Heller 1/72 Ouragon

POLLY SINGH

The prototype Marcel Dassault, (today Dassault Aviation) Ouragon (Hurricane) made its first flight in Feb 49. The aircraft was designed specifically as a light weight fighter around the RR Nene and four 20 mm cannon. Gaining distinction as the first post war French jet fighter to enter service, around 200 examples entered service mostly with the Armee de l’ Air, the Israeli AF and the Indian AF. The Indian AF selected the Ouragon even as the force equipped with the HAL assembled Vampire FB 52. It was a deliberate decision to diversify the force’s dependence on British weapon systems. Apparently there was some uncertainty about Venoms from Britain and Saber Mk30s from Australia. The Indian Ouragons were named ‘Toofani’, a simple Hindustani translation of the term.

India ordered a total of 71 in 1953 plus 33 in 1957 which equipped five sqns, including 29 “the scorpions” one of whose ac is modeled here.

The Toofani saw considerable action in the 1961 eviction of the Portuguese conclave at Goa, where, Toofanis of 4 sqn attacked the Portuguese fort at Diu with rockets, the fort’s arsenal being blown up in the action. Toofanis also attacked the Runway at Diu with 1000 lb bombs. Beginning from 1966 the Toofani was phased out with the last 75 aircraft being flown to a scrap yard at Kanpur in July 72.

Sqn pilots pose in front of 29 sqn Toofani in 1959

The Heller Ouragon with its stable mate, a 1/72 Matchbox Mystere IV

of 8 sqn “the eighth pursoots”

This was a kit gifted to me by fellow modelers of IPMS Pretoria in semi made form, i,e, there were no plans, decals, and most of the parts had been painted on the sprue for the Israeli desert scheme. Some were even missing. Its pretty much OOB, except for the Indian AF decals from Bright Spark UK, also gifted by another modeler (you just don’t get any Indian decals) and the hand painted scorpion. The silver is standard multi shaded with matt and gloss portions. I chose the 29 sqn aircraft because of the fabulous golden scorpion that adorned their aircraft. Some pictures also suggest that some of these scorpions may be some other colour. Like all French aircraft of that era, large portions of the fuselage and control surfaces were painted red.

Toofanis of 29 sqn at Gauhati circa 1961