1/48 Hurricane Mk I – Mediterranean Theatre of Operations

[Vic Balshaw]

Username: Vic Balshaw
First name: Vic
Category: Judge – Non competing
Scale: 1/48
Manufacturer: Italeri Kit 2708

Extras: Eduard ED49594 detail set, Eduard and EDEX346 Mask with a bit of scratch building.

My subject is Hurricane V7101: Flown by Flt Lt George Burges DFC, No 69 Squadron, RAF Luqa, Malta May 1941

I had intended to build this aircraft for GB 23 as one of the few Hurricanes sold to Romania and used on the Eastern Front in the early days of the conflict but time, enthusiasm and energy deserted me. So now I'll just pull it into GB 24 operating from Malta. I should also motion at this point that I had started the build a couple of days ago before deciding on entering it into this GB, but as you can see not much progress has been made apart from the adding of PE detail.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

George Burges was a founder member of the Gladiator Fighter Flight at Hal Far, and claimed seven victories, becoming an ace while flying a Hurricane on 18 January 1941. Later that month he reverted to his primary role of reconnaissance with 69 Squadron flying Marylands. 69 Squadron received this Hurricane for flying against more dangerous targets, the fighter being lightened and fitted with two cameras. It was also repainted PR Blue, and George Burges flew it regularly until leaving Malta on 6 June 1941. (google.com.au)

There is some contention as the exact colour of this aircraft, one sources sighting the PR Blue and another in Bosun Blue. The vertical fin in both cases retaining the original camouflage which is also contentious with it being either Dark Green/Dark Earth or Dark Earth/Middle Stone.
As for the camera fitting and the lightning of the aircraft, again this is open to conjecture. Some sources say the cameras were two or maybe three in number and that the guns were removed with modified fuel tanks replacing them.

Here are a couple of extracts which I have pulled off the internet which help to clarify some details.

To meet the urgent need for a suitable high level reconnaissance platform on Malta, Hurricane V7101 was stripped of all non essential items to save weight and improve performance. At some time the empty gun bays were used to house additional fuel tanks probably salvaged from other aircraft on the island so the aircraft could reach Sicily. In the hands of Flight Lieutenant George Burgess it provided valuable intelligence about enemy activity.
Burgess stated that the aircraft displayed some undesirable flying characteristics at very high altitude, probably as a result of the rearward shift of the centre of gravity when two F.24 cameras were installed behind the pilot's seat. (aviationclassics.co.uk)

and

There was one Hurricane that was painted blue for a certainty - this was a Hurricane Mk I V7101 which had been converted to a photo-reconnaissance machine by 69 Sqn.

According to 'Malta the Hurricane Years' by Chris Shores, Brian Cull and Nicola Malizia (Grub Street 1987) V7101 was modified by removing the guns, adding extra fuel and oil tanks, two cameras in the fuselage behind the cockpit, with a perspex viewing panel in the floor of the cockpit, and replacing the windscreen with a one-piece unit made out of half a Blenheim astro-dome!

The Hurricane, apart from the tail unit, which remained in the Dark Earth/Light Earth/Sky camouflage, was in a locally mixed overall PR Blue. The only other markings were the serial No and standard roundels and fin flashes. (kitmaker.net)

As a footnote, Model Alliance Decals also have a Hurricane Mk I, Ser No P3144 reportedly flown by George Burges while in Malta. Research through the internet reveal that this aircraft was sadly shot down on the 19th July 1940 after having only been in squadron service 6 days. The pilot Flight Sergeant G.Turner was in combat with a Bf 109 over Dover and he suffered bad burns after bailing out, the aircraft crashing in flames at Hougham, Kent. It is believed that a replica of this aircraft was built in 2009 using the same serial number.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Progress so far:

 

[JKim]

Ah another fast start! Love the details on that one. How are the Eduard PE parts? I'm going to be playing with similar on my Jug soon enough.

 

[Crimea_River]

An interesting entry Vic. With so much contention about the scheme, nobody's going to say it'll be wrong!

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks John and I usually have no problem with the fit of the Eduards PE, as long as you trim close to the part and use a bit of common sense when having to bend parts, I've found that the bending seams don't take kindly to being moved more than once, I also if remembered, scratch the back of the PE with a bit of rough abrasive. Also if using the self adhesive PE, just use only tweezers to pick-up and place, any dust getting on the adhesive, drastically reduces the adhesion effect.

 

[dneid]

Oh, good info on the self adhesive PE, Vic. I have one or two of those for a couple of on the shelf projects. I am looking forward to watching you on this one. Also, thanks for the idea of roughing up the back of the PE prior to cementing them down. All good input I will put to use.

 

[Wayne Little]

look forward to this Vic, have a couple of the tamiya boxings of this one!

 

[Wurger]

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks for the comments guys and it's been a good day in the hanger.

I've all most done everything in the cockpit, just have a couple of bits to paint up and the assembly will start. Here is the latest update.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Crimea_River]

Nice work so far Vic.

 

[javlin]

Nice have this in the stash/acquisition from last week and contemplating that scheme for the GB.Seems I being nudged onto the Ju88

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Many thanks folks.

 

[Wildcat]

Great work so far Vic! I like the colour scheme too.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

Thanks Andy.

Made more good progress today folks. Finished off the cockpit and engine and brought the two fuselage halves together. Also did the wings and have found one side is not well aligned as you can see by the step in pic 5. I've since pulled this apart and re-glued but found that if I had the two halves aligned at the front, the back is out and vice versa. Also did a dry run with fuselage to wings and this looks to be a reasonable match.

Last of all a bit of a mod to the oil cooler.

 

[le_steph40]

 

[Wurger]

 

[Wildcat]

Excellent Vic!

 

[Crimea_River]

Good stuff Vic.