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1/72 - Hunting Jet Provost T.3/T.3a & T.4 by Airfix - released - new T3/T.4 boxing in June 2024


Homebee

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It's time to open a dedicated - and easy to find... - thread, I think.
Original: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234988431-should-we-be-expecting-a-new-airfix-release-announcement-today/page-9
So the future Airfix new tool 1/72nd Hunting Jet Provost T.3/T.3a - ref.A02103 - last news
Source: http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/jet-provost-and-sea-king-updates/

 

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New Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 Project Update
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Early test shots image of the new Jet Provost, which the designers have already amended

Even though the last RAF Jet Provosts were withdrawn from service in the early 1990s, this classic British jet continues to be popular amongst aviation enthusiasts and modellers alike. Indeed, many of these aircraft can still be seen displaying at Airshows all around the country, bringing back happy memories for many who saw these distinctive jet trainers flying in the skies above Britain for over thirty highly productive years.
News that Airfix were to introduce a new 1/72nd scale Jet Provost T.3 to their kit range seemed to be universally welcomed by modellers and adds to the range of RAF training aircraft already in the catalogue line up. Benefitting from the very latest design and manufacturing advances, this extremely appealing new model has advanced to test model shots stage and we are sharing the latest images from the project in this weeks Workbench blog. Once again, we have to stress that these images show the very first test shot images and although they are extremely interesting for the modeller to see and certainly illustrate the process any new model kit has to go through, they do contain a number of inaccuracies, which have already been identified and corrected by the Airfix designers.

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A selection of images showing the first test shots of the Jet Provost T.3 tooling, including a number of issues that have already been addressed

The selection of images we have included this week show the first built up test shots model from the Jet Provost T.3 tooling, which represents a critical stage in the development of this model. The first time that plastic is injected into the new tooling mould is an exciting time for everyone involved in the project and the resultant test frames allow the designers to check every aspect of the new model. The parts are constructed and thoroughly inspected, with any necessary alterations being communicated back to the toolmaker, who will make the required alterations. This painstaking process may take place several times before the designers are happy with their model and are in a position to sign off the tool. From this stage, the signed off tooling block can be shipped to the kit manufacturer, before the new model can go into full production. Even at this stage, there is still much work to be done on the project, including the production of the instruction sheet, decal artwork and any associated marketing artwork, with the beautiful box artwork usually being the final piece in the production jigsaw.

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The first test shots of the Jet Provost T.3 parts sprue

The image of the model kit test frame we have included here has already been modified to include more parts the large space at the bottom left hand corner of the top frame (which has the lower wing assembly on it) has now been taken up by the instructor and student pilot figures, which really does illustrate how the initial test frames can be significantly different from the ones you will find in your kit.
Perhaps the most interesting images we have included this week are this selection featuring the model tooling block itself. These extremely heavy pieces of steel pull apart to reveal the beautifully milled model tooling work inside, which will eventually be used to produce many thousands of plastic model kits, once they have been fully signed off by Airfix designers. Looking closely at these images, you can easily make out the unmistakable profile of the Jet Provost T.3, whilst they also help to give some idea of how the injection moulding process takes place and how the cooling plastic frame is ejected from the tooling block, before repeating the process many more times. When we are sitting down to start our latest modelling project, it is often easy to overlook the amount of work and engineering excellence that lies behind the model we have in our hands and how the industry continues to strive to produce the most accurate, finely detailed models they can possibly achieve.

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A selection of images showing the mould tooling used on the Jet Provost kit

There is still much work to do before the new Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 arrives in our model stores, but we hope you have enjoyed seeing where the project currently is and looking at these exclusive images. The two scheme options that will be included with the model are A). Provost T.3 XM413/24 of No.2 FTS, at RAF Gaydon, in 1967 and B). Provost T.3 XM461/11 of No.1 FTS, at RAF Linton-on-Ouse, in 1984. We look forward to bringing you further updates and decal scheme artwork for the new Jet Provost in a future edition of Workbench, but hope that you have enjoyed this look at were the project currently is. The new Jet Provost model is expected in late August and is available for pre-order now on the Airfix website.

 

V.P.


Matt-Memory2.jpg

Edited by Homebee
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ONE of them is on the same sprue as the wing lower half. The other, who knows!

I had seen one, but where is the other?

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I had seen one, but where is the other?

I think there's two small wheels rather than big ones. There's a small one centre bottom middle section with the big wheel. The other is directly below the tip tank in the section with the horizontal tail planes.

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I think there's two small wheels rather than big ones. There's a small one centre bottom middle section with the big wheel. The other is directly below the tip tank in the section with the horizontal tail planes.

That looks to me like the other half of the nose wheel.

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  • 1 month later...

Looking forward to this one. Got a thing for High Speed Silver and Dayglo. I've been eyeing the old Airfix moulding in the stash with certain sense of dread. So, off to ebay it goes.

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  • 2 months later...

Source: http://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/fleet-air-arm-martlet-and-jet-provost-updates/

Fleet Air Arm Martlet and Jet Provost Updates

Date: 17/06/2016

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Welcome to the latest edition of Airfix Workbench, where as usual we have a feature-packed update on everything that is happening in the world of Airfix modelling. We will be bringing you updates on two highly anticipated kit projects due for release later in the year, along with some interesting reader and forum features. We end with one of our ever popular box artwork reveals, which as usual is absolutely stunning.

Before we begin, we would just like to let our readers know that Workbench will be taking a short break following the release of this latest edition. The next edition of our Airfix blog will not be published until Friday 15th July, but we will be looking to bring you a bumper edition when we return as it's our first birthday! In the meantime, please do continue to send us your photographs and build features, as we are always pleased to receive this information and we will have many more blogs to bring you during the remainder of 2016. Right, on with this latest edition.

RAF Pilot Training goes ‘All Jet’

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The unusual long undercarriage arrangement of the Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.1

By their nature, military pilot training aircraft tend to be amongst the most popular aircraft in the history of any nation's air arm, both with enthusiasts and with the pilots who go on to fly them. As these aircraft tend to be amongst the most numerous in any air force, simple logistics dictate that more people come into contact with this type of aircraft than any other, whether flying them, working on them, or simply watching them from an enthusiast’s point of view. From the modeller's perspective, training aircraft are always popular build projects and over the past few years the Airfix range has benefited from a number of newly tooled RAF training aircraft model releases. The latest model in this successful series is the beautiful new Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 (A02103), which occupies an extremely important position in the history of the Royal Air Force and has been extremely well received since it was originally announced in Workbench.

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Airfix De Havilland Vampire T.11 - this was the RAF advanced jet trainer waiting for students at the OCU (Image Colin Duckworth)

As the world entered the jet age, the Royal Air Force were amongst the first service to incorporate this new technology, and in the years following the end of WWII it soon became apparent that their pilot training programme would have to reflect this change. Initially, student pilots would be trained on some of the classic piston engined aircraft still in RAF inventory, such as the Tiger Moth, North American Harvard, or the new Hunting Percival Piston Provost. The transition from these older aircraft types to the advanced jet trainers now in service, such as De Havilland Vampire T.11, was proving to be more than a little problematic. Having completed their training satisfactorily on piston engined aircraft, the early 1950s highlighted the fact that large numbers of student pilots were proving to be unsuitable for more advanced jet flying. Indeed, with a significant number of jet training accidents being suffered and up to one third of newly qualified pilots finding themselves being rejected by the Vampire T.11 flying RAF Operational Conversion Units, something had to be done and quickly.

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Computer rendered CAD image of the new 1/72nd scale Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3

The answer was to introduce student pilots to jet aircraft much earlier in the training programme, and a jet powered version of the successful Piston Provost aircraft was developed by Hunting Percival. With the adoption of this ‘All Jet’ pilot training programme, it was thought that OCU rejection rates would be reduced to just one or two percent, with significant cost savings and a reduction in flying accidents being extremely welcome anticipated benefits. The Jet Provost T.1 entered service trials with the RAF in 1955 and different versions of the aircraft remained in service until 1993 – in a rather strange turn of events, this classic jet trainer was actually replaced in service by the turboprop Short Tucano T.1.

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The Short Tucano was the eventual replacement for the Jet Provost trainer

Clearly, an aircraft possessing the impressive heritage of the Jet Provost will be a welcome addition to the 1/72nd scale Airfix range, and since the announcement of this new tooling was made last year modellers have been keen to receive updates on this project, which seems destined to be an extremely popular model. We are pleased to be in a position to bring you confirmation and supporting artwork of the decal scheme options that will be included with this impressive new kit when it is released later in the year:

Scheme Option 1

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Full Airfix decoration layout for the No.2 FTS RAF Gaydon Jet Provost T.3

Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3, XM413/24, No.2 Flying Training School, Royal Air Force, Gaydon, Warwickshire, England 1967.

Following construction by Hunting Percival, this particular T.3 was initially delivered to No. 27 Maintenance Unit at RAF Shawbury in March 1960, before being flown to the Central Flying School at Little Rissington just a few days later. At the end of its first full year of flying training, the aircraft suffered a CAT 3R flying accident – this usually meant that the aircraft was repairable, but the work was severe enough to require the manufacturer to complete the work. A contractor would either be sent to the airfield where the aircraft was stored, or it would be temporarily repaired, before being flown to the manufacturer's facility for the actual repair work to be carried out.

Following repair, XM413 was flown to No.7 Flying Training School at Church Fenton in January 1963, where it served without incident for the next three years. At the end of June 1966, the aircraft went on the serve with No.2 FTS at Syerston, where it was coded ‘24’ and eventually went on to RAF Gaydon, proving to be an extremely reliable aircraft in the training of RAF student pilots.

In July 1969, Jet Provost T.3 XM413 began a lengthy period of storage, before being declared a ‘non-effective’ airframe in 1976 – it was transported by road to the Army Apprentice College at Arborfield, in Berkshire, where it was later scrapped in around 1992.

Scheme Option 2

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Full Airfix decoration layout for the No.1 FTS RAF Linton-On-Ouse Jet Provost T.3

Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3A, XM461/11, No.1 Flying Training School, Royal Air Force, Linton-On-Ouse, North Yorkshire, England 1984.

As with the previous aircraft, XM461 was delivered to No.27 Maintenance Unit at RAF Shawbury in May 1960, before being flown to the Royal Air Force College Cranwell a few weeks later. Following almost seven years of flying training service with the RAF, the aircraft returned to Shawbury for a lengthy period in storage.

In August 1973, XM461 was flown to the British Aerospace factory at Warton, where it was converted to T.3A standard, first flying in this configuration on 4th January 1974. Over the next few months, the aircraft provided pilot training support at RAF Leeming, Little Rissington and back to Leeming, before eventually arriving at No.1 FTS Linton-On-Ouse in August 1974. This magnificent aircraft stayed at Linton for the next seventeen years, with just a short interruption when XM461 served as a trials aircraft at the British Aerospace Warton factory.

In 1991, this Jet Provost was put up for sale by the Ministry of Defence and was acquired by Richard Lake and his Global Aviation company, which was based at the former RAF Binbrook airfield. Quite a number of RAF Jet Provosts were to end up at Binbrook, where they were stored and prepared, before onward sale to new owners all over the world. The old Lightning ‘Q Shed’ at Binbrook was utilised as a temporary paint shop for the Jet Provosts, many of which received a smart new coat of paint before being despatched to their new owners. Interestingly, as the Jet Provosts were flown in, this once vibrant station would spring into life, as the airfield would need fire and air traffic control cover for the arrival of the aircraft. The Jet Provosts would usually fly in to Binbrook accompanied by RAF Tucano trainers, so the ferry pilots could quickly return to their base, following delivery of the former RAF jets.

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Stencil data layout graphic for the new Jet Provost T.3

Jet Provost T.3A XM461 was sold to a US collector and exported to Griffin Spalding County Airport, in Georgia in 1992. Carrying the registration N6204H, the aircraft still wears the classic RAF 1 FTS scheme from its time at Linton-On-Ouse, including the white rose of Yorkshire and the number markings 11 and 19. It is thought that the aircraft is not currently in airworthy condition and as it had been stored outdoors for many years, it is now in need of some much needed TLC.

The new Airfix 1/72nd scale Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.3 kit is obviously attracting a lot of interest from modellers and many will be looking forward to adding this to their 2016 build schedule – it is currently on track for a late August release, but it is advisable to keep checking the Airfix website for all the latest information.

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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Well that's means at least two are going to be coming my way with just the kit decals. XM413 is an aircraft I must have seen between the ages of 12 and 14 when JP3's from 2FTS flew over our house at Mapperley or school at Gedling near Nottingham. Glad to see that the dayglo is on the decal sheet.

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Btw that mould is still missing some details - wheel, pilots etc.

Really looking forward to this kit, sooo many lovely colour schemes.

Edited by Wez
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Still very nice, but am concerned about the missing wheel etc. I'm sure (and hope) that will be rectified. Re colour schemes Nice choices . I am thinking ahead and Red Pelicans in overall red/dayglo, Macaws and several other mini display teams plus the camo ones from Brawdy in 79 Squadron markings...So many other schemes possible....

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Coming soon to a stash near me! Hope the JP-5 gets the same treatment. Still got one of the original Airfix JP-5/Strikemasters. Nice little kit but definitely due for a re-tool I think!

Allan

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