**** DONE: 1/48 Hurricane Mk1 V6555 S/L RR Stanford Tuck BoB GB

[ozhawk40]

Great stuff! Given that the Hurricane behind Tuck and the group is V6555, the the last profile you posted is the correct pattern, in the 'B Scheme'.
I've been checking a lot of info, and come across an anomaly in the same publication, which describes the 'A' and 'B' schemes, then shows some profiles which are totally the opposite to the descriptions and diagrams ! I've was thinking there might have been a typo, but I now think the profiles were wrong (it is an old book !).
I just need to check a couple of other things before I can confirm the camouflage pattern, and should have this done by late tonight.

Thanks Terry, I'm busy on it also. The group photo in the Flypast article must be dated after the battle with the Italians on remembrance day 1940 11/11/40. I'm not sure if this discounts it as being V6555, and is one of the later ones.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Airframes]

Corrections.
Right, I've now sorted it, and further details for general use will be posted in the 'BoB Bits Box' thread. But for now, this is what it looks like for Tuck's Hurricane(s).
1). The photo in the 'Fly Past' article would appear to be taken at the same as, or a still from, the footage taken after the Italian raid of november 11th.( This was shortly before the introduction of the black underside to the port wing, and the Sky spinner and tail band, on 27th November). The Hurricane shown appears to be in the 'B' Scheme, so very possibly
V6864. Note that this aircraft has the Rotol prop.
2) The 'A' Scheme was normally applied to aircraft whose serial number ended with an odd number, and the 'B' Scheme to those ending in an even number (there were some exceptions), so, assuming that this was the case, V6555 more than likely had the 'A' scheme, as shown in both of the first two profiles you posted. It is also possible that this aircraft had the De Havilland prop at this time (second profile). Also, the use of the 'Burma' insignia on the starboard side emergency hatch is not definitely confirmed during this period, and is more likely to have been applied on his later aircraft, possibly from V6864 onwards.
3) The fin flash. From June 1940, these were changed to three, 9 inch wide stripes, which covered virtually the whole of the fin. This lead to some aircraft having the entire forward fin area in the red, although I haven't been able to confirm this for this squadron at the moment. From August 1st 1940, the fin flash dimensions changed again, to three, 8 inch wide stripes, which would have looked like those shown in the final profile. Also at this time, a 50 inch diameter 'A' Type roundel was added to the underside of the wings, which previously had been plain 'Sky' (after repainting from half black / white). However, due to time constraints etc, some aircraft (Hurricane and Spit) had a 30 inch diameter roundel, near the extreme wing tips. It would seem that 257 Sqaudron carried the correct, 50 inch diameter roundels.
4). The code letters on both Hurricanes and Spitfires during the Battle were Medium Sea Grey, stipulated as 30 inch high characters. These were used on the Hurricane, but 24 inch high characters were more common on the Spitfire, due to the space and shape of the fuselage. A noteable example of an exception here is 610 Squadron, whose Spits are immediately recognisable by their large code letters, overlapping the cockpit entrance flap, below the canopy. (The smaller codes were also applied to some Hurricanes, for example, 145 and 303 Squadrons.)
I'm afraid i haven't been able to find anything on the Churchill insignia, although i have a feeling I have got something somewhere - lost in one of the piles of cr...er..'Research Material Archives', somewhere in my hovel.
I hope this helps, and the final decisdion is down to you !!

 

[Lucky13]

...and who says that modelling isn't educational?? Spiffing work old chap!

 

[ozhawk40]

Fantastic and interesting details Terry. Thanks for clarifying it should be the A scheme.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Airframes]

You're welcome mate. After chasing my tail for a few hours, I realised that it had been a typo in the first book after all !

 

[ozhawk40]

Okay

Not to cloud things further (but it probably will), I just found this profile in an Airfix publication on modelling the Hurricane seems to be the basis for the Aeromaster decals. So this has the B scheme and drawing of the character. Has the full red tail. Supposedly based on a photo sourced from Bruce Robertson. Looks like I'll need to make a D on this one.

Cheers

Peter

 

[Vic Balshaw]

My there's some dam good stuff comes out in these threads..............well done guys

 

[Wayne Little]

Nice info Terry...might need that one day....

 

[Airframes]

Ah, b*gg*r !! It's one of those 'which way do I go' problems, isn't it?!
Well, Bruce Robertson has normally been a fairly reliable source, so I think we can accept that the details are correct. The only question mark is whether the photo mentioned clearly shows the serial number, with the 'B Scheme', or whether one, or the other, was indistinct. I notice that, in the caption, there is no mention of the scheme type, yet everything else is covered in detail.
I think, if it was me, I'd take it that this was an example of one of the exceptions to the 'rule 'of odd and even number / scheme type, and there were more than a few, and go with the scheme shown in the 'Airfix' profile, and Aeromaster.
Whilst checking some details for Part Four of the 'BoB Bits', I came across a couple of examples of 'opposites' for the schemes, one actually involving a change of serial number, which is unusual !
Over to you mate !!!

 

[Heinz]

Great choice mate!

 

[B-17engineer]

Robert Stanford Tuck Battle of Britain Day by Day

Tuck was a regular who joined the air force in 1935. He came from a Jewish family and had a not particularly brilliant record at school, however, in 1935 having achieved his pilot wings, he joined 65 Squadron and remained on it until 1940 when he joined 92 Squadron.

He experienced his first combat in the Battle of France and his first success over Dunkirk, opening his score with 3 German Me109s shot down all on the same day. He went on to score a number more kills for which he was awarded his first DFC. He participated in the Battle of Britain, with a string of further victories. These were not without incident.

In mid-August, damaged by return fire from a Ju88, Tuck had to bale out. He then suffered another incident when attacking a Dornier 17. He ended up with a dead engine, 10 miles out over the Channel, but succeeded in gliding back to dry land, where he crash landed his aircraft but emerged unscathed. On 11th September he was promoted to Squadron Leader and was made Commanding Officer of 257 Squadron which was flying Hurricanes. During the Battle he was awarded two Bars to his original DFC and finally in January 1941 he was awarded the DSO.

After the Battle, indeed the next year, in 1941 Tuck was shot down in an engagement with a German fighter over the Channel, but was rescued by a coal barge which, having seen him descend by parachute, went out and brought him to dry land. Later that year, he had an unfortunate incident when he chased a German bomber flying towards Wales. Under attack the bomber jettisoned its bombs. One of them fell on an army camp, and by an appalling coincidence killed a soldier who turned out to have been married to his sister. In other words, his brother-in-law. However, in July 1941, he was promoted to Wing Commander at Duxford. It was on a mission leading his wing across the Continent that he was shot down in January 1942 by ground fire. He remained a prisoner of war until February 1945 when he escaped and subsequently fought briefly with the Russians.

Stanford Tuck left the RAF in 1949, with a final number of kills to his name of 27 enemy aircraft. He was one of the pilots who advised on the making of the film The Battle of Britain. He had a reputation as an extremely courageous and successful leader. He subsequently became a friend of the German ace fighter pilot, Adolf Galland. Indeed, Galland had asked Tuck for dinner when he was shot down. He died in 1987.

 

[ozhawk40]

Thanks Harrison, that's a great bio, and a picture of Tuck himself I hadn't see before.

I made a start this week end and this is the progress so far.

Pic 1 Comparison of resin seat and armour plate with the gray plastic originals. Seat is far better, with finer detail. Plate isn't much different, but it comes in the set.

Pic 2 This piece of resin sits behind the armour. It replaces the integral filler panel molded on the fuselage. It's a much better shape than the incorrect original, but you have to cut the old one off to replace it.

Pic 3 Here's the Hasegawa version in place.

Pic 4 Here's the Hasegawa version removed. I'll need to wait to a later stage to glue the new piece in.

Pic 5 The fuselage halves are molded in two pieces. The break is just in front of the cockpit. I think Hasegawa do this to make multiple versions, so I usually join these first, and then join up both halves when I am ready to. I find getting the alignment 'right' easier if you do it this way.

Pic 6 I painted the interior a dark green to start, but will tone that down with Humbrol 78 'Interior Green' later.

Pic 7 I added wiring and cables with some fine wire I had laying around.


Cheers

Peter

 

[Airframes]

Looking good Peter. If it's not too late, I have some cockpit diagrams / drawings if you need them. Just shout.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Very nice!

 

[T Bolt]

Very nice work Peter! Those resin parts look like they will make a big improvement.

 

[magnu]

Nice start Peter

 

[B-17engineer]

Very cool Peter!

 

[Wayne Little]

Sweet work Peter....

 

[Crimea_River]

Very nice, as usual.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

It's a nice looking kit Pete, making my 2 bob Hurri look just what it is, a lump of plastic that has nothing in the cockpit but a seat and control stick. BTW, Love your cockpit detail.