Jump to content

1/24 Airfix Hawker Typhoon Mk1B, car door type


Dpgsbody55

Recommended Posts

bcDB7u.jpg

 

Here is my newly built Hawker Typhoon, in 1/24 scale from Airfix.  This is a magnificent kit to build.  It's a little challenging, but that's what it should be, and also very big.  :D .  I built it with an Eduard etch details for the cockpit, and also substituted Eduard steel seat belts for the kit parts.  One other addition I now wish I'd made was metal undercarriage legs, as the kit pieces are a little wobbly. Clamping the doors to the legs for a firm attachment as the glue sets is a help, and it now appears to be quite steady.  There are about 500 parts in this kit, and they assemble into a pretty impressive kit.  But to further enhance the kit, I made both the pilot's door and top canopy hinges so they can open and close as I wish.  I also made the lower cowlings fit to the model, which the instructions tell you can't be done if you want a fully detailed engine.  Well detailed cockpits and engines are, for me, important parts of any large scale build.  Alas, there is no way the top engine cowl will fit, so I'll have to get the duster out more often.

 

There is a detailed build in the Works in Progress forum, so it is not my intention to reproduce much from that here.  You can find it in this link:  http://forum.largescaleplanes.com/index.php?showtopic=67834

 

Instead, I would like to provide a little history of this plane, the tactics used and it's pilot.  But first, a few more pictures of the plane.  

 

NFcJaj.jpg

 

wLEokq.jpg

 

GQfU51.jpg

 

ZnXfdc.jpg

 

GDyPJy.jpg

 

vITYDo.jpg

 

I have chosen to build a fighter bomber version, rather than the rocket firing aircraft, and my chosen subject represents a plane flown by Squadron Leader Denis Crowley-Milling, CO of 181 Squadron, RAF.  Crowley Milling was originally a Rolls Royce apprentice when in 1937 he was mobilised with the RAF Volunteer Reserve, being posted to 615 Squadron.  He served with this squadron in France in 1940, and showed pilots how to service their aircraft to help evacuate as many as possible in June, with the defeat of France.  Shortly after this he was posted to 242 Squadron, where he flew as Douglas Bader's wingman.  In August 1941, now serving as a Flight Commander with 610 Squadron, he was shot down while escorting Stirling bombers over France, but a few months later was repatriated to England having successfully evaded capture.  In September 1942, he was promoted to Squadron Leader and given command of 181 Squadron, a new Typhoon squadron tasked with developing the plane in its ground attack role.  Subsequently, he was promoted to acting Wing Commander of 121 wing, but four months into that job he was grounded after developing eye problems, probably as a result of all the dive bombing with 181.  After the war, he was given a permanent commission, later commanding a Tempest squadron in Palestine in 1947.  He left the RAF in 1975 with the rank of Air Marshall, and died in London in 1996.  During his service with the RAF, he was awarded the DSO, DFC and bar during the war, a CBE in 1963, and then a knighthood in 1973.  Below is a picture of Crowley-Milling in the plane, together with a shot of a Typhoon being run up, producing a lot of noise and smoke.

 

KWA3VP.jpg

Notice the man on the right with his hands over his ears!!

 

Experience with Hurricanes had shown that dive bombing was the most accurate way to deploy a bomb from a fighter at that time, so on commencing training, 181 Squadron practised against derelict ships in the Wash (an area off the East Anglian coast of England).  Operations then commenced against German fighter bases in France and the low countries.  As Crowley Milling later told; “We used to time our approach to coincide with the return of the big American B-17 daylight raids, so that we arrived as the German fighters which had been up to intercept them were returning, short of fuel and ammunition, and landing back at their bases.  The squadron would cross the channel at nought feet to get under the German radar, then climb up to 10,000ft at the French coast.  We would then go straight to places like Caen, Abbeville, St Omer and Triqueville diving down from 10,000ft and let the bombs go at 5,000 to 6,000ft so keeping clear of the light flak.  As you dived down, you could look behind and see the heavy flak bursting to the rear.  We developed pretty good accuracy; on one occasion one of our bombs actually burst under an enemy aircraft as it was touching down.  Once dropped, we didn't hang around and got out fast.  If you were jumped, you jettisoned the bombs, but this seldom happened.  On approach to a target the Typhoon, being such a splendid aircraft, could cruise at 300mph low down, with little ill effect on performance from the load hanging under its wings.† The squadron also attached industrial centres and shipping.  When attacking shipping, the practice was to attack in pairs, with the leading plane firing guns to keep the flak down, and the number two aircraft carried the bombs.  Bomb carrying Typhoons were dubbed “Bomphoons†in the press, but in 1943, rockets arrived.  But that's another story, if ever I build the later Airfix Typhoon.

 

eXC8os.jpg

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Edited by Dpgsbody55
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you, gentlemen.  It's quite a kit, and I hope I've done justice to it. 

 

The hinges were partly inspired by the old Revell 1/32 Typhoon kit, and also something I saw on this forum.  The door hinges were easy once I made the hinge out of brass instead of plastic, and also because of the thickness of the door itself.  Drilling into that just needed steady hands.  The top canopy was a bit more of a challenge because it's clear plastic and you have to be careful not to ruin the part with too much glue, and also because of the geometry of the hinge. It needed to swing clear of the door, but also not open so far as to flop down against the left side cockpit door.  It probably delayed completion by a month with planning it in my mind and quite a few test fittings before I got the result I wanted, but I'm very happy with the results.

 

The one part of the kit I'm not happy about is my attempt at the gun bays.  I'm not big on guns anyway; it's the plane that interests me.  But in this case, I think I should have spent a bit more time on them.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks again gentlemen.  This is definitely the best 1/24 scale kit I've ever built.  I think, from a modellers perspective, the car door Typhoon is perhaps more interesting, though from a pilot's perspective, the bubble top variant was a huge improvement.  Pilots could actually see out :D.   I've displayed it with the cowlings removed, as the engine is wonderfully detailed, which is also why it has no bombs attached.  Mechanics had a thing about working on armed aircraft.  And the Typhoon and Tempest certainly took some maintenance.  Pity the poor mechanic who had to clean and gap 24 spark plugs in the middle of winter.  This had to be done every day before first light, and they worked without gloves.  That would have been hell on a frozen Dutch airfield with frozen winds howling about in the winter of 1944/45, which was a bad one too.

 

Gerhard, I do hope the taxman smile on you.  It's an expensive kit, but when you consider the amount of time you'll spend on it, it's much cheaper than any other activity.  Just remember, the taxman giveth and the taxman taketh away.  This is one of life's universal truths.  I hope you'll post your build when you get to it.

 

 

Cheers,

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...