Hurricane 2-seater USAAF Revell

[Ed Russell]

The DK Decals sheet 72-073 for the 350th Fighter Group includes a miscellany of auxiliaries - a captured Bf109, a Piper L4H and a 2 seat Hurricane conversion.

This was apparently converted by the squadron and used as a hack and communications aircraft. There are several photos of 2-seat Hurricane conversions and they all seem to be different. Particularly the canopies have been modified differently. The two pictures of this one are decidedly obscure as far as the canopy goes so guesswork is as good as can be done. The additional landing light is interesting. @Black Knight suggested a camera which seemed reasonable.

 

Building the Arma Hurricane

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235073882-hurricane-tacr-arma-451-sqn/&tab=comments#comment-3697472

seemed like a good opportunity to do another one. There was a Revell Sea Hurricane in the unmade kit pile which was not going to be built as anything else so it was utilised for this build.

This was somewhat of a mistake as comparisons were inevitable. The shortcomings of the Revell kit are known - the wing chord is a little large, the fabric on the rear fuselage is not well represented, the windscreen is an odd shape and there is a lack of dihedral on the outer wings. All of these are fixable depending on how far one wishes to go.

The rear fuselage was filed and sanded, the upper 'triangular' rear part being sanded away completely and replaced by strips of stretched sprue which were profiled like the rest of the fuselage.

It's a fair amount of work but the result is much better than leaving it.

The dihedral can be corrected but it is also a lot of work. The wing chord was not that far out - a little bit of sanding. As the subject was an unarmed Mk IIB the gun ports were filled in and the gun bay access panels filled. it is not known whether they were accessible on the prototype but it would not have been that hard to rescribe them.

Another wing problem was noticed here, the undercarriage legs are not far out enough on the wings, giving it a narrow track by a couple of mm but it was thought this would not be noticed.

 

So, here it is

 

 

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While the build was not particularly enjoyable due to (1) the number of things to be fixed and (2) the invidious comparison with the Arma kit, which was a pleasant process, the result is quite pleasing - it's certainly something different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Aces High]

I'm a sucker for any plane with either silly eyes or a sharkmouth, and this has both! Looks great, well worth the time you've put into it.

[GREG DESTEC]

VERY unusual!

 

The only two seater Hurricanes I have seen before this one were Russian trainers. 

 

Great work with striking markings 👍

[jhutchi]

That's certainly different. Never seen one like that before. Looks great

[Hornet133]

Actually there were 2 Hurricanes converted to twin seaters by 350th FG. Only one of them was included in the DK Decal sheet however. 

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

Very nice conversion and Hurricane. ...  Its something thats on my to do list, Ive done a two seat Mustang and T-Bolt. Besides the Hurricane I need Spitfire, Corsair, P-38, P-39, & P-40

[Shorty84]

That's an interesting variant and in US service too...very cool. Came out great

 

Cheers

Markus

[RMCS]

Brilliant 

[IanC]

Interesting. And great work.

 

But another reminder that there's only one aeroplane that was ever meant to have a sharkmouth! 😁

[Jeff G]

My brain has a hard time looking at this. So many things feel wrong...but at the same time, so interesting? Looks good!

[Tom R]

On 5/26/2020 at 1:41 AM, Hornet133 said:

there were 2 Hurricanes converted to twin seaters by 350th FG.

Putting "2-seat Hurricane" into google brings up a few photos. Once you take out modern ones, Russian ones and Iraqi ones there are a few left which are WW2 conversions. I can't tell which are USAAF and which aren't.

Looking at these though, you are right about the variation in canopies. Can't tell from yours 2 pictures but some of the others look like P-47 razorback canopies which 350FG would have available. They only have 2 bays in canopy not like Hurricane which has 3.

I got interested because I have just got DK Decals sheet which is very good. I love Jugs but I can't find that emoji.....! 😒

[Ed Russell]

On 5/27/2020 at 8:07 AM, Tom R said:

some of the others look like P-47 razorback canopies which 350FG would have available.

I suspect you are right. Even the model looks a bit cramped. I will vacform some P-47 canopies and see what they look like.

 

On 5/26/2020 at 1:41 AM, Hornet133 said:

2 Hurricanes converted to twin seaters by 350th FG.

Pictures of the other one might be useful! I suppose it may be one of those I have seen on the net?

[F-32]

Lovely lovely conversion, very cool indeed

[tonyot]

Nice job Ed,....... lovely conversion.

I built the same aircraft when it was still a single seater,......here is a link with more pics of the real thing;

 

 

 

Cheers

          Tony

[Edge]

Great job & a most unusual aeroplane. Love the shark mouth!

 

Edge