Hawker Hurricane mk1 - which kit would you recommend?

[Stevepd]

If I was looking at doing a BoB mk1 Hurricane with no real subject knowledge, which kit would you recommend: PCM or the Fly kit?.

 

Steve.

[nmayhew]

they are both short run style and neither are particularly great

the PCM kit is OOP and waaaay overpriced in my view

for essentially the same mixed bag of nice detail, crap detail, poor engineering etc the Fly kit is much cheaper

 

JamesH's review of the IIc (I know you're looking at MkI but much of the engineering etc is the same)

https://forum.largescalemodeller.com/topic/4583-132-hawker-hurricane-mk-iic/

 

Matt McDougall (Doogs) is a member here and did a video series on building the Fly model

his thoughts midway (text & pics)

https://doogsmodels.com/2016/05/10/132-fly-hurricane-thoughts-at-the-midway-point/

and the series of 8 vids on youTube

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-NKigBTF2sPcFK-GF8ZHFfDZqKGeN5gM

 

i can help you with markings etc, but i can't help you with construction!

[Dpgsbody55]

I know it's a bigger scale, which not everyone here likes, but my recommendation would be the old Airfix 1/24 kit.  It's at least as well detailed as the same scale Trumpeter kit but without some of the Trumpeter inaccuracies, particularly with regard to the engine.  It builds into a nice model too.

 

Cheers,

Michael

[monthebiff]

The PCM kit for me, a lovely kit to build and so enjoyed it.

 

 

 

A great kit to build and purchased the rag wing version off the back if this one.

 

Regards.Andy 

[nmayhew]

2 hours ago, Dpgsbody55 said:

I know it's a bigger scale, which not everyone here likes, but my recommendation would be the old Airfix 1/24 kit.  It's at least as well detailed as the same scale Trumpeter kit but without some of the Trumpeter inaccuracies, particularly with regard to the engine.  It builds into a nice model too.

 

Cheers,

Michael

 

hmmm...

i have the Trumpy kit and would take it hands down over the Airfix kit

the moulding and engineering on the Trumpy kit looks modern, whereas the Airfix kit understandably shows its age (it's quite literally older than me, and I'm nearly 50!)

are you talking engine internals, or shape of cowling etc?

 

but I agree with you in one respect: I would take the 1/24 kit over the 1/32 every day of the week

[Lee_K]

I built the Fly kit and found it to be overly fussy, suffering from brittle plastic (the cockpit tubular frame structure was an exercise in cursing) and poor fit of the wings which I had to fight mightily to introduce some proper dihedral.  I haven’t built the PCM kit, but I have built their Spitfires IX and XIV and could only postulate that they would be an easier row to hoe.  Yes, I know the PCM kits are limited run Sword-engineered models, but I truly had no fun building the Fly Hurricane Mk. I and only finished it because of stubbornness.

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by Lee_K
Added photo

[mozart]

12 hours ago, monthebiff said:

The PCM kit for me, a lovely kit to build and so enjoyed it.

 

 

 

A great kit to build and purchased the rag wing version off the back if this one.

 

Regards.Andy 

As Maurice Chevalier may have said, “Ah yes, I remember it well........!”

 

Must get mine out and get on with it, but I don’t think I’ve got the patience to add the miles of rivets that you did Andy! 

[Radub]

13 hours ago, nmayhew said:

 

hmmm...

i have the Trumpy kit and would take it hands down over the Airfix kit

the moulding and engineering on the Trumpy kit looks modern, whereas the Airfix kit understandably shows its age (it's quite literally older than me, and I'm nearly 50!)

are you talking engine internals, or shape of cowling etc?

 

but I agree with you in one respect: I would take the 1/24 kit over the 1/32 every day of the week

 

I agree that in 1/24, I would choose the Trumpeter Hurricane over the Airfix kit.  We are still waiting for a good Hurricane in 1/32.

Radu

Edited October 7, 2019 by Radub

[dodgem37]

'We are still waiting for a good Hurricane in 1/32.'

You did a good Hurricane in 1/32.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

[MikeMaben]

14 hours ago, monthebiff said:

                The PCM kit for me, a lovely kit to build and so enjoyed it.

 

Looks nice Andy, where did the spinner and prop come from ?

The PCM kit has OK dimensions and contours but the kit spinner

and windshield aren't even close. The Rotol prop blades are close

to perfect. The wheels are close but not right either and mine were

all incompletely molded.

Rivet detail is where the Fly kit leaps ahead of the PCM however the

wheels are horrible. Tires too big and wheel too small.

(a well known resin outfit told me they were working on Hurricane wheels)

The Fly MkI spinner and windshield are closer but not perfect either.

Neither kit has the proper bulkhead behind the pilot.

Most of the molds for the Fly kit came from HPH.

Just some nit picky observations of mine. 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by MikeMaben

[monthebiff]

48 minutes ago, MikeMaben said:

 

Looks nice Andy, where did the spinner and prop come from ?

The PCM kit has OK dimensions and contours but the kit spinner

and windshield aren't even close. The Rotol prop blades are close

to perfect. The wheels are close but not right either and mine were

all incompletely molded.

Rivet detail is where the Fly kit leaps ahead of the PCM however the

wheels are horrible. Tires too big and wheel too small.

(a well known resin outfit told me they were working on Hurricane wheels)

The Fly MkI spinner and windshield are closer but not perfect either.

Neither kit has the proper bulkhead behind the pilot.

Most of the molds for the Fly kit came from HPH.

Just some nit picky observations of mine. 

 

 

 

 

Hi Mike, 

If I remember correctly the replacement prop assembly was from Eagle Parts but not sure if it's still available. I also used Brian L Fawcett resin set which replaced  the kit nose and and pilots rear bulkhead/ dog kennel. Cockpit was replaced with Grey Matter resin set and finally I added all rivets/ fasteners with Archer resin decals. A lot of work but worth it for me.

 

 

Regards.Andy 

[Radub]

1 hour ago, dodgem37 said:

'We are still waiting for a good Hurricane in 1/32.'

You did a good Hurricane in 1/32.

 

Sincerely,

Mark

 

You are too kind... :-) ...but that was a lot of work. We still need a kit that can be built without much drama, cutting, chopping, kitbashing, resin corrections, etc.

Radu 

[crobinsonh]

Personally I would take the Airfix 1/24th over the Trumpy model - whilst the Trumpy model is newer, one of their best and I believe more accurate in outline etc the surface detail on the Airfix model is much more accurate (even for a model 50 years old). The Trumpy model is full of divots which is absolutely not the case on the real airframe and is very noticeable on the wings etc.

 

That said either of these are better than the 1/32nd offerings IMO.

 

The Hurricane that Radub built was a masterclass as was the resin update sets then mastered for MDC and the Revell 1/32nd model.

 

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by crobinsonh

[Troy Molitor]

Love the Hurricane.  Andy’s build along with what Radu had to start with, were both epic builds on LSP in their  own right.   

I have both PCM kits and will build them both someday.  

 

Love the early Hurri battle of France fighters schemes.   Great topic!   

[LSP_Mike]

I have a PCM Hurri, and will point out that it has resin, PE, and 5 markings options. While not the ultimate Hurri shape- wise, it has a lot of goodies to go with the basic kit.