A Polish Hurricane

[NARSES2]

Polish Air Force Hawker Hurricane Mk I September 1939

So here we have a "so nearly could have been". In 1939 Poland placed an order for one example of the Mk I Hurricane for evaluation purposes, with an option to purchase nine more. The first aircraft was shipped from Britain in July 1939 and is known to have been unloaded at Gydnia on the 8th August. It's subsequent fate is unknown, as is that of the other nine which were hurriedly shipped to Poland in early September. There are numerous theories as to where these aircraft went as no manifest can be traced, but rather interestingly it is known that a crate, marked with stencils in Polish, and containing Hurricane spare parts turned up in Aden in July 1940 ! So maybe, just maybe they went East ?

So that's the history according to Francis K Mason in his book "The Hawker Hurricane ; An Illustrated History", but what might have happened ?

If they had of arrived in Poland then it's likely they would have been issued to units currently using older examples of the PZL parasol monoplane line. So this Hurricane belongs to 151 Fighter Squadron from Lida which was attached to the Narew Independent Operational Group and is flown by the Squadron commander Lt. Jozef Brzezinski, based at Brzesc-Adamkowo Airfield, September 1939. In reality they flew PZL P.7's.

The kit is the recent Airfix tooling of the "rag wing" Hurricane of which I have built a few examples so won't go into detail again here, but will say that it's a nice, quick, relatively simple build. The paints are fittingly by Polish manufacturer Hataka and I can't praise them highly enough. The transfers are from the ARMA Hobby kit of the PZL P.7a which I have recently finished in alternative markings. Coincidently ARMA are also a Polish company so both the colours and markings are hopefully fairly accurate.

So altogether a nice, quick build which could well be the first of an alternative Polish Air Force 1939 line up. I already have a Polish Spitfire Mk I, so maybe a Blenheim Mk I or a Battle ? Or perhaps something French perhaps given the historical links between the two countries ?

[PR19_Kit]

Not only a lovely kit, but a lovely build too Chris. That looks the absolute BUSINESS! 

I like the way you've done the asymmetric 'squarals' too, very Polish.

[Rheged]

The only word to describe this is " wspaniały"

[DogfighterZen]

Very nice indeed, Chris! 
Somehow looking at the Hurricane in one color brings out the lovely lines of that plane... I've never built one so i may have to go for a real world PoAF one...

[zenrat]

Good job Chris.  Looks spanky.

Have you built the AZ Mk V?  I have one in the stash and was wondering how it compares to the Airfix raging Mk 1.

[Mossie]

That does look good Chris, Hurricane in new clothes. 

[Dizzyfugu]

That's very nice.  I also did a Polish 'Cane (Airfix) a while back, but in a fictional splinter livery, created by PantherG (who frequently posts profiles).

[NARSES2]

Have you built the AZ Mk V? 

Yes I have, a couple of years ago. It's a little "clunky" in parts, but goes together o.k.. Not as good as the Airfix kit in terms of ease of build, but nothing seriously wrong with it.

I've got a couple of ARMA Hobby Mk I's and II's to build which I'm told are the bees knees.

[NARSES2]

That's very nice.  I also did a Polish 'Cane (Airfix) a while back, but in a fictional splinter livery, created by PantherG (who frequently posts profiles).

Yup, I've seen it and it looks fantastic 

Thank you gents

[ysi_maniac]

Just neat!!!

[zenrat]

Have you built the AZ Mk V? 

Yes I have, a couple of years ago. It's a little "clunky" in parts, but goes together o.k.. Not as good as the Airfix kit in terms of ease of build, but nothing seriously wrong with it.

I've got a couple of ARMA Hobby Mk I's and II's to build which I'm told are the bees knees.

Thanks mate.

[stevehed]

I like it. Pity it's not real world. Would have given the Stukas a fright.

[NARSES2]

I've got a couple of ARMA Hobby Mk I's and II's to build which I'm told are the bees knees.

I dug the Mk I out yesterday and had a look at it. The undercarriage bays and undercarriage it'self look remarkably like those in the Airfix kit, and it will be interesting to see if they have the same slightly fiddly undercarriage leg attachment ? On the other hand other parts of the airframe and cockpit bear no resemblance to the Airfix kit and look very nice indeed.

Anyway the kit has been moved to the pending pile, but will be real world as I don't think I've built a BoB Hurricane since I was a nipper.

[The Rat]

That brown is certainly a change from every other scheme I've seen a Hurricane wearing, and it looks good!

[chrisonord]

As Monsenior Rodente says, the brown is certainly different. Marvelous build as per Chris