1:32 Hawker Hurricane wheels set early type (weighted)

Hawker Hurricane wheels of the early type 1:32 with weighted tires

A resin set of wheels for a kit of the British Hawker Hurricane fighter in 1:32 scale. It is not a model of an aircraft or a conversion but a replacement part for the main landing gear, fitted in place of the plastic wheels from the box. The designation early type refers to the form of the wheel as the name gives it; the exact package contents and the number of pieces are not stated here.

What a weighted tire means

The weighted form has the tire slightly sagged and flattened where it touches the ground, so that once the model is standing it does not rest on a mathematically round rim but bears on the ground like a real aircraft at full weight. This detail tends to be the weakest point of injection-molded parts, because the mold divides across the middle of the tire and the tread pattern goes blurred at the parting line. A resin casting allows a finer pattern on the tread and a sharper edge to the hub.

Fitting and painting tips

First wash the parts in lukewarm water with a drop of detergent, so that remains of the mold release agent are removed. Cut the casting block off with a fine-toothed saw, not with nippers, and level the surface with abrasive paper wet, so that no dust is created. They are glued with cyanoacrylate glue; cement for plastic has no effect on resin. Before gluing, check which way the flattened part should face downward and try the seating dry on the landing gear fork. They are painted over a base coat, the tire in a matte dark gray and the hub according to the scheme chosen; bringing the tread out with a dry brush gives the wheel depth.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Hurricane in a large scale who are bothered by a flat molded tread.
• Modelers who build the aircraft in a ground scene or on a diorama.
• Those who already have experience of cutting and gluing resin parts.

The set is an accessory for a kit, not a model in its own right. It is supplied unpainted; glue, paints and the base kit are not included in the package.