MPC (ex-Airfix) 1/72 Hurricane
Since my return back into this hobby last year, I basically just want to build the old kits that I had a chance to build back in the 60’s to 70’s. I really do not mind if it does not look perfect but I do like to see if the older kits can be improved some. So last year when I was looking for something to keep the wheels rolling on my builds I chose this kit, MPC’s Hawker Hurricane Mk. I.
This kit is actually the very old Airfix Hurricane Mk. IV.RP that was first released in 1957 but boxed by MPC in 1971 as a Mk. I. I’ve always wanted to build this kit again but it stayed in my stash for many years just waiting. This was my first Hurricane that I made back in 1973, I have build the later Airfix, Matchbox and Heller releases but never went back to this kit until last year. I decided to make the same version that I made back in 1973, a Mk. 1 with the codes (YB*J) and do some improvements but not get too carried away on the build. I ended up doing a bit more than what I really wanted to do but in the end I am happy with it. It will never win any big contest but that was not my goal. I just wanted to make it, have some fun with it and that goal was truly met!
The following are the upgrades done on this build: Used Palva’s resin De Havilland propeller, CMK resin Hurricane replacement wheels (these needed to be filed down, they were too big) and exhaust stacks, scratch built the cockpit, radiator, carburetor inlet, enclosed the wheel wells, build up the main landing gear doors, added landing lights, the wing to body area needed to be trimmed down to a more correct shape and sanded off all of the rivets, raised lines and scribed some lines.
So here I present MPC’s Hawker Hurricane Mk. I, I hope you guys like.
22 additional images. Click to enlarge.
John Healy said on May 11, 2021
Nice! Fun is what this is all about.
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you John. đź‘Ť.
Spiros Pendedekas said on May 11, 2021
I agree with John, Bob!
And your model looks amazing!
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you Spiros.
John vd Biggelaar said on May 11, 2021
Well done, Bob.
Fully agree that fun is what really counts.
If you are satisfied with the end result, then you can call it a winner.
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Yes to the joy of building and thank you.
Ian Foulkes said on May 11, 2021
Nice job Bob! I remember that kit from a long time ago! First in a bag and then upped to series 2 and boxed. Didn’t it also come with the underwing cannon’s as well?
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Ian, it had rockets since it originally was packages as a Mk. IV but with no cannons. The kit that came with the 40 mm cannons was Airfix’s 1972 (new tool) release. This also had bombs and external fuel tanks, it can be built as a Mk. I or II. This later release was also boxed by MPC with crew figures.
1 attached image. Click to enlarge.
Bill Koppos said on May 11, 2021
Sow’s ear…..into….silk purse. Looks great.
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thanks Bill.
George Schembri said on May 11, 2021
Very nice Bob! You dressed up this little gem and made it shine.
I recently saw and held this MPC kit in a LHS selling it as ‘pre-owned’ and decided not to take the challenge.
Your build looks like a WINNER to me.
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you George.
David Mills said on May 11, 2021
Great work Bob wonderful to see this it was my first Airfix kit as a lad – back in the 60’s!
Dates me a bit though!
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you David, a time capsule it is.
Robert Royes said on May 11, 2021
Nice up grading! Looks great! one of my first kits way back was he Airfix P-40E.
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you Robert, I have my eyes on that same P-40 kit to make sometime in the hopefully near future. Still one of my favorite kits from back then.
Greg Kittinger said on May 11, 2021
Nicely done! I’m a big fan of upgrading old kits with a little elbow grease and some new decals – I find it enjoyable, and always seem to like the results better than the modern shake-and-bake kits!
Bob Torres said on May 11, 2021
Thank you Greg, yes like you mentioned the extra work is probably the fun part of these builds.
Rob Anderson said on May 11, 2021
Wonderful! I can’t remember how many “Profile Series” kits I built as a kid in the 70s, At the time one of the few series that gave multiple options in a kit. Our local “Little bit of everything” Pre-Walmart store, Bi-Mart had a great model section, and stocked a ton of these kits. I spent many hours as a boy and then as a teen, looking over them and occasionally being allowed to choose one. All of course were, as you noted, Airfix, some were dogs some were wonderful. The box art was inspirational! I love your Hurricane and thanks for the memories!
Bob Torres said on May 12, 2021
Rob, the three options decals sheets were great to have even though some of their decals were not that great to apply. But still back in 1973 to 1975 at least 1/2 of all of my builds were these “Profile Series.” They were cheaper than the original Airfix kits and I had a blast making them…
Allan J Withers said on May 12, 2021
Nicely done and detailed Bob, looks good.
Bob Torres said on May 12, 2021
Thank you Allen.
Bernard Bedeur said on May 12, 2021
I Love those older kits Bob ! Well done kit . What did you use to enclose the wheel bays? did You dremel the excess down? That looks very nice.
Bob Torres said on May 13, 2021
Bernard, thank you. I used a thin styrene sheet cut in the length so I can glue into the wheel wells and follow the shape as bet as I can get. After it dried, I used a razor knife to trim off the excess, then sanded smooth to the lower wings surface. It was not perfect but looked good enough.
George R Blair Jr said on May 12, 2021
Very nicely done, Bob (@v1pro). I also like to build kits that are nostalgic for me, such as Monogram, Revell, some Otaki, old Hasegawa. Ah…the old days.
Bob Torres said on May 13, 2021
George, thank you. I think some of these old kits can still be made into great looking builds.
Jay Mitchell said on June 7, 2021
That’s a lot of work you did on this Hurricane , looks very nice .
Bob Torres said on June 8, 2021
Jay, thank you. I enjoyed the extra work done for this build, I wish they all can be like this one. This kit I would like to make again, maybe in a Finnish or Romanian markings or make it as a Mk. II, all desert out with 40mm cannons under its wings.