Hawker
Hurricane
Mk.I

About This Build

The Subject

This is the second part of a two-model Battle of Britain diorama — the companion piece to the Airfix Spitfire Mk.Ia that anchors the same ground scene. Where the Spitfire represents the glamour of Fighter Command, the Hurricane tells the story of the battle's workhorse: a slightly older design that nevertheless bore the greater share of combat during the summer of 1940 and consistently outperformed expectations in the turning fight over southern England.

The Kit

For the Hurricane I chose the Expert Set from Polish manufacturer Arma Hobby — a kit that has earned its strong reputation in the 1/72 community since its release. The Expert Set is a genuinely complete package: the injection-moulded airframe sprues are accompanied by a photo-etched fret for cockpit detail and small surface fittings, a pre-cut masking sheet for the canopy and wheel hubs, and a full decal sheet with multiple markings options. For this particular build, no additional aftermarket parts were required; everything needed to produce a detailed and accurate model is present in the box. The panel line engraving is crisp and well-scaled for 1/72, and the fit throughout the build is tight and predictable — a combination that suits the experienced modeller who wants a rewarding session rather than an afternoon of remedial filling.

Markings

The markings represent Hurricane Mk.I serial V7234, coded SD/A, as flown by 501 Squadron RAF during August 1940. The pilot was Pilot Sergeant Antoni Glowacki, one of the many Polish airmen who formed a vital — and often underappreciated — part of Fighter Command's strength during the battle. On 24 August 1940, flying this very aircraft, Glowacki was credited with five aerial victories in the course of a single day's operations, becoming an ace in a single mission — an extraordinary achievement even by the exceptional standards of that summer. His story is a compelling reminder that the Battle of Britain was fought by men from across occupied Europe as much as by the British themselves.

Camouflage

Camouflage is the RAF Temperate Land Scheme standard for the period: Dark Earth (BS381C:450) and Dark Green (BS381C:241) on the upper surfaces, with Sky (BS381C:210) on the undersides. Colours were applied with AK Real Colors, using the dedicated Battle of Britain set No. 38 along with RC293 for the Sky undersurfaces. Paint was airbrushed, with the demarcation line between upper colours masked using Blu-Tack torn to a soft edge — the standard approach to replicate the slightly irregular painted boundaries seen in period photographs. Roundels, fin flash, and code letters came from the kit decals and settled without incident over a gloss varnish base. A light wash and subtle drybrushing complete the finish.

The Diorama

The diorama base incorporates Flightpath ground equipment accessories — fuel bowser, trolley acc, and ancillary items — which tie the Hurricane and Spitfire together into a coherent dispersal scene. The combination of two very different kits (Airfix and Arma Hobby) in the same diorama required a degree of care to keep the weathering registers consistent, but the end result is a satisfying scene that conveys the organised chaos of a frontline RAF fighter station during the critical weeks of late summer 1940.