Hurricane Mk I 1/48 – a model that crashed… and came back better

This is a story so real it almost feels unbelievable. Robbie, known as The Model Guy, received a 1/48 Hurricane Mk I for review. Instead of going for a “clean” finish, he chose something more demanding – a worn-out veteran, an aircraft with a story behind it. This particular type of Hurricane, which we’ve already written about here:

Hawker Hurricane P3090 – od myśliwca Bitwy o Anglię do służby w Fleet Air Arm

This wasn’t a Hurricane from a single moment in the war. It was an aircraft that had seen it all – the Battle of Britain, later service with the Fleet Air Arm, training duties, field repairs, repainting, and parts taken from other machines. A true “veteran” type, where nothing is perfectly aligned and the surface tells the story of its service.

And that’s exactly the kind of model Robbie decided to build.

The build progressed normally. Base coats for chipping, layers, corrections – everything was heading toward a heavily worn finish. The model was almost complete. And then something happened that you simply can’t plan – a hit against the wall on the other side of the room caused a monitor to fall straight onto the model. That was the end of it.

A bit like the real Hurricanes – which often ended a day in worse condition than they started.

Robbie shared what happened on his social media. As soon as we saw it, we immediately sent him a replacement kit. No discussion, no questions – just a new model.

And at that point, the story started to mirror the history of the real aircraft even more closely.

The second attempt was no longer about recreating the same build. It was more deliberate. The cockpit gained additional wiring and details that had been skipped the first time. The painting became bolder – more contrast, more work beneath the surface layers. The chipping was more controlled, yet more striking.

You can also see the difference in how the surface is handled. In the second version, the paint feels more dynamic – transitions are stronger, the chips more vivid. It’s that moment when you stop worrying about going “too far” and start trusting your references.

The final result is very strong. And honestly – better than my own model of the same aircraft:

Zmęczony wojną Hurricane Mk I W8-E – galeria modelu

Looking at it, I feel my own chipping is more subdued. I used Airframe Aluminium, which gives a subtle effect, but for this kind of subject it might be too restrained. Something stronger – maybe Chrome – would probably make the wear stand out more.

And that’s probably the most interesting part of this story.

A model that was meant to be just another review went through its own “combat service”. One serious accident, a return to the bench, and a second attempt – better, more deliberate, closer to what we see in archival photos of real Hurricanes.

Just like the aircraft he set out to recreate.