PCM Hurricane (late) 56 Squadron….finished!

[mozart]

Since Tolga has posted his intention this morning to do a PCM Hurricane (early), ie the rag-wing one, and Mike has his excellent mini-WiP moving along beautifully, I thought I'd better join the fray!  My original intention was to do the early version, but to complement Tolga's I thought I'd do the later metal-wing one:

 

 

I've been collecting "Hurricane-alia" for ages, particularly relevant to 56 Squadron, so as a taster these are some screen shots that I took from a Pathe news film of a squadron scramble during the Battle of Britain, I'm almost certainly going to do US-S though with US-U I also have the serial number:

 

 

and a little detail:

 

 

As ever my build has to be accompanied by research, so a couple of early extracts from the squadron record books during those tumultuous times:

 

 

I need to get my Tiger Moth finished first before I get properly into the Hurricane, but the seed has been planted!!  It'll make a pleasant change not to have to worry about rigging and turnbuckles!! 

 

This is a great air-to-air shot, judging by the white leading edge of the starboard and black port wing, plus an absence of fin flash, earlier than the BoB:

 

 

 

Edited February 1, 2023 by mozart

[quang]

This is a very good start for this new project, Max. 
Those WWII Pathe newsreels are truly a great source for details. I was working on the stirrup of my Hurricane when I saw your pic which helped me greatly putting it in the correct position. Not losing a beat, my friend! 

[MikeC]

Very nice photos, look forward to seeing this fully under way.  I rather think some footage of 56 Sqn Hurris appears in the film Angels One-Five alongside the loaned examples from Portugal, but I'm not entirely sure - oh dear, I'll have to watch it again to check!

 

 

[Tolga ULGUR]

Nice one Max.

This one is my to do list later too, with boxart markings.

Happy modelling

[dennismcc]

Nice one Max, I will follow this one with interest and steal as much info as I can for my build of the same kit.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[mozart]

22 minutes ago, dennismcc said:

Nice one Max, I will follow this one with interest and steal as much info as I can for my build of the same kit.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

I think you have a heck of a lot more experience than me Dennis with PCM kits, mine starts with "0" and ends with "0", so I may well be coming to you for advice!

[Kagemusha]

A few action shots of US-S, though you can't make out the serial number...

 

 

 

[mozart]

Thanks Andy, I'd have liked to have done "S" but a little research on "U" is interesting.  The ORBs for August 1940 show that P3153 was primarily the mount of F/O R E P Brooker shown here in 1938:

 

 

but looking considerably "older" just two years later:

 

 

This happened on 21 August 1940:

 

 

and the full story.....fortunately Brooker survived:

 

 

 

 

 

A potted history of this brave man:

 

 

 

Brooker seated front row centre:

 

 

 

 

 

[Greif8]

This will be a great build to follow Max!  I greatly enjoyed the PCM metal wing that I built for the BoB GP in 2020.  The fit is actually pretty decent for a short run kit and  I thought the accuracy was also solid.  I am looking forward to seeing what you do with it.  

 

On another note, I read in another thread you are interested in the Nachtjagd.  I am preparing for the verbal defense of my doctoral dissertation early next month which covers the development, organization, equipment and execution of Germany's nighttime air defense system against Bomber Command's bombing offensive.  My master's thesis covered Germany's day and night air defense system looking at the same aspects that my dessertation does for the nightime air defense, though in less detail.  I daresay that I know a bit about Germany's Nachtjagd; if you would like to talk more indepth please feel free to PM me anytime.

 

Ernest

[mozart]

Thank you Ernest, will definitely do that. I had the honour in 2008 to meet and talk to Rolf Ebhardt and Peter Spoden, both true and generous gentlemen. I still mourn the tragic untimely and frankly bizarre death of Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer in the 1950s in France. It was 99% he who shot down the Lancaster in which my namesake was killed on 3 March 1945. 

[mozart]

 

Profile ok but treated with the usual suspicion! 

[LSP_Kevin]

Excellent choice for a project, Max! I'm overdue to get on the Hurricane train myself, having in the stash a PCM kit, several old Revell kits (with various conversion and detail sets), and have just taken delivery of the new Revell kit. (And I hope everybody will forgive a mention of the Hasegawa kit in 1/48 scale.)

 

Model on!

 

Kev

[Shoggz]

Looking forward to following this Max.

It’s a great time to be a Hurricane fan!

How tragic is it that Brooker survived all that he did, to be killed in the final month of the (European) war..

[MikeMaben]

Hey Max, the kit is pretty accurate re contour/dimension, but you'll need to remove some

material to thin 'all' the trailing edges, and a considerable amount off the top surface of the

landing gear bay. I recommend power tools.

There are things I would recommend. A Rotol spinner and blades from AIMS and wheels

from Barracuda. The windshield is off, the Fly windshield is next best but the best I've

seen in this scale is the new Revell windshield.

Have fun, holler if you need anything 

[MikeC]

A bit later than the period of the Hurricane you're doing, but I submit it's relevant background:  Brooker is mentioned in AVM Stanley Vincent's autobiography Flying Fever (Jarrolds, 1972).  On p 121, an unnamed pilot is quoted describing him as, "... the finest CO and leader one could wish for."  And on P136 Vincent (who was an Air Commodore at the time, heading for New Zealand to organise their Air Defence system) says,"I took with me Squadron Leader Brooker, who had been helping me since Sumatra - a quiet, reliable and excellent officer who had done well in the Battle of Britain, Singapore, Sumatra and Java."