{"product_id":"kotare-32015-1-32-hawker-hurricane-mk-i-early","title":"Hawker Hurricane Mk I (early)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe legendary Hawker Hurricane formed the backbone of RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain. The Hurricane was an evolution of the company’s successful 525hp Rolls-Royce Kestrel-powered Fury biplane fighter of the early 1930s. Designed from 1933, the new monoplane was constructed similarly to the Fury with a steel tube frame fuselage, removable metal cowling panels with the rear covered in linen over wooden stringers. The thick new monoplane wing of the Hurricane featured a metal centre section frame with semi-stressed metal skin construction while the outer mainplanes and tailplane were covered with linen. The 990hp Rolls-Royce Merlin ‘C’ powered Hurricane prototype first flew on 6 November 1935. An initial production order for 600 aircraft was placed in June 1936 and, despite some delays in redesigning the aircraft to accept the new 1030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II engine, the first production aircraft was completed in October 1937. Although initially proceeding slowly, the traditional construction of the Hurricane ensured that production increased quickly to outpace that of the vastly more complicated Spitfire by approximately two to one.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eVery early production Hurricane Mk.I were initially powered by a 1030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin II engine with a fixed pitch 2-blade propeller and slotted ‘kidney type’ exhaust manifolds. The fuselage featured flush spot-welded metal engine and fuselage side cowlings, a single removable linen covered fairing panel on each side, ring \u0026amp; bead gun sights, an external venturi to generate vacuum pressure, dual parachute landing flare tubes, and a retractable tailwheel. The cockpit was enclosed by an unarmoured windscreen with a curved lower frame and a sliding hood without a removable side plate. The wings carried 8 Browning .303” machine guns with a twin tube pitot head under the port mainplane while the retractable undercarriage featured 5-spoke wheels and undercarriage fairings (doors) with small ancillary oleo gap covering flaps. Numerous modifications were trialed and then introduced throughout production such as an engine under panel with simplified clearance bulges (circa March 1938), an improved lever operated cockpit escape door* and an updated stressed metal wing centre section (circa May 1938), and triple ejector exhaust manifolds* (circa July 1938).\u003c\/p\u003e  \n\n\u003cp\u003eEarly production Hurricane Mk.I (as depicted in this model) featured additional modifications including a taller rudder and a fuselage keel with a non-retracting tailwheel* (circa August 1938), riveted engine and fuselage side cowlings (circa October 1938), 2-piece nose collar* to fit the vacuum pump \u0026amp; propeller pitch control unit of the Merlin III (circa February 1939), 1030hp Rolls-Royce Merlin III engine* (allowing the deletion of the venturi) and revised ‘6 hole’ undercarriage fairings (circa April 1939), single tube pitot head* (circa June 1939), external bullet-proof glass windscreen panel*, 3-blade dual-pitch DeHavilland propeller (circa August 1939*), armour plating behind the pilot’s seat (circa September 1939 – initially front-line units only)*, simplified exhaust manifolds, and an external camera gun.\u003c\/p\u003e  \n\n\u003cp\u003eMid \u0026amp; late production Hurricane Mk.I built from November 1939 introduced stressed metal skin outer mainplanes, plating over the upper fuel tank*, internal bullet-proof glass windscreen, hood with removable side plate, reflector gun sight*, simplified triple ejector exhaust manifolds, tapered aerial mast, additional removable fairing on the starboard side of the fuselage, Rotol \u0026amp; DeHavilland constant speed propellers*, modified flap\/undercarriage selector guard, 4 spoke wheels, station keeping lights in the fuselage side panels, night flying anti-glare panels, mirrors*, elimination of 1 parachute landing flare tube, windscreen de-icing, a revised keel\/tailwheel strut area and camera gun location in the starboard wing leading edge. Hurricane Mk.I were also modified for tropical conditions which included an air filter, fuselage air outlet louvres, survival kit, and auxiliary fuel tanks.\u003c\/p\u003e   \n\n\u003cp\u003eNumerous engine, airframe and armament improvements were made to the Hurricane before production ceased in 1944, by which time over 14480 had been produced in 11 main variants with the most notable being the 1030hp Mk.I, 1240hp Mk.IIb, 20mm cannon armed Mk.IIc, 40mm cannon armed Mk.IId, and the navalised Sea Hurricane Mk.IIc.\u003c\/p\u003e  \n\n\u003cp\u003eHurricane Mk.I colour schemes are surprisingly varied and complicated. Very early production interior metal components, including the wheel housing, were painted green but by early 1938 these were being painted aluminium with just the wooden components finished in green. Major internal components supplied by sub-contractors could be delivered in aluminium, black or various shades of green.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eContemporary photos confirm different shades of Dark Earth and Dark Green (even on the same airframe) which were initially applied with a soft demarcation line, often exhibiting a darker, extra matt, line where they overlap. Camouflage was applied in 2 designs, the A and B schemes which were mirrors of each other. Major sub-assemblies were usually pre-painted so a single aircraft could exhibit a variety of shades, and sometimes the camouflage pattern would not match perfectly from one sub-assembly\/component to the next. Frequently the coloured dopes used on the fabric covered outer wing sub-assemblies (and sometimes the rear fuselage and tailplane) appear paler than the equivalent paints used on the metal panels. Additionally, re-painting (typically with a hard edge) and extensive weathering also helped ensure that a wide variety of tonal differences could be seen.\u003c\/p\u003e \n\n\u003cp\u003eThe underside paint finish varied greatly throughout Hurricane Mk.I production and service, initially being painted aluminium until March 1938 to July 1938 when 50 airframes saw a trial application of Night (black) on the port side with white on the starboard, initially applied incorrectly to only the outer mainplanes before being split along the centreline. Following airframes continued to be finished with aluminium painted undersides until late April 1939 when the trial Night \u0026amp; white scheme, correctly split along the centreline, was introduced throughout Fighter Command. Then from late February 1940, supposedly all “white” except for the port mainplane (only) which was Night. From June 1940 the undersides were supposed to be painted “Sky Type S… duck egg bluish green” but local mixes, sky blue and sky grey also appear to have been used until the port mainplane (only) was again finished in Night from November 1940 to April 1941. Aircraft were re-painted in various interpretations of these specifications in the field as time and supplies allowed, which ensured that a wide variety of finishes were possible. Therefore, unfortunately, there is no “one true” Dark Earth, Dark Green, Sky Type S or interior grey-green paint colour suitable for all Hurricane Mk.I so, while we have tried our best with our paint suggestions, there is no doubt many will disagree with us. Which is OK.\u003c\/p\u003e                  \n\n\u003cp\u003e*typically retrofitted to earlier airframes at squadron level or at a maintenance unit.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kotare","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53296343580939,"sku":"32015","price":80.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0777\/1809\/4091\/files\/8BTvwZ.jpg?v=1786494031","url":"https:\/\/anglia-models.com\/fr\/products\/kotare-32015-1-32-hawker-hurricane-mk-i-early","provider":"Anglia Models","version":"1.0","type":"link"}