Brengun Hawker Typhoon Car Door - Desert & Luftwaffe Trials (BRP72039) - 1:72 Brengun

[Julien]

 Hawker Typhoon Car Door - Desert & Luftwaffe Trials (BRP72039)

1:72 Brengun

 

 

In the design process even before the Hurricane reached squadron service, the Typhoon was initially intended to be a direct replacement, but with development scope to take advantage of the upcoming 2,000hp piston engines that would be near the pinnacle of propeller powered flight. Initial problems were overcome, and the early razorback design was amended to a bubble canopy that gave the pilot a vastly improved view of the sky around him. A larger, strengthened tail following a near disaster, and a change from 12 machine guns to four wing mounted 20mm cannon also improved the aircraft's offensive ability.  The initial airframes had the car door canopy, which had a forward-opening door in the side of the canopy that was reminiscent of a car door – hence the nickname.

 

It was never fully developed into a medium altitude fighter, but it did find a role nearer the ground, especially in countering the Fw.190 that was playing havoc with the Mk.V Spitfires at the time. It was a big stable aircraft with masses of power, which made it ideally suited to low level flight and naturally lent itself to ground attack. Fitted with unguided rockets or 1,000lb bombs under each wing, it became an efficient ground attack aircraft. Although the rockets were difficult to aim well, they had a massive effect on enemy morale, and played a large part in halting the advances made by German troops in the Battle of the Bulge, flying hundreds of ground attack sorties using rockets, bombs and cannon fire. Like any successful aircraft of WWII the list of improvements is long, and deletion of the car door canopy was one of the early casualties with the new canopy giving the pilot far greater situational awareness and reducing weight, although they took some time to filter through the production lines due to the complex nature of the changes needed.   It was the Tempest that really made the most inroads into solving the Typhoon's shortcomings, and the original Typhoon was soon withdrawn after WWII came to a close, lasting only a few months of peacetime.

 

Serious thought was given to the use of the Typhoon overseas once the problems with the engine, and rear fuselage structural problems were resolved. The proposals were first mooted in 1941 but not acted on until Winston Churchill raised the issue of them being used in the MTO. By mid November 1942 the aircraft was ready with a modified air filter being fitted. However due to engine failures and other accidents the programme was delayed. By 1943 three aircraft (R8891, DN323 & EJ908) were fitted with the new experimental filters and ferried out to the Middle East for trials. By the end of September 1943 the protracted trials were considered at an end and the three aircraft released to 451 Sqn for general flying. EJ906 was struck of charge in February 1944 due to a lack of spares, RR8891 was lost when it struck the ground in August 1994, and DN323 was stuck off charge shortly after the crash of R8891 as it was considered no longer worth the trouble of keeping it airworthy! All there aircraft features the scheme of Dark Earth & Light Stone over Azure blue. There seems to be evidence of EJ906 wearing the code letter Y, but none for the other two airframes. As with a lot of aircraft the Luftwaffe managed to capture and fix a few examples, with them being returned to flight status or evaluation. The first of these Typhoons to be flown by the Luftwaffe was EJ956 SA-I of 486 (NZ) Sqn. On 23 March 1943, the aircraft was llanded due to being hit by falk, before the pilot could destroy the aircraft it was captured. The Typhoon was repaired and test flown at Rechlin (the German equivalent to RAE Farnborough), and later served as T9+GK. At least two more aircraft where know to have been flown after forced landings.

 

The Kit

The new tool Typhoon has been with us now from Brengun since 2013 and this is the latest boxing released. The plastic is more of the short run type, but towards the higher end of. There is one sprue of parts, a fuselage sprue, and one for the wing. Additionally there is a clear sprue for the canopy, a small PE fret and a resin air filter housing; the later specifically for this boxing. There is some flash on some parts but nothing that will pose any problems. Construction starts with building up a few sub assemblies to incorporate in the kit.  The seat is built up, complete with PE belts, followed by the instrument pane. The radiator assembly is built up, along with both sets of main gear legs and their door.  The main gear wells are also made up at this point.

 

 

The we move onto the cockpit. The side frames are added to the floor with the front and rear bulkheads being added. The rudder pedals, control column; and seat from earlier are then added. The cockpit is then added into the main fuselage along with the radiator assembly, tail wheel; and rudder. Moving onto the wings, there is a single part lower with left/right uppers. The wheel wells are added in then the wings can be closed up. If doing the desert version then the additional air filter needs adding at this point as well. The main gear legs can then be added to the wells. The fuselage can then be added to the wings. At the front the propeller is made up and added, engine exhausts are put in, and the tail planes added at the rear. The frame under the canopy can then be added, with the canopy following. The last steps are to add the landing lights into the wing, add the PE Pilots step, and lastly the aerial on top of the rear part of the canopy. 

 

 

 

The Decals

There is no printers name on the decals, so could be in house? They appear to be glossy, in register and colour dense. They have an absolute minimum of carrier film. There are markings for all three desert trials aircraft and JP548 which was captured and trialed by the Luftwaffe.

 

 

 

Conclusion

This is a great kit of this important WWII aircraft. This boxing is something different from the norm which is to be welcomed. The quality is excellent and it will no doubt make up into an excellent looking aircraft. 

 

Very highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of