Small but colourful Hurricane

[Robert1968]

Hi there chaps this is my latest foray into the colourful art of WW2 Aircraft. The kit was purchased through Forum ( thanks Si ). When I was doing my Hurricane racer, I did a little research and this Red plane came up so even though it's 1/72 ( small scale, it went together easily.


Painting was airbrushed with Tamiya and Vallejo paints, Humbrol Wash and decals were sourced from my spares drawer. 


The Plane was used for calibration. I could only find limited information on this subject but I have included this in my model description 


Hope you enjoy 


regards 


Robert 

[yak face]

Nice one robert , should sit well next to the blue racer , i can see a theme developing here! great job , cheers tony

[Guest]

That's nice, Robert - a very original. Makes a change from all that Dk Earth/Dk Green/Sky!

[papa 695]

Very nice Robert are you going to do the others on the Strange list. 

[Lee W]

Strangely different, although very nice!


Lee

[Guest]

Nicely done Robert.

[stona]

Nice job


The reason you can't find much information on this aircraft is because, though there is no doubt that P2992 existed and that  it joined 527 Sq at Castle Camps in 6/43 when the unit formed, serving until an engine fire did for it in 7/44, there is not much evidence for the scheme in the public domain


Here's what Mason says about the unit (p.180 my copy).


"Another Hurricane-equipped calibration squadron was No 527 Squadron, whose Hurricane Is and IIBs, usually equipped with 44-gallon long-range tanks, flew as detachments at Sutton Bridge, Coltishall, Castle Camps, Snailwell and Digby to provide oversea calibration of the CH Type I radars at Stenigot, West Beckham, Stoke Holy Cross, High Street, Bawdsey, Bromley and Canewdon."


As for the slightly contentious scheme, it first appeared back in the early 70s and was attributed to 'private sources' which can mean that there is photographic evidence which someone doesn't want published. I am not aware of a published photograph to support the profile, but that doesn't mean that it is incorrect, it just means that we can't prove it one way or the other.


I think it was Nick Millman who suggested in a thread about this, over on Britmodeller, that the orange finish might have been what we now call a day-glo paint. These paints were developed in the US during the 1930s. He knows a thing or two about paints! The idea may have been to make the aircraft highly visible to the Mk I eyeball so that its position could be plotted against that shown on the radar. The 'highly reflective' finish was for the benefit of human observers, not the radar. This is informed guess work, and we will probably never know for sure!


Cheers


Steve

[john i am]

Different and Very nicely done Robert 

[Gwyn]

great little model, so different.

[colin m]

Very nice. Great finish.

[eddiesolo]

Glad it was okay for you Robert, nice work indeed and something very unusual. Like it mate.

[flyjoe180]

Unusual and rare Hurricane scheme Robert, I like it. Interesting background info as usual Steve.

[Robert1968]

I'm going to try the Hurricane MK iv if I can get a good hurricane kit in 1/48 ( looking at Italieri ) 


i would like  also to do the top strange hurricane I believe it's a photo recon version 


1/72 is ok but I believe that the 1/48 or larger gives you more scope to get details right ( or wrong in some cases!!


thanks guys for the positive feedback ( I forgot to paint the warning yellow tips on the prop blades  but I realised that and now I've corrected


regards 


Roebrt