A bit basic, from what I've seen, but probably equal to the Airfix kit. It should be remembered that these kits are pushing 30 years old (and more for some) , and the standard was good for the time. Also, HC released a lot of kits of types no one else had done (like the Do17), and the 1/48th scale market was still pretty slim back then. Overall, their kits are pretty reasonable to good, in general outline, finesse of moulding and surface detail etc, but their age must be considered when comparing to more 'modern' kits.
Anyway, back to the Airfix Hurricane.
The final construction stages before painting are almost complete, with the radiator detailed and fitted, the nav lamps underway, and the landing lamp recesses detailed. The carb intake has also been improved and fitted, and some work done on the control surfaces, joints and seams.
PICS 1 and 2 Show the small amount of detail added to the otherwise plain radiator. The matrix has had the reinforcing ribs added, and the shutter has been cut off, and replaced by a new one, made from thin plastic card, in the open position. The support rods and actuating arms have also been added, from stretched sprue, as has the support rod for the intake. The latter has also had its lip thinned down to a more scale appearance.
PICS 3 and 4. The completed radiator installed, and awaiting clean-up and the joints attending to.
PIC 5. Scraps of clear sprue have been super glued into notches cut into the wing tips, and will be filed, sanded, and polished, to represent the navigation lamps. The sprue has been drilled on the inside, and the holes filled with the appropriate coloured paint to simulate the coloured internal lamp covers for each side.
PIC 6. The bare landing lamp housings have had lamps added, from slivers of plastic tube, and the surrounds have been painted to simulate the exposed, open wing structure. Once the silver paint has fully hardened, lenses will be added, from PVA, and the lamp covers cemented into place and masked, ready for the painting stage.
PIC 7. The carb / supercharger intake was drilled out and filed, to open up the otherwise solid part, and fitted to the fuselage underside.
PIC 8. The control surface joints have been sawn through, using a razor saw, to give a more realistic appearance. The horizontal joints on the elevators have also had a chamfered edge filed into them, to simulate the curvature of the control surface leading edge.
A few other small jobs have also been completed, such as altering the tail lamp, which will be glazed after the model has been painted, and all joints have now been sanded, and checked with a light coloured primer (which can be seen in some of the pics). This will be lightly sanded back before commencing the painting stage.
Thanks again for your kind comments and interest, and I hope to post another up-date over the weekend.