Fighting Colours
but what colors art they?
Fighting Colours is a Kookaburra title by Michael JF Bowyer covering Royal Air Force camouflage and markings from 1937 to 1975. Chapter six addresses the RAF's shift to the offensive in 1941. In a subheading titled Important Colour Changes the author describes observing 56 Squadron in two top-side grays. "Whether these colours equated any of future months is not possible to say. Squadron codes were still light grey."
This is the Heller 1/72 Hawker Hurricane IIc. I completed it many years ago but I thought it was interesting enough to post here because of the unusual color combination. The kit is very nice in my opinion. I left the raised panel lines and painted it with mixed Pactra paints except for the underside Medium Sea Gray using a Binks Wren B with no masks.
There was no interior to speak of but the wheels were the weakest point of the kit. I had a set of True Details wheels that were a definite improvement, but never put the landing gear on the airframe. When Barracuda Studios came out with their resin Hurricane wheels I bought them in all three scales. The 1/48 will likely be used on a Hasegawa IIc and the 1/32 on a PCM kit.
So there it is, another road marker on my journey to the present. Next time I will post a more recently completed project.
Very nice
Thank you George.
Cool looking Hurricane.
Thanks George. I have another Heller IIc in the stash I bought on eBay to replace a cannon barrel that went missing on this one. I will use the very nice Master Models brass as replacements on the next build. That way I have three more donor barrels for this one for when the inevitable happens.
An excellent little Heller that looks bigger than 1/72, Russel!
Well done!
Thanks Spiros. I do not qualify as a boffin, but I enjoy looking into the particulars of RAF camouflage. The book I referred to has no color photos or illustrations, but I found it very worthwhile as the author wrote from notes he made as a youth observing the comings and goings of aircraft in the UK where he lived.
Great Hurricane in grey, Russel @russjurco
Thank you John. I do not have any display cases, so my finished builds have been safely put away in boxes in the basement. One day I might upgrade to a display case in the basement; the only place there is room for one.
Very nice Hurricane Russel. It's nice to see everyones older builds from time to time. I still have a bunch of older kits in my stash. I really think there's a lot to be said for the older kits. There great to build when you NEED to take a break from all the "hyper" detailed kits we're spoiled with nowadays. There is nothing wrong with a nice clean build of an old kit. Beautiful job.
Thank you Clint. This kit might not hold a candle to the much newer Arma kit, but for its age I have to say Heller did a commendable job. And you are correct about decompressing with a simple build now and then.
a great-looking Hurricane, and I too am a fan of the "old" kits! (working on an ancient Airfix bv-141 now...). Really like that camo scheme - unusual.
I remember that Airfix Bv141. Scalemates says it was released in 1971. The pilot/gunner pod is not that different from a Fw-189. I am looking forward to seeing it here on iModeler.
Nice build and finish on that oldie!
Thank you Chas.
Love it Russell 🙂
Thanks Scott. I did manage to launch the carburetor air intake from a pair of tweezers so I fashioned a new one from an Evergreen strip. For some reason I thought the Mk.II had an elongated intake but after reviewing more photos I think I was wrong. So some revisions needed. I have come to understand modelers often used phrase: calling this one done.
Well done Russell, she looks good in gray.
Thanks Tom. Reading Bowyer’s Fighting Colors and thinking of a young aviation enthusiast hanging around airfields making observing and notes brought to mind my 1979 trip out west and stopping by Davis-Monthan Air Force Base where I watched those strange new A-10s flying low over the terrain.