Heather Kay Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Hawker Hurricane MkI, H22, 2/I/2AÈ (Chardon), Aéronautique Militaire Belge, Schaffen Airfield, Diest, Belgium, May 1940. In my quest to try to model every operational military aircraft in active service in the Western European theatre during 1940, the Hurricane of the Belgian Air Force was an obvious choice. Realising the urgent need for modern aircraft to update their defences, two Belgian officers were despatched to the UK to seek new types. The Hurricane was found to be ideal. Orders were placed for 40 aircraft, plus contracts to let the Belgians licence-build another 80. Fifteen Hurricanes had been delivered by September 1939. Only 11 were fully operational as the events of May 1940 began to unfold. Like most of them, Hurricane H22 was destroyed on the ground by German attacks on 10 May. The ever-useful and informative Belgian Wings site section on the Hurricane. The AZ Model kit originated with Sword back at the turn of the century. The boxing I had came with markings for three RAF aces of the Battle of Britain. With RAF aircraft already in the cabinet, the fact the kit included a two-bladed propeller made me think I could build it into a Belgian plane. The generous provision by a fellow BMer of a set of spare Airfix transfers from their early MkI kit gave me the opportunity. The kit had its foibles, with some very nicely moulded resin parts for the cockpit (no longer visible) and other details. I found most were unsuitable or unusable, and raided the stash for an old 1970s Airfix Hurricane box which came to the rescue for some parts. The vac-form canopy came from Falcon. I brush painted the model with Humbrol and Revell acrylics, plus Humbrol metallic enamel aluminium colours for underneath. The radio masts were made from brass rod for strength. The Work In Progress thread starts here: 36 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VG 33 Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 I like her very much in these colors. Patrick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 I've fallen behind on your Belgian builds Heather, great to see another complete, and it's a beauty. I especially like the 'eye level' photos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted May 17, 2020 Share Posted May 17, 2020 Looks very nice, Heather. It's great to see some of the more unusual schemes. And you're right, there is not much you can see inside a 1:72 Hurricane cockpit, especially with a closed canopy. The vac canopy really does the trick for realism - injection canopies for a Hurricane are always too thick in this scale, and the overlapping rear portion never looks quite right. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Very nice model and refreshing to see other than "the usual" markings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Lovely job on that heather, they look really good in Belgian roundels to my eye, I've one tucked away to do this too. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kapam Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Very tidy job there! I'm enjoying the scheme & markings - a little out of the ordinary. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 11 hours ago, VG 33 said: I like her very much in these colors. It adds a different slant to the usual Hurricane. I’ve grown to like the look, too. 10 hours ago, Cookenbacher said: I especially like the 'eye level' photos. Thanks Cookie. I’ll pass on your comment to the photographer. 8 hours ago, Navy Bird said: Looks very nice, Heather. It's great to see some of the more unusual schemes. And you're right, there is not much you can see inside a 1:72 Hurricane cockpit, especially with a closed canopy. Although the resin sidewalls were commendably thin, adding the thickness of the injection fuselage makes it smaller than your average Bf109! No room for chunky pilots. 7 hours ago, SAT69 said: Very nice model and refreshing to see other than "the usual" markings. Thank you. 6 hours ago, stevehnz said: Lovely job on that heather, they look really good in Belgian roundels to my eye The splash of brightness catches the eye, doesn’t it. 5 hours ago, kapam said: Very tidy job there! I'm enjoying the scheme & markings - a little out of the ordinary. 👍 Thanks! When I first embarked on my 1940 odyssey I didn’t know I was going to build beyond British and German subjects. I’m now looking Norwegian planes, and even a nagging thought I may need to think about Finland and the USSR. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CedB Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Very nice Hurricane Heather - prompting me to build one, soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wulfman Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Lovely looking Hurricane , it’s a great build ! A very interesting project, what’s next ? Wulfman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Very nice! What next? Fiat CR 42 maybe? I belive that followng Renard R 31, sooner or later there will be Fox and Firefly as injection kits, But so far only resin available...https://www.scalemates.com/kits/omega-models-72413-fairey-fox-mkvi-c-r--136847 Regards J-W 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 32 minutes ago, JWM said: What next? Fiat CR 42 maybe? I should get one. The Italian contingent already has one in a box. The Fox MkVII is an Omega resin. It looks very nice in the box. I will keep an eye out for an earlier Fox variant from that maker, but they’re a bit like hen's teeth. The Firefly is one I wasn’t aware of, so I’ll have to add that to my list! Next? Well, I have decided to dip back into French single-seaters for a spell with another plane I’d never heard of. Watch out for the French WIP thread when that makes it to the bench! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Those Firefly profiles look very nice, I could definitely be tempted by one of those, they'd look good alongside a Hawker Fury. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VG 33 Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 50 minutes ago, JWM said: Very nice! What next? Fiat CR 42 maybe? J-W Hi Jerzy Good page of a nice book (Wingmasters Hors Série 8 in 2005), just two pages further you can watch my MPM Dutch Fokker DXXI build. 🙂 Patrick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 4 minutes ago, VG 33 said: you can watch my MPM Dutch Fokker DXXI build I’ve one of those in the queue. Currently four Dutch planes in the stash, and always looking out for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatalbert Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Lovely work and nice to see a Hurricaine in differant markings.🙂 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aces High Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 That's a cracking model, very nicely done, and great photography too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 5 hours ago, VG 33 said: Hi Jerzy Good page of a nice book (Wingmasters Hors Série 8 in 2005), just two pages further you can watch my MPM Dutch Fokker DXXI build. 🙂 Patrick Congrats! Patrick. I do not have this book, I have just found this page looking for illustration with Belgian machines from 1940.... Regards J-W Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JWM Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Since it is also very interesting to me I have checked. The Firefly exists in 1/72 as short run injected by Aeroclub https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/aeroclub-fairey-firefly-iim-72nd-489057912 Regards J-W 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RidgeRunner Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Hi Heather! In my early days of modelling, in the sixties, I was always drawn to anything with Belgian markings. I remember, for example, the Airfix Battle. I love your foray in to the belgian world of WW2 aviation. Very nice. Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 9 minutes ago, JWM said: The Firefly exists in 1/72 as short run injected by Aeroclub Interesting. Thanks for discovering that. I’ve made a note. Surveying my stash at present, I have enough to keep me busy for quite some time as it is. I am beginning to fill in some of the more obscure types, like the Firefly for example, but I don’t think they’re a priority right now. Actually, much more important is getting a much larger display cabinet. I have quite literally run out of room to display any more models behind glass. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hairtrigger Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Brilliant job.. Love the pics. The wing lights look great very realistic.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alt-92 Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 8 hours ago, Heather Kay said: I’ve one of those in the queue. Currently four Dutch planes in the stash, and always looking out for more. Now you've made me curious. D-XXI, G-1, T-V, C-V? Or the one that got away - the FK-58? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather Kay Posted May 18, 2020 Author Share Posted May 18, 2020 30 minutes ago, alt-92 said: Now you've made me curious. D-XXI, G-1, T-V, C-V? Or the one that got away - the FK-58? I’ll answer in cryptic fashion: yes, no, yes, yes and yes (although technically French). Also FK-51. There are plenty more yet, I’m sure. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted May 18, 2020 Share Posted May 18, 2020 Special Hobby did the FW Weihe in Dutch markings. You could also do the Do.24 - ok, Netherland East Indies, but built in Holland. The NEI widens the scope dramatically. The Dutch did order the Do.215... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now