1/72 Hasegawa Hawker Hurricane MkII

by Eric Bade

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This kit is another Hasegawa classic featuring their standard quality in 1/72nd scale. It is a nice little model and one of the best starting bases to build a Hurricane in that scale. Hasegawa released several different boxings for the Hurricane differing in the nose area (MkI or Mk II with different engine cowling, the Mk II coming with or without sand filter) and in wing armament.

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Building

As you can expect with recent (I really mean up to 20 years in age – time flows) Hasegawa models this is a nice little kit that builds easily. Most parts and details are there, shapes are quite good but some details are missing.

First operation was building the half fuselages. This model fuselage is built in four main parts (half noses and aft rear fuselages to cater for the nose options (MkI or MkII according to boxing). I assembled my half fuselages before I started to detail the cockpit area

I talked about missing details. The cockpit for instance has all the walls to make a very simple but flat cockpit but decals are the only items to decorate the area. Result is neat but quite basic if you like details in your cockpits. I have several Hurricanes in waiting and several different details set options (PE or resin sets). I decided to use a resin cockpit designed by Hi Tech. Only the instrument panel was stolen from a PE set. As I wanted to show details I decided to cut the starboard side fuselage panel.

Once built up I cemented the cockpit in position between the fuselage halves.

Wings were quickly added. I just wanted something more elaborate for my landing lights; I built two lamps from stretched transparent sprue then I cemented them in position in the leading edge recess.

Landing gears were detailed with wire. 

Painting and finishing 

All surfaces were smoothed with a moderate use of fine grain sand paper. Details were added before I started to paint the model.

I used Gunze aqueous paints throughout, except on the occasional metallic colours. All under-surfaces were painted black : actually extra dark grey, mixing different ratios of black and grey. I did not want a plain black belly, and I wanted to give the black under-surfaces an uneven finish, with panels being darker than others.

Once done, I masked all areas around landing gear wells. I believe wheel wells were left natural metal, as were landing gears and doors inner surfaces. I used Xtracolour silver paint on all these surfaces.

Then top camouflage was painted with RAF green and a mix of greys (following Hasegawa instructions). I read RAF a/c were painted with masks giving hard edges (or semi hard edges) effects but I feel hard edges are funny on models. I therefore painted free hand.  

Decals come from an Aeromaster sheet. The nose art and the black belly attracted me. The process was the same as ever. I sprayed a moderate layer of gloss varnish over main paint, then decals were applied. I then used thinned oil paint (sepia and black, thinned with white spirit) to mark panel lines. Then I sprayed a light coat of matt varnish before I finished weathering with powders.  

I added small details around the aircraft :

  • access ladder from PE

  • antenna from PE

  • position lights were painted : this time I painted lights silver and coloured them the appropriate Tamiya translucent colour

  •  a vacuum formed one replaced kit canopy

  •  landing lights transparent glazing covers were built with small bits of crystal clear cement tape 

I was happy with this little model. It was quite easy to build and that is my first Hurricane ever.

Eric 

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Photos and text © by Eric Bade