Free French Hurricane Mk II C Trop.

1/48 Scale Hasegawa

by Laurent “Angus” Beauvais

--------------------

 

Back again with my personal SIG: non French aircraft in French markings, with a focus on the Free French. This time the classic Hawker Hurricane, a plane that I didn’t find wonderful before starting the superb Hasegawa kit, highly recommended.  

The FAFL (Free France Air Force) regiment Alsace went to Egypt in 1942 and was equipped with Hurricane Mk I in English colors, awaiting for Mk II. Those aircraft arrived in August 1942 and were send back to the 417 squadron on September the 6th.

Aircraft Z4615 was dedicated to high altitude interception and was equipped with only 4 machine guns.

My intention was to build this kit from the box, but finally I did change some few things.

  • Image 01 and 02: Hasegawa cockpit is very good, just add seat belts (aluminium tape), a cushion (eraser) and paint it.

  • Image 03: Exhaust pipes are hollowed

  • Image 04: landing gear is sufficient, no need to enhance it 

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

 

  • Image 05: Elevators are cut and positioned to make something more realistic, more alive

  • Image 06: origin transparent part, even if they are very good, are too thick, in particular if you want to open the canopy

  • Image 07: so new parts are thermoformed

  • Image 08: and canopy frame is realized with aluminium tape

  • Image 09: Consequently, the 1mm step in the rear of the canopy has to be filled, it’s not here on the real aircraft.

  • Image 10: Wing light is detailed and its glass thermoformed

  • Image 11: Marching is thinned and a handle is added

  • Image 12: Front oil protection ring is removed and recreated to have a L shape

Regarding the paint technic, the French Hurricane were old RAF Hurricanes, so not brand new ones. I decided to practice a weathering based on the pastel powder technic

  • Image 13: First paint the aircraft in the standard color : Azur Blur below (personal mixture), Middle stone (Tamiya XF60) and Dark earth (Tamiya XF52) above. When finishing each color, I had some white I and spray the center of each panel

  • Image 14: Then I spray again slightly the normal color to soften the effect

  • Image 15: The result is a paint scheme with some effects, but it still looks flat

  • Image 16: At this stage, I decided to paint the main insignias to have a darker, a good white and to be sure that I would have no problem with positioning the decals on the shapes of the Hurricane.

  • Image 17: Now it’s polishing time, either with a very soft sand paper of simply with a toilet paper. Here it’s polished on the right side only.

  • Image 18: Then with a brush I put brown pastel powder on the engaved lines

  • Image 19: and with a (clean, it’s better) toilet paper I wipe it.

  • Image 20 and 21:  Same thing with blank pastel powder in the center of the panels.

Then you have to:

  • Spray a gloss varnish
  • Put the last decals
  • Put a dark brown juice in the engraved lines and make dirty the inferior surfaces and in particularly the engine
  • Spray a matt varnish

That’s it, hope you like it.

Laurent

Click on images below to see larger images

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

Photos and text © by Laurent “Angus” beauvais