**** DONE: GB-48 1/72 Hurricane Mk.I - Military A/C before 1939 (incl Spanish Civil War)

[imalko]

Username: imalko
First name: Igor
Category: Category 2/Intermediate
Scale: 1:72
Manufacturer: Airfix
Model Type: Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Details: "White VI" from 6. LP ("Lovački puk" = Fighter Regiment), VVKJ ("Vazduhoplovstvo Vojske Kraljevine Jugoslavije" = Army Air Force of Kingdom of Yugoslavia), 1939

My second entry to this Group Build will be Hurricane Mk I in Yugoslav service. Wanted to build this new tool Airfix kit for a while, so here's a chance to do it. I'll be using a Lift Here aftermarket decal set for this project. The aircraft which is the subject of this build was a part of first delivered batch of 12 aircraft and was in service with 6. LP in early 1939.

 

[imalko]

Hawker Hurricane in Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Having had a good experience with Hawker Furries in it's service, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia pursued the possibility to purchase the newest Hawker fighter desing - the Hurricane. The agreement was reached for purchase of 12 aircraft in late 1938 and first aircraft were flown from UK to Yugoslavia in December. The first batch of aircraft were fitted with a Rolls-Royce Merlin II engine driving a two-blade wooden propeller and had canvas covered wings. The aircraft were painted in standard RAF camouflage colors of the time (dark green and dark earth on upper surfaces with plain silver lower surfaces).

The initial order was followed by a second order of twelve, which were fitted with Merlin III engines driving a three-blade variable-pitch propeller and metal covered wings, and were delivered in February and March 1940. These aircraft were also painted in RAF camouflage with black and white wings undersufaces as a reckognition feature. At the same time, the Yugoslav government applied to build more under licence. Production lines were established at the Rogožarski plant in Belgrade and the Zmaj factory in nearby Zemun. Of the locally built aircraft, only 22 were completed by Zmaj; the Rogožarski plant did not produce any. A total of 44 aircraft were eventually put into service with the VVKJ. It is interesting to note that licence build aircraft reverted back to canvas covered wings. General opinion within Yugoslav military and technical circles was that canvas covered wings were more suitable for local production, due to already proven skills of technical factory staff.

After 6th Fighter Regiment was reequipped with Bf 109E's, Hurricanes were transferred to other units, namely 52nd Fighter Group of the 2nd Fighter Regiment based at Knić, and the 33rd and 34th Fighter Groups of the 4th Fighter Regiment based at Bosanski Aleksandrovac. Hurricanes were also operated by the Independent Fighter Squadron of the 81st Bomber Group and by the Air Training School, both based at Mostar. All of these aircraft were deployed in the fighter/interceptor role. When Yugoslavia was attacked by the Axis in April 1941 they achieved modest successes against Luftwaffe aircraft. Six Yugoslav Hurricane pilots were killed and four wounded in combat.
All Yugoslav Hurricanes were destroyed or captured during the 11-day invasion.

 

[imalko]

Few comments on the pictures…

First three pictures show Hurricane in Yugoslav markings over British soil. It is most probably L1837 during a performance test flight in the close vicinity of Brooklands. Test pilot J.S.Hindmarsh was at the controls. He was responsible for testing of all new Hurricanes for export to the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. He tragically lost his life during the test flight of Hurricane Mk. I L1652 at Brooklands on 6th September 1938.

Further two pictures show Hurricanes from first delivered batch of twelve. They are distinguishable from other Yugoslav Hurricanes by two bladed propellers and by having white Roman numerals "I-XII" on their fuselages. Aircraft "White I" later became a testbed for the proposed Daimler Benz DB601A installation.

Last picture is of a machine build by Zmaj Factory at Zemun as a example of new three tone camouflage applied on all licence build Hurricanes.

 

[Wurger]

 

[rochie]

Nice one Igor.

That first pic is one of my favourite aircraft pictures

 

[Crimea_River]

Interesting subject. I'm sure you know there's less than 4 weeks left in the GB....

 

[imalko]

Interesting subject. I'm sure you know there's less than 4 weeks left in the GB....

Don't worry Andy, I know. I'm confident I'll finish this by the end of month. Started the work yesterday and I'll have first progress pictures soon.

 

[Airframes]

great choice Igor.

 

[Wayne Little]

Cool.....

 

[fastmongrel]

Nice we need more Yugoslavian planes. Are you building a Hawkers built aircraft or a Zmaj built.

 

[imalko]

Nice we need more Yugoslavian planes. Are you building a Hawkers built aircraft or a Zmaj built.

Eventually I intend to make a model of Zmaj build airfract, because I like the three tone paint scheme. However, for this Group Build it is going to be a Hawker build aircraft from first delivered batch in order to fit the Group Build time frame. As I specified in opening post of this thread.

 

[imalko]

First progress shots... The model is nicely detailed, instrument pannel is offered in form of a decal, seat belts are made with masking tape and thin wire (my first ever attempt at this).

 

[Crimea_River]

Good work Igor.

 

[Wurger]

 

[Gnomey]

Nice work so far!

 

[Wayne Little]

Off we go.....Nice Igor.

 

[imalko]

Painting progressing well. I used masking tape for curved lines for the first time and like the result. Neat stuff.

 

[rochie]

Cammo looks great Igor

 

[fubar57]

Agreed. I like the D.E.

 

[Wurger]