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1/48 - Hawker Hunter by Airfix - F.Mk.4/5/6, J34, FGA.9, FR.10 & GA.11 released


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Apart from the typo in "Bawdy",  that will sure be corrected soon, it's good to have an FTS aircraft. At the same time I'm quite underwhelmed by the choice of markings. Hunters wore some great markings during their long career, sure, there will be plenty of aftermarket sheets for serious modellers but I feel that one operational unit should have been included. Revell's choice of 66 Sqn. was IMHO very good, Airfix could have chosen others if they didn't want to replicate this, colourful candidates could have been 19, 54, 63, 92 or 208.

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Have to agree with Giorgio, second option is very lack lustre.

 

I'm really hoping that the kit is broken down in such a way that other variants can be produced from it.  That could really bring some money in for Airfix.

Edited by 71chally
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Now I’m not complaining about this 1/48 Hunter kit but does anyone know why the F.6 seems to be the version most kitted? I can certainly see a great Black Arrows / Blue Diamonds box in the near future but an early F.1 to F.5 non dog tooth kit would have ticked more boxes IMO. I realise that their are some differences here, but how hard would have been to limit yourself to one kit if all these straight wing versions were possible from one box? 

 

Or - do we just wait for the AM brigade to produce the inevitable conversion set and take more of our hard earned money? 

 

Perhaps there’s more scope for export sales with the F.6 kit, I’m not sure but quite curious? 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

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35 minutes ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Now I’m not complaining about this 1/48 Hunter kit but does anyone know why the F.6 seems to be the version most kitted? I can certainly see a great Black Arrows / Blue Diamonds box in the near future but an early F.1 to F.5 non dog tooth kit would have ticked more boxes IMO. I realise that their are some differences here, but how hard would have been to limit yourself to one kit if all these straight wing versions were possible from one box? 

 

Or - do we just wait for the AM brigade to produce the inevitable conversion set and take more of our hard earned money? 

 

Perhaps there’s more scope for export sales with the F.6 kit, I’m not sure but quite curious? 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

I build the Academy some time back with lots of aftermarket (which is partly OOP by now). This I also converted back to the straight wing... Fully agree that the straight wings are more interesting. Well to me.

Maybe I will pick the Airfix Hunter up to convert it to the speed record maschine. Some day...

Still I think this is very good news. So the Airfix 2019 threat on 1:48 scale can concentrate on Spitfire Mk XIV, Hampden, F-4 and Scimitar :-)

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I would guess that the F.6 and following are better known because they are closer to us in time. Many here likely remember watching Hunters fly but I bet that only a very few are old enough to remember the F.4. This variant may have equipped a larger number of units but really it was very short lived, 2-3 years at best. The F.6s served for way longer, equipped those well known aerobatic teams and then formed the basis of the widely exported FGA.9, a variant that served in several countries for many years. People like me may want to build a 93 Sqn. F.4 but I bet that in terms of sale an F.6 has more potential

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1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Now I’m not complaining about this 1/48 Hunter kit but does anyone know why the F.6 seems to be the version most kitted? 

The Hunter F.1 to 5 though the initial type and built in large numbers weren't around as long as F.6s/FGA.9s, as a basis for a kit it a 6 makes more sense as it makes it more similar to the various export & Swiss variants, the trainers and the Navy GA/PR.11s.   Also 6s served well into the 1990s with the DERA & ETPS.  

1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

....but an early F.1 to F.5 non dog tooth kit would have ticked more boxes IMO

If Airfix do the same that they with the 48th Lighting kits, then earlier straight leading edge variants will be possible - let's give Airfix some time.

 

 

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7 minutes ago, 71chally said:

The Hunter F.1 to 5 though the initial type and built in large numbers weren't around as long as F.6s/FGA.9s, as a basis for a kit it a 6 makes more sense as it makes it more similar to the various export & Swiss variants, the trainers and the Navy GA/PR.11s.   Also 6s served well into the 1990s with the DERA & ETPS.  

If Airfix do the same that they with the 48th Lighting kits, then earlier straight leading edge variants will be possible - let's give Airfix some time.

Only if they retool the centre fuselage and include a new airbrake along with the smaller jetpipe and wing leading edges. Perhaps a step too far for them?

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I wasn't being exhaustive with the changes, just addressing the wing leading edge question. 

 

The centre fuselage would be the catch I guess, but then I could live with the one type if it meant rescribing a few vents here and there for the F.4/T.7. 

I think the F.2/5 probably would be too much, and really as a service machine you are then only left with mainly the F.4.

I think the other bits, such as the tail pipes, airbrake, etc, would be relatively easy to do, and certainly no bigger a change than the Lightnings in the F.1-3 and F.2A-6 boxings.

Edited by 71chally
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2 hours ago, 71chally said:

I wasn't being exhaustive with the changes, just addressing the wing leading edge question. 

 

The centre fuselage would be the catch I guess, but then I could live with the one type if it meant rescribing a few vents here and there for the F.4/T.7. 

I think the F.2/5 probably would be too much, and really as a service machine you are then only left with mainly the F.4.

I think the other bits, such as the tail pipes, airbrake, etc, would be relatively easy to do, and certainly no bigger a change than the Lightnings in the F.1-3 and F.2A-6 boxings.

Nice pun on the exhaustive changes to the vents :lol: 

 

Like you I'd be happier making the required changes to a good new Airfix kit than all that is required for the Academy/Italeri Hunter-ish kit but here's hoping there's more releases in the future that will mean we don't have to :) 

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XF418 is an interesting one; it had the braking parachute and the cut out in the flaps to allow the 230-gallon tanks to be carried, but as with one or two of the A&AEE F.6As was never classified as an FGA.9. Having said that, it may have made more sense to hold hat one off until the inevitable FGA.9 boxing.

 

I am delighted at having a Hunter in 1/48 from Airfix, though I will agree that the choice of colour schemes is somewhat dull. If an aircraft from No.4 FTS is to be included, why not a red/white/grey machine? Still, I'm happy.

 

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So I guess a GA.11 in Royal Navy markings is going to be harder to do than I thought since these were all converted F.4's. They have the dog-tooth wing leading edge of the F.6 and FGA.9 but retain the 100 series Avon and so need a smaller jetpipe. There are some pretty colour schemes for these aircraft though.

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6 hours ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Now I’m not complaining about this 1/48 Hunter kit but does anyone know why the F.6 seems to be the version most kitted? I can certainly see a great Black Arrows / Blue Diamonds box in the near future but an early F.1 to F.5 non dog tooth kit would have ticked more boxes IMO. I realise that their are some differences here, but how hard would have been to limit yourself to one kit if all these straight wing versions were possible from one box? 

 

Or - do we just wait for the AM brigade to produce the inevitable conversion set and take more of our hard earned money? 

 

Perhaps there’s more scope for export sales with the F.6 kit, I’m not sure but quite curious? 

 

Cheers.. Dave 

Surely Airfix are aware of the variants possible & will design the kit to enable multiple marks to eventually be produced, hopefully to include the early birds & trainers.

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5 hours ago, 71chally said:

as a basis for a kit it a 6 makes more sense as it makes it more similar to the various export & Swiss variants, the trainers and the Navy GA/PR.11s

GA.11 and PR.11 were based on F.4 airframes, not F.6 although they do have the dog-tooth leading edge to the wing that was eventually introduced on the Mk6.

 

EDIT:  Should have read as far as VMA131Marine's comment - what he said anyway!

Edited by Wez
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Just now, Wez said:

GA.11 and PR.11 were based on F.4 airframes, not F.6 although they do have the dog-tooth leading edge to the wing that was eventually introduced on the Mk6

So that means Avon 100 series engines vs 200 series in the F.6 and FGA.9, which results in a smaller diameter jetpipe.

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4 minutes ago, VMA131Marine said:

So that means Avon 100 series engines vs 200 series in the F.6 and FGA.9, which results in a smaller diameter jetpipe.

Correct sir, they feature the same tailcone fairing as the Avon 100 engined single seaters, e.g. the one with the more curved underside.  Cartridge starter rather than the Avpin starter of the 200 series engines too.

Edited by Wez
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