Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Airfix 1:72 Hawker Hurricane MkI


When I was 13 I needed to go in for an operation. My Dad feeling sorry for my gave me an Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk I to build while I recovered. I remember so much about that kit, the box art the decals the parts and the day I found a picture of it's Pilot Robert Stanford Tuck. I had a lot of fun with that kit, until one dark day when my younger sister dropped her shoe on it (it's a weird story) My Hurricane was smashed and several times I tried repairing it but it just kept in breaking. 

Though Airfix did give us a new tooled Hurricane Mk II/ Sea Hurricane. It was I think the Mk I that we really all wanted and we finally got one.... an early one from 1938, but not that beautiful iconic Hurricane that helped with the Battle of Britain. Well a year later we got one, This particular model is from the Battle of France, we did get a Battle of Britain Hurricane it comes in Airfix's starter kit. I plan on getting that one as well, but I was terribly more excited about building a new Hurricane.


People have come to expect great new kits with these new releases, and Airfix delivers again. The construction is wonderful the only real problem I found was that the wing root was too high and simply needed to be sanded down for a snug fit. The cockpit has loads of detail, and the canopy pieces are thin and clear. However I question the front wind screen, which appears to be from Earlier version of the Hurricane. One nice addition is the propeller/ spinner assembly, can be added after the model is completed. This made painting the spinner much easier.


I've seen other modelers add this as well and I agree is that the canopy cannot be posed open without work to sand it down. Due to the thin plastic I though that this was possible. The Decals are Cartograph and lay down with little solvent.  I used Model Master Enamels for the top surfaces, RAF Green and Dark Earth. I find them to be the closest to the colors used at this time. And Tamiya Flat White and Black for the underside. Marking shown in Identification paint scheme. 




There's more detail in this little kit than in some 48th scale Hurricanes. And It's very appreciated. This was the 4th Hurricane I built in 2014, and I look forward to the new 48th kit coming this year!





To see the build in action Click the following links bellow:








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