1:48 Hawker Typhoon IB

Typhoons of 1943 in four appearances

The large and brawny Hawker Typhoon started out as an unsuccessful high-altitude fighter and only found its role low over the ground. During 1943 it became a feared weapon against ground targets, locomotives and shipping in the Channel, and all four options on the sheet lead precisely into that period.

Two of them belong to British squadrons: the machine coded HH-N with the number EK139 of No. 175 Squadron from the spring of 1943 and the aircraft ZY-B with the number EK224 of No. 247 Squadron from June of the same year. The third option shows the machine PR-D with the number R7855 of No. 609 Squadron from February 1943, associated with the name of a Belgian pilot. The last choice is the aircraft with the number EJ906 in the colors of the Australian No. 451 Squadron operating in Egypt.

Recognition stripes and the build

Because of their resemblance to one enemy type, Typhoons were given prominent black and white stripes under the wings and a light band on the leading edge. These areas are painted using masks, and the decals then supply the codes, the roundels and the service stencils.

Before applying them it pays to polish the surface, because on a matte finish the edges of the carrier film stay visible even after a matting coat. The Egyptian option is interesting in that it leads to a sand finish, rarely seen on this type, which sets the model apart from the usual European schemes.

Anyone who wants to build several machines on one theme will appreciate that the brand has issued several related sheets for this type in the same scale. Each covers a different group of squadrons and a different period, so a coherent display can be put together from them without repeating the same aircraft.