Wednesday, July 13

Preview: Arma Hobby's 1/72nd Hurricane Mk II A/B/C "Dieppe" Dual Deluxe Set's exclusive extras & extended markings...

Arma Hobby's special edition of their Hurricane in 1/72nd scale set looks to commemorate the 80th anniversary of "Operation Jubilee" (the invasion at Dieppe) on August 19, in 1942. We take a look at all the dual kit's parts, markings & exclusive extras in our preview...

Preview: Arma Hobby's 1/72nd Hurricane Mk II A/B/C "Dieppe" Dual Deluxe Set's exclusive extras & extended markings...

Hurricane Mk II A/B/C "Dieppe" Deluxe Set.
From: Arma Hobby
Kit No #70054
1/72nd Scale
Two kits in one box 
3-D printed accessories exclusive to this kit.
Arma Hobby's new Hurricane Mk II A/B/C “Dieppe” Dual Deluxe Set in 1/72nd scale is a dual kit with two hurricanes int he one box in a special edition commemorating the Dieppe landing (Operation Jubilee) with additional 3D printed accessories.

The Subject: Hurricanes during "Operation Jubilee"
During the Blitzkrieg in Europe in the spring of 1940, the Hawker Hurricane was the main RAF fighter. In the fall, during the Battle of Britain, it fought on a par with the famous Spitfire. In the following years, thanks to various improvements, it played an important role in Africa, the Mediterranean and the Far East, but in Western Europe it was delegated to slightly different activities: night, sea, and bombing.

A Hurricane at the time of Operation Jubilee
Hurricane Mk. II is a fairly simple modification of the original version of the aircraft, using a more powerful Rolls-Royce Merlin XX engine with a two-speed supercharger. This increased the fighter's performance so much that the installation of more powerful weapons became feasible: 12 machine guns (version B) or four 20 mm cannons (version C), as well as the bombs. These aeroplanes appeared in greater numbers in RAF squadrons in the spring of 1941. Relatively quickly, experience showed that the version with cannons is doing well, but the version with machine guns, even twelve, already has too little firepower, so it was delegated for bombing tasks, and called "Hurri-bomber".

 Hurricane IIb RCAF 402Sqn AEW BE485 during operation Jubilee over Dieppe France 1942
Although in 1942 the plane had its fighter glory behind it, the last great day of the Hurricanes on the European Front was August 19, 1942 - Operation Jubilee - an Allied landing on the beaches of the French Dieppe. As many as 8 squadrons equipped with these planes took part in it. Hurricanes of five different versions flew there: Mk.IIA, IIB, IIC and the Canadian-made Mk.X (converted to the Mk.IIB standard and essentially identical to it), and even three Mk.IA veterans. Their task was to attack ground targets, destroy German artillery and support the attacking infantry. These missions were so important that squadrons without ground-attack training, including the night ones, were also delegated to them. However, the basic principle that allowed for the effective use of the advantages of the versions was kept: Hurricanes with machine guns bombarded, and those with cannons - fired at targets. Although the entire operation was unsuccessful, the Hurricane squadrons fulfilled their tasks with devotion, fighting over the Dieppe beaches since dawn, mostly performing three assault operations each with the forces of entire squadrons.

Hurricane II.b RCAF 402Sqn AEX P3021 n AES at RAF Digby Lincolnshire 
After the operation over Dieppe, Hurricanes were no longer used en masse in combat operations in the West, but they still remained the core of the forces in Africa and Burma, they also fought effectively on the Eastern Front, where almost 2,000 of them were sent under Lend-Lease.


The Kit from Arma Hobby: 1/72nd Hurricane Mk II A/B/C "Dieppe" Dual Deluxe Set
This edition includes an exclusive set of 3-D printed accessories. (These 3D accessories are part of the set and will not be available separately).
This package includes:
Two sets of plastic parts (each for either the Mk II A/B/C versions).
Two sets of photo-etched fret.
Two sets of 3D printed accessories (cannons, exhausts, mirrors, mesh frame for the carburettor inlet).
Two sets of 3D printed 500lb bombs (four bombs).
Masks for both of the kits canopies are included
Decals with eight marking variants from "Operation Jubilee":
There are eight marking choices supplied in this kit. They were researched by Grzegorz “Bigos” Cieliszak

The marking choices in this kit:
-Hurribomber Mk.IIb BE668/HH-C. No. 175 Squadron RAF. Ford airfield. Aeroplane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilots: P/O A.C.N. Stewart, Sgt G. Cockbone i F/Sgt N. Howe (RCAF).
-Hurribomber Mk.IIb BP672/XP-P. No. 174 Squadron RAF. Ford airfield. Aeroplane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”.Pilots: F/Sgt W.H. Wetere (RNZAF) i P/O G.I. Mallet.
-Hurricane Mk.IIa Z2643/LK-J. No. 87 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. Aeroplane took part in two missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilot: P/O Andrzej Malarowski (Polish Air Force).
-Hurricane Mk.IIc BD833/LK-Q. No. 87 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. Aeroplane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilots: P/O G.W. Mosley i P/O D.G. Metzler.
-Hurricane Mk.IIc BE500/LK-A. No. 87 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. Aeroplane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilocts S/Ldr D.G.. Smallwood i F/L A.H. Thom.
-Hurricane Mk.IIc Z3081/FT-V „Baron Dhanis”. 43 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. Aeroplane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilot S/Ldr D. A.R.G. Le Roy du Viver (Belgium).
-Hurricane Mk.IIb (built by CC&F as Mk.X) AM315/FT-X „Tabora”. No. 43 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. Aeroplane took part in four missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilots: F/Sgt J.D. Lewis, P/O R. Turkington, Sgt M. Smith, Sgt W. Webster (RNZAF).
-Hurricane Mk.IIb Z2915/FT-P „Ramaekers”. No. 43 Squadron RAF. Tangmere airfield. lane took part in three missions during operation „Jubilee”. Pilots Sgt G.M. Ball (RAAF), Sgt C.Figgis, P/O J.Torrance.
Shipment of the model begins on August 19, 2022, the 80th anniversary of the Battle. The kit is available to pre-order now from Hobbylink Japan or from the Product Link on the Arma Hobby Website.