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Tower Bridge Hunter - Airfix 1/72


CedB

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The 5th April this year is the 50th anniversary of Alan Pollock's flight through the span of London's Tower Bridge in protest against the government's lack of celebration for the RAF's 50th anniversary. Alan wrote up the episode in 'FlyPast' magazine, article here. I decided I'd like to mark this by bashing together a kit of his Hunter FGA.9 XF442 of No. 1 Squadron.

 

Then 'the fun' started...

 

1/72 kits of the FGA.9 are out of production and old copies are hard to find. I found this one at a show:

 

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A few people have built this subject before; our own Devilfish built a beautiful 1/48 here and there's a thread of a 1/32 build on 'The Aviation Forum' here. Not many reference photos exist of the actual aircraft at that time (that I could find) but there's a few paintings. Hmmm.

 

Let's have a look at what's in the box:

 

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... with some bits and pieces, hopefully none missing:

 

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The canopy's not too bad:

 

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... but the transfers are dead to me:

 

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Luckily I wouldn't be using them anyway.

 

It looks as though I'll be printing custom decals and / or painting the roundels.

Should be fun?

 

Any help on colours, markings and anything else I don't know about gratefully received!

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The incident is also related by Flt Lt Pollock in Hunter Boys - it's a while since I read this, but it's the article word-for-word or expanded a bit.

 

[Edit] Just reread the book chapter, and my memory's obviously getting "older:"  it's not a verbatim copy.  Both article and book chapter are complementary.  My apologies if I've misled anyone.

Edited by MikeC
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This Xtradecal Sheet may help with the Squadron markings, I'm sure if you didn't want to get the whole sheet a request in the wanted section would yield dividends.

 

ISTR there was some debate over the serial number and code of the aircraft he flew on that day insofar it wasn't his usual aircraft.

 

EDIT: I've now read the article (hadn't noticed the link before :doh:), that clarifies the matter regarding the correct serial number and code of the jet on the day (now where did I put those spec's)?

 

Wez

Edited by Wez
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It is a great back story. and a worthy tribute especially in this the year of the 100th anniversary. Maybe you could include your build in the RAF 100th Anniversary GB starting very soon. Whatever will be watching with interest.

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12 minutes ago, giemme said:

What? No first row seats already? :frantic:

 

OK, OK, I'll sit at the back :popcorn:

 

Ciao

You can have mine, I'll have to sit at the back as I've forgotten my spec's and with my long sightedness anything nearer than a go-go-gadget arms-length away is a blur!

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Wow, what a crowd already! Welcome everyone :)

 

Thanks Wez for the link to the decal sheet. My plan (before I get punched in the face) is to print some custom decals for the insignia, paint the roundels and fin flash and use 'standard' letters for the serials and 'H's.

As far as I can see the only other large stencils are the ejector seat warning triangles and the 'Rescue' arrow and circle. I can probably do those and get away with missing out the rest at this scale?

 

Roger thanks for the vote of confidence - I hope you won't be disappointed! :)

 

Thanks Tomo for the picture - I have this blowup as my desktop background during the build :)

 

Mark thanks to the link for the Centenary GB - interesting, but I'm hoping to post the RFI near the anniversary date and I'm not that quick! :)

 

Dave - sorry, I don't do dioramas :phew:

 

Colours... anyone have any details? I guess it's Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides? Can I use the scheme pattern?

 

40880000801_26c8c92d3a_z.jpg

 

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1 minute ago, CedB said:

Colours... anyone have any details? I guess it's Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green with High Speed Silver undersides? Can I use the scheme pattern?

Ced,

 

Spot on with the colours and that scheme pattern should be fine (I can't recall if that kit scheme calls up LAG undersides but it doesn't matter as the only difference between the two schemes was the change from silver to LAG).

 

Intakes by that time IIRC were an off white colour, the upper surface colours wrapped around the underside and intakes too.  Cockpit would be black.

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6 hours ago, CedB said:

 

Luckily I wouldn't be using them anyway.

 

It looks as though I'll be printing custom decals and / or painting the roundels.

Should be fun?

 

Any help on colours, markings and anything else I don't know about gratefully received!

Hello Ced. Maybe this is   a bit useful. Haven't heard of this story, so I'm in here for this Again, sadly the Hunter isn't  one of my favourites, but a 1:72 Tower Bridge would be great (339cm/90,2cm). Maybe during the summer in your garage? :whistle: Anyway:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Decals-Hawker-Hunter-The-Tower-Bridge-Incident-1-72-Scale-/202155871488

Edited by bbudde
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6 hours ago, CedB said:

The 5th April this year is the 50th anniversary

Well now I know exactly where I was...Sat in Maths 3rd floor of Thamesmead School, Shepperton facing Heathrow approach watching them land...Whats Pi   in decimal form ?

Who knows there is an IL62 coming in.. All of a sudden This Hunter at house roof height, okay a tiny bit higher looking for the Thames at Shepperton to follow to The Smoke..and it was shifting. I shouted Look at that Hunter Mrs James went nuts but saw the Hunter.....On the News that night.. Blimey  I saw that Hunter  Dad, he loved it ..In the 70s and now in the RAF I was in the Osprey telling my mate this story, bloke sat next to us at the bar was on the see out crew when this guy started this mission.

Brilliant story and has to be told !

 

Now how do you get the area of a Circle? Missed that bit with the b*ll*king you won't get any where watching Aeroplanes all day !

Edited by bzn20
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3 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

OK, seeing as it's so cold outside cold snacks won't do, so I'm doing a list for the chippie - what does everyone want....

Currywurst Pommes Majo for me please  Also called "Manta Platte" here. :thanks:

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8 minutes ago, bbudde said:

Currywurst Pommes Majo for me please  Also called "Manta Platte" here. :thanks:

 

Hmmm, I'll ask for you Benedikt, but I doubt many of our local chippies will have it.....:D

 

Curry sauce & chips OK if not?!

 

Keith

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27 minutes ago, keefr22 said:

OK, seeing as it's so cold outside cold snacks won't do, so I'm doing a list for the chippie - what does everyone want....

Can I have sausage and chips please.  Thanks

 

     Roger

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