Plastic sprues + 3D prints = new model!
The Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib model kit is a completely new set using the well-known and popular Hurricane Mk.I plastic sprues from Arma Hobby, augmented with 3D-printed resin parts and a high-quality Techmod decal with five British Fleet Air Arm marking schemes from various aircraft carriers.
As in 1941 the British land-based Hurricanes were converted into carrier borne fighters – by installing a landing hook, catapult spools and a few other components, now the RAF Hurricane model kit can easily be converted into an accurate Sea Hurricane model!
Marcin Ciepierski designed a set of 3D printed parts to fit perfectly with the plastic parts of the model. Their use will only require simple modelling work, the most serious of which is cutting off the bottom of the rear fuselage part. This is an operation that even an intermediate modeller can handle, because the cut is made along the existing panel line.
Carrier borne Hurricane
The Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib was a conversion of the used land-based Hurricane Mk.I, made when the Royal Navy dramatically needed the modern carrier borne fighter to replace the ineffective Skua and Sea Gladiators. These planes took part in all the most important Royal Navy operations in the Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic and Mediterranean for over a year. Their greatest achievements occured during the escort of two very important and very different convoys: PQ-18 in the Arctic (17 kills), and Operation Pedestal to Malta (25 kills), in the summer and fall of 1942.
New possibilities thanks to 3D printing
This new kit is a kind of attempt to create something really new, so far unavailable on the market in such quality, using the model kit already on offer by Arma Hobby. After the first trials with 3D printing, we see a lot of cool possibilities here. If Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib is well received by modellers, we will introduce more model kits based on this idea.
Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib preorder
Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib Arma Hobby 1/72 scale model kit can be preordered in the Armahobby.com online store. Shipment of the preordered model kits in early November.
- Order Sea Hurricane Mk.Ib model kit online in the Arma Hobby store
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That looks great. I will be ordering one through my local hobby shop (sorry, he needs my business as, besides being a model shop, it’s somewhere to meet up with fellow modellers and talk nonsense :oD) As you are venturing into the 3D print world is there a chance you will commission 1/72 scale figures; pilots (both fighter pilots and female Air Transport Auxilliary pilots perhaps inspired by some of the female fitness fanatics that go to the gym situated between Arma Hobby HQ and the 3D printers as described by Grzegorz on the Sprue Cutters Union podcast; see, I listened and paid attention :oD ), ground crew and equipment? Keep up the great work….Jim
I very much like Hurricanes, so I am happy that your Hurricane line will continue with Sea Hurricanes as well. Hopefully, Mk IB will be followed by Mks IA and IC as well as Mk IB converted from Hurricanes Mk IIA or Mk X. Sea Hurricane equivalents of Hurricanes Mk IIB and IIC will also be much welcomed. Although Operation Jubilee is not of my major interest, your recent eponymous kit of Hurricanes Mk IIA/B/C was a great idea. It gave me further ideas of a “Balle of El Alamein” kit of Hurricanes Mk IIB/C/D (whenever you issue Mk IID kit) as well as “Opeartion Pedestal” kit of Sea Hurricanes Mk IB/IB(ex Mk IIA or X)/IC and “Operation Torch” kit of Hurricanes Mk IIB/C + Sea Hurricane Mk X/XII. Speaking of still unreleased Hurricane variants, Mk IID is long awaited since you released Mks IIB and IIC. Although Mk IIA was not numerous, it served in three TOWs in various capacities with different cammo schemes, so its kit will be much welcome as well. Mk IV (with different armament options) will become a great kit, too; it also may include Mk V prototype that visualy differed from Mk IV only… Read more »
Additional idea: “Defense of Malta” kit of Hurricanes Mk I (day fighter), Mk IIA (day & night fighter), Mk IIB (overall black night intruder) and Mk IIC (day fighter).
Just got the email and I love this! I have 12 Arma Hobby Hurricanes, so I guess I should order 2, 13 isn’t very lucky for me haha.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate all that you do.
Jeff