Hobby 2000 72001 - 1:72 Hawker Hurricane Mk.IA Squadron 303 - Battle of Britain 1940

1:72 plastic model kit of the Hawker Hurricane Mk.IA of No. 303 Squadron

Hobby 2000 72001 is a self-assembly model of the British Hawker Hurricane Mk.IA fighter as it appeared during the Battle of Britain. The kit opens the Katowice-based company's catalogue and immediately takes on the subject that means most to a Polish modeller – the aircraft of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron based at Northolt during the critical weeks of September 1940.

The release is built around Hasegawa plastic, known for its crisp recessed panel lines and good fit. Hobby 2000 has added a newly researched waterslide decal sheet and self-adhesive canopy masks, which make painting the Hurricane's characteristic multi-panel canopy considerably easier.

The decals cover three specific squadron aircraft from September 1940: RF-F flown by the commanding officer, S/Ldr Witold Urbanowicz, RF-J of F/Lt Johnny A. Kent, and RF-R flown by Sergeant Josef Frantisek – a Czech serving with the Polish squadron and the highest-scoring pilot of the entire Battle of Britain.

What's in the box:

• Plastic sprues (Hasegawa tooling)
• Self-adhesive masks for the canopy glazing
• Waterslide decal sheet for 3 marking options
• Illustrated assembly instructions

Model specifications:

• Scale: 1:72
• Catalogue number: 72001
• Manufacturer: Hobby 2000
• Assembled model length: approx. 137 mm
• Assembled wingspan: approx. 169 mm
• Skill level: beginner/intermediate

Note: The kit does not include glue, paints or modelling tools. The model is intended for self-assembly.

Assembly:

This is an approachable kit – a modest parts count, a simple airframe and proven tooling mean that less experienced modellers will manage it comfortably. It is worth painting the cockpit interior before closing the fuselage halves, as access becomes very limited afterwards. The standard interior colour for British fighters of this period is RAF Interior Green.

All three marking options use the classic 1940 Fighter Command scheme: Dark Earth and Dark Green upper surfaces over Sky undersides. Applying the decals over a polished gloss coat reduces the risk of silvering, and a satin varnish makes a suitable final finish for aircraft of this era. To raise the level of detail you may wish to consider a turned metal pitot tube or a seat belt set, both available separately in our shop.

Tools you will need:

• Modelling nippers for removing parts from the sprues
• Hobby knife or scalpel
• Files and sanding paper for cleaning up gate marks
• Plastic cement (e.g. Tamiya Extra Thin Cement)
• Precision modelling tweezers
• Brushes in various sizes
• Modelling paints (acrylic or enamel)
• Panel wash to bring out surface detail
• Gloss varnish for the decals and satin varnish for the final finish
• Decal softening solution

About the aircraft – Hawker Hurricane Mk.I:

The Hawker Hurricane was the RAF's first monoplane fighter with retractable landing gear and an armament of eight machine guns. It was designed by Sydney Camm's team and the prototype first flew in November 1935. The aircraft combined modern aerodynamics with proven, traditional structural technology: the forward fuselage was built around a steel tube frame covered with fabric, which greatly simplified production and field repairs. The Hurricane reached front-line squadrons at the end of 1937.

In the summer of 1940 the Hurricane formed the backbone of Britain's air defence – there were more Hurricanes than Spitfires in the squadrons during the Battle of Britain, and the type accounted for the majority of the victories. The standard tactic was for the faster Spitfires to engage the escorting fighters while the Hurricanes attacked the bomber formations. A steady gun platform, a tough airframe and simple servicing meant the aircraft absorbed battle damage well and returned to the line quickly. The Mk.I, powered by the Rolls-Royce Merlin III, reached a top speed of around 520 km/h.

No. 303 (Polish) Squadron "Tadeusz Kosciuszko" was formed at Northolt in August 1940 from Polish pilots who had made their way from the September Campaign through France to Britain. It became operational on 31 August 1940 and in just six weeks of fighting claimed 126 confirmed victories – the highest score of any fighter squadron in the Battle of Britain. Its pilots included Witold Urbanowicz, the Canadian-born RAF officer John A. Kent and the Czech Josef Frantisek, the highest-scoring pilot of the entire battle.

Original aircraft specifications (Hawker Hurricane Mk.I):

• Length: 9.84 m
• Wingspan: 12.19 m
• Height: 4.0 m
• Empty weight: approx. 2300 kg
• Take-off weight: approx. 3000 kg
• Crew: 1
• Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Merlin III inline engine, approx. 1030 hp
• Maximum speed: approx. 520 km/h
• Service ceiling: approx. 10,500 m
• Range: approx. 970 km
• Armament: 8 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns in the wings
• Production: from 1937, over 14,000 aircraft of all versions

About the manufacturer – Hobby 2000:

Hobby 2000 is a Polish model company based in Katowice that specialises in themed releases of plastic model kits. Its business model is built on cooperation with established kit manufacturers – the Hobby 2000 catalogue features plastic originating from Hasegawa, Fujimi, Dragon, Academy and Revell moulds, among others. This particular kit uses Hasegawa plastic. The added value of a Hobby 2000 release comes from newly researched decal sheets, its own assembly instructions and – in most aircraft kits – self-adhesive canopy masks included in the box as standard. The company is known for consistently choosing subjects that are poorly covered by the large manufacturers, with a particular focus on Polish and Eastern European stories. Releases are produced in limited runs, so sold-out items can be hard to find later on. For the modeller this means proven, well-developed tooling combined with carefully researched history and a generous choice of markings.