This is ridiculous - I am using bootcamp and after waiting over 2 hrs to download this OS, and attempt to install, I get an error message - no recovery partition. So much for user-friendly MAC.

Did the installer get deleted? If it fails to install, I didn't think it would get deleted. Check the Applications folder.

See, What to do if the installer warns that no Recovery System can be created,

in this document: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4718

You can create a recovery hd on another drive and install on the startup drive (if your drive is formatted correctly).

Otherwise, you can install Mountain Lion on an external drive.

You can create a recovery hd on another drive and install on the startup drive (if your drive is formatted correctly).

I'm not aware of any way to move a recovery hd from one drive to another - mind sharing how to do that? I was under the impression that one had to reinstall the OS which automatically creates a recovery hd?

Can you show me where I stated that?

The OP doesn't have a Recovery HD and can't create one. Why would I suggest "Moving" one?

The link I posted discusses installing on and external, thus creating a Recovery HD on the external. Then, it describes installing on your internal, having created the recovery HD on the external.

Ahh, I see - I understood this:

create a recovery hd on another drive and install on the startup drive

to mean that the recovery hd is created on one drive and then installed on another.....

Sorry about that!