Col. Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Right gang, best get a thread started instead of simply watching you lot have all the fun, be a fwe days before plastic gets hacked as I've got a Seafire to finish for the Fleet Air Arm GB but here's the basic plan; One Matchbox Hawker Hunter kit, ...gives options for a single seat F.6 or two-seat T.7, ...on a small decal sheet. Note the instument panels as these constitute the majority of the detail provided for either option. Parts are cleanly moulded with no flash but are typical of Matchbox at their worst with a few very deep panel line 'trenches'. The forward fuselages and their relevent spines are seperate to allow both options to be build from a single kit. All other parts are common to both and are contained on two further sprues, A single clear sprue finished off the parts count with canopies for both versions. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyC Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Good choice Col - built this as a teen. God, were those trench lines that deep???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Nice! Another Matchbox I didn't know! Which one will you make? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 What a beauty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLC1966 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 (edited) Got to be the twin sticker. The Hunter T birds really were the best looking jets ever. Edited September 17, 2013 by PLC1966 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Thanks Andy, did the same myself a couple times, from what I recall the kit went together well and yes the trench lines are as bad as you remember! Got a couple of these in the stash Carlos, both to be built as two seaters, this one will become a Royal Navy T.8C based at Lossiemouth amd regularly flown by my father. Having seen some of the other kits on here it's by no means a nightmare Jinxman. Hardly state of the art perhaps but many of the newer alternatives suffer the same issues. There are a few issues I want to resolve with this kit to provide a more accurate and detailed model from this kit. The trenches are one. The shape of the two-seat forward fuselage parts, spine and canopy is another: the cross-section of the former is too wide and the latter two are too square. Plenty of Miliput and sandpaper will help along with an attempt to form a replacement canopy. An almost complete lack of cockpit detail will be addressed with scratch-building supported by a couple of these; ...while the decals will be replaced for the most part using some of these; Got to be the twin sticker. The Hunter T birds really where the best looking jets ever. That and the fact the single seat canopy is a mis-shapen work of fiction Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Great choice Col, goes together a damn sight easier that the Xtrakit I can vouch for that!! Cheers Simon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 (edited) Nice one Col, I have one myself I'm very slowly building as a T.8 using the old aeroclub correction set. Speaking of which, you might be able to find the aeroclub canopy for the type, canopy that was also sold separately I think. It would save you some time Edited September 18, 2013 by Giorgio N 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
czechnavy Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 Remember building this kit as an Iraqi two-seater about the time of the Gulf War - went together very well with plenty of filler for those trenches - model is still lurking somewhere in a box in the loft! In those days, of course, minor problems of shape did not enter my thoughts - bought on a Friday, built and painted by Sunday evening, admired for a couple of weeks and then consigned to the loft! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 19, 2013 Author Share Posted September 19, 2013 Great choice Col, goes together a damn sight easier that the Xtrakit I can vouch for that!! Cheers Simon I had heard the Xtrakit was just as bad in shape and worse in fit. What a missed oportunity Nice one Col, I have one myself I'm very slowly building as a T.8 using the old aeroclub correction set. Speaking of which, you might be able to find the aeroclub canopy for the type, canopy that was also sold separately I think. It would save you some time Thried that trick on a previous on but alas the Aeroclub canopy is considerably smaller in width than the Matchbox kit so of no use. If, however, you need a spare canopy for your correction set let me know Giorgio. Remember building this kit as an Iraqi two-seater about the time of the Gulf War - went together very well with plenty of filler for those trenches - model is still lurking somewhere in a box in the loft! In those days, of course, minor problems of shape did not enter my thoughts - bought on a Friday, built and painted by Sunday evening, admired for a couple of weeks and then consigned to the loft! Sometimes I'm tempted to build an old cheap kit the way we used to as kids for therapy but I always end up trying to correct and detail them thus spoilling the whole exercise 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Giorgio N Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Thried that trick on a previous on but alas the Aeroclub canopy is considerably smaller in width than the Matchbox kit so of no use. If, however, you need a spare canopy for your correction set let me know Giorgio. Oh right, it makes sense as the excessive width of the front fuselage is one of the problem in both two and single seaters from the box. If the aeroclub canopy is made for the correct size aeroclub fuselage, then it shouldn't fit the Matchbox one, had not thought about it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 20, 2013 Share Posted September 20, 2013 Actually the trench lines will help you correct the nose shape Col. Basically sand down the sides until they're gone and you've corrected the width. Then blend in to the top and bottom which will still need filler of course. You'll find the panel lines will help keep the profile symmetrical. Should be a good build project. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 20, 2013 Author Share Posted September 20, 2013 That's the plan Somewhere I have a photo of my dad standing in front of 'his' T.8C and if I can find it I'll share it here as much for motivation to myself as for any other reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 With the FAA GB entry done and safely tucked away in the cabinet this one got a little attention tonight. Main task was to unearth the references and compare kit parts to photos/plans in an effort to establish what was worst with the kit. Oh dear. The area around the canopy and spine is the most obvious with the forward fuselage and tail coming next. I made a start by gluing the rear fuselage halves together and forming a tailpipe from some plastic tube. Plenty filler under the drag chute housing will smooth the inner surface prior to getting the tube installed. The curve of the lower fuselage up to the tailpipe is something of a compromise between shapes, taking the pipe diameter of the T.7/8 but matching it to the shallow sweep of an FGA.9, so plenty plastic sheet and filler will be needed to sort that out. A simple enough exercise from what I can recall but more inconvenience than major issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Here's where we are at the moment. First a few strips of plastic sheet; then plenty filler; Dare say a bit more filler will be required but it's a start. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 The way you've listed the problems makes it seem just like the mess I'm working on..... I wonder if merchandisers around the country will be trying to work out why filler sales have shot up? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarLos Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Great start! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 Thank you gents. The shape errors are more extensive than I remember from the last time I built this kit but not impossible to fix and with any luck I'll be finished in time for Airfix to announce an accurate new kit for 2014. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 with any luck I'll be finished in time for Airfix to announce an accurate new kit for 2014. Now that would be nice... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 4, 2013 Author Share Posted October 4, 2013 Been working on the main undercarriage bays for the last few evenings. After thinning the lower wing I made a start to building the main structure. Only done one side so far but the second should go quicker now I've worked out the main parts possition and shapes. After that there's the wiring and pipework to add within both bays. All good fun. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinxman Posted October 7, 2013 Share Posted October 7, 2013 Great stuff - I reckon the more effort you put into this the more likely Airfix will bring one out - keep it going! cheers 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 7, 2013 Author Share Posted October 7, 2013 Great stuff - I reckon the more effort you put into this the more likely Airfix will bring one out - keep it going! cheers I hope so as well Not had much bench time over the weekend but both main u/c bays now have their basic structure in place so will be wired up next. Slow progress is progress none the less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 14, 2013 Author Share Posted October 14, 2013 A quick update to show I've not forgotten about this one. The right hand bay is almost complete now and the left side is half way through getting wired up, If truth be told I find this task quite daunting until I sit down to do it then enjoy it as soon as I start. Hopefully be moving on to get the cockpit started soon. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted October 15, 2013 Share Posted October 15, 2013 Off to a good start Col.! Watching with interest! Cheers, Bill 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Thanks Bill. Hope that's a big bag of popcorn 'cause this might take a while... Both main gear bays are now done so here's a photo while the glue dries ready for painting; 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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