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P.1109B XF378


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I was tempted to bow out of this one - too much other stuff - but, hey, why not...

For something a little different to go with the F Mk 6 and FGA Mk 9 I already have in the cabinet I'll mostly be modding one of my 1:32 Revell F Mk 6s with a new nose, smooth wing leading edges, Firestreak missiles, no sabrinas and only two cannon.

Planning on a fairly simple build - modifications aside.

If anyone has any images/drawings I'll love to see them!

Iain

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WoW! Nice one Iain! I may have some drawings somewhere.....

Oooh - would be very interested to see any if you do!

thats a pretty airplane

My thoughts exactly. Always wanted to build a model of this - even sleeker than a standard Hunter and, apart from a nose job and wing tweaks not too complex.

Already have a set of Trumpeter Firestreaks put aside - so that's a start.

Having built a couple already I recon it shouldn't take long to get a basic airframe together - we'll see...

EDIT - Back to that old chestnut - anyone know what colour that underside is? Not silver and looks too dark for Light Aircraft Grey. PRU Blue perchance??

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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EDIT - Back to that old chestnut - anyone know what colour that underside is? Not silver and looks too dark for Light Aircraft Grey. PRU Blue perchance??

Iain

Was there not a thread here not long back on the same subject Iain? Either way I'm looking forward to following this one!

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There was indeedy - nothing conclusive regarding XF378 though - I may just say sod it and go PRU blue anyway - unless anyone knows differently?

Iain

Well, I think there's a good case for PRU blue - and why not? I'll see if I can find anything in my books Iain.....must be something somewhere!

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Don't suppose anyone has any idea what the instrument panel looked like?

Was radar actually fitted and working - or just aerodynamic test? If latter - may go standard IP.

Any help/abuse appreciated...

Iain

EDIT - well according to the Hunter feature in Wings of Fame Vol 20 XF378 had the AI.Mk 20 radar fitted - bog.

The earlier aircraft, WW594, had the same nose - but for aerodynamic test purposes only - so that would probably have had a standard panel. Latter would be easier - but didn't carry the Blue Jay (Firestreak) missiles and I wanted to fit those...

So - back to instrument panel in '378 - anyone??

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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Hunter feature in Wings of Fame Vol 20

Can't help with your question Iain, but thanks for the head's up on that feature! I've got the Wings of Fame series and will have a scan through for my own research. :D

Hi again Iain, I've just dug out the feature in WoF 20, page 47, which you no doubt have seen, clearly shows the F.Mk.6 undersides and I'd wager that's PRU blue! Also the year, 1957, had only just seen the Sabres retire, which had the PRU blue undersides. The 1950s certainly saw many RAF aircraft wear the PRU blue undersurface scheme, so yes, I would definitely go ahead with PRU blue.

Edited by Busdriver
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May be able to talk with my dad about the radar fit and what effects it had on the panel later this evening Iain. He flew Hunters with both the FAA and RAF and I can remember him saying he'd stuck his head into the 'pit of a radar equiped Hunter once, can't recall if he said there was a seperate scope to one side of the gunsight but plans were to make the radar work with the gunsight later or vice versa, if he can shed any light on it will report back ;)

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Hi again Iain, I've just dug out the feature in WoF 20, page 47, which you no doubt have seen, clearly shows the F.Mk.6 undersides and I'd wager that's PRU blue! Also the year, 1957, had only just seen the Sabres retire, which had the PRU blue undersides. The 1950s certainly saw many RAF aircraft wear the PRU blue undersurface scheme, so yes, I would definitely go ahead with PRU blue.

Yup - it was that photo that really sparked interest (and same image IIRC in the 'Fighters of the Fifties' book. Looks like it could well be PRU blue in the photo...

May be able to talk with my dad about the radar fit and what effects it had on the panel later this evening Iain. He flew Hunters with both the FAA and RAF and I can remember him saying he'd stuck his head into the 'pit of a radar equiped Hunter once, can't recall if he said there was a seperate scope to one side of the gunsight but plans were to make the radar work with the gunsight later or vice versa, if he can shed any light on it will report back ;)

Any pointers appreciated - I'll happily go with an educated guess - but don't want to do a standard panel if there was a radar scope in there :)

Iain

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Spoke to my dad about this again last night and it was the earlier aerodynamic test machine he'd had a look over so standard panel in that one. What he did say was they were told a production version would feature a radar scope offset to the right of the gunsight, similar to that in a Lightning 'pit, and they liked the idea of a missile-armed Hunter at the time but only so long as they didn't loose all the 30mm Aden cannons.

Sorry I couldn't come up with anything better than that for you.

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Don't suppose anyone has any idea what the instrument panel looked like?

Was radar actually fitted and working - or just aerodynamic test? If latter - may go standard IP.

Any help/abuse appreciated...

Iain

EDIT - well according to the Hunter feature in Wings of Fame Vol 20 XF378 had the AI.Mk 20 radar fitted - bog.

The earlier aircraft, WW594, had the same nose - but for aerodynamic test purposes only - so that would probably have had a standard panel. Latter would be easier - but didn't carry the Blue Jay (Firestreak) missiles and I wanted to fit those...

So - back to instrument panel in '378 - anyone??

There was a 2-part article in Aeroplane Monthly recently on the P.1109. No cockpit shots that I recall, though. One bit I remember was that the AI Mk.20 was called the unjammable radar because it never worked at the best of times.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Aha - thanks Seahawk - Feb 2012 edition - have just ordered a copy :)

Online version here: http://www.exacteditions.com/exact/browse/...7/30160/2/20/0/

Making a start this weekend - don't expect too much though!

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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There was a 2-part article in Aeroplane Monthly recently on the P.1109. No cockpit shots that I recall, though. One bit I remember was that the AI Mk.20 was called the unjammable radar because it never worked at the best of times.

Copy arrived today - very useful images!

Write-up states radar scope central on panel?

Also - there's a badge on the nose - not clear enough to decipher - I may have to scan a portion of one of the images to get your collective thoughts...

Iain

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  • 2 weeks later...

A cracking version to model.

There was a good picture posted on Fighter control forum last week

9_103.jpg

Credit to buzzer for the original post

But wait, there's more

Silver cloud did a 1/72 conversion set, reviewed in Hyperscale's forums August 09. Not as much fun as as new Milliput nose but easier on the Fireflash's.

Colin W

Edited by Colin W
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  • 4 weeks later...

Cheers Colin - just spotted this - very useful!

1:72 conversion far too small! ;) Have been looking at turning up a nose on my lathe...

Anyhoo - afraid I'm going to have to park this one for now and drop out of this GB - too much other stuff going on and I don't yet have all the info I think I need to make a start.

I will pick it up again at some point.

Iain

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