Hawker Hurricane sub collection

[diamant]

Hello

I wanted to share with you our progress on the Hawker Hurricane project. I have posted many questions on this forum during the latest months so the idea of this topic is to show that those questions were not in vain. My idea is to update this topic every week aprox. I have selected 97 Hurricane so far but I believe that the final number will be really close to 100. We have been receiving help from many historian and modelers which is really great. We cannot think about doing this series without their support.

These 8 Hurricane belong to the first batch. My father is converting all the “metal” wings into the “fabric covered" one. We have only one Sword’s kit and the rest are Airfix’s kit.

1) Hurricane Mk I L1551 - Sqn 111 - Northolt, UK - July 1938

2) Hurricane Mk I L1584 - Sqn 111 - Circa - July 1938

3) Hurricane Mk I L1599 - Sqn 56 - Circa - Late 1938

4) Hurricane Mk I L1669 Mk I Trop - Martlesham Heath prior to its depatch to Khartoum - May-39

5) Hurricane Mk I L1750 - A/AAE - 24/05/1939

6) Hurricane Mk I Pabby III - Sqn 73 - Rouvres, France - Early 1940

7) Hurricane Mk I L1800 LR/R - Sqn 56 - North Weald - Mid 1939

8) Hurricane Mk I L2006 Y - Group Pilot Pool - Sutton Bridge - 1939

From this first batch there are two interesting Hurricane:

The L1669 was the first Hurricane to be fitted with a tropical air filter and after evaluation by No. 80 Squadron RAF, flew operationally with No. 274 Squadron RAF in Egypt, with whom it became known as “Collie’s battleship”. In this case we don't know if we are going to build her with the Watts two blade propeller or with the De Havilland three blade propeller) We have photos for both options.

The Hurricane L1750 first flew with a Swiss Oerlikon cannon slung beneath each wing on May 24, 1939 piloted by Philip Lucas.

Here is the picture

Cheers

Santiago

PD: My second daughter borne last April 13th so I don’t have enough time to build but only to make the research about the Hurricanes that we are going to include in this series.

These are our previous project. We are trying to reproduce the same now with the Hawker Hurricane.

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2005...sko_typhoon.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2003...ko_spitfire.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2006...ko_mosquito.htm

http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2006/06/...ko_tailless.htm

http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007/01/...ko_miles_01.htm

http://ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007/01/...ko_miles_02.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007...m-models-01.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007...m-models-02.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2007...m-models-03.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2008...ish-jets-01.htm

http://www.ipmsstockholm.org/magazine/2008...ish-jets-02.htm

[keith in the uk]

Very nice idea and an interesting project , how are you converting the wings back to the early fabric covered ones ? just curious as i am thinking of converting the Revell 1 32 nd scale

Hurricane back to the Prototype

[diamant]

Hello Keith

Here are some photos which were taken by my father showing the process that we used to convert a “metallic” wing into a “fabric covered” wing. Maybe it is not the best one but it is ok for us.

First of all he defined which were the “metallic” parts and which the “fabric covered” ones.

Then he put tape on the “metallic” part. After this he sanded the “fabric covered” surface just a bit in order to make it deeper. After this he marked the panels lines.

Then he put tape (in our case Tamiya’s tape) like the pictures covering just some areas.

Then he applied putty (almost liquid) with a brush. He applied 3 to 4 light coats.

Then he sanded commencing from the center of each line in order to obtain a smooth surface. This procedure make the undulate effect. After this he removed the tape obtaining something like this.

Now he applied the tape covering the "putty" lines taking care of leaving just a very very very fine line of both side of each line not covered with tape.

By doing this that very very very fine line receive all the coats of putty and make the effect of been a "rib".

Then he applied liquid putty and sanded the lines again.

So after all he obtained a "fabric covered" wings.

We used this way to make the Hurricane prototype which is the first aircraft of this series. Here are some pictures of our Prototype. Hope you like it.

HTH

Kind regards

Santiago

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

Wow. Painstaking, but very effective. The model of the prototype is superb.

[keith in the uk]

Thats a great idea , very painstaking but worth the effort , It looks really good on the Prototype which is what i am planing in 32nd scale.

Any chance of seeing the underside of the prototype , i notice the undercarrage doors are a diffrent shape from the production Hurricanes and was wondering if the wheel bay shape was any different ?

[diamant]

Hi Keith

Many thanks for your comments regarding our prototype. Yes, we noticed the same but we don’t have pictures of the prototype’s wheel bay. Therefore we assumed that if the undercarriage doors were different shape the wheel bay shape should be different in order to match with the undercarriage doors. We also modified that part of the kit.

My father finished the conversion of the 8 models yesterday.

In the following pictures you will find some “papers” handling from the shelves. Each group of sheets contain: summary of the aircraft (general details like: place, date, Sqn, pilot, etc), a summary of the color camouflage (upper side, under side, special details, etc) and a summary of the markings (roundels, code letters, serial, nose art, etc) plus all the pictures and profile we found plus the comments that we receive from modellers / historians regarding the aircraft. This is the way we find to reduce the numbers of mistakes when we make many models at the same time. The good thing is since we are two we check everything twice.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hi

Here is a pictures showing the progress made by my father on these Hurricane

Cheers

Santiago

[AnonymousFO98]

Amazing finish on the prototype Santiago

which sort of putty is it please?

beautiful work on the wing conversion too

[diamant]

Hi Walrus

Many thanks for your comments. Sorry for my delay in reply your question.

The brand of the putty is Sikkens and the name is Kombifiller (200 gr) . Here is the website (http://www.sikkenscr.co.uk/sikkens/uk/) and two pictures

By adding some drops of acetone you vary the consistency of the putty during some seconds. (more acetone more liquid)

My father added the canopy and the undercarriage on the 8 Hurricane during the weekend. He also moved the lights on the wings since the position for them on the fabric covered wing was not the same in the metallic one.

Here are some pictures

He also made the tropical filter of the L1699. See the following picture.

We believe that in 3 or 4 days the 8 Hurricane will be ready for painting.

Cheers

Santiago

[wyverns4]

We believe that in 3 or 4 days the 8 Hurricane will be ready for painting.

Cheers

Santiago

WOW!

Christian the Married

[keith in the uk]

Nice going , looks like a real Hurricane production line , will they be hand painted or airbrushed ?

[diamant]

Thanks Christian.

They will be airbrushed. :-)

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hello to all

Here is quick update. My father has made the installation of the 20 mm cannons on the L1750. Please observe below the pictures

On each small paper in front of the models appear the letter A or B which indicate the pattern of the camouflage correspondent.

He will paint the canopies and the he will paint the 8 models with primer.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hi Guys

Just a quick update showing the 8 Hurricane with a coat of primer.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hi

My father has marked all the panel lines and painted the canopies. Now the 8 models are ready for painting.

Cheers

Santiago

[Nick Millman]

Brilliant! The whole project is super and the fabric wing modification just beyond words - pure modelling. Did you stockpile the Hurricane kits over time and/or have any problems obtaining them?

I also found another photo of an RAF Mohawk III with modified camouflage. And I owe you an email about the SEAC Hurricanes! :-)

Kind regards

Nick

[diamant]

Hi Nick

Many thanks for your kindly comments and I am glad that you like our current project.

You are part of it since your contribution regarding the SEAC Hurricanes.

We bought aprox 35 kits some years ago and during the first months of this year we bought many Mk I by internet. We also bougth 12 Mk IIB (Revell) kits in the local markets and a few Mk IIC (Revell).

I am having problem to find the Sea Hurricane (we need aprox 3 more) and the Mk IIB (Revell). We need 19 kits of the Mk IIB. I hope to hear from you soon. :-)

My father painted all the Hurricane with the Dark Earth and paint a few details of the L1699, L2006 and Paddly III.

Cheers

Santiago

[keith in the uk]

The whole project is coming along nicely , When they are all finished its going to make a very impressive display

[The wooksta V2.0]

Might I suggest that if you manage to get one of the Sea Hurricanes you mould and cast the spedific bits for that type (the section for the hook)? May make your task a little easier. I'm also suprised that you converted all the wings. I would have done the one, moulded it and cast all the wings I needed from there.

It will be an impressive collection once it's done.

[diamant]

Many thanks for lookings guys

Might I suggest that if you manage to get one of the Sea Hurricanes you mould and cast the spedific bits for that type (the section for the hook)?

Thanks. Yes I thought it. The Revell Hurricane Mk IIC is much easier to obtain than the Sea Hurricane.

I'm also suprised that you converted all the wings. I would have done the one, moulded it and cast all the wings I needed from there.

We tried it. We cloned the fabric covered wing of the Sword kit but the ckoned pieces needed a lot of work and the result wasn't good enough.

This is a short list of all the modifications which were made by my father in these 8 Mk I Airfix’s kits in order to improve them just a little.

The “metallic” wings and elevator were converted into a fabric covered type.

All the “metallic surfaces were sanded and the corresponding panel lines marked.

The canopy was replace and two different types were made (with and without external armored).

The Kidney and RR exhaust were improved and cloned.

The under wheels bay was improved.

The interior was improved

The holes of the machine guns were made as well as the cannons for the L1750

The first type of tropical filter of the L1699

The front shape of the radiator was improved and the rear “door” was left in open position.

The carburetor intake was Improved. Replace of the navigation light on the rudder.

The three types of propeller and spinner were improved and cloned.

The holes for the engine started handle were made.

The rivets of the metal panels were marked.

In three cases the ventral strake was removed as well as the rudder modified.

The navigation light of the rudder was replaced.

The corresponding venturis were made.

The wheels were cloned and modified in order to appears as deflated.

Here is a picture. My father painted the Dark green coat yesterday.

The following ssteps will be the White coat, Black coat and Aluminium coat.

Hope you like it.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hi guys

This is just a quick update showing the progress on these models.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hello to all

Just a quick update. The 8 Hurricane are painted. Now is time to make a few details and after that they will be ready for the first coat of gloss varnish before applying the decals.

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hello

The Hurricanes are ready for applying the decals. Here are two pictures.

The next batch of Hurricane will include the following 4 aircrafts:

1) Hurricane Mk I LK/H L2047 - 87 Sqn - Lille-Seclin, France - may-40.

(Apparently the original upperwing 49 inch diameter Red/White/Blue/Yellow roundels were modified by overpainting the yellow and white areas in Dark Green.

2) Hurricane Mk I SO/K P3221 - 145 Sqn -Westhampnett - August 1940 (Fitted with an experimental blister hood).

3) Hurricane Mk I JX/B P3395 - 1 Sqn - Witering, UK - November 1940

4) Hurricane Mk I MF X 57 - P3549 - 59 OTU - RAF Crosby Eden - April 1942 (Used to train combat pilot. The Argentine Volunteer Pilot Officer Bernardo De Laminar used her in air acrobatic, formation flight, form fighter attacks section and dogfight with photogun during April 1942

Cheers

Santiago

[diamant]

Hi to all

Since we didn’t have the letters nor the numbers in white or black to add them under the wing of the early Hurricane we decided to make them. During the latest 3 weeks I have been doing more than fifty letter/numbers and I think that the result is good enough for me. Here is a picture.

My father applied the decals on all the Hurricane yesterday and except for the L1669 all are ready for the second coat of gloss varnish. I still have to make five black 6.

Cheers

Santiago

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

They're looking really good.