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Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.4 - 1:72 Airfix


Julien

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Hunting Percival Jet Provost T.4

1:72 Airfix

 

jp4a.jpg

 

The Jet Provost was designed by Hunting Percival as a replacement for their Percival Provost, a piston engine basic trainer. Even though producing the Provost they anticipated the need for a Jet trainer going forward.  This initial work was started in 1951, at this time they consulted with the RAF as to the needs of the RAF Training Command. Although initially it was a private venture the government did come on board and in 1953 an order for a test batch of aircraft was placed.  The new "Jet" Provost would use as many parts of the original Provost as possible.  The prototype XD674 would first fly on the 16th June 1954 as the Jet Provost T.1. Following trails improvements were made to the aircrafts lines, and hydraulic systems replaced pneumatic ones, the tail also gained a new tail fillet. The new T.2 had its maiden flight in 1955. The later T.3 would gain a more powerful Viper Jet engine, ejection seats, a shorter stronger fuselage and stronger undercarriage. 201 T.3 were built.  The T.4 would follow in 1960 which again had an even more powerful Viper Engine. This was followed by the Pressurised T.5. An armed version would be developed which would become the Strikemaster. Both the Jet Provost and the Strike master are often associated with BAC (British Aircraft Corporation) as Hunting Percival was taken over by BAC in 1960. Even though now retired from RAF Service in the 1990s the aircraft is popular with private operators and many remain flying. 

 

 

The Kit

The new tool T.3 was a welcome release from Airfix in 2016 and is representative of the great new tool aircraft they are now producing. It has been released this year with markings for the T.4. The kit arrives on three sprues of light grey plastic, and a clear sprue. The clear parts contain two main canopy parts one for an open cockpit, the other for a closed one. The parts in general are crisp with engraved panel lines. The wheel detail is a little soft, and the two pilots are generic and identical.  Its worth noting the wing tip tanks are moulded onto the end of the wings in the kit.

 

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Construction starts with the cockpit. The front bulkhead is attached to the Main tub and the centre console and the control columns added. The seats are then made up. If using the pilot figures do not add the seat cushions. The instrument panel is now added with this instruments provided as decals. The tub can then be added into the fuselage. Before closing it up be sure to add nose weight. 2.5 grams is mention though I would suggest a little more to be safe. 

 

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Next the tailplanes are added. This is a single part which spans both sides and is locked in with the tail faring (seems like a good idea!) The separate rudder is then added,  The lower single span wing is then added to the fuselage and the left and right uppers are added. Though to ensure correct alignment of the wing tip tanks I would suggest adding the upper wings to the lower first? 

 

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Moving back to the fuselage the intakes and splitter plates are added. Now the undercarriage can be fitted if needed. Like all new Airfix kits there are separate parts if you wish to model the aircraft in flight. The front gear has the leg moulded to half the wheel, with the other half being added. The mains have the leg moulded in with the door with the wheel to add on. The build is then finished with the addition of the underwing pitot tube and a couple of blade aerials followed by the canopies.

 

Decals

The small decal sheet is from Cartograf so should post no issues. It is well printed with no registration issues, and the absolute minimum of carrier film. There are three decal options which include:

 

  1. XR679 No. 79(R) Sqn Tactical Weapons Unit, RAF Chivenor, 1982 (Green/Grey over light Grey)
  2. XR679 No. 79(R) Sqn Tactical Weapons Unit, RAF Chivenor, 1989 (Box art aircraft in newer low vis scheme +yellow stripe and tanks)
  3. XR679 Seen/Based?  at RAF Bawdy in 1988 in the low vis scheme without the yellow areas.

 

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Conclusion

This is a great kit of an important RAF trainer, it should build with no issues and the choice of two later marking schemes is welcome. Highly Recommended. 

 

 

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Review sample courtesy of 

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2 hours ago, Tbolt said:

Thanks for the review. The nose wheel is in two halves, but it looks mismolded or is that just flash?

It is a little flash. Though TBH the heavily weighted wheels are the kits worst points.

 

Julien

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2 minutes ago, Julien said:

It is a little flash. Though TBH the heavily weighted wheels are the kits worst points.

 

Julien

Thanks. Reskit have got some resin wheels coming out so that should sort that out.

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9 hours ago, st george said:

I don't think these A/C were ever at Chivenor.

No. 79 Squadron was reformed as part of No. 229 Operational Conversion Unit at RAF Chivenor in North Devon on 2 January 1967, tasked with training pilots to fly the Hawker Hunter until disbanded on 2 September 1974, when it was reformed as one of the component squadrons of No.1 Tactical Weapons Unit, flying first Hunters and then the Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.1 and BAC Jet Provost T4 until finally disbanded at RAF Brawdy on 31 August 1992

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1 hour ago, Dave Fleming said:

The JPs were based at Brawdy, Chivenor was a brain fart based on a photo taken at Chivenor of one of them. Much mirth has been had at this error.

Not to worry Dave. Not that far apart as the JP flies ;) 

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On 4/15/2019 at 6:37 PM, Tbolt said:

Thanks for the review. The nose wheel is in two halves, but it looks mismolded or is that just flash?

Whatever you do, don't fill in the groove between the tyre halves! It's supposed to be there.

Guess who filled it in on his first JP3 kit, then had to restore it?

Those Reskit wheels look very nice. Perhaps someone could ask them nicely to provide sets of the assorted air scoops missing from the kit.

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2 hours ago, Steve Coombs said:

Those Reskit wheels look very nice. Perhaps someone could ask them nicely to provide sets of the assorted air scoops missing from the kit.

 

There might even be a market for corrected tailplanes for a T4, rather than just the little intakes

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  • 2 months later...

That low visibility scheme with added yellow decal areas looks interesting, but has anyone noticed you have to paint the tip tanks and tail areas yellow yourself? 

Might be worth taking time to make sure the yellow paint selected matches the yellow decal. It's the sort of thing that catches me out!

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