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Hawker Hurricane IIC By Graham Green
The Mk IIC was the most produced of the entire Hurricane variants. 4711 were built. Although cannon had been tested during a feasibility study on a Mk I airframe, the Mk IIC was the first to introduce the cannon to the Hurricane on the production line.
The Mk IIC carried two 20mm Hispano (or Oerlikon) cannons in each wing. This additional weight required more power to improve the aircraft's performance. The Merlin XX unit of some 1280 horsepower provided this performance boost. The airframe also had the capacity for underwing bomb racks when on offensive sweeps over the Channel and long range fuel tanks when used as a night fighter.
Cockpit The cockpit as supplied is very good There is a decal for the instrument panel but it is good enough to paint and dry brush to get the detail to stand out. A blob of clear varnish applied to each instrument will simulate the glass very well and gives a depth to the instrument face.
The fuselage will needed some attention to get rid of the 'sagging' effect of the fabric covering which, I feel, has been exaggerated. Firstly mask-off the metal areas and then spray with a couple of coats of Automotive Filler primer available in aerosol form. After removing the masking rub down the filler with wet and dry paper, used wet (and with a little soap), until the raised stringers are just showing grey plastic. At this point the 'sagging' covering should have disappeared and the stringers should be only just apparent. For this model you need the deeper chin cowling from the Tropical kit version.
Wing A dry fitting session revealed that the only part of the wings that was really fiddly was Part B4, the fairing at the wing centre section leading edge. This abuts the chin cowling of the engine bay. I considered it better to fit this after the wing was in place.
A little filler was required where the fairing joins the lower wing cut-out and also where the gun section is inserted into the wing leading edge.
Canopy The canopy comes as a closed item which seems a shame as there is so much to see inside the cockpit. I cut the sliding section from the windscreen, but when it comes time to fit it in place it rides high on top of the Hurricane's fuselage hump and looks ridiculous. A Falcon Vacform, or Squadron canopy will solve this problem.
Undercarriage The undercarriage is nicely moulded with delicately detailed legs and actuating struts. The wheels have the correct camber angle when looked at from the front. The wheel doors are also good, with the thick double skinning and recess for the main undercarriage oleo leg. I sprayed the wheel hubs and undercarriage legs with Alclad aluminium 'O'. The tyres were painted with Aeromaster 'Tyre' acrylic and I used a cocktail stick to pushed into the axle hole of the wheel to enable me to rotate the wheel whilst painting the tyre colour by brush. Allow the brush to creep into the rim edge to give a good line between hub and tyre.
The 'solid' rear identification light on the rudder was removed and replaced using PVA white glue, carefully building up layers until the correct shape is attained, which does not take long, and the PVA glue dries clear. Just protect it with a coat of Johnson's 'Kleer' or acrylic varnish.
The idea for this aeroplane came from an image on a calendar which featured the paintings of a well known South African artist, Ron Bellings, of aircraft from the South African Air Force during WW2. The Hurricane, a machine used in South Africa by II OTU at Waterkloof caught my eye, who said there weren't any colourful WWII Hurries! The wide yellow bands around the wings and fuselage certainly 'liven' the standard camouflage scheme.
The camouflage is Dark green Dark Earth and Azure Blue for the undersides and I used Xtracolor paints to colour the model. The roundels were the standard RAF colours unlike other Hurricanes of the SAAF. The black numbers were created in a drawing programme (Illustrator) and printed onto decal film using a Laser printer. I think it makes a nice change to make an aircraft from 'behind the lines' and it certainly enlivens my Hurricane collection.
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on the Thumbnails to view images full sized.
Text, Models and Images Copyright © 2000 by Graham
Green
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