Trumpeter 1/72 Hawker Sea Fury FB.11

TRUMPETER 1:72 HAWKER FB.11 SEA FURY
'INBOX Review'

Reviewer: Richard Stracey (rec.models.scale)

Trumpeter # 01631 1/72 HAWKER SEA FURY FB.11

The Fury was developed as a lightweight version of the Tempest II for the RAF but since the war had finished before it was fully developed the RAF lost interest in the project. The Navy was however and the Sea Fury became the ultimate piston engine fighter. It had a wing span of 38’4.75” (11.7M) and a length of 34’8” (10.60m) and was powered by a Bristol Centaurus 18cyl. 2470hp. sleeve valve supercharged radial engine. Standard armament consisted of four Hispano 20mm cannon and up to twelve 60lb. rockets. It could also carry under the wings either drop tanks, two 500lb. or 1000lb. bombs, depth charges and various other ordinance. Two F24 cameras could be fitted in the fuselage and mountings for RATOG were also supplied. The Sea Fury served with the RN, RNVR, German, Dutch, Egyptian, Pakistani, Burmese, Iraqi, Australian and Cuban forces and saw action in the Korean War and the Bay of Pigs!

This 2006 Trumpeter kit consists of eighty two parts in crisp grey plastic and eight in clear and decals for two RN aircraft. There is no stand or pilot figure but drop tanks and rockets are featured as well as the option for folded wings. The eleven step instructions include a sprue map and a separate full colour painting and decal placement sheet quoting Gunze paints. The parts are all sealed in cellophane and come in a solid attractive box.

At last, after fifty years of only the very basic Frog (F221F) and Pioneer / PM (40020) kits we now have the definitive Sea Fury model! The perfectly adequate cockpit includes a dashboard with raised detail only requiring seat belts to finish it off. For the ‘’rivet counters’’ Eduard supply a photo etch detail set # 73-283 which I for one won’t be purchasing. The construction is standard but the rockets and drop tanks are best left till all painting a decaling is complete. The only criticism might be of the propeller. Firstly the blades join the boss at an odd angle. This might not be a problem as this area will be covered by the large spinner. Secondly the blades look a little “anorexic”. Having been up close to a Sea Fury I can assure you that the blades are pretty substantial. I will probably replace the propeller with an Aeroclub P121. Aeroclub also produce a vacform canopy # CO43. I have seen criticism of the wing fold detail but to my thinking it is perfectly adequate as this is 72^nd. not 32^nd. we are talking about! I can see no problems in making this kit but don’t forget to add a whip ariel on the spine behind the canopy.

The decal options are for (naturally) Lt. Peter ‘’Hoagy’’ Carmichael’s aircraft of 802 Sqn. from HMS Ocean in 1952 for which the Korean stripes are provided and an aircraft from 1831 Sqn. from RNAS Streton in 1953 complete with red and yellow Exercise Mariner stripes. Both aircraft are in dark sea grey over sky. Trumpeter seem to indicate that the wheel wells are ‘’silver’’ but I would have thought that they would be sky. I will have to try to find out. The decals look to be first class although they don’t attempt any stencil markings and I can’t see where decal #9 goes, any ideas?

I am delighted with this kit of one of my (and I am sure many others) favorite aircraft. I am not sure that I can bring myself to spoil the beautiful lines of it by depicting it with folded wings. I often intend to do this with suitable models but never have, perhaps I will but with something less elegant like the Gannet. Extra Decal # 72074 and Mike Grant Decals # 72-049 both provide decals for Sea Furies but why must the after market people make sheets with six or eight markings for the same aircraft. Much as I like the Sea Fury I will not be making six or eight! I would rather see a sheet of three or four historically similar machines with, at the most, two of each aircraft. Special Hobby has recently released FB.11 # SH72073 as well as a T20 #72124 and a T.61 # SH72121 and Matchbox a T20 as well as Pioneer / PM’s two seaters. There is a great deal of information on the internet as well as Profile Publications #126, Squadron Signal “Hawker Sea Fury in Action” #117, Hall Park books “Warpaint # 16”, Scale Aircraft Modelling “Aircraft in Detail” of March 1989 and Aeroplane “Database” of May 2008 Check out Carlos Giani’s review of the Pioneer kit, he has done a good job there. I really look forward to making this kit; I have been waiting long enough for it! Thank you Trumpeter.

RHS/08

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