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1/72 Hawker SeaHurricane 1b, 801 Sqn NAS, 1942. *** FINISHED*** 14/05/2020


DaveyGair

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I'm putting this in if my SH 1/48th Oxford sales along, or loses headway!

 

Airfixs' neat Mk1 Hurricane, of which I have yet to build one, along with Alleycats' Sea Hurricane conversion.

Having just completed their MkII Beaufighter conversion I'm sure this will go ahead with little trouble.

Not sure what unit she'll be flying with but should be able to cobble together something.

 

Davey.

 

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  • DaveyGair changed the title to 1/72 Hawker SeaHurricane 1b, 801 Sqn NAS, 1942.

With the Oxford safely tucked up in the Gallery I can now have a look at getting on with my Sea Hurricane conversion.

 

On closer inspection of the resin parts I found some slight damage on the underside of both wingtips, as if the wing had been removed from the mould before fully curing, pulling the surface away from the rest of the casting. I thought I had taken a shot of this but as I write this post seems not. I decided not to trouble Alec with this, what with this corona virus lockdown happening, and it was an easy repair. All the other parts are good.

 

I test fitted the wing and replacement fuselage keel with the arrestor hook and after some filing here and there everything seems to fit fine. I must have been a bit overzealous with the file on the rear of the wing, nothing a bit of filler will put right.

 

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The main wing after cleaning up and re-scribing the panel lines and ailerons.

The front section of the wing to the end of the wheel wells is a separate part and fitted well after light filing. The kit (compressed air, oxygen?) bottle is fitted as per the kit instructions.

 

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The cockpit floor with rudder pedals and control column are fitted as per kit instructions.  Here they, and the fuselage halves, with the bulkhead/seat test fitted, have been given a first coat of interior grey/green.  I note Airfix would have you paint the bulkhead a brick red, think they are confused with the fabric covering on earlier aircraft before the armour was fitted so is painted green as well.

 

Davey.

 

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7 hours ago, DaveyGair said:

I note Airfix would have you paint the bulkhead a brick red, think they are confused with the fabric covering on earlier aircraft before the armour was fitted so is painted green as well.

 

Davey.

 

Or it could just be a mis-print. They printed 70 instead of 78.

 

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Chris

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14 hours ago, dogsbody said:

 

Or it could just be a mis-print. They printed 70 instead of 78.

 

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Chris

You could be right Chris. I've also missed the dark grey colour call out for the lower cockpit wall, I'll just stick to green, you'll not see much when closed up anyway!

 

12 hours ago, rob85 said:

Great to see this one under way, I do really like this conversion but also just wish it came with a metal and fabric wing in the kit!!

 

Rob

Yeah, but with 'Arma' bringing out a few boxings of a metal winged one will they bother tooling up for a new wing?  I suppose it depends on the market different manufacturers reach, it still might be worth Airfix doing one.

 

Davey. 

 

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The majority of the metal wing Hurricanes also had an extra access panel in the fuselage, so getting a suitable variant is rather more expensive than just a new wing.  They would at least come with the right wheels already.

 

I must admit my initial reaction to the kit was Hurrah!  A fabric winged Hurricane - good!  Congratulations to Airfix.  Not whinge, whinge.  I guess we are all different.

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9 hours ago, DaveyGair said:

You could be right Chris. I've also missed the dark grey colour call out for the lower cockpit wall, I'll just stick to green, you'll not see much when closed up anyway!

Davey. 

 

Oh poo! I mis-read that and painted mine aluminum.

 

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But like you said, you can't see too much of it anyway.

 

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Chris

 

 

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On 5/6/2020 at 8:40 PM, rob85 said:

Great to see this one under way, I do really like this conversion but also just wish it came with a metal and fabric wing in the kit!!

 

Rob

Hi

 

As I recall, in 2013 Airfix produced an early Hurricane with the fabric wing, with the option of the pre-war rudder and no ventral fin, and  subsequently they re-issued the fabric wing one without the pre-war option as one in France in early 1940. I was under the impression that they issued a metal winged version in between the two but I may be wrong - my memory is going, Maybe it was an AM conversion set I saw.

 

Pete

Edited by PeterB
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7 hours ago, dogsbody said:

I mis-read that and painted mine aluminum.

 

another misprint.  Aluminium is right .  Note Humbrol aluminum = 56,  dark grey = 156. 

The 70 vs 78 misprint was discussed here years ago.

 

1 hour ago, PeterB said:

As I recall, in 2013 Airfix produced an early Hurricane with the fabric wing, with the option of the pre-war rudder and no ventral fin, and  subsequently they re-issued the fabric wing one without the pre-war option as one in France in early 1940. I was under the impression that they issued a metal winged version in between the two but I may be wrong - my memory is going, Maybe it was an AM conversion set I saw.

no metal wing issued.  AM conversion.  

 

14 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

The majority of the metal wing Hurricanes also had an extra access panel in the fuselage, so getting a suitable variant is rather more expensive than just a new wing.  They would at least come with the right wheels already.

this Sea Hurricane must have been a conversion from one of the L**** or N**** serial planes without the extra hatch. 

shurr-7.jpg

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1 hour ago, Troy Smith said:

The 70 vs 78 misprint was discussed here years ago.

That was me, asking about the instruction call-out.

 

1 hour ago, Troy Smith said:

no metal wing issued.  AM conversion.  

 

Alley Cat does this one: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/metal-wing-conversion-for-airfix-hurricane-mk1-fabric-wing-6534-p.asp

 

 

I got one.

 

 

 

 

Chris

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There certainly were Sea Hurricanes converted from Nxxxx serialled Hurricanes, one of them was on Indomitable during Pedestal in August 1942.  This one looks a bit plain, unless that's a red L behind the cockpit.  Note the anti-glare shield and no oil spill ring, which were a bit random on SH.

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On 5/8/2020 at 1:59 PM, dogsbody said:

That was me, asking about the instruction call-out.

 

 

Alley Cat does this one: https://www.alleycatmodels.co.uk/metal-wing-conversion-for-airfix-hurricane-mk1-fabric-wing-6534-p.asp

 

 

I got one.

 

 

 

 

Chris

Which brings us back to what Davey is building, an Airfix Hurricane MkI with an Alleycat conversion. Its looking good Davey, I've got one in stock & am enjoying watching you put yours together. :)

Steve.

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3 hours ago, stevehnz said:

Which brings us back to what Davey is building, an Airfix Hurricane MkI with an Alleycat conversion. Its looking good Davey, I've got one in stock & am enjoying watching you put yours together. :)

Steve.

Hi Steve, thanks for watching. You don't 'alf find out a load of info on here sometimes, don't you? Thanks for the informative comments people.

Anyone doing this conversion, or indeed just the metal wing conversion itself, don't forget to add the wheel well side walls BEFORE joining the separate front wing leading edge. I forgot and had to cut mine in half to get them in. It was doable but not recommended!

I have the Sky under-surface done, going into the paint shop to add the upper colours today, after a cuppa and second breakfast :eat:

Photo's to follow.

 

Davey.

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Paint is now done. Will let harden overnight than do the decals.  Airfix haven't included a gunsight that I can see so 'borrowed' one from an Eduard Spitfire Mk IX Profipack boxing which has a spare, probably not right but it'll do me.

 

Davey.

 

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Some of the early fabric-wing Hurricanes didn't have a reflector gun sight, but a ring & bead sight. I guess Airfix decided to not bother putting anything there.

 

 

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Chris

 

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Paint on, than decalled, which was nice and easy apart from the individual serial letter and numbers! Did the port side OK but best not to look at the starboard side, fitter must have had extra Rum rations while doing it!

Last two shots are of her matted down a bit.

 

Davey.

 

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3 hours ago, Beard said:

You'll have to tell me what the problem with the starboard side is because I can't see it.

 

It kind of droops as you read along it 😕

"The stencil slipped Shah! Honest!"

 

Davey.

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7 hours ago, DaveyGair said:

It kind of droops as you read along it 😕

"The stencil slipped Shah! Honest!"

 

Davey.

Well, I still can't see it and she looks good to me.

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  • DaveyGair changed the title to 1/72 Hawker SeaHurricane 1b, 801 Sqn NAS, 1942. *** FINISHED*** 14/05/2020

All finished now.  This was a fairly easy build and I think the end result looks ok, the resin parts were a pleasure to use. The  kit undercarriage parts fitted perfectly into their allotted positions and the Alleycat supplied clear parts fitted perfectly as well. The only kit clear part used was main sliding canopy.  Krystal Klear was used for the light underneath although a part is supplied.

As usual Vallejo ModelAir straight out of the bottle Airbrushed.  The 'Klear' polish decal apllying technique was used except for the tiny serial number, these just floated away!  Vallejo Matt Varnish to finish and very light weathering even though I know these things suffered out at sea!

Thanks for the comments and encouragement, now to try to get the Swordfish done before the end of the GB..... easy 🙄.

 

Can't believe this is the 8th model I have done for a GB since February, strange times indeed!

 

Davey.

 

Sea Hurricane 1 sea hurricane 5 sea hurricane 6

 

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