Shipped but never flown: Polish Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk. I (fourth instalment from "Hawker Hurricanes around the world")

[ModelingEdmontonian]

As my fourth instalment of my "Hawker Hurricanes around the world" project, and my first representative from Europe, here is a Polish Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk. I. 

 

Poland's initial order of Hurricanes was shipped in summer of 1939, but were much too late to enter service. The only documented serial number I have seen for one of these Hurricanes is L2048, so I am assuming the L2045 on mine is an error and should have been L2048. But, I suppose it is also possible that one of the Polish Hurricanes was L2045 (in which case it later ended up in RAF service, because I have seen a photo of L2045 in France in 1940). Regardless, I am unaware of any photos of any of the Hurricanes in Polish Air Force markings--whether L2048, L2045, or otherwise--so mostly this is based on assumptions. @GrzeM was able to let me know the documents indicate a three-blade prop, which was helpful because I was going to use a Watts two-blade!

 

This is the AZ model Mk. I early kit, which proved the most challenging kits of the four I have now built (Arma Mk. I; Airfix Mk. XII; AZ Mk. IV). It does have the Polish Air Force decals (and also Yugoslav and Italian which I am excited to use!), which was the main reason I bought it. Believe it or not I spent more on this kit (with shipping) than any of the other 20 Hawker Hurricane kits I've bought (even Arma's Expert sets!). 

 

In the end, I stole parts from Airfix (prop and spinner, windscreen, carburetor intake, UC doors, rear wheel, decals), Arma (canopy, 5-spoke wheels), Fly (exhaust stacks), and another AZ kit (the Mk IId's landing lights) to make this come together. Frankly, after all of that, I'm happy with how it turned out!

 

 

Incidentally, while completing this I celebrated my one year anniversary of adulthood modeling! 

 

Here are photos of my first four Hurricanes altogether representing North America (USA - Airfix Mk XII [actually Royal Navy, but US markings for Operation Torch]); Europe (Poland); Australia (Arma Mk I); and South America (Argentina - AZ Mk IV).

 

WIP for the project is here:

 

And other RFIs:

 

Edited February 18, 2022 by ModelingEdmontonian

[Wulfman]

A handsome Hurricane, I will be following your very interesting project !

 

Wulfman

[303sqn]

Some sources say L2048 was shipped to Poland in July 1939 and there are stories that it was assembled and flown in combat. Unlikely.

 

There is little on the Form 78 according to which it was TOC 24/7/39, 10 MU 25/7/39. To Poland 5/8/39. Under SOC "sold to Poland 8/8/39".

 

The last entry is 9/9/39 24 Squadron (could be 29 Squadron).

 

So it was probably brought back to UK on the outbreak of war without it being unloaded.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

This is so interesting!  Great job with the paint and markings.  Just when I thought I knew what was what with the pre-war Polish Air Force, I get this zinger from you!  I knew they had ordered the MS.406, and these aircraft reached Turkey just in time to be taken on charge by the Turks, if I'm not mistaken.   The Hurricane is a surprise to me.

[dnl42]

Very cool! 

 

I have Iliad Design's 1/48 Strange Hurricanes sheet with markings for this among others. They cite this aircraft is as L2048; they also claim the lower-wing chessboard didn't have the white portions. 

[ModelingEdmontonian]

32 minutes ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

This is so interesting!  Great job with the paint and markings.  Just when I thought I knew what was what with the pre-war Polish Air Force, I get this zinger from you!  I knew they had ordered the MS.406, and these aircraft reached Turkey just in time to be taken on charge by the Turks, if I'm not mistaken.   The Hurricane is a surprise to me.

I read someplace that maybe some of the Polish 'canes also ended up in Turkey, but also that they may have come back to the UK as @303sqn has suggested (or Finland, or Romania, or the bottom of the ocean--I've read a lot of ideas!).

 

30 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

Very cool! 

 

I have Iliad Design's 1/48 Strange Hurricanes sheet with markings for this among others. They cite this aircraft is as L2048; they also claim the lower-wing chessboard didn't have the white portions. 

My little bit of research showed that the no-white portions of the underwing insignia was a thing, but not consistently (no doubt many on here know much more about this than I do). @2996 Victor has also pointed out that the Poles often used asymmetrical insignia on the upper wings. It would have made for an interesting model, but challenging in this case given the size of the decals provided, and I don't believe the asymmetrical placement was consistent either. Also, @GrzeM has elsewhere suggested that the asymmetrical placement coming out of a UK factory would be unlikely, and I find that persuasive. 

 

All told, much about this is conjecture, especially with no photographic evidence (at least as far as I'm aware!).

[ModelingEdmontonian]

@dnl42 can we look forward to seeing a 1/48 Polish Hurricane soon? 🤔😉

[dnl42]

43 minutes ago, ModelingEdmontonian said:

@dnl42 can we look forward to seeing a 1/48 Polish Hurricane soon? 🤔😉

Some day!

[stevehnz]

That has come up very well. I've got this kit in stock & am well aware of its reputation, hence why it is still in stock & a couple of the Airfix ones have been built up.  I didn't recall it having the Polish decals, I could use them on an Airfix one.   

Steve.

[hurricane39]

Nice work.  Great to see some different scheme hurricanes.

[Spitfire31]

Very neat and interesting Hurricane! I'm a great fan och modelling being married to history, especially history with interesting ifs and buts and howevers… 😉

 

The only fly in the ointment in your kit potpourri seems to be that AZ and Airfix apparently have different ideas about the shape and position of the windscreen.

 

The long and short of it: a very interesting collection. I'l be following its progress!

 

Kind regards,

 

Joachim

[2996 Victor]

Excellent work, ME, and a really great result, I'd say. Not quite a "what if", more a "very nearly", and all the more intriguing for it.

 

Looking forward to the next one.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[ModelingEdmontonian]

2 hours ago, Spitfire31 said:

The only fly in the ointment in your kit potpourri seems to be that AZ and Airfix apparently have different ideas about the shape and position of the windscreen.

 

Yes, I wish there was better alignment in terms of the canopy and windscreen--there was no real way to dry-fit the windscreen because it wouldn't sit in place without glue. No doubt more detail-oriented, experienced modellers would have figured out a way to do this. I somewhat like the 1/4 open look, but the windscreen does seem too high compared to the canopy. Oh well... 

 

23 minutes ago, 2996 Victor said:

Excellent work, ME, and a really great result, I'd say. Not quite a "what if", more a "very nearly", and all the more intriguing for it.

 

Looking forward to the next one.

 

Cheers,

Mark

Cheers, yes I think we can be confident in the historical reality of at least one Hurricane in Polish Air Force markings. Whether any actually made it onto Polish soil is another question...

[303sqn]

Negotiations for the purchase of foreign fighter aircraft began in the spring of 1939, first offers received in June. Polish test pilots were sent abroad to evaluate aircraft the aircraft on offer, Spitfire, Hurricane, Morane MS.406, Dewoitine D.520, Bloch MB.151, Breguet 690, Potez 63, Koolhoven FK.58. American offer was rejected on the grounds of the high cost and requirement for 100 octane gasoline that was not available in Poland.

 

Britain agreed to sell 14 Hurricanes and one Spitfire to Poland. These were despatched from Britain at the end of  August along with 30 Fairey Battles. It seems that not much is known about these aircraft or what happened to them apart from the Spitfire, L1066, that was diverted to Turkey.

 

Form 78:

 

FF 21-7-39 36MU for packing and despatch to Poland diverted when Germany overran country. Turkey as Type 341 19-8-39 deleted from original RAF contract. Sent to docks 19-8-39

 

In June France provided credit that allowed for the purchase of 150 Morane MS.406s plus a licence for their production in Poland. An order for 130 Moranes was signed on 8th August and the first batch was despatched by sea on 29/30 August. Thirty examples, perhaps those originally intended for Poland, were shipped by sea from Marseille to Istanbul in November 1939.

[TheyJammedKenny!]

15 hours ago, 303sqn said:

shipped by sea from Marseille to Istanbul in November 1939.

And that, I believe, is where they permanently ended up.  They were taken up by the Turks, but I'm unsure if the Turks put them into service.

[GrzeM]

On 6/6/2021 at 11:05 AM, 303sqn said:

Britain agreed to sell 14 Hurricanes and one Spitfire to Poland. These were despatched from Britain at the end of  August along with 30 Fairey Battles. It seems that not much is known about these aircraft or what happened to them apart from the Spitfire, L1066, that was diverted to Turkey.

Wojciech Mazur, professional university historian of Polish aviation in his recent, source-based publication about Polish pre-war airplane imports ("Samoloty które nie zdążyły" - "Planes that didn't make it") states that SS Lassel ship transporting these planes from Britain on 15th September left the Gibraltar-Port Said convoy and headed to Istanbul (with intention to reach Black Sea Romanian port Constanta). After Soviet agression against Poland on 17th September situation has changed and so the War Cabinet decided on 18th September to offer the shipment to Turkey. Polish authorities were informed about that decision on 20th September. Initial route was to Constanta in Romania, then by train or flight to Poland.

This may be one of them:

And these (but Polish shipment included only one Spitfire):

 

The models look very cool!!!

Edited June 8, 2021 by GrzeM