Build guide · Hurricane
Which Hawker Hurricane kit should you buy? The complete 2025 guide
There are nine major Hawker Hurricane injection-moulded kits currently available across 1:72, 1:48 and 1:32 scale. Choosing between them depends on your scale preference, how much detailing you want to add, and whether you're building a Battle of Britain Mk.I or a later mark. This guide covers all of them honestly.
The short answer
If you want the best Battle of Britain Hurricane in 1:48, buy the Airfix A05127A. If you want the absolute finest Hurricane kit ever made and you're willing to pay for it, buy the Arma Hobby AH40015 Expert Set. In 1:72, the Arma Hobby ARM70027 is in a different league from anything else at that scale.
Bottom line
Airfix 1:48 for beginners and intermediate builders. Arma Hobby Expert Set 1:48 for experienced modellers who want the definitive build. Arma Hobby 1:72 for small-scale enthusiasts. Avoid the ICM and Hasegawa kits unless you find them at a significant discount.
1:48 scale kits
Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
A05127A · £28.99 typical
★★★★☆
1:48
Mk.I BoB
New tool 2015
Recommended for most builders
The 2015 Airfix retool transformed this kit from a mediocre 1970s mould into one of the best-value aircraft kits on the market. Cockpit detail is excellent for a mainstream kit — the tubular steel framework, rudder pedals and seat are all convincingly done. Panel lines are crisp without being overdone. The fabric fuselage texture is correctly muted. Fit throughout is very good, requiring filler only in the wing-root join if you're not careful with clamps during construction. Two marking options, both Battle of Britain schemes. Decals are top quality. Crucially, the kit includes parts for both the Rotol constant-speed and de Havilland two-position propellers — a detail that matters for accuracy. The cockpit benefits enormously from the CMK resin set (CMK4352), but builds well straight from the box.
Arma Hobby Hurricane Mk.I Expert Set
AH40015 · £55–65 typical
★★★★★
1:48
Mk.I BoB
New tool 2025
Best in class — for experienced builders
Arma Hobby's 2025 Mk.I is the Hurricane kit that modellers have been waiting for. New fuselage, wings, radiator and propellers designed from scratch, mated to the acclaimed cockpit and canopy sprues from their multi-award-winning Hurricane Mk.IIb. The result is a kit of exceptional accuracy with detail density that rivals resin producers. Surface texture is extraordinarily fine — rivet spacing, panel lines and fabric weave are all present and correctly scaled. The Expert Set adds pre-painted photo-etch, canopy masks and an extended decal sheet. It costs twice what the Airfix kit costs, but delivers twice the experience. Not recommended as a first aircraft build — the photo-etch in particular requires patience. But for anyone who has built a few kits and wants the definitive Mk.I Hurricane, this is it.
Tamiya Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
TM61040 · £32–38 typical
★★★★☆
1:48
Mk.I
Excellent older tool — still very competitive
Tamiya's Hurricane predates the Airfix retool but remains highly competitive. The classic Tamiya build experience — everything fits perfectly with minimal fuss. Cockpit is a step below modern standards but very acceptable, and the overall shape and accuracy are excellent. Decals are superb as always. The main drawback is that it's showing its age next to the Airfix and Arma Hobby offerings in terms of surface detail and cockpit sophistication. Still a first-rate build for anyone who values a stress-free assembly experience over maximum detail. Widely available and often slightly cheaper than Airfix.
Eduard Hurricane Mk.I ProfiPACK
ED84157 · £42–50 typical
★★★☆☆
1:48
Mk.I
Good kit, but better value exists
Eduard's ProfiPACK includes pre-painted photo-etch straight from the box, which elevates the cockpit considerably. The plastic itself is based on older tooling and the overall shape accuracy has been debated — some modellers feel the fuselage is very slightly too bulbous. For the money, the Airfix kit with a CMK cockpit resin set is more accurate, cheaper, and easier to build. The Eduard Weekend Edition (ED82154) strips out the photo-etch at a much lower price and becomes much better value. The ProfiPACK is best suited to modellers who specifically want to use Eduard's photo-etch without sourcing it separately.
Hasegawa Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
HST08073 · £22–28 typical
★★★☆☆
1:48
Mk.I / Mk.IIa
Acceptable older kit — buy on sale only
The Hasegawa Hurricane was the benchmark in 1:48 for many years. It has aged noticeably. The shape is generally good but the cockpit is sparse and the surface texture is old-fashioned. Fit requires some work around the wing roots. It does come with good decal options and builds into a reasonable result with patience. Given that the Airfix kit costs a similar amount and is demonstrably better in every area, there is no reason to choose this kit at full price. Only consider it if you find it significantly discounted or if you specifically want to use Hasegawa's aftermarket accessories.
ICM Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
ICM48061 · £28–35 typical
★★☆☆☆
1:48
Mk.I
Skip this one
ICM produces many excellent kits, but their Hurricane is not among them. Fit is problematic, accuracy has been questioned in several published reviews, and the cockpit detail is mediocre for the price. With much better alternatives available at the same or lower price, there is little reason to choose this kit. Pass.
1:72 scale kits
Arma Hobby Hurricane Mk.I
ARM70027 · £16–20 typical
★★★★★
1:72
Mk.I BoB
New tool
Best 1:72 Hurricane by a wide margin
In 1:72 scale, Arma Hobby have done something remarkable. The cockpit detail, surface texture and overall accuracy of this kit rival kits in larger scales. For anyone building a Battle of Britain Hurricane in small scale, this is the only serious choice. Multiple marking options, excellent decals, and a build experience that rewards careful work. The cockpit, while tiny at this scale, is genuinely detailed — not just a painted placeholder. Very highly recommended.
Airfix Hawker Hurricane Mk.I
AX01010A · £8–10 typical
★★★★☆
1:72
Mk.I BoB
Excellent value, ideal for multiples
Airfix's 1:72 Hurricane is simply outstanding value. At under a tenner, it builds into a convincing, well-proportioned model with good surface detail and quality decals for two Battle of Britain schemes. It won't match the Arma Hobby kit in finesse, but for the price — and for building a shelf-full of different squadron markings — it's the sensible choice. Widely available and consistently in stock.
1:32 scale
Revell Hawker Hurricane Mk.IIb
RV04968 · £28–35 typical
★★★☆☆
1:32
Mk.IIb
The only real option at this scale
In 1:32, the Revell Hurricane is your only mainstream injection-moulded option. It's a respectable kit — good size and presence on the shelf, acceptable detail for the scale. However, it covers the Mk.IIb, not the Mk.I, so it's not a Battle of Britain aircraft. The cockpit benefits heavily from aftermarket resin at this scale. CMK produce excellent 1:32 Hurricane detail sets. If you specifically want a 1:32 Hurricane, this is the kit to get, but go in knowing that some aftermarket investment is warranted to do it justice.
Quick comparison table
| Kit | Scale | Stars | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arma Hobby AH40015 | 1:48 | ★★★★★ | Best detail |
| Airfix AX05127A | 1:48 | ★★★★☆ | Best value |
| Tamiya TM61040 | 1:48 | ★★★★☆ | Easy build |
| Eduard ED84157 | 1:48 | ★★★☆☆ | PE included |
| Hasegawa HST08073 | 1:48 | ★★★☆☆ | On sale only |
| ICM ICM48061 | 1:48 | ★★☆☆☆ | Skip |
| Arma Hobby ARM70027 | 1:72 | ★★★★★ | Best 1:72 |
| Airfix AX01010A | 1:72 | ★★★★☆ | Best value 1:72 |
| Revell RV04968 | 1:32 | ★★★☆☆ | Only option |
For full build guides, paint codes, aftermarket and decal recommendations, visit the Hurricane reference page.