1/48 Hurricane Mk.1 H.J. Davidson 249 Sqn BoB Ace

[N4521U]

Well the problem with the green is the PE door panel is this same green. It would have looked a little out of place had I gone different. But the photo and the flash makes the actual color a bit greener.

So I finished painting and assembling the cockpit with instrument panel. BUT, fitting it into the hole, what is That all about. Why does the armor plate fit Behind that panel, the circle area. My only choice was to cut it out, so I did. I'll finish it off when the halves are together. This seems a little odd to me that this fits so badly. Anyone else experienced this????

The C-pit assembly will not fit into the fusey halves together, it must be installed before. But I found the locating tabs, they were where the circles are, were in the way. Cutting them and trimming them off allows the c-pit assy to be put in place After the fusey halves are glued together. So now I don't have to be so careful in finishing off all the seams.

I sailor on. But now that the c-pit issue is resolved I can take a little more time with it.

Should I open the entry door???? or leave it closed. The glass will be pulled back into the open position.

Opinions?

 

[Airframes]

Hm. That armour plate should align with the forward edge of the upper coaming, which of course entails removing the half bulkhead, which you've done. Looks like it should work out.
The 'entry door' is actually the emergency escape hatch, and wasn't normally used on the ground, unless ground crew removed it for ease of access. Entry was made via the pull down and 'kick in' steps on the port side. The escape hatch was held closed by one simple bolt, and the canopy in the runners, and it was not unknown for the hatch to blow out in flight, when the canopy was open, if the latch bolt wasn't fully slotted in place!

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice, and great info Terry!

 

[N4521U]

Yes, and something I had no idea of since the Spitfire had the door, I just figgered the same for the Hurri. I will leave it as it is.

I have the fuselage and wings assys together now, not attached. Cleaning up the seams.Just doing stuff. Will start fitting gears and doors.

How simple are planes...... damned helicopters.
I may use this for a siggy!

 

[Peebs]

looking good so far!

 

[Crimea_River]

A very odd fit issue. Inexcusable really.

 

[Wayne Little]

Agreed, but as usual...Adapt and overcome.....then.....great result. Nice bill!

 

[N4521U]

Looking good Bill, but agree with Andy. Also, some of the tubular frames were often finished in 'Aluminium', a silver paint finish, as were the heel boards, but check references to confirm, as this could vary between factories (eg Hawker and Gloster).

Damn. The only ref photos I have in color show the whole of the interior in green. I did intend to do some silvering of the heel slides, forgot! I have a couple of manual interior diagrams, but black and white, copies of copies, one cannot tell what is and what isn't green. I will at least try and add silver to the slides.

 

[Airframes]

I wouldn't worry about it Bill. if you really want to re-paint areas, then everything above the upper horizontal frames (the ones level with the bottom of the emergency hatch) was grey-green, and the frames below in 'silver', but there were cases of all of the cockpit itself being green, with frames forward of the instrument panel, and everything aft, being silver.

 

[Lucky13]

Looks great!

 

[karenmaf]

I don't really understand the ins and outs of model making but looks good to me! Can't wait to see the finished article

 

[N4521U]

Since I am now waiting on new correct gear pontoons for my #15 GB helicopter I thought I would get a some more done on this little guy.

In my searching for photos I ran across a forum, where I have no idea, that 249 was transferred too a field where 56 Sqn was located. I also read that 249 Sqn wa flying 56 Sqn planes during the month of September? Don't know how true this is at all. Anybody know anything about this? Or was 249 in fact transferred with their own Hurricanes. Am trying to narrow it down to Harry flying US*Y of 56 Sqn or GN*Y of his own 249 Sqn. I know later 249 went to Malta with Spitfires, and were marked GN*_. And the number of photos of Hurricanes with GN code letters is just too numerous for them to have been flying US marked planes during the month of Sept.

**I think I have convinced myself the planes flown by 249 were their own GN aircraft, and thems the codes I will be using. I now have the serial numbers for his aircraft, first victory GN*Y and last GN*P. This one will be the "Y" plane and I will build another of the "P" plane.

Terry, do you have anything further in the picture dept?

I now have the gear legs and wheels painted. The radiators painted, housings attached. Just have to do some fitting of the wing ass'y to the fusey. Painted the prop, but need photos of the spinner color so I can paint that and put the propeller ass'y together. Close to painting the whole plane now. Just have to put one bend in the clear plastic cover of the display case I have been making at work and that will be done.

 

[rochie]

Bill as far as i know the vast majority of RAF fighters had black spinners during the BoB, there were exceptions of course but i dont think that many !

after that they were changed to "sky" along with a tail band of the same colour

 

[meatloaf109]

If you are doing the malta thing, then the theatre "red" would be in order, I believe.

 

[Airframes]

Bill, as stated in the info already provided, 249 Sqn were using the aircraft of 56 Sqn in the first week of September. The aircraft retained the 'US' codes of 56 until at least the 7th September, as there wasn't time to re-paint them. They were gradually re-painted with the 'GN' codes from about the 9th of September.
The spinner colour during the BoB period was definitely black, in all squadrons, although there were the odd exceptions with squadron COs or Flight Commanders. The 'Sky' spinner wasn't introduced until late November, followed by the 'Sky' tail band.
So far, I've only found a couple of distant shots of 249's Hurricanes, but it's possible that some shots of 56 Sqn aircraft were taken during the period when 249 were using them before re-painting the codes.

 

[meatloaf109]

Oops, my bad, I misread the post.
Agreed, black spinner.

 

[N4521U]

Terry, you're a lifesaver. In plane english now I understand. So I will use US*Y ***(now to find the serial for US_Y) for his first victory as it was on the 2nd of Sept. and GN*P for his last on 27th Sept.

In his log book however he has logged he flew "self" to North Weald in aircraft "V" on the 1st of Sept. ***I also went back and found that 56 Sqn was relieved by 249 after battle losses and R&R before they took delivery of Typhoons which were marked US*_

Now for the A B paint schemes, does someone have the patterns???
***Okay, I'm a sook. I went back to Terry's Hurri and it had an odd serial number, ending number? So I will go by his camo for A&B. So my odd will have his, and even the reverse.

I sailor on.

 

[N4521U]

Well then..............

Some pictures of my progress. The little "jig" I have made to keep the horizontal stabs flat and in-line. Just a horse shoe of styrene and 5x5 styrene bar glued up. Just make sure the 5x5's are on a flat surface when they are glued to the horse shoe.

Gear legs, and propeller......

 

[Airframes]

Looking good, and glad you're sorted Bill.
BTW, 56 Sqn moved from North Weald to Boscombe Down on 1st September 1940, so were still in the Battle, but in a relatively quiet sector. They moved to Middle Wallop at the end of November, then back to 'Weald on 17th December. They re-equipped with Hurricane MkIIBs from Feb 1941 to Jan '42, getting the first Typhoon 1As in Sept 1941, for conversion to type, and became operational by end of year, but still retaining Hurricanes and Typhoons, going fully to Typhoon Mk1Bs in March '42 until May '44. They then had Spit MkIXs for just about one month, before converting to Tempest Vs.
249 Squadron did not operate Typhoons, staying with Hurricane Mk1 and MkII before moving to Spitfire MkV and MkIX, the Mustang III and IV, having left the UK for the MTO in May 1941, and not returning until July 1957.

 

[N4521U]

Great information Terry.
Glad you like what I am doing.
Hope you are on the mend......