I picked up an Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk. 1 Tropical at the Model Box today. It’s a nice looking detailed model, and it was a nice price.
However, I really would like to dispense with the tropical filter and build it as a regular Mk. 1 with the normal filter.
If any of you might happen to have one of these lying about in your spares box, perhaps we can work out a trade or purchase? Any maker will do as long as it’s 1/48th scale. It will prevent me from having to make one. [:D]
Hi Gary - I’ve read a few reviews of the original (Hurricane Mk I) release, which point out that parts were included for several other versions i.e. 2 types of prop spinner, a lower fuselage insert for an arrestor hook (and the hook itself), and a Vokes tropical filter. Airfix subsequently released the Sea Hurricane, (which used the arrestor gear but not the original insert) & the tropical version you have (using the Vokes filter). If you check the sprues, you may well find the original filter is actually there - Airfix didn’t make new sprues for the later releases, so I doubt they’d re-work the sprues to delete the original parts. Just a thought[:)]
I would like to hope you’re right, but it’s not there. Airfix has a Mk. 1 version with the regular filter, so I think they’ve removed the extra parts in the new tools.
Thank you, Colin! That helped, but the bad news is that the parts are not there. They’ve been removed! I didn’t notice at first because I was looking for a part, not where a part HAD been! I thought it was odd, as the box looked like it might have been opened, but the bag was sealed. Not sure what happened, but it’s possible someone took the parts and then resealed the bag and returned the model. Well, it’s not like you can’t build the “tropical” Hurricane, and if I had been intent on building that version I might never have noticed. At the moment, I’m checking everything else and making sure all the rest of the parts are present. I have to decide if I want to return this kit and get a refund, or just keep it and carry on with finding or making a part. The shop had just this one, but I’m sure they would order another if I explained the situation. Well, we’ll see.
I would take it back and explain your findings. If they value you as a customer they will do the right thing. If they tell you to pack it then I suggest not buying from them in the future.
I’ve also run into a couple “factory sealed” kits. I feel your pain.
As an aside, I recently returned a kit purchased on ebay that was painted far more extensively than the pictures were showing. Also included were toothpicks, a rag, and two invoices for car repairs done several years ago. They were not trying to pass it off as factory sealed, but the whole thing went back for a refund.
