REVELL 1:72 HURRICANE MK.IIB
'INBOX Review'

 

Reviewer: John Lacey  (elric1965@yahoo.com.au) 
- A Built up review of this kit exists on this site - see the respective fully built kit review index to locate review

Revell 72nd Scale Hurricane IIB

Revell-AG's Hurricane is another in their line of multi-mark kits. The basic airframe sprue allowing for various versions to be produced over different kits. Another kit in the series is the Sea Hurricane. While I've no doubt some will point out 'glaring inaccuracies' regarding this particular kit and the style in general, a comparison in 'bang for buck' against the Tamigawa's of the world would leave the Japanese kits in a poor second place.

The instructions are typically Revell Germany with multi-lingual history & warnings, a paint callout that leaves somewhat to be desired regarding the airframe colours, parts map, twelve construction steps and two pages of painting & decalling diagrams.

The sprues themselves are a combination of finely raised & engraved details, the clear parts being commendably thin. I note with some pleasure that the twelve .303 gun wing of this mark is produced here, with both gunports & ejection chutes depicted. There is a degree of cockpit & wheel well detail including moderate sidewall detail & moulded seat harness, in addition to a two part ventral radiator, a far cry from the rather old Airfix offering. Kit options include drop tanks or bombs, two styles of exhaust which for the life of me look identical, an open or closed canopy, glare shields for the exhausts and a wheels up or down option that seems well thought out (in fact, it is the same method I have used in the past on other Hurricane kits!)

Regarding the painting details, machines from No 601 Sqn, RAF and No 402 Sqn, RCAF are supplied, both based in the UK in 1941. The 601 Sqn machine has a two tone spinner and a scheme that might possibly be the RAF Temperate Sea scheme over Sky lowers, this being the box art machine, whilst the Canadian aircraft has a two tone scheme with a different shade of grey and a single colour spinner. Definitely one for the researchers here.

The decals are standard matt Revell fare and have separate centres for the 'A' & 'C' roundels and also include wingwalk stripes, gun port patches and tailband. Here however there is a slight problem. Both the Sqn Codes and the Tail band are a brilliant Sky colour. An opinion only, but check your references again as I believe the colour is too bright.

In conclusion, a nicely detailed kit, let down by some unusual painting suggestions and suspect decals. Having said that, the plethora of aftermarket decals & conversions make this a prime candidate for the converters out there amongst us, myself included.

 

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