1/72 Smer/Heller Hawker Hurricane IIc IAF

[Madmaks]

Built this as part of a group build. I have been waiting to dig into my Arma Hurricane but without enough time I chose this old kit. The build itself was very straightforward. I used Tamiya acrylics, wash and some shaved graphite to accent the raised panel lines. 

 

I built this to represent KZ371 of 3 Squadron IAF in the CBI theatre.

 

Picture of the real aircraft had the following caption: During an intensive period of bombing around Marghai on June 27, 1944, 3 Squadron’s Fg Off Dilip Kumar Bose flew Hurricane Mk.IIc KZ371/R twice in support of Tochi Scouts on the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2021 by Madmaks
Typo

[Troy Smith]

A very Interesting photo, and unusual as it's a SEAC Hurricane still in Day Fighter Scheme. I assume it is with the sky band, and the yellow leading edges,  though the undersides look very pale. 

Any idea where the photo is from? 

 

I'll @Graham Boak and @tonyot  as both are interested in SEAC Hurricanes. 

 

Neat build

cheers

T

[tonyot]

The IAF Hurri`s were used for some time over the NW Frontier supporting the Army against the usual warlike tribes in the area,....... and as such they just retained the delivery scheme but had the normal roundels and markings covered by extending the camouflage colours usually, then had SEAC roundels added. When moving to the Burma warzone it was usual to pick up new aircraft or to re camouflage the aircraft by covering the grey with brown,.... for jungle camouflage as there was active aerial opposition from the Japanese,...... but of course some will have slipped through the net.

 

I`m pretty sure that Marghai is in the current day Pakistan,..... so that would account for the colours. .... and 3 Sqn IAF did not arrive for operations over Burma until Jan/Feb 1945. 

 

Cheers

           Tony

Edited August 2, 2021 by tonyot

[Madmaks]

2 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

A very Interesting photo, and unusual as it's a SEAC Hurricane still in Day Fighter Scheme. I assume it is with the sky band, and the yellow leading edges,  though the undersides look very pale. 

Any idea where the photo is from? 

 

I'll @Graham Boak and @tonyot  as both are interested in SEAC Hurricanes. 

 

Neat build

cheers

T

Troy, 🙏 Thank you. I got this from a piece posted by Andrew Thomas on key aero about 3 Squadron's rich history for its 80th anniversary year. 

39 minutes ago, tonyot said:

The IAF Hurri`s were used for some time over the NW Frontier supporting the Army against the usual warlike tribes in the area,....... and as such they just retained the delivery scheme but had the normal roundels and markings covered by extending the camouflage colours usually, then had SEAC roundels added. When moving to the Burma warzone it was usual to pick up new aircraft or to re camouflage the aircraft by covering the grey with brown,.... for jungle camouflage as there was active aerial opposition from the Japanese,...... but of course some will have slipped through the net.

 

I`m pretty sure that Marghai is in the current day Pakistan,..... so that would account for the colours. .... and 3 Sqn IAF did not arrive for operations over Burma until Jan/Feb 1945. 

 

Cheers

           Tony

Thank you Tony! I removed the reference about Imphal.

[Bertie McBoatface]

Nice work and interesting research, thanks.

[Graham Boak]

The photo has been linked to an OTU, but 3 Sq seems more likely as large numbers were perhaps more common in the OTUs.  I'd say that this photo does show the yellow leading edges, although these were specifically for UK use and so should not have been present overseas.

 

What is visible in this clear print is the awful fit of the nose cowlings: I feel that this aircraft should not have been released for service like that, but perhaps that's why it ended up in the NW rather than anywhere more threatening.

[F-32]

Lovely job

[Alex Gordon]

There's something a little odd about that photo

 

 

I had a quick play in Paint which made it look a bit less off.

 

Good work on the Hurricane by the way .

 

[bigbadbadge]

Great looking model, the old Smer/Heller kit scrubby up very well indeed.  Cracking work. 

Chris

[Madmaks]

22 hours ago, Bertie Psmith said:

Nice work and interesting research, thanks.

Thx Bertie!

[Madmaks]

10 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Great looking model, the old Smer/Heller kit scrubby up very well indeed.  Cracking work. 

Chris

Thank you!

[stevehnz]

A really nice build, the Heller kit looks good, even in modern company imho, you've more than done it justice.

Steve.

[tomthounaojam]

Interesting history and Great Job!!! Mukul

[Madmaks]

19 hours ago, tomthounaojam said:

Interesting history and Great Job!!! Mukul

Thanks Tom!

[Madmaks]

On 8/2/2021 at 4:50 AM, F-32 said:

Lovely job

Thanks!

19 hours ago, stevehnz said:

A really nice build, the Heller kit looks good, even in modern company imho, you've more than done it justice.

Steve.

Thank you Steve!

[Britman]

Very nice indeed. The Heller Hurricane kit was always my go to kit for many years.

 

Keith

[alt-92]

On 8/2/2021 at 7:37 PM, Alex Gordon said:

There's something a little odd about that photo

 

I noticed that too - the double row of shrubbery on the ridge line in the background was the give-away next to the caudron 714 style looooong nose

 

nice Hurri!

[Madmaks]

5 hours ago, Britman said:

Very nice indeed. The Heller Hurricane kit was always my go to kit for many years.

 

Keith

Thank you Keith. Waiting to build the Arma kits soon.

[Madmaks]

4 hours ago, alt-92 said:

I noticed that too - the double row of shrubbery on the ridge line in the background was the give-away next to the caudron 714 style looooong nose

 

nice Hurri!

Thx, it was nice to build a quick clean build despite the raised panel lines. As far as the picture goes me thinks it was a beer goggle lens on the camera 😂 Jokes aside, I think it might have been published across 2 pages and as they digitized it, there was an overlap.