Amodel 1/72 Hawker Fury Mk.I/II

AMODEL 1:72 HAWKER FURY MK.I/II
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Carlos Giani (carlos_giani2002@yahoo.de)

Kit: Amodel 1/72^nd scale Hawker Fury (Kit N° 72138 ). Produced in Russia.

Aircraft: The design of the Hawker Fury commenced in 1927, when the Air Ministry published the specification F.20/27 for an interceptor-fighter. A radial engine was specified, and Hawker installed a 450hp Bristol Jupiter in their prototype; nevertheless, it failed to win the contract. The experience gained was used in the design of the day bomber Hawker Hart, and in the development of an own-risk design called Hawker Hornet. The designer Sydney Camm, against the preferences of the officials, installed a Rolls-Royce F.XIS in-line engine and could convince the Air Ministry and renamed the aircraft Fury.

It was a fine design, and the first RAF fighter capable of a top speed beyond 200 mph. Production was ordered, and it entered service on May 1931. The series model was of metal structure, fabric covered, with the front section being covered with metal sheet, and was powered by a Rolls-Royce Kestrel IIS developing 525hp. Export success was high, and according to the preferences of the customers other motors were used, from Armstrong Siddeley, Bristol, Hispano-Suiza, Lorraine and P&W. A total of 160 Fury I were built.

To accomplish the Specs F.7/30 and F.14/32 the Fury II was designed, having a more powerful Kestrel IV engine and fairings on the wheels. Although a speed increment of 10% was obtained, the aircraft lost range in the same proportion. The main users of the Fury outside Great Britain were Spain, South Africa, Yugoslavia (which used them with some success against the Luftwaffe on 1943!!!), Norway, Iran and Portugal.

A note of interest: the „Spanish Fury“, powered by a 700hp Hispano-Suiza 12 Xbrs could fly 390 kmh.

Parts: Inside a top opening, not flimsy (!) box you get a plastic bag containing three sprues of very light blue-grey styrene (total parts:38) and one little clear sprue with a windshield. The decals sheet and the instructions float loose around, the decals fortunately not being damaged. Although the parts are short-run, the sprue's gates are not heavy and there's no flash to speak off (unlike some older offerings from Amodel). Surface quality is good, panel lines are finely engraved and the detail level is excellent.

For the cockpit you get a floor, separate pedals, a control stick, a seat and a rear bulkhead, with the fuselage halves presenting detailed framing. The instrument panel has some recessed dials, but there's also an instrument decal supplied; it's your choice. You even get two parts to represent the rear of the two machine guns, the former being placed between the upper fuselage and the instruments panel. The cockpit is then trapped between the fuselage halves, and if you want your propeller to rotate, it must be mounted at this stage. As you can guess, the engine cowling is a separate part, due to the clearance recesses for the bullets.

The lower wing is one-piece for each side, having no locating pins, so that care must be taken to get the correct angle. The one-piece upper wing is connected with four N-struts, which have small pins; nevertheless, the holes in the wings are too small, and will need some drill-out. The stabilizer is one-piece and is reinforced with four struts. There are two different vertical fins on the sprues, one of them being detached in the sprues layout, which means another version is on the way.

The landing gear consists of two sturdy V-legs and a horizontal bar, and you have to choose between naked wheels (Fury I) or those with fairings (Fury II). Below the fuselage the oil cooler takes its place, having a separated, well detailed grill. Finally, a tail skid, a sight in front of the pilot and the little clear windshield finishes the work.

Instructions: One A3 sheet folded into two A4´s. Page 1 brings some history in English and Russian, symbols explanation and the colour call-outs chart, fortunately coded for Humbrol. Upper page 2 shows the sprues layout and the lower half brings the first three constructions steps. Page 3 shows two more constructions steps (all of them clearly enough) and the first of three decaling/colouring 3-view diagrams. Page 4 brings two more of the former. All around, the instructions are very good.

Versions: 1) Fury II, K7264, N° 25 Squadron, RAF in overall silver

2) Fury I, N° 43 Squadron, RAF, September 1938; upper dark earth / dark green, under left wings and fuselage black, under right wings white.

3) Fury I, N/218 of N° 1 Squadron, South African Air Force, 1942; upper dark earth / dark green, under Duck Egg Blue.

Decals: Printed by Amodel, colour register is good, but the red dot of the roundels is a bit off-center. Carrier film looks suspect.

Detail: As stated above, very good (Toko-Roden like). The cockpit will be a delight for the super-detailer.

Options: Propeller can rotate, wheels with or without fairings

Impressions: Having some older products of Amodel somewhere in my patiently-waiting stock (without discussion all very interesting subjects), I was very impressed by the quality of this one. It is also a big improvement against the elder Matchbox offering.

Recommendations: This is a very important British fighter which has been consistently ignored by the big boys, so thanks a lot to Amodel! Recommended.

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