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Hillson FH.40


Derek B

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Nice work There Derek (as usual ...., I should add). Is the cast wing going to be hollow ? It's going to be a hefty piece of resin otherwise, and you'll need good struts to hold it on the finished kit.

 

Hubert.

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Thanks guys - your comments are always most welcomed and appreciated :) .

 

OK, this is the game plan. This originally started out as a quick and cheerful kit conversion - and at this stage, more or less still is. However, once completed, it would be pretty much a 'one off', and I guess that some modellers would like to make one of these in the future for their Hurricane collection (or simply to make a Hurricane that is a little unusual from the norm). I have therefore (and those of you familiar with pattern making work will already have picked up on this a long time ago) purposely developed the wing with a view to possible future release as a resin conversion set (this is the method in my madness I mentioned earlier). That is why I have designed the wing breakdown in a jig saw fashion with two separate trailing edge fairings (both wing halves and the trailing edge fairings are self aligning with masses of contact area to glue).

 

In terms of weight, it will actually be fairly comparable to the kit wing when cast as modern resins are quite light now, but, just to be certain, I shall design the struts to be cast in metal. To go with the metal struts, I also intend to integrate them with a metal undercarriage leg set - which if I can design in a cunning way, will actually interlock with the wing struts, thereby providing a direct stress path from the ground to the upper wing, which in turn will completely eliminate any potential future kit or conversion part loading and cracking/warping/bending issues. To complete everything, new elevators will also be required as it is stated that this particular prototype aircraft was fitted with elevators that were 10% larger in size/area than the standard items.

 

So, the question is, would anyone be interested in the slip wing Hurricane as a conversion set? If so, I shall talk to the casters and see what their views are?

 

Cheers

 

Derek

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  • 2 weeks later...

Very nice project.

 

Thanks Erwin. The wing is now at the casters for cavity filling and a copy of the trailing edge made in resin so that I can modify it to a different shape. Once I have them back I can make the struts and complete the wing detailing. I will also make a new enlarged elevator set and undercarriage set (which can also be used on the standard Hurricane).

 

Cheers

 

Derek

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  • 2 weeks later...

Having discussed this project with Grey Matter Figures, they would be happy to produce this as part of their expressed desire to expand the products range for the Hawker Hurricane. So, to that end, I shall develop this project into a full blown Hurricane conversion for Grey Matter Figures.

 

The completed set is envisioned to have a two-piece slip wing (with a choice of two separate wing trailing edge pieces with different shapes), wing support struts (possibly in metal), enlarged elevators, DH Rotol propeller and spinner, Mk.II type 'knuckle' tail wheel, and specially designed new metal undercarriage legs that will interlock with the wing support struts (but can also be used as more accurate replacements for standard Hurricane kits as well) and aircraft markings.

 

Regards

 

Derek

Edited by Derek B
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Derek, sounds good, when might we get a peek at what is going to be?

 

We've got the wing patterns at the moment and have filled them with resin to reinforce them. They are off to Derek on Monday so he can work his magic on them.

Tim @ Grey Matter Figures.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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