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Airfix 1/48th Hawker Hunter F6


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27 minutes ago, Lord Riot said:

Absolutely stunningly made kit, and a beautiful aeroplane. 

 

I've managed to find Italeri and Academy Hunters in 1/48 for around £10 each on ebay - with my lack of ability a £30+ Airfix one is a waste, but in the right hands it obviously looks utterly brilliant.

 

For an average (at best) modeller who just wants a big Hunter with nice RAF markings, is there a huge difference between those kits and the Airfix one?

 

I wish West Raynham was still operational; it's really close to my mum's house!

 

 

The Academy/Italeri one is ok, and makes a good looking Hunter, but it has been slated for its inaccuracies. The nose is apparently too rounded, and the tailplanes are about 3mm too far forward, or back, I forget (and don't really care).  The cockpit is most peoples main complaint, it being too shallow, but it's black and the canopy can't be positioned open, so does it really matter?

All in all, it makes a nice Hunter, and that's what's important....

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Thanks everyone, truly appreciated,

 

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is there a huge difference between those kits and the Airfix one?

Well to me, yes. The problems with the Academy effort are more to do with dimensional errors such as a too shallow cockpit-tub, undersized seat, too-thin gear legs, undersized wheels, over-long nose gear doors, incorrectly-shaped rear fuselage, (also too short), tailplanes set too far back, tail 'bullet' fairing 3mm too long and an inaccurately shaped windshield, (plus no rear frame on the canopy, a minor thing, but annoying). Also to my eye, the nose looks a little too bulbous and blunt. While Aeroclub addressed most of the issues with their upgrade set, (now hard to come by) Airfix gets it right out of the box due to the LIDAR scanning technology which pretty much ensures that everything is how it should be. The two models, in my very humble opinion, are poles apart but with nearly 20 years separating them that's not really surprising. While a very nice Hunter can be made from the Academy kit it takes a fair bit of work and extra cash to correct all the issues to bring it anywhere near the Airfix kit.

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As for a twin seater, someone was showing a conversion at Telford for this kit.....

Ah, that'll be my old mucka Ali McLean and his new Aerocraft line...he's doing a fantastic job on the twin tub, a real 'must have' for me...

 

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I'm always struggling when it comes to the silver/gray bottom color...

Yours look to be spot on, what color did you use?

Thanks Ben, I used AK Interactive's Xtreme Metals AK488 Matt Aluminium which is easy to spray, applies evenly and a good match for RAF High-Speed Silver. Hope that helps.

 

 

 

Edited by general melchett
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1 hour ago, general melchett said:

I used AK Interactive's AK488 Matt Aluminium which is easy to spray, applies evenly and a good match for RAF High-Speed Silver. Hope that helps.

Good tip, I think I might have a try with that. Although I've only just ordered some Aluminium from AK's Real Colors range (RC020). I'll see what that's like first - I hope it comes out as good as yours. As others have said, fabulous work. 👍

 

Can't wait to get my hands on the Airfix Hunter - I wonder where its got to?  I can only hope Santa's in well with the guys at Margate/Sandwich :santa:

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 I think you've generated a heap of sales for Airfix on this one

I really hope so, the Hunter's such an iconic design, if I can do my little bit then that's great. If the response to the model at Telford was anything to go by then they should have a winner on their hands, I know they put a lot of work into this one.

 

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Can't wait to get my hands on the Airfix Hunter - I wonder where its got to?  I can only hope Santa's in well with the guys at Margate/Sandwich 

As far as I'm aware Rich it's due early/mid-December so hopefully, Santas little helpers will be getting them ready to stuff down peoples chimneys as we speak...

Edited by general melchett
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5 hours ago, general melchett said:

 

Well to me, yes. The problems with the Academy effort are more to do with dimensional errors such as a too shallow cockpit-tub, undersized seat, too-thin gear legs, undersized wheels, over-long nose gear doors, incorrectly-shaped rear fuselage, (also too short), tailplanes set too far back, tail 'bullet' fairing 3mm too long and an inaccurately shaped windshield, (plus no rear frame on the canopy, a minor thing, but annoying). Also to my eye, the nose looks a little too bulbous and blunt. While Aeroclub addressed most of the issues with their upgrade set, (now hard to come by) Airfix gets it right out of the box due to the LIDAR scanning technology which pretty much ensures that everything is how it should be. The two models, in my very humble opinion, are poles apart but with nearly 20 years separating them that's not really surprising. While a very nice Hunter can be made from the Academy kit it takes a fair bit of work and extra cash to correct all the issues to bring it anywhere near the Airfix kit.

Ah, that'll be my old mucka Ali McLean and his new Aerocraft line...he's doing a fantastic job on the twin tub, a real 'must have' for me...

 

 

 

 

No, when you put it like that, it's not ideal, but in the end, it still looks like a Hunter.  Well, no one has ever called it a Hurricane, anyway, lol

 

24769377297_3b16cebc67_z.jpg20180111_211318 by Paul Carter, on Flickr

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Nice work Andy.

Hi John, thanks for that, if you like it then that's good enough for me! 

 

 

Well, now there you go Paul, lovely job!

 

24769377297_3b16cebc67_z.jpg&key=8afb15e

 

 

 

Thanks Terry

 

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I don't know how I missed that at Telford!

Well, there is quite a bit going on to be fair :winkgrin:

 

 

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Holy cow! :wow:This is not a kind of aircraft I'm familiar with or I ever thought of building, but it sure started a hitch after having seen your result and comments. :worthy:

 

 

Ciao

 

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22 hours ago, Devilfish said:

the canopy can't be positioned open

Why do you say that?

I've not long built the Academy one with the canopy open. I used an aftermarket cockpit set, but had no issues with the canopy being open

The Academy is a reasonable kit, but it looks like the Airfix one is a real joy, might have to try one when the stash thins down a bit :) 

Nice build on the kit though @general melchett looks superb :) 

Ian

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4 hours ago, Redstaff said:

Why do you say that?

I've not long built the Academy one with the canopy open. I used an aftermarket cockpit set, but had no issues with the canopy being open

 

Ian

I tried over and over on mine, but the canopy wouldn't fit over the spine, no matter what I tried. I did use a resin cockpit on mine, so I would have preferred to have it open.

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2 hours ago, Devilfish said:

I tried over and over on mine, but the canopy wouldn't fit over the spine, no matter what I tried.

It was a quite tight fit, but it just clicked over,then a spot of CA to hold in place 

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I enjoyed the article in AMW, and only stopped to curse Airfix once or twice for trying to steal my wallet. Again.

Thanks John, glad you enjoyed it, hope it was of some use...I must admit, it's getting harder to resist the siren-call of the latest Airfix releases.

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This is not a kind of aircraft I'm familiar with or I ever thought of building, but it sure started a hitch after having seen your result and comments. 

Well, you should definitely scratch that itch Giorgio, a liberal application of Airfix ointment should do the trick.:yikes:

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What a great advert for the kit.

Thank you Al, I hope so...

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