Hawker Hurricane IV RP

Reading the “Boy’s Book of Airfix” by Arthur Ward I was surprised to read of Airfix in 1957 releasing the Hawker Hurricane Mk.IV RP (Pattern No. 1396) a version of the Hurricane I’d never actually come across before. I just could not resist the challenge of tracking one down, a model kit moulded before I was even born, this is going to be fun and a privilege model to build!

They didn't go into many parts back in 1957 so I'm going to have to take my time and savour this one!

From what I read, the Mk IV had a wing configured able to mount two 250 or 500 lb bombs, two 40 mm (Vickers S guns, two 40 mm Rolls-Royce B.H. type guns, two SBC (small bomb containers), SCI (smoke curtain installation), two 45 or 90 gallon drop tanks, or eight "60 pounder" RP-3 rockets. This kit comes with the eight rockets.

Laying out all the parts, as few as there are, all are thankfully present with the exception of the propeller shaft. Oh yes, the propeller is also broken, but this was a common problem with the bagged kits, a requirement Woolworths placed on Airfix back in the day. 

Checking the parts list again I’m missing not only the propeller shaft but also the canopy! My seller has refunded me so I’m going to see if I can continue without.

Having a very old built Airfix Hurricane in a ‘spares box’ I spit the fuselage and ‘borrowed’ the propeller but the canopy is a totally different size, so I’ll come back to that later.

All the main parts fitted and primed. I have a possible solution for the canopy but it will need a bit of modification as the rise between the tail and cockpit is one only Eddy the Eagle would be thrilled to see; more on that later.

I found a possible donor canopy from what I believe was the Airfix kit of the Japanese torpedo bomber the Nakajima B5N1 'Kate' which was supplied with two canopies. It's a little too wide but after trimming does fit in height and length which I think is as good as I am going to get.

In addition to the canopy modifications I did also end up filling the wing to fuselage joins, gaps in which one could have driven a bus through and I dug out an old set of after market decals. I went for white squadron markings as per the originals and painted in a sky coloured band on which to apply individually cut aircraft numbers to match the artwork. I should probably have used white in the band to match the letters or perhaps sky letters to match the band, however, as I've a few new kits with this combination may be it's an OK combination. 

The original aircraft probably had painted yellow leading edges, but being absent from the artwork, but putting myself in the head of a child building this back in the 1950s, I decided to leave these off! 

I used SMS paints RAF colours and plans I found in another after market set of decals for the final camouflage paint work, neither of which I am totally convinced with, but against the backdrop of this being the recreation of a 1950s era young schoolboy's build and the bits I had to play with, I'm very happy with the final result.