1/48 Hobby 2000 Hurricane Mk.I Trop, F/Sgt Frederick Robertson, No. 261 Sqn, RAF Hal Far, Malta, Autumn 1940

[Icarus]

Good evening.

 

I would like to join with this reboot of the Hasegawa kit, with a Yahu replacement I/P and some Eduard PE belts as well...

 

 

 

My only (very slight) irritation is with the decals.  In the second sheet, the lightening bolts appear to be filled with a grey colour grey - definitely not the RAF Sky Blue the instructions indicate it should be.  This may be deliberate, but it does mean there may be some awkward and perhaps unnecessary masking and painting to do here.  Let's see - I'll try and do some background research..

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Icarus

[Wings unlevel]

That’s an iconic scheme, I’m very keen to see this come to life. You could go to town with weathering if that’s your bag? 
 

Welcome to the build. 👍

[Icarus]

Thank you.  Indeed - the desert theatre was not exactly kind to paintwork.

 

Just in case people haven't read this before, the history of the pilot reads like an action novel:

 

"Dudley Sandry Garton Honor was born to British parents on 5th September 1913 at Quilmes, Buenos Aires, Argentina where he was educated. After the family returned to England he continued his education at Caistor Grammar School in Lincolnshire.

He joined the RAF on a short service commission in July 1937 and did his initial training at 8 E&RFTS Woodley.

 

On 18th September Honor was posted to 6 FTS Netheravon and after completing his flying training joined 88 Squadron at Boscombe Down on 7th March 1938. Equipped with Fairey Battle light bombers, the squadron went to France at the outbreak of war as part of the AASF and suffered heavy losses in the German blitzkrieg.

 

For his services in France Honor was later awarded the DFC (gazetted 5th January 1940). After 88 was withdrawn from France in June 1940 he volunteered for Fighter Command. After converting to Hurricanes Honor was posted to 145 Squadron at Drem on 28th August.

 

He shared in the destruction of an Arado Ar196 floatplane on 12th October. Honor made a forced-landing at Hollington, near St. Leonards on the 27th, after running out of fuel following a combat with Me109s. His Hurricane, V7422, was written off.

On 2nd December Honor was posted to 85 Squadron at Debden in the night-fighting role. On 29th January 1941 he was posted to the Middle East, destined for 274 Squadron in the Western Desert as a Flight Commander. He joined it at Amriya on 6th April.

He claimed a Me109 destroyed on 1st May, a Me109 destroyed and another three damaged on the 15th and on the 20th he destroyed a Me110, which had just taken off from Mechili, as well as a Ju52 on the ground.

On 25th May he and another aircraft were tasked to attack the German-held airfield at Maleme. Honor destroyed a Ju52 and a SM79 but was then shot down by a Me109. He ditched in the sea where his Hurricane sank to 40 feet before he was able to escape from the cockpit. His German lifejacket, obtained during his service in France, inflated immediately and he surfaced.

 

The sea was rough but he managed to swim to the shore half a mile away. He had great difficulty climbing on to the rocks and his hands were badly torn before he was able to scramble ashore and head for the hills, where the locals sheltered him. He travelled through the mountains to the coast on the south side of the island where he took cover. On the sixth day he saw a Sunderland flying boat land close by to evacuate senior army officers and other survivors.

Honor flashed an SOS which was seen and resulted in a single-seat dinghy being rowed ashore. He scrambled down the steep rocks to the shoreline and managed to squeeze into the dinghy and was taken to the waiting Sunderland. After collecting some Greek army survivors, the aircraft took off and flew back to Alexandria. He was back with his squadron on 5th June. He damaged a Me109 on the 17th and was awarded a Bar to the DFC (gazetted 10th June 1941).

Honor took command of 274 Squadron in August and led it until 12th November 1941 when he was promoted to Acting Wing Commander to lead 258 Wing. On 6th December he destroyed a Mc202 eight miles from Tobruk. In December 1942 Honor was commanding 17 Sector, Benghazi. He later served in Malta, Sicily and Italy before returning to the UK.

 

In 1944 he was posted as Air Attache to Colombia, Venezuala and Ecuador. Honor was released from the RAF in 1947 as a Group Captain."

 

Icarus

Edited August 14 by Icarus
Typos

[2996 Victor]

Fascinating background, Icarus, he was quite a chap! Lucky to escape that ditching, though.

 

Looking forward to seeing your build progress.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Wings unlevel]

2 hours ago, 2996 Victor said:

he was quite a chap! Lucky to escape that ditching, though.

Wasn’t he! That’s quite the story of survival.

[Icarus]

Evening, all.

 

I have been having a think about this build whilst I was away on holiday, and on reflection I do want to build one of the Mk.1 Trop Hurricanes that helped defend Malta.  Fred Robertson destroyed something between 8 and 12 aircraft at this time, so I will build his scheme instead.  It also has the 50/50 black/white underside colour scheme, which I have always found interesting (if somewhat flawed)...

 

 

Thank you for looking, Icarus

[Wings unlevel]

Great choice of markings - I’m doing the same scheme for my 1/72 build. FWIW there’s a bit of a discussion on the paint scheme there:

 

 Will be great to see it represented in 1/48.

[Icarus]

I try not to build the cover scheme on kits if at all possible.  The back story behind the other Malta scheme in the pack, Flt Lt James MacLachlan, is also pretty inspirational, particularly how he worked with the prosthetic team following his below the elbow amputation to get a false arm that fitted the Hurricane cockpit so he could fly again, but I'm a bit suspicious of the colour call out in the instructions.  Plus I can't keep chopping and changing!

 

Icarus

Edited August 25 by Icarus
Typos

[Icarus]

Just getting started on this.  The plastic looks pretty good, but it is a bit irritating to find some breakages, as illustrated on the rudder pedal piece below.  I have found the other half of this (plus a loose seat adjuster handle) in the model kit plastic bag, but this will probably need sprue glue to make sure the repair is strong enough.

 

Further updates later,

 

Icarus

[Wings unlevel]

1 hour ago, Icarus said:

this.  The plastic looks pretty good, but it is a bit irritating to find some breakages, as illustrated on the rudder pedal piece below.

Definitely! But glad to see this underway, hopefully that’s the worst of the setbacks out of the way already!

[Icarus]

So, it is a public holiday here in the UK.  My original plans had to be shelved by an unexpected episode of left sided sciatica, which somewhat conveniently has meant the most comfortable place for me today was at my desk with a pretty orthopaedic chair.  Anyway, this is where matters lie with this build - I still need to add an oil pin wash, a bit of dry brushing/highlighting then final satin varnish.  The PE belts and Yahu I/P certainly do add a bit more finesse to the cockpit.

 

 

 

 

I have cut out the starboard cockpit access door with the razor saw, then lightly reattached it with a couple of small blobs of sprue glue for painting.  I have just noticed that the canopy in this model is one piece.  I will try and use a razor saw to convert this to an open one, but just in case that doesn't work I'm sure I have an old Falcon set in the shed...

 

Icarus

 

[Icarus]

Just a quick test fit of the fuselage before gluing - the Yahu I/P really is effective.  It is the first time I've used one, and although not cheap, I think it is a worthy investment when the cockpit is open.

 

 

Icarus

[2996 Victor]

23 minutes ago, Icarus said:

Just a quick test fit of the fuselage before gluing - the Yahu I/P really is effective.  It is the first time I've used one, and although not cheap, I think it is a worthy investment when the cockpit is open.

 

 

Icarus

Great progress on this build - the cockpit is looking really nice. Those Yahu panels are excellent, aren't they?

 

By the way, that panel isn't actually a door, it's a break out panel to help in an emergency escape situation, and wouldn't normally be open.

 

Cheers,

Mark

[Wings unlevel]

Lovely work  with the cockpit. That’s a very productive use of a public holiday!

[Icarus]

Thank you, Mark.  That settles it - I will need to have the canopy open.  thankfully, I've found a Falcon Hurricane vac-form canopy in the shed, in case my surgery on the kit canopy doesn't quire go to plan...

 

Icarus.

[Icarus]

And things were going so well...

 

I was a bit surprised when the fit of the wings to the fuselage left a large gap.  I checked the usual suspects - the internal frame of the cockpit was not snaring on the wheel well, but just to make sure I sanded it a bit flatter.  In the end, I had to add quite a few clamps on the wing, but they are pretty gentle.  Then the fuselage glue seam split...

 

 

Totally unexpected.  I used by usual 4410 cyanoacylate glue on the fuselage halves when closing them, and it has never failed before.  Very odd.  When the wings have cured, I will need to sort this out.  Irritating, as I have just polished the upper cowling to a pretty good effect with micromesh.

 

Icarus 

[Wings unlevel]

That’s annoying! Fixable but frustrating for sure!

[Icarus]

Evening/morning all.  I'm pleased to say the Falcon vac-form canopy fits well, and I have managed to split the two piece canopy without too much drama (a new blade, a good source of lighting and patience..).  The canopy is closed at the moment, but only held with white glue.

 

 

I have also sprayed the wing roots, most of the nose, and the front edges of the wings with Tamiya gloss aluminium, then dabbed on Maskol with a bit of sponge where I will eventually want wear to show through at the end.

 

Tomorrow masking, then black basing, ready for the scheme.  This will also mean half of the lower surface painting is already done!

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Icarus

 

 

Edited August 31 by Icarus

[Wings unlevel]

4 hours ago, Icarus said:

I'm pleased to say the Falcon vac-form canopy fits well, and I have managed to split the two piece canopy without too much drama (a new blade, a good source of lighting and patience..).

Kudos. Not something I’m sure I’d be game to try!

 

4 hours ago, Icarus said:

I have also sprayed the wing roots, most of the nose, and the front edges of the wings with Tamiya gloss aluminium, then dabbed on Maskol with a bit of sponge where I will eventually want wear to show through at the end.

Nice. I’m interested to see the end result. Enjoy painting!

[Nick McV]

I'll follow your build with interest as I'm leaning towards a Hasegawa Hurri for my build. Looking great.

 

Edited September 23 by Nick McV

[mackem01]

Great save - it's coming together nicely too.

[Icarus]

Afternoon.  I've been away with work, so a necessary pause on this, but I had a chance to start painting the under surface today.  One of the advantages of black basing is it allows modulation of light colours - hopefully this shows in the white.  I also modulated the black with some Tamiya Nato Black, to stop it being quite so stark...

 

 

Difficult to capture the subtleties with the camera (the flash completely obliterates it) but hopefully it will come through in the final photos.  Next - upper colours.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Icarus.

[Wings unlevel]

6 hours ago, Icarus said:

Difficult to capture the subtleties with the camera (the flash completely obliterates it)

It does but I can still get a sense of the variation and modulation - and it looks very effective.

[Rabbit Leader]

Now, that is looking very nice indeed. The tonal variations are quite evident in that photo and angle. Nice work. 

Cheers.. Dave 

[Icarus]

Main colours now on.  Again, the back basing has helped add some modulations to the colours, but this isn't so obvious with a flash.  Hopefully the final photos in the light box will show this better.  I also used some chipping masking with Maskol on top of gloss aluminium, to show wear at the foot marks.  I may tone these down later.

 

Next steps - gloss varnish, then decals.

 

 

 

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Icarus