Book Review of
Single No. 36, Hawker Hurricane IIc
Authors: Dariusz Karnas, Marek Ry’s,
Thierry Vallet & Sgt. Antoni Beda
MMP Books (Mushroom Model Publications)
ISBN: 988-84-66549-53-4
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $11.99
ISBN: 988-84-66549-53-4
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2021
MSRP: $11.99
HISTORY:
Hawker Hurricane IIc:
The improved Merlin XX (Mk.20) engine appeared in 1940 featuring a new two-speed supercharger that could have its impeller speed changed by the pilot depending on the outside air pressure (altitude). At about 18,000 feet (5,500 m) (effective), it would be switched to a higher speed gearing ("FS ratio" – Full Supercharge) for added compression, while below that, at its lower speed gearing, ("MS ratio" – Moderate Supercharge), it "robbed" less power from the engine.
The result was more power at both lower and higher altitudes, dramatically increasing the overall performance of the engine, peaking at 1,280 horsepower (950 kW). Because of the new engine the bay immediately in front of the cockpit was lengthened by 4 inches (100 mm).
The carburetor air intake under the forward center-section was redesigned and moved back 3 inches (76 mm). The more powerful engine was cooled by a 70% to 30% water glycol mix, rather than pure glycol used for earlier Merlin versions.
This and the increased cooling requirements required a larger radiator and a redesigned, circular oil cooler housed in a deeper, slightly wider "bath".
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 23 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a top view of the Hawker Hurricane IIc. The illustration is wrapped around the spine of the book with half of it on the front cover and the other half on the back cover.
It is posed against an all-yellow background.
The aircraft is in a wave-pattern camouflage of gray and dark green, with a black spinner and blue and red British roundels on top of the wings.
The book contains a 5-view line drawing, in 1/72nd scale that also shows the shape of the bulkheads inside the fuselage and their locations.
Next is another 5-view line drawing, in 1/48th scale, with the illustrations of the bulkheads again.
No markings are shown on these 5-views.
There are 32 black and white photos and 2 color ones.
The black and white ones show: 3 photos of the Hurricane which is the featured color profiles in the book. 26 walk-around type photos, of the canopy, cockpit interior, (with names of the instruments), the radiator and oil cooler outlet, wing flaps, navigation lights, wing flaps, cowling, ammo cans, wing guns and their compartments.The 2 color photos shows the cockpit interior.
There are line drawings of the Hurricane Mk. I and Mk.II radiators, and the noses of each variant.
There is a color 2 view of the dashboard, with a listing of all the instruments names.The book ends with a full-page color side view illustration of a Mk. IIc. It is the cover art subject. It is in a wave pattern of gray with wide green bands camouflage and a black spinner, over an all-black undercarriage. It has a red, white and blue fin flash, fuselage code of white A roundel LK. It was BE500/LK-A, no. 87 Squadron, August 1942.
This is nice little, inexpensive book about the Hurricane.
Hawker Hurricane IIc:
The improved Merlin XX (Mk.20) engine appeared in 1940 featuring a new two-speed supercharger that could have its impeller speed changed by the pilot depending on the outside air pressure (altitude). At about 18,000 feet (5,500 m) (effective), it would be switched to a higher speed gearing ("FS ratio" – Full Supercharge) for added compression, while below that, at its lower speed gearing, ("MS ratio" – Moderate Supercharge), it "robbed" less power from the engine.
The result was more power at both lower and higher altitudes, dramatically increasing the overall performance of the engine, peaking at 1,280 horsepower (950 kW). Because of the new engine the bay immediately in front of the cockpit was lengthened by 4 inches (100 mm).
The carburetor air intake under the forward center-section was redesigned and moved back 3 inches (76 mm). The more powerful engine was cooled by a 70% to 30% water glycol mix, rather than pure glycol used for earlier Merlin versions.
This and the increased cooling requirements required a larger radiator and a redesigned, circular oil cooler housed in a deeper, slightly wider "bath".
THE BOOK:
MMP (Mushroom Model Publications) is based in the UK.
This book is of soft-cover of 23 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
The cover art shows a color illustration of a top view of the Hawker Hurricane IIc. The illustration is wrapped around the spine of the book with half of it on the front cover and the other half on the back cover.
It is posed against an all-yellow background.
The aircraft is in a wave-pattern camouflage of gray and dark green, with a black spinner and blue and red British roundels on top of the wings.
The book contains a 5-view line drawing, in 1/72nd scale that also shows the shape of the bulkheads inside the fuselage and their locations.
Next is another 5-view line drawing, in 1/48th scale, with the illustrations of the bulkheads again.
No markings are shown on these 5-views.
There are 32 black and white photos and 2 color ones.
The black and white ones show: 3 photos of the Hurricane which is the featured color profiles in the book. 26 walk-around type photos, of the canopy, cockpit interior, (with names of the instruments), the radiator and oil cooler outlet, wing flaps, navigation lights, wing flaps, cowling, ammo cans, wing guns and their compartments.The 2 color photos shows the cockpit interior.
There are line drawings of the Hurricane Mk. I and Mk.II radiators, and the noses of each variant.
There is a color 2 view of the dashboard, with a listing of all the instruments names.The book ends with a full-page color side view illustration of a Mk. IIc. It is the cover art subject. It is in a wave pattern of gray with wide green bands camouflage and a black spinner, over an all-black undercarriage. It has a red, white and blue fin flash, fuselage code of white A roundel LK. It was BE500/LK-A, no. 87 Squadron, August 1942.
This is nice little, inexpensive book about the Hurricane.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishers for this review sample. Casemate is the North-American distributor of MMP Books and all their titles can be viewed on Casemate’s website at:
Highly recommended.