Hawker Hurricane MK.I Fighter Aircraft COBI 5728 - World War II

HAWKER HURRICANE MK.I FIGHTER AIRCRAFT | COBI 5728

A model kit of the famous British Hawker Hurricane MK.I fighter aircraft in the classic brown and green RAF camouflage. The completed model features retractable landing gear, adjustable control surfaces, and a removable cockpit canopy for easy placement of the pilot figure. The aircraft can be displayed either on its own landing gear or on the included display stand with a nameplate. The set includes a pilot figure representing the Czechoslovak flying ace Sergeant Josef František.

Did you know?

Designer Sydney Camm began developing the aircraft during the first half of the 1930s despite opposition from military officials, who still insisted on biplane designs. Camm quickly realized that biplane fighters would soon become obsolete, and on 6 November 1935 the first prototype, K5083, took to the skies. The initial flight tests clearly demonstrated that an exceptional aircraft had been created, perfectly suited for maneuvering combat against virtually any opponent.

The new aircraft was personally named Hurricane by King Edward VIII. Mass production began in June 1936 after the RAF ordered its first 600 aircraft, making it one of the largest fighter aircraft contracts in British history at the time. By December 1937, the first four Hurricanes had entered service with No. 111 Squadron RAF as a Christmas present. Hurricanes also equipped the Czechoslovak No. 310 and No. 312 RAF Squadrons, which, together with Polish pilots, played a significant role in the Battle of Britain. Transition training on the new aircraft proved relatively easy. Initially, the only major challenge was the retractable landing gear, as previous RAF aircraft had fixed gear. As a result, some pilots occasionally forgot to lower it and performed so-called "belly landings." By 1944, a total of 14,533 Hurricanes had been built in numerous variants.

Although the Hawker Hurricane has often been overshadowed by the more famous Spitfire, Hurricanes were responsible for approximately 60% of all German aircraft destroyed by RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain in 1940, while the Supermarine Spitfire accounted for roughly 40%. As a result, the Hurricane played a decisive role in defending the United Kingdom.

More than 3,000 Hurricanes were supplied to the Soviet Union as part of Allied military aid, but Soviet pilots never fully embraced the aircraft. They criticized its armor protection and the Merlin engines, which required careful maintenance and well-trained pilots. When the Allies asked whether they were satisfied with the Hurricane, Soviet Armaments Commissar Yefimov diplomatically replied: "The aircraft is good. It's made of metal. Metal is good and doesn't burn easily." Soviet pilots simply preferred more rugged and forgiving aircraft.

Technical Specifications:

• Type: single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft
• Dimensions: wingspan 12.19 m, length 9.83 m, height 4.01 m
• Empty weight: 2,606 kg
• Maximum take-off weight: 3,020 kg
• Powerplant: Rolls-Royce Merlin Mk II engine producing 757 kW
• Maximum speed: 509 km/h
• Cruising speed: 344 km/h
• Service ceiling: 10,970 m
• Rate of climb: 8.5 m/s
• Range: 840 km
• Fuel capacity: 441 l
• Armament: 8 × Browning .303 (7.7 mm) machine guns
• Crew: 1

Josef František:

• Josef František was a Czechoslovak Air Force pilot who served with No. 303 Fighter Squadron. He became one of the leading fighter aces of the Battle of Britain, credited with 17 confirmed aerial victories.
• Eyewitness and fellow serviceman Josef Balejka confirmed that in September 1940 František shot down 17 enemy aircraft, 11 of them during the first three weeks of the month.
• František first gained attention shortly after the occupation of the Czechoslovak border regions, when he escaped to Poland in an aircraft right in front of the border guards.
• It should be said that Josef František was not particularly known for respecting authority. However, this trait was shared by many exceptionally talented fighter pilots on all sides of the conflict.
• During the German invasion of Poland, he initially flew reconnaissance missions in an unarmed RWD-8 aircraft. Finding these missions insufficiently adventurous, he loaded hand grenades aboard and successfully attacked a German military column.
• Following the occupation of Poland, he escaped through Romania to France and later continued on to Great Britain.
• While serving in Great Britain, Josef František successfully intercepted German aircraft returning across the English Channel. This tactic later became known as the "František Method."
• Josef František was killed on 8 October 1940, one day after his birthday, while returning from a patrol flight. His Hurricane crashed in Cuddington Way, and the cause of the accident has never been conclusively determined. According to eyewitnesses, he had been suffering from exhaustion after weeks of intense combat. Other accounts claim he had been performing aerobatics over his girlfriend's home and that a combination of combat fatigue and birthday celebrations contributed to the crash. The true cause will most likely never be known.
• Josef František died at the age of only 26, yet he remains one of the outstanding heroes of Czechoslovak history whose courage helped secure our freedom.

Deputy Commander of No. 303 Fighter Squadron about Josef František:

"He was a pilot unlike any before him, and there will never be another like him. He fought overwhelming odds alone, flew independently, and ambushed the Germans with remarkable skill. He was the finest marksman—every time he pressed the trigger of his machine guns, another German aircraft went down. He flew with passion and courage and was the greatest hero of the Battle of Britain."

Witold Zyborski

About the COBI Set:

• COBI set 5728 contains 382 high-quality ABS building blocks.
• Number of figures: 1
• Collection: World War II 1:32
• Pad Printed – no stickers
• Authentic and highly detailed design
• Made in the EU
• Compatible with other major building block brands