US Navy Sea Hurricane, VF-19, October 1943, USS Lexington

[Aeroplanedriver]

Following the successful Japanese sabotage attack on the Grumman plant in NY in July 1942 the US Navy found itself in need of a supply of naval fighters.  With no Wildcats coming from the production line and the need to press the Pacific war the US Navy made the controversial move of purchasing a foreign aircraft. Athte same time Elsie MacGill, the lead engineer for the Canadian Car and Foundry company, was  making a name for herself as a brilliant engineer developing the venerable Hawker Hurricane.   The US Navy contracted with CCF to produce Sea Hurricanes to fill the gap before newer fighters such as the Corsair and Hellcat could come to the front line. 

US Sea Hurricanes were mostly similar to UK versions, with the main difference being the change from six .303 machine guns to four .50 caliber guns.  Canadian Car and Foundry produced 320 Sea Hurricanes for the US Navy.  Initially envisioned as an emergency stopgap fighter, the type ended up serving with the US Navy until the end of the war and was popular with pilots and mechanics alike.  It's simple construction meant it could absorb considerable damage and make its way back to the carrier, and be flying again within days. 

This model depicts a Sea Hurricane of VF-19, flown from the USS Lexington in late 1943.  This aircraft was shot down in January 1945, with its pilot being rescued with minor injuries, but not before it earned 9 victories. 

Kit is the Airfix 1/48 Sea Hurricane Mk.II.  I expected a nice easy build after my recent blood, sweat, and tears with an Eduard Lysander, but this one's fit was even worse.  it took a lot of perseverance to make it to a finished product and I was honestly surprised given the reviews I had read and my experience with Airfix's recent Sea Fury.  But I pressed on and here she is...my 17th COVID build.

[Buzzbomb]

 

Awesome !!

[ChernayaAkula]

I like it! 

[Modelling_Mushi]

Lovely build that one

[Old Wombat]

She's beautiful!

[Starbuck]

It's stunning, how great those colors look on it.  I'd love to see a flight deck full of them!

[GTX_Admin]

 

[apophenia]

Oh, that is lovely! And a wonderful backstory. Great stuff about a Japanese sabotage attack on Bethpage :) And the 'Queen of the Hurricanes' gets a mention 

Can I suggest a designation? I'm thinking if the CCF-built Helldiver was a SBW, the BuAer would have designated the Sea Hurricanes as FWs. So, maybe this is an FW-2 (if I'm right in thinking those are .50s replacing the Hispanos)?

[elmayerle]

Great backstory adn beautifique' model.

[Aeroplanedriver]

Oh, that is lovely! And a wonderful backstory. Great stuff about a Japanese sabotage attack on Bethpage :) And the 'Queen of the Hurricanes' gets a mention 

Can I suggest a designation? I'm thinking if the CCF-built Helldiver was a SBW, the BuAer would have designated the Sea Hurricanes as FWs. So, maybe this is an FW-2 (if I'm right in thinking those are .50s replacing the Hispanos)?

I gave up on trying to come up with a designation so FW-2 works perfectly!  The gun replacement is two .50s replacing the six .303s in the original kit. 

[Volkodav]

 

[Frank3k]

That is a beautiful model! Great paint job and weathering as well.

[apophenia]

I gave up on trying to come up with a designation so FW-2 works perfectly!  The gun replacement is two .50s replacing the six .303s in the original kit.

Excellent! So, maybe the USN's CCF-built Sea Hurricane line-up goes something like this ...

- FW : Sea Hurricane Mk.XIA; US equipment, V-1650-1 (Merlin 28) engine, 8 x .30 AN/M2s;
- FW-2 : Sea Hurricane Mk.XIIA variant built specifically to US Navy requirements;
 -- FW-2: Packard V-1650-2 (Merlin 29 built to BuAer specifications), 4 x .50 AN/M2 machine guns;
- FW-2A: Lend-Lease Sea Hurricane Mk.XIIA, Packard Merlin 29, 8 x .303-inch Brownings
- XFW-3 : Sea Hurricane Mk.XII with 4 x 20 mm Hispanos (not taken into USN operational service);
- FW-3A: (Project) Planned cannon-armed Lend-Lease Sea Hurricane Mk.XIII (not built);
- FW-4 : Sea Hurricane Mk.XIIA with 1,280 hp Packard V-1650-3, 4 x .50-cal Brownings
- FW-4A: Lend-Lease Sea Hurricane Mk.XIV with 1,280 hp Packard Merlin 63
- FW-5 : Final production model with bubble canopy and 6 x .50 AN/M2s, most cancelled in Aug. 1945 

[The Rat]

As it should have been!   

[finsrin]

Sea Hurricane is so in service USN-ish.  Captured the look so well for post 1942 NY attack USN service.