1/48 Academy Hunter FGA.9

[Nimrod Dave]

Anyone built this kit ? I picked it up at my LMS the other day. On opening the box it looks like a really nice kit, just a shame there's a poor choice of decals.

I can see here remodelled as a FRADU Hunter.

[Graham T]

Anyone built this kit ? I picked it up at my LMS the other day. On opening the box it looks like a really nice kit, just a shame there's a poor choice of decals.

I can see here remodelled as a FRADU Hunter.

There's quite a lot wrong with it.....but nothing to difficult:

1) Cockpit too shallow & seat too small. Replace with an aftermarket item (Aries, Neomega, Cutting Edge etc).

2) Chop 3mm off the rear of the tail bullet & reshape.

3) Cut 3mm off the front of the stab attachment tabs, this will enable you to attach them 3mm further forward (their trailing edges should be in line with that of the rudder).

4) Main wheels too small. Aeroclub provide a replacement undercarriage.

5) Junk the stores except the tanks & rockets (the bombs & SNEB pods supplied are all wrong).

6) I've never used the decals from this kit but there are replacement sets available from Cutting Edge & Xtradecal.

7) The wing/fuselage joint it extremely troublesome. Some builders recommend attaching the wing to each fuselage half before joining the latter. I've never done this as I worried it might result in different dihedral on either side!

I hope this helps!

[StephenMG]

More troublesome are the wrong shape air intakes and the fact that there are no hood rails - one can only assume Academy thought the hood hinged up rather than slid back.

Oh, for a Revell 1/48th Hunter.........................

[Edgar]

Another thing that everyone sems to miss, the l/e extensions should continue the aerofoil section, on the upper surface, so that they appear to droop. Academy's stick straight out, like those on the Swift.

Edgar