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1/48 - Hawker Hunter F.Mk.4/Mk.5 & J34 by Airfix - released


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1 hour ago, Diego said:

...already working on a solution :)

So's Diego!

Good call; you'll make a lot of modellers happy in South America besides me. :wink: Up to now we only had to resort to the Aztec sheet for the single seat Chilean Hunters.

Cheers,

 

Unc2

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  • 2 months later...
1 hour ago, flarpen said:

Any updates on this?

Will it be released in November?

I'm waiting for this version as well @flarpen. The Airfix website says Winter 2019-20 which could mean as late as February or even later! 

Cheers.. Dave 

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28 minutes ago, Nick Belbin said:

Excuse my ignorance! 
 

Would it be reasonably easy to backdate this to the prototype?

 

Nick

Possibly. Straight wing and small bore exhaust are already there. Essentially the MK.4 was a MK.1 with a ‘wet’ wing for extra range. I’m guessing there are panel lines and filler caps that need deleting.
 

The prototype as far as I can see, was a MK.1 but without the ventral air brake. The fixed fairing at the front of the air brake is a drop-in part and there is a groove for the actuator to the airbrake, both of which can be filled in with plastic card and filler. 
 

As for the internals in the cockpit, no doubt others will be able to fill you in.

 

Trevor 

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2 hours ago, Nick Belbin said:

Excuse my ignorance! 
 

Would it be reasonably easy to backdate this to the prototype?

 

Nick

Nick

 

The canopy is slightly different on the prototype Hunter I believe.  I had a hunt and found the post on here from Feb 2011.  Jings the memory aint too bad after all :winkgrin:

 

Now if I was clever I could do a link to that post 

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

Airfix are showing the sprues and boxart for the Hunter F.4 & 5.

I seem to recall that there are very minor vents and intakes differences between Avon (F.1 & 4) and Sapphire (F.2 & 5) engined versions, @StephenMG Knows better than I.

 

Have to say all three options look really nice, something about that clean wing in Swedish AF colours.

 

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/classic-airfix-jetfest-to-end-2019?sfns=mo

 

It looks like there are parts to build the Royal Navy GA.11 aswel, with the nose cone and arrestor hook in the upper most sprue.  If you do build that don't forget to leave the kits wings standard, ie don't cut out the outboard leading edges.

With Ali's T.7 nose conversion you can build a T.8 and hopefully T.8M soon.

 

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/classic-airfix-jetfest-to-end-2019?sfns=mo

 

 

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Fresh news in the Workbench

https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/news/workbench/classic-airfix-jetfest-to-end-2019

Incl. box art

 

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Hunter F.4/F.5 and J34 added to 1/48th scale kit range

 

In aviation terms, the word ‘classic’ is often used far too liberally when describing popular aircraft types and should really only be reserved for a handful of very important or ground-breaking designs. One important post war British aircraft which can definitely claim to be a member of the exclusive 'aviation classic club' is the magnificent Hawker Hunter, an extremely capable early generation jet fighter which also happens to be one of the most attractive aircraft ever to take to the skies. Inducted into the growing Airfix 1/48th scale range of kits in 2018, the attractive Hunter has already become a firm favourite with modellers and with the second release from this popular tooling arriving in model shops over the next few weeks, it’s time the model received the Workbench treatment.

 

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With a proud record of producing capable fighting aeroplanes for the Royal Air Force, it seems strange that the first jet fighter produced by the Hawker Aircraft Company was rejected by the air force, but would go on to see service on the decks of Britain’s relatively small aircraft carriers. Further development of the Sea Hawk would eventually lead to a true aviation classic and the RAF’s most capable early generation jet fighter, the Hawker Hunter – indeed, the Hunter would go on to be regarded as one of the world’s most important post war designs and a success both here in the UK and overseas.

 

Entering service in July 1954, the Hawker Hunter F.1 was a ground-breaking interceptor fighter design, which boasted several significant aviation firsts for the Royal Air Force, however, despite its impressive credentials, these early aircraft were also troubled by a number of operational problems. Desperate to get their new fighter into service as quickly as possible, the RAF soon discovered the Hunter was a fuel hungry beast and a lack of range would be a significant limiting factor as the Hunter settled into operational service. Other problems included worrying engine surge issues associated with the Rolls Royce Avon powerplant and problems with spent ammunition ejection and resulted in the Hunter undergoing almost constant early development and improvement.

 

Addressing many of the issues associated with the early aircraft, the Hunter F.4 introduced eight small fuel tanks into the previously dry wing structure, increasing the internal fuel capacity from 337 gallons to 414 gallons. In addition, the wings were strengthened at specific points and included fuel lines to allow a pair of 100 gallon external fuel tanks to be carried, one under each wing, which further increased the aircraft’s operational range.

 

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Computer rendered 3D image featuring the handsome new Hawker Hunter F.4 and some of the alternative parts needed to build this version of the aircraft

An exclusive first look at the additional part frames included in the new 1/48th scale Hawker Hunter F.4/F.5 kit

 

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More exclusive content, this is a page extract from the instruction booklet, illustrating how to incorporate the new parts to the wing of the kit

 

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The next two images show built examples of the beautiful new Hunter kit, produced by one of the talented Airfix design team

 

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The new box design artwork which will soon be gracing the shelves of model shops everywhere

 

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Engine surging issues were addressed by upgrading the aircraft to use the new Avon Mk.115 engine (later superseded by the Avon 121) and the problem of spent ammunition links causing structural damage to the airframe was solved by adding two large streamlined collection blisters on either side of the forward fuselage – these were colloquially known as ‘Sabrinas’, for reasons we won’t go into here. Many of the Hunter F.4 variants would go on to see operational service with the Royal Air Force in Germany.

 

The Hunter F.5 was almost identical to the F.4, but was powered by the Armstrong Whitworth Sapphire 101 engine and was built by Armstrong Whitworth at Coventry. Despite posting the best performance figures of all the early Hunter marks, only 105 of these Sapphire 101 powered fighters were produced.

 

The second release from our new 1/48th scale Hawker Hunter tooling, A09189 allows modellers to produce this slightly earlier variant of the aircraft and includes additional part frames specifically for this purpose. Featuring the earlier straight wing leading edge and slightly altered rear fuselage jetpipe shape, the wing modification does require a little prior planning, but is certainly not beyond anyone with even the most basic of modelling skills. The three appealing decal options included with the new kit are:-

 

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The Suez Crisis of 1956 saw the Hunter F.5s of the Tangmere Wing (Nos.1 and 34 Squadrons) deployed to bases in Cyprus, initially tasked with providing fighter escort for Canberra bombers flying strike missions into Egyptian airspace. Once it became clear that the Egyptian Air Force did not possess the capability to intercept the Canberras, the RAF Hunters were reassigned to providing air defence support against potential Egyptian reprisal strikes. With this threat also later removed, the Hunters were released to mount fighter sweeps in the region and despite not seeing air-to-air combat, the aircraft acquitted themselves extremely well whilst on operational deployment. Wearing the distinctive yellow and black identification markings associated with Suez Crisis operations, these Hunters must be considered some of the most attractive post WWII aircraft to see RAF service.

 

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The Hunter would go on to be produced under licence in Belgium, with these aircraft being funded by the US Offshore Weapons Procurement Programme. This programme attempted to ensure that mainland Europe maintained an effective aerial deterrent force in the face of increasing Soviet military expansionism and would see some 111 Hunter Mk.4 fighters purchased for Belgian Air Force service. Used by Nos.1, 7, and 9 Wings from 1955, Belgium’s Hunter experience was not a particularly happy one and they replaced the aircraft after a relatively short length of service with the American Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Interestingly, many of the former Belgian Air Force Hunters were bought back by the Hawker Company, underwent a programme of refurbishment and were later sold on to other world air forces.

 

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During a period of significant post war modernization, the Swedish Air Force would have the distinction of being the first export customer for the British Hawker Hunter. Placing an order for 120 Hunter F.4 fighters during the summer of 1954, the aircraft were designated F.50 by Hawkers, but would be known as the J.34 in Swedish Air Force service. Popular with both pilots and ground crews alike, the Swedish Hunters served with 4 Wings (F8, F9, F10 and F18) during the 1950s and 60s, until they were replaced by indigenous Swedish aircraft types. In this extremely attractive grey and green scheme and wearing the distinctive ‘Three Crowns’ national insignia of the SAF, this will surely be a popular finish option for this beautiful new model.

 

Scheduled to be released just after Christmas, this latest 1/48th scale Hunter kit will make an ideal modelling project to start 2020, even though deciding on a finish option may prove to be quite a difficult choice.

 

V.P.

Edited by Homebee
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The way Airfix moulded the F.6 (with the upper centre fuselage moulded as part of the wings) I assumed they'd offer earlier marks with a new upper fuselage/wing part to account for the different vents and NACA positions of the 100 series Avon and Sapphire engines. Instead it looks as though they've ignored those differences and just provided new tail cones and wing leading edges.

 

That's a shame but it's SO nice to see the early marks (and the GA.11!) covered at last!!! Looking forward to getting my hands on one.

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11 hours ago, StephenMG said:

The way Airfix moulded the F.6 (with the upper centre fuselage moulded as part of the wings) I assumed they'd offer earlier marks with a new upper fuselage/wing part to account for the different vents and NACA positions of the 100 series Avon and Sapphire engines. Instead it looks as though they've ignored those differences and just provided new tail cones and wing leading edges.

 

That's a shame but it's SO nice to see the early marks (and the GA.11!) covered at last!!! Looking forward to getting my hands on one.

Ah, yeah, I had overlooked that, so we still get the vents etc for the F.6 kit, definitely references required to sort the out if really fussy.

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

Aerocraft Models have a replacement top spine with correct vent configuration for the F.4 Hunter
Looks like it's the same part as in the T.7 conversion set.

 

https://aerocraftmodels.bigcartel.com/product/hawker-hunter-f-4-corrected-spine-for-airfix-kit

 

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This is a new part to correct the spine on the F.4 kit by Airfix.
Now I believe this is also correct for the F.5 but that will be confirmed as soon I can be 100% sure. The small intake scoops are also provided I do not think these are used but they are included just incase a few were retro-fitted with them.

 

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It is the same part as for the T.7 sorry I should word that better. However I will now be doing the spine section for the F.5 version as that is different again, after doing a little more research over the weekend

 

Ali

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