Whether a modeler follows the kit instructions implicitly or regards them as just another man's opinion, most will start an aircraft kit with the cockpit. Then, there is me. Sure, I would have loved to jump right into building that lovely MDC resin cockpit for my Hurricane but, I decided to first address this kits major problem which is the landing gear bay and, while I am at it, most of the lower wing. Once this is out of the way, I predict the rest of the build will be smooth sailing.
Looking at the landing gear bay (and the lower wing in general) all I can say is "Yikes". What were the Revell engineers thinking when they designed the landing gear bay for their Hurricane? Or better yet, what did they use for reference if they used a reference at all? All I can say is the molded on kit landing gear bay has to go and a new one scratch built. Easier said than done, but I am going to give it a go anyhow. While I was at it, I decided to start rescribing panel lines and removing those God awful raised rivets.
Something I noticed about these older kits. When these kits were produced, they were done at a time when a model kit was also considered a toy. I guess the manufacturers figured that, once little Johnny finished off his Hurricane, Messerschmitt, Fokker, etc, he would take it for a whirl around his room in imaginary dogfights and such (admit it, all of you have done this and some of you still do it to this day). Because of this, the kit manufacturers had the forethought to make their kits out of some very hard super plastic in order to have their product withstand the stresses put on the airframe by excited young boys. Great if you are an armchair fighter ace but not so great if you are seriously trying to clean up the kit. Let me tell you all, sanding off the raised detail on this kit is a major chore. The rivets and such do not want to be sanded away. So, with some heavy grit sanding sponges, a shot of whiskey, and a lot of "Oi" music pumping through the stereo speakers, I spent two nights cleaning up the lower wing and adding some detail to some of the related parts. This is where I am at so far.
16 attached images. Click to enlarge.
