The British entered WWII without a really effective Naval Aviation branch. The majority of their aircraft were obsolescent and those that were relatively modern were soon shown to be the lesser in terms of performance against what they were facing. Years of complacency and the requirement to carry a radio operator/navigator aboard just about every plane in the system meant that the majority of what they were flying were two or three seat aircraft. These planes just couldn't cope with modern single seat fighters.

There was also the need to provide some sort of protection for convoys and the best protection was an airplane. They could fend off invading bombers and recce aircraft and spot U-boats for the escorts. Unfortunately, the RN did not have enough aircraft carriers to perform the mission. What was needed were smaller carriers to act as convoy escorts. Britain didn't have the capacity to provide what was needed so modified several ships with a catapult to carry a single fighter. This was a one shot as the pilot had to bale out and hope for rescue if too far from shore to land his plane. Using converted MkI Hurricanes, the experiment was not very successful.

By 1941/42, the British had converted some merchant ships to small carriers and so a dedicated seaborne Hurricane was developed. The most potent of these appeared in mid 1942 and was the cannon-armed Sea Hurricane IIc. These aircraft soldiered on until the summer of 1944, when they were replaced by Hellcats or Wildcats.

Revell of Germany has a very good reputation for producing quality kits at a most reasonable price. Despite the dollar's plunge over the last four years, they are still a very good deal for the American modeler and even more so for those using Euros.

Molded in the usual light grey plastic, my kit was showing some of the rigors of many moldings as there was some flash on a few parts and considerable on a few more. You get two major sprues and five smaller ones. These smaller ones contain the clear bits, bomb racks, drop tanks, tropical filter and the 'hooked' part of the aft fuselage that makes this a Sea Hurricane.

The kit supplied is basically the standard cannon armed aircraft with the proper wings for the variant. The prop is not a Rotol version, but looks more like a Dehavilland version with rounded tips. Two types of exhaust are provided; one of them the 'fishtail' version. The cockpit is quite acceptable for a 1/72 kit with floor, aft bulkhead incorporating the seat, control stick and instrument panel (with engraved detail). There is also some detail on the interior sidewall. Probably the weakest part of the kit are the wheels which are the proper type, but have rather 'flat' detail.

Instructions are typical of Revell of Germany being printed on near newsprint quality paper. Color information is provided with Revell paint references and many of the colors (which are not in the Revell line) have to be mixed. This includes several of the external camouflage colors. There are eleven well drawn construction steps with any color info required being given during those steps. From past experience, the build should be relatively fast and trouble-free. Unless one builds it with gear up, not modification or options are provided. Markings are given for two aircraft. One is the box art plane from 760 Sq aboard the HMS Ravager in late 1944 in standard colors of Extra Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate Grey over Sky. The other is from 835 Sq, HMS Nairana in July 1944, This aircraft has had much of its upper surface colors overpainted in white, leaving a nose anti-glare section in the older colors. This scheme wraps under the leading edge of the wing into the Sky undersides. The decal sheet is well printed and matte, providing an instrument decal as well as a goodly stencil suite.