā 

Note this pic has a rear view mirror, and the first pic doesn't.Ā  I presume this is later.


Does this help?Ā  Any questions?

Ā 

cheers

T

Ā 

Ā 

PS the record about Hurricanes is of course Hurricane Fighter Plane by the Red Krayola....

Ā 

Ā 

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You had me with the Scorpions reference in the thread title šŸŽø

Ā 

I look forward to watching you turn this in to a masterpiece after enjoying the 109 build a while back.

Ā 

Chocks away šŸ‘Ā 

Cheers Greg

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EveryonešŸ„°šŸ˜šŸ˜˜ ThankĀ you and great to have you along for the ride. Oh and @Troy SmithĀ Thank you for the amazing info, Iā€™m a little bit knocked for six. I pop out to walk the dog and whoosh!!! The BM hive mind knocks it up a gear. šŸ˜‡šŸ¤© Brilliant. So the spinner apart from being a bit big (out of scale) did actually look like it does. ( Iā€™ll Be doing a mk 1 )Ā Iā€™ll have to digest your post and the links but itā€™s great to have all this to hand. Deffo doing the red flash.Ā Ā Purely because of the ā€œred flash can be clearly seenā€ in the black and white photo. šŸ¤£ I did chuckle, reminded me of my old nanĀ watching the snooker on her old BW telly. šŸ˜

Ā 

Edited by The Spadgent
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Very happy memories of this kit from my childhood, I reckon it was the last thingĀ IĀ built before retiring from tormenting plastic kits for a while: alas the model does not survive.Ā 

Ā 

Despite the problems with the kit (some I knew but some I'veĀ just read!) it really captures the look of the aircraft nicely... I still love the big landing gear. IIRC I struggled with the fiddly panels at the front end. I was determined to keep them removable given all the hard work I put in to the engine but the fitĀ on mine wasĀ so bad that it all looked a bit rubbish.

Ā 

Looking forward to watching yours coming together from the sidelines.

P.

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Always nice to see you working your magic on the large scale subjects, looking forward to seeing this done to your customary hyper detail!

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Hello Hurricane Spad

Oh for sure !! That's a big un !

Front row, at the bar, A Hurricane, a Troy Smith, the dream team is on, let's start the show !

A Mk I recce in Malta would be great !!

Only if you do not repeat my mistake !! Then a big Bosun blue aircraft will look ace in a cabinet !!

I'm on for the ride Spad !!

Sincerely.

CC

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Ā 

Not a lot of room left in here, I'll just slide in at the back in the corner and watch another master class!

Poor old Hurricane is often overlooked so nice to see one on the bench

Ā 

Ā  Ā  Ā  Roger

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Just to add to my previous comment Johnny.

The joy of building this kit all those years ago, brings back memories of Humbrol enamel paints taking forever to dry and a rather impatient youth.

Also building a kit with a proper cockpit to boot, with the framework and all, sheer joy and bliss.

Ā 

I am very sure that you will do an excellent job on her.

Good luck mate.

Ā 

Simon.

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I built this kit fairly recently and had a blast - despite its age itā€™s a great kit and a lot of fun. You may want to treat yourself to some metal undercarriage legs as the plastic ones, although fairly good, are on the weaker side.Ā 

Ā 

Other than that, she goes together really well out of the box.Ā 

Ā 

TomĀ 

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Hola, Johnny Hurricane!

That's a big un, indeed! Have a place where to display it?

17 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

PS the record about Hurricanes is of course Hurricane Fighter Plane by the Red Krayola....

Ā 

Ā 

:analintruder:Ā That song! My sheila would use to play it on a loop all day long, but it was by Alien Sex Fiend.

The song starts with the sound of a jet fighter, which prompted the discussion that the Hurricane was actually a propeller-driven fighterĀ :rofl2:Ā (what did she know,Ā and what did she care!).

Cheers,

Ā 

Unc2

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Once again thank you for all the help so far and interest. I did manage to get some bench time tonight. šŸ˜®šŸ™ŒšŸ‘

so letā€™s start at the start shall we. šŸ¤—

Engine parts.

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thereā€™s quite a bit of flash on all the bits but everything looks really nice.

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Not sure what part 4and5 are for? I think they might be for the electric motor but the instructions donā€™t say so Iā€™ll pop em in any hoo. šŸ¤”

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yeah deffo a motor cradle. Wonā€™t hurt going in though.

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look at the flash. šŸ˜³ Iā€™ve seen worse but still, here goes.Ā 

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the first few sub assemblies wentĀ Ā together Ā well. Nice having the book around, even if it is in black and white. šŸ¦“

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More flash.šŸ˜©

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But nothing a swan Morton and some Tamiya extra thin canā€™t put right.

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The bits are coming Ā together nicely.

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This bit however has anĀ odd trumpet shaped sink hole.

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?šŸ˜®šŸ˜¬Ā 

so I wrapped some super thin plasticard around it. šŸ™Œ

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Hereā€™s the rear end too. šŸ‘

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Really happy with the first few steps. šŸ¤—

I did a little more before bed. The spinner holder needs to go in before I close up the engine. (Iā€™m using the spitfire Rotol one)

so in she goes.

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I really donā€™t trust this however.

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so I re purposed some of the massive sprue arms to strengthen it and stop any movement in the future.

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Last step for the night was sticking the front part on. I used the spinner as a guide.

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well that went well. Even the flash cleaning was fun. (Ish) šŸ¤”

Hope you approve of the direction so far.

All the best chaps and as always.

Happy Modelling.

Ā 

Johnny. šŸŒŖ

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