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Airfix Hurricane Mk. I in 1:48


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Hello everyone

 

This is the current offering from Airfix, and my reading around indicated this was the best of the crop if I wanted a Mk I in this scale. And... it is a very good kit.

 

On the plus side, it has high levels of cockpit detail (you basically build the cockpit and the rails/mounts it fixes to.) You get the gun bay detail with eight Brownings and their feed chutes plus the removed gun bay panels. You get a nice pilot. Altogether the level of detailing is spot on, and looks (in my opinion) spot on.

 

I'll now list my grumbles:

 

  1. The wing to fuselage fit is iffy and needs a lot of surgery to get right. I made a balls of it and had to fill and sand a lot then rescribe detail. Two other builders I know have had the same issue. Basically the wing seesaws - either the front is too prous or the rear is too proud. Solution: dry fit and trim as muchas you need before hitting the glue.
  2. Gun bays. Airfix asks you to cut out the wing panels yourself... I didn't want the bays open in any case but would hesitate to start carving into the upper wing panel as I would be bound to mess it up. Would an optional top wing panel moulded with gun bay covers removed be nicer? Yes cost and space in the box matter of course.
  3. Props and spinners. The kits includes two variants of each, and it's clear from the painting schemes which one goes on which plane, but in the instructions they only use the earlier DH type (I think) and there's no notes or option instructions to use the Rotol (I think!) for the alternate scheme. A little bit of direction here would be nice, as unless you're a real buff, there is no guidance to use the Rotol set for the second variant offered in the box.

 

So - apart from issue number one, nothing major, and a very satisfying kit.  Next in the 1:48 collection will be someone from the opposition that summer.

 

Enjoy the pics, any criticisms or questions, fire away.

 

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Yes, the new Airfix are great kits and you've certainly done a masterful job. That pilot really adds some life.

 

Not a criticism by any means, if you go into "Edit" either in your phone are after you've downloaded from the camera, you can play with "exposure". 

This will allow use to more easily see and appreciate the fine work you've done.

Just a helpful hint.

 

Screen_Shot_2021-10-06_at_8.37.22_AM.png

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8 minutes ago, Allan31 said:

Yes, the new Airfix are great kits and you've certainly done a masterful job. That pilot really adds some life.

 

Not a criticism by any means, if you go into "Edit" either in your phone are after you've downloaded from the camera, you can play with "exposure". 

This will allow use to more easily see and appreciate the fine work you've done.

Just a helpful hint.

 

 

 

Thank you - I do in fact sometimes lighten images when I need to show things like cockpit detail and have done so in my other post today; I tend to underexpose deliberately - like you said you can always tweak it upwards. 🙂

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Lovely result Simon, nice build, detail and weathering - really like the pilot. I like your colours too - they look right to my eye based on the many bits of crashed examples I have seen over the years - I would hazard a guess at Mr Hobby H72/73 for the topsides?

 

I  built one of these a while back and agree - a nice Kit. The only thing I don't like, aside from the horrible plastic which Airfix use, is the treatment of the wing trailing edges (as mentioned also by Josip) - It's about time that Airfix came into the 21st Century and designed kits in the way the likes of Tamiya and Eduard do to give a sharper result.

 

Nice collection of B of B types coming along there too - probably a Bf 109E for the opposition? but I guess also that a Defiant will be on the cards?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

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2 hours ago, Baldy said:

Lovely result Simon, nice build, detail and weathering - really like the pilot. I like your colours too - they look right to my eye based on the many bits of crashed examples I have seen over the years - I would hazard a guess at Mr Hobby H72/73 for the topsides?

 

I  built one of these a while back and agree - a nice Kit. The only thing I don't like, aside from the horrible plastic which Airfix use, is the treatment of the wing trailing edges (as mentioned also by Josip) - It's about time that Airfix came into the 21st Century and designed kits in the way the likes of Tamiya and Eduard do to give a sharper result.

 

Nice collection of B of B types coming along there too - probably a Bf 109E for the opposition? but I guess also that a Defiant will be on the cards?

 

Cheers

 

Malcolm

 

It's all Vallejo and AK interactive topsides. Yup the trailing edges I really should have filled/sanded them to a join.

 

Bf 109 E it is, sat in the pile waiting for me - I already have made both of the Defiants, from when I got started back into this madness two years ago!

 

Thank you for the kind words.

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And ofc. there is also that horrible soft plastic that leads to pebbly surface and soft detail. Let's just say that, since the original airplane was a bit crude affair, Airfix managed to make this one quite nice., but it really failed on other kits. 

Tamiya, Eduard and even Hasegawa kits from 90s are far superior in sharpness and execution of various details. 

BTW. do check up my model. I have also put in the pilot. 

Edited by Josip
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6 hours ago, Simon Nonymous said:

Props and spinners. The kits includes two variants of each, and it's clear from the painting schemes which one goes on which plane, but in the instructions they only use the earlier DH type (I think) and there's no notes or option instructions to use the Rotol (I think!) for the alternate scheme. A little bit of direction here would be nice, as unless you're a real buff, there is no guidance to use the Rotol set for the second variant offered in the box.

Prop fitted on model is the Rotol with ES/6 'Spitfire' Spinner.     If this is the current boxing, it has two options, RF-J, and LK-A, both have the Rotol. 

Very early P**** series Hurricane had the DH unit in the kit, as do Tropical and Sea Hurricanes.   

One 'gotcha' is you can fit either prop top either spinner!   Seen a few of those!  

 All boxings of the kit contains the same plastic.

 

This needs revising, and pics need rehosting

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234980181-hawker-hurricane-propellers-and-spinners-a-modellers-guide/

But is the only guide I know of that deals with all the variants, and what was fitted to what, and when.   

 

Hurricanes are basically very simple, except for the fine detail, when they are not. Mk.I Hurricanes are far more complicated than usually realised.   What, SIX different props and spinners?   let alone what had what windscreen, and what had fabric wings and....    I am praying Arma Hobby find sales of their forthcoming 1/48th  Mk.II's good enough to warrant dealing with the Mk.I's later

 

The best book on the subject of the Mk.I is the Wingleader Photo Archive. 

The recent Valiant Wings Airframe and Miniature book is a shoddy joke BTW.

 

 

I'm still cross with myself for not going over the Airfix 72nd fabric wing kit with the proverbial fine tooth comb,  as it's faults got scaled up :( 

 

For the non obsessed, it's a very good, but not great kit.   The thick wing trailing edge  would be an easy fix, except the ailerons are one piece.  

 

the wing fuselage join problem AFAIK is because the instructions do not stress that the first step of wing spare to fuselage side MUST be absolutely spot on,  if you use the upper and lower wing taped together as a jig this will help,  and you need to clean up every mould line and sprue nib.

Any slight misalignment, which is really easy to do,  and you get the problems you describe.   

 

 The weird rubbery but brittle plastic and quality control issues don't help either. :fraidnot: 

 

This is still the best build of the kit I have seen, as it's fixes the issues. 

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234986216-148-airfix-new-tool-hurricane-mki-p3039-from-no229-squadron-completed-on-31-10-at-1150-pm/page/2/

Though,  as I say, for the obsessed.   

 

Anyway, @Simon Nonymous,  one thing that may help with Airfix decals, use hot water,  it's softens them really well.  Just the port upperwing roundel look like it's not settled down over the detail, which maybe a trick of the light.

 

Anyway, enough of my witter,  which I hope is of interest. 

Looking at your model, the  build, and finish is superb,  and looks excellent,   :goodjob:         

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Lovely job , this looks wonderful.   Great work on your model.  I have just finished one last week a Tropical Mk1 and found the kit a joy, luckily I didn't suffer any issues fitting ghe wing to fuselage.  

Lovely trio too.

Chris 

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Wow! Whatever problems you had with the wing/fuselage joint is absolutely NOT obvious. Build, finish, colours look great to me (and I really like the pilot too). Great job on a lovely kit (I was supertwitchy about cutting out the gun bay panels too. And didn't!).

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A superb looking Hurricane there Simon - the build, paint and decals all look very good to me.

I have read lots of generally positive things about this kit - but I really struggled with mine. I could not get the fuselage to sit down correctly over the lower wing and cockpit, and the fit of the wings to the fuselage, as you describe, was far from easy. It was a kit that demanded the use of just about every clamp, clothes peg and rubber band at my disposal...

I must have another crack at it and see if I can make an easier job of it next time - yours is certainly inspiration to make a start.

Cheers,

Nick.

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Superb work -thanks for sharing!

 

I've built two and they went together beautifully with no issues - IMHO this is a very undervalued kit which on release as usual was trashed by the 'experten' at the time whereas quietly in the background people have got on with putting them together and making very nice models - and having fun!

 

TT

 

 

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19 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Prop fitted on model is the Rotol with ES/6 'Spitfire' Spinner.   SNIP....

 

 

I was going to message you to say thanks Troy - I did read up on the props/spinners post when researching my build, thank goodness! I do use hot water with a dash of fairy liquid for the transfers, plus microsol/microset, however might not have tamped down on those nubbins on the upper wing enough. Thank you for all the helpful hints.

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