Hawker Hurricane Mk1 P3153 US-U "Euthanasia" operated by 56 Sqn RAF during the Battle of Britain

[NellyV]

This was my first build for a long time and since retiring late last year. Its the Airfix 1/48 Hurricane kit and was built straight out the box, apart from the addition of aftermarket resin exhaust stacks (I messed up the kit originals trying to drill them out. Doh!) Paints are the MiG acrylic Early RAF WWII Early Colo(u)rs and various Tamiya acrylics. Radio wires are mig 0.02mm elastic rigging thread. Decals are the kit ones in the main, with aircraft serial No and Sqn codes supplied by Xtradecal. I used my cheap old Aztek airbrush to spray this one. Hence the rather spluttered finish. I've since splashed out on a H&S Infinity CR+. I'm only just starting to try various weathering techniques and concentrated on dirtying up the underside and wheel wells here. For although the aircraft were being heavily used in war time conditions and were no doubt lacking the normal pampering that groundcrew would have provided in peace time, I didn't want to over do it because it was hot and dry in summer 1940, so dust, boot scuffs and screwdriver scratches would have been the likely main wear and tear on what were relatively new airframes. My chosen aircraft can be seen in this contemporary Pathe Newsreel featuring 56 Sqn aircraft, normally based at North Weald in Essex but filmed operating out of an Ashford in Kent during the Battle of Britain. P3153 US-U has the moniker 'Euthanasia' hand painted on the port fuselage side, just below the windshield. U is for Euthanasia presumably? The dark humour behind this appealed to me. My attempt to replicate this is unfortunately slightly overscale, but it's the smallest script I could write by hand on decal film using a 0.3mm Rotring pen filled with white ink! Hard to see the camo pattern demarcation in this old B&W film, but glimpses of the rear fuselage during taxying lead me to believe its type A, so that's what I went with. I was also able to choose what I believe is the correct serial number font based on the film footage and scratch build an appropriate rear view mirror. I've since also completed an Albion 3-point re-fuelling vehicle based on the 1/48 Airfix kit. I hope to complete a BoB Diorama featuring the Hurri and the re-fueller at some point.

Am I the only one who finds researching the subject matter ultimately more rewarding than the final model?

 

Update 18/08/2023 I finally took the following pics with ICM RAF Personnel, including some with the Albion 3-point Fueller.

Edited August 18, 2023 by NellyV
added some new images

[Spitfire31]

A most excellent Hurricane!

 

My only nitpick would be those strange looking "gunpowder deposit" streaks that appear more like traces of some liquid.

 

A stub brush dipped in dark grey pastel dust might be a way to a more convincing fade-out effect.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[Col Walter E Kurtz]

3 hours ago, NellyV said:

Am I the only one who finds researching the subject matter ultimately more rewarding than the final model?

Not at all.. 56 Squadron The Firebirds are close to my heart. My uncle flew with them on n Tempests in March / April 1945. I depicted my uncle's last Aircraft US-X Tempest V reg NV 728. I have downloaded the squadrons ORB 'Operational Record Book' from the National Archives and found out all the details of my uncle's exploits. I'm sure you could find out details of sorties/ pilots for the Hurricane you've chosen too! PM Me if you would like me to give you some pointers about getting the ORB?

 

the model is lovely. I do love a Hurricane and the spraying is not at all bad! I'm still learning to use my airbrush after a year

 

I do agree with Spitfire31 about the gun residue. It is a small detail but maybe consider a different technique on your next model?

personally I like to give my models a light touch regarding weathering. Less is more. I do agree that hot dusty conditions would give a certain patina regarding weathering. I often consider such things as time and place like you have too. 

 

Welcome to BM Nelly and thanks for sharing your excellently researched Hurricanes 

 

Up the Firebirds! 

 

Regards, Andy 

 

[Newbie(kinda)]

Yes the gun residue and exhaust staining could be better (most of my models end up in the bin at the weathering stage). And the Dark Green doesn't look quite dark enough to my eyes (although it's probably just the light in the photos. And my age). BUT you've aced the wing root chipping, the construction looks seamless, the rigging to scale and the sprayed finish is pretty bloomin' good. That is one fine model.

 

But the bit I enjoyed the most; the link to the newsreel and seeing 'your' Hurricane in real life. The fact that I live just a few miles down the road from Ashford made it all the more interesting.

[Troy Smith]

On 02/06/2021 at 18:57, NellyV said:

Am I the only one who finds researching the subject matter ultimately more rewarding than the final model?

Given my research to output ratio....  very guilty of that!

Great overall for for a returnee,  and  really like that you did Euthanasia.

 

If you are interested there is a glitch or two,  which maybe fixable,  would you like details? (warning, Hurricane anorak....) 

On 03/06/2021 at 01:01, Newbie(kinda) said:

And the Dark Green doesn't look quite dark enough to my eyes (although it's probably just the light in the photos. And my age)

No, that's flippin' Mig Ammo paint matches......

see https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235078859-accuracy-of-ammo-by-mig-jiménez-raf-wwii-colours/

 

 

which has sent me down a rabbit hole of paint mixing and  matching 

 

On 02/06/2021 at 18:57, NellyV said:

I'm only just starting to try various weathering techniques and concentrated on dirtying up the underside and wheel wells here. For although the aircraft were being heavily used in war time conditions and were no doubt lacking the normal pampering that groundcrew would have provided in peace time, I didn't want to over do it because it was hot and dry in summer 1940, so dust, boot scuffs and screwdriver scratches would have been the likely main wear and tear on what were relatively new airframes.

spot on, but one thing, Merlins leaked oil. A lot.  It did get cleaned off, and there was plenty of downtime at night as well.  

But, this makes very distinctive stains, 

as can be seen starting here

 

and causes these,  often mistaken for mud.

 

This is one I forced myself to finish,  has some reference images on Hurricane weathering which might be of interest.

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235052380-hurricane-airfix-72nd-fabric-wing-mki-oob/

 

 

Anyway, welcome to the forums, great intro, 

The use of the Rotring with white ink has worked really well

 

 

 

 

[dnl42]

Nice work!   That far exceeds my first effort when I returned! 

 

And welcome aboard! 

[NellyV]

On 02/06/2021 at 19:56, Spitfire31 said:

A most excellent Hurricane!

 

My only nitpick would be those strange looking "gunpowder deposit" streaks that appear more like traces of some liquid.

 

A stub brush dipped in dark grey pastel dust might be a way to a more convincing fade-out effect.

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

Thanks for the tip Joachim. I'm still learning how to weather subjects convincingly. I'll definitely try that when I build my Eduard Spitfire Mk 1a

[fightersweep]

Nice job on the Hurricane, and nice subject choice too as that Pathe Footage is one of my favourite pieces of Battle of Britain era footage. One point though, the footage was largely filmed at Rochford, now Southend Airport. A lot of the landmarks in the background have changed little over the years. I worked out that it must have been filmed sometime between the 12th and 21st August 1940 due to some of the a/c that appear and time frames for squadron losses etc. 

 

Once again, nice work! Have to admit that the choices of markings for my Trumpeter 1/24 Hurricane are split between Euthanasia and Geoffrey Page's "Little Willie".

 

Steve