A Malta defender - Hurricane I Trop P3721 - finished!

[Wings unlevel]

It appears I have a second build underway, this time an Arma Mk I in 1/72

 

 

I've had this one in the stash a while and have toyed with building here, but I swore I would focus on getting at least one build done, my 1/48 Mk II, at the expense of any other distractions. And yet...

 

 

I was sick last weekend and not thinking straight.I had aluminium paint in the paint brush working on my 1/48 build, and I thought, rather than pouring the excess back in the bottle, why don't I just spray it on the 1/72 kit and chip away on this one in the background. And then I also realised, taking a closer look at the markings offered in this boxing, that the cover art depicts a 261 Sqn aircraft - same as my 1/48 build - but this time from a year earlier when the unit was based on Malta...

 

So before I knew it, I had 2 concurrent builds in progress.

 

 

Have to say the 1/72 kit isn't as well engineered and as easy to but together as its bigger, but younger, brother. The detail is lovely, of course, but parts don't seat together as neatly, and the wing has required a lot of sanding back of the main landing gear bay assembly and some brute force to get it closed up.

 

 

Have used the kit decals for the harnesses and instrument panel. I'll have the canopy closed on this one so not much of the internals will be seen I suspect.

 

And of course I've chosen a subject aircraft where questions remain about the scheme it was painted in. Arma would have you paint it in a desert scheme with a black and white underside, as explained here: https://armahobbynews.pl/en/blog/2019/04/11/hurricane-p3731-j-in-defence-of-malta-70021/

 

Which I think does look really interesting, but I'll defer to @Troy Smith and others for any more expert guidance on the correct painting.

 

Regardless, I do like the idea of two 216 Sqn machines, and two builds in two different scales...

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8 by Wings unlevel

[Troy Smith]

26 minutes ago, Wings unlevel said:

guidance on the correct painting.

 

The Arma markings are based on photos and input from Tony O'Toole,  so they look good too me.  

Useful write up in the link as well.  As you can see the lighter camo colour runs through the cockpit, which is what is specified for desert scheme

One detail, note the Dark Green band at rear of cockpit,  these would have been built in Temperate Land Scheme, and then had the Dark Green painted over with Middle Stone,  in this case the canopy has been left in place and the frames masked off, but the bit under the rear of the canopy has not been painted. 

 

P3731 I M III  20MU 7-7-40 418Flt Abbotsinch 18-7-40 'HMS Argus' (Hurry) Malta 19-8-40 ME 261Sq 'J' 102MU store 15-5-41 Iraq 15-6-41 127Sq Shot down by D.520 on patrol over Deir-es-Zor Syria 5-7-41 FLt DE Cremin safe SOC 8-8-41.

 

 

36 minutes ago, Wings unlevel said:

but parts don't seat together as neatly,

they require a little fettling but fit very well once done

36 minutes ago, Wings unlevel said:

and the wing has required a lot of sanding back of the main landing gear bay assembly and some brute force to get it closed up.

Sorry, that's a user error, the wheel well does require care, as does the Airfix fabric wing. 

The trick is to dry fit the front spar, adjust to get a gap free fit, then use the upper wing as a jig, taping it in place, and very carefully use capillary action of liquid glue to attach to lower wing,  let set, and then add rest of well.  

It certainly requires some care, and some gentle scraping but it all fits very once done. 

You also need to be careful with the side wall structure, deepen mounting holes, and there is some plastic which can foul the fuselage to wing join. 

see here for as far as I got

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/235080866-hurricane-mki-arma-hobby-72nd-scheme-tbc/

The Rotol prop did need quite a lot fettling to get a neat fit,  the blade slots need deepening and the backplate adjusting.  

 

I've not done any building here purely as I have been doing a lot of DIY, and my enthusiasm for small scale building is diminished by doing things at 1:1   

 

I did get to see two Hurricanes fly yesterday at Eastbourne airshow, the BBMF Spitfire was unserviceable so they replaced it with a Hurricane...  what a shame  

Just after a stunning Red Arrows show.

 

cheers

T

 

 

[Beard]

29 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

[...] the BBMF Spitfire was unserviceable so they replaced it with a Hurricane...  what a shame

I bet you were inconsolable.

[Paul Lucas]

I think that Light Earth is more likely to have been used than Midstone to over paint the Dark Green on the upper surfaces.

 

As far as I know, Midstone did not become available as a production colour in the UK until the summer of 1941.

[Troy Smith]

1 hour ago, Beard said:

I bet you were inconsolable.

I was so upset I cried all the way to the chipshop....   

in case anyone is wondering.... https://youtu.be/ybp-NbONgBo?t=51

 

Actually I didn't, I'd just seen a seen Spitfire XIX in 2nd TAF markings before we went to the chipshop, which we had  just before the Red Arrows, though did miss most of the Typhoon when waiting for them.  

 

 

55 minutes ago, Paul Lucas said:

I think that Light Earth is more likely to have been used than Midstone to over paint the Dark Green on the upper surfaces.

Now that is a very interesting point.  I'm not sure what Arma call out for this.  

https://www.scalemates.com/products/img/4/1/5/1192415-39-instructions.pdf

says Middle Stone, but the box look more like Light Earth.   

Suddenly becoming a far more interesting scheme.  Thanks

[Beard]

29 minutes ago, Troy Smith said:

I was so upset I cried all the way to the chipshop....   

in case anyone is wondering

The man who later went on to be an ex-security guard with a Yamaha keyboard.

[Wings unlevel]

13 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

Sorry, that's a user error, the wheel well does require care, as does the Airfix fabric wing. 

The trick is to dry fit the front spar, adjust to get a gap free fit, then use the upper wing as a jig, taping it in place, and very carefully use capillary action of liquid glue to attach to lower wing,  let set, and then add rest of well.  

It certainly requires some care, and some gentle scraping but it all fits very once done. 

I feel like a jilted John after reading that! 😂 I think I got the wings closed up okay in the end, but your technique sounds a lot more effective, and less frustrating!

 

13 hours ago, Troy Smith said:

I've not done any building here purely as I have been doing a lot of DIY, and my enthusiasm for small scale building is diminished by doing things at 1:1   

Shame that life is getting in the way of you doing your own build. Which all the more reason for the rest of us to be appreciative of all your knowledge you’re feeling sharing here. 🙏 

 

12 hours ago, Paul Lucas said:

think that Light Earth is more likely to have been used than Midstone to over paint the Dark Green on the upper surfaces.

 

As far as I know, Midstone did not become available as a production colour in the UK until the summer of 1941.

Thank you for that tip. As Troy says, this scheme just became that bit more interesting…

[Wings unlevel]

An afternoon of assembly.

 

 

Getting the fuselage halves together took a few rounds of dry fitting and sanding and trimming to get a neat join - the instrument panel needed to be sanded back a bit, while the lower sides of the armour plate panel needed some trimming to stop fouling from the the cockpit framework.

 

The wing fuselage join took a bit of dry fitting and sanding too.

 

 

I’ve a small gap to fill at the forward fuselage-wing join, which I think is a common issue. But otherwise it’s pretty neat with not much cleanup required.

 

Didn't mean to progress this one so quickly, it just kinda happened! 😂 Time to get back to the 1/48 build…

 

 

Edited August 22 by Wings unlevel

[stevehnz]

Good progress Gerard & some good tips along the way for anyone who has not made a start yet.  

Steve.

[Wings unlevel]

15 minutes ago, stevehnz said:

Good progress Gerard & some good tips along the way for anyone who has not made a start yet.  

Steve.

Thanks Steve! I’ve had a lean year model building wise so far, so it’s good to be making progress here!

[wimbledon99]

Hi Gerard, That's gone together beautifully so far. I almost bought a 1:72 instead of the 1:48. Now you have me thinking I should get one in addition!!

[Wings unlevel]

1 hour ago, wimbledon99 said:

Hi Gerard, That's gone together beautifully so far. I almost bought a 1:72 instead of the 1:48. How you have me thinking I should get one in addition!!

Definitely interesting building the two scales side by side - it’s very much of a case if the same but different! The fit on the 1/48 kit is better but it’s (obviously I guess) a lot more complex and complicated, especially the cockpit!

[wimbledon99]

The 1:48 cockpit DEFINATELY requires some extra patience 

[modelling minion]

As if by magic, a Hurricane appears! Lovely work mate, she's gone together very nicely. 

[Wings unlevel]

On 22/08/2025 at 18:59, wimbledon99 said:

The 1:48 cockpit DEFINATELY requires some extra patience 

Yes, and quite possibly why this bulld is now progressing ahead of my 1/48 build!

 

On 22/08/2025 at 19:20, modelling minion said:

As if by magic, a Hurricane appears! Lovely work mate, she's gone together very nicely. 

Thanks Craig - given my build mis-starts this year, maybe there has been some magic involved! 🤣

[Wings unlevel]

This weekend's progress has seen this reach the primer stage after a little bit of filling and sanding to clean up some of the joins, and masking the canopy (with a mask set, fortunately!). Oh, and its a proper Trop now too after fitting the tropical filter (which, incidentally, the instructions don't show).

 

 

Not the best photo as the camera has underexposed the model, but it looks pretty neat under a coat of Mr Surfacer 1500 black - which I think will work well serving double duty for the black underside as well. I now have the self inflicted fun task pf painting white over black, but I figure a few coats will build up ok to give me an appropriately dirty white...

[almac]

Nice work, coming along nicely.

 

Cheers Allan

[wimbledon99]

I know it needs colour, but it does look pretty cool as is, in black!!

[Wings unlevel]

1 hour ago, almac said:

Nice work, coming along nicely.

Thanks Allan, as they say, black is flattering! 😂

 

9 minutes ago, wimbledon99 said:

I know it needs colour, but it does look pretty cool as is, in black!!

I’m tempted to put some roundels on it, call it a night fighter, and declare it done! 😂

[glwanabe]

2 hours ago, Wings unlevel said:

 

I’m tempted to put some roundels on it, call it a night fighter, and declare it done! 😂

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[modelling minion]

She does look good Gerard, the black suits her very well. 

[stevehnz]

A Hurricane shaped void, I'm liking it.

Steve.

[Wings unlevel]

Was waiting for my 1/48 build to catch up so I could do paint at the same time.so now we have some white undersides.

 

 

And some black based marbling on the top sides.

 

 

Hopefully the masking down the middle of the undersides is straight enough when I remove it! 😬

[glwanabe]

2 hours ago, Wings unlevel said:

Hopefully the masking down the middle of the undersides is straight enough when I remove it! 😬

 

It's  gonna be a beautiful straight line,

 

 

 

😀

 

 

 

[Wings unlevel]

5 hours ago, glwanabe said:

It's  gonna be a beautiful straight line,

Thanks for the faith! 🤣