Hawker Hunter T.7

[binbrook87]

I've been looking to do a twin seat Hunter for a while but couldn't decide the best route. The Xtrakit offering isn't the easiest build apparently, plus it would need a replacement nosewheel. The PJ / Revell conversion is probably the most accurate and detailed but works out quite expensive, so the only alternative was to have a go at the old Matchbox offering. OK so it's probably not the most accurate and the shape isn't the best in some areas but it was a thoroughly enjoyable build and brought back many happy memories.

It is completely OOB, with just the addition of some tape seatbelts and a plasticard nose wheel door to replace one I lost to the carpet monster. I filled the worst of the trench lines and used Xtradecals to show a Royal Navy T8. Unfortunately it's not totally accurate as I couldn't find an arrestor hook.

Paints from Vallejo and then Humbrol for the dayglo. 

It won't win any competitions but I enjoyed the build so much I've picked up another couple! 

Thanks for looking, comments appreciated. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[invidia]

Looks fantastic, wouldn't believe its the old matchbox kit.

[Alpha Delta 210]

An absolutely stunning model from such a basic kit.

[RMCS]

Niiiice 

[Jonners]

Always good to see classic Matchbox kits built, and getting a tidy result OOB like this is very pleasing. 

 

I was lucky enough to get a flight in a black T.8 of 237 OCU when I was a University Air Sqn student back in the early '90s, mostly at low level through northern Scotland. Awesome!

Jon

[binbrook87]

55 minutes ago, Jonners said:

Always good to see classic Matchbox kits built, and getting a tidy result OOB like this is very pleasing. 

 

I was lucky enough to get a flight in a black T.8 of 237 OCU when I was a University Air Sqn student back in the early '90s, mostly at low level through northern Scotland. Awesome!

Jon

Wow i bet that was some ride my friend! 😁

[SAT69]

You've done wonders with that old kit. The application of the Humbrols Dayglo is excellent.

[binbrook87]

1 hour ago, SAT69 said:

You've done wonders with that old kit. The application of the Humbrols Dayglo is excellent.

Thanks very much. I applied a nice solid orange basecost first then airbrushed multiple thinned coats of the dayglo on top. I did have a bit of a disaster with it first time around though as the Humbrol acrylic thinners reacted with either the silver Vallejo or the Gunze Aqueous primer and turned crazy so i had to strip it all back and start again. I then thinned the Humbrol with Vallejo thinners and had no problems so i didn't really know if anybody else had experienced this before?

[Wulfman]

Beautiful looking Hunter, great Build and finish !

 

Wulfman

 

 

 

[stevehnz]

I do like that, a whole heap.  I've long had a plan for one of these & despite having the MB kit in stock had looked for something better, now I've seen this, I think I'll go the MB way, it looks just fine to my eye.

Steve.

[Hobo]

Great looking build sir. Did you apply white before you applied the dayglo?

[binbrook87]

5 hours ago, stevehnz said:

I do like that, a whole heap.  I've long had a plan for one of these & despite having the MB kit in stock had looked for something better, now I've seen this, I think I'll go the MB way, it looks just fine to my eye.

Steve.

Thanks Steve! It's not a bad kit at all really. If you can concentrate on the nose area and remove the deep trench lines here by filling and sanding and also blending in where the nose section meets the fuselage behind the cockpit spine then it will improve the look massively. I also opened up the canopy as I think it helps take your eyes off any shape issues. Apart from that if you want to put in some more work you could do with some aftermarket seats, and a better interpretation of the fairing around the tailpipe. On my next one I'll try to add some kind of blanking plates inside the air intakes as you can see daylight right through to the wheel wells. But it's a lot of fun to build and as you expect from any matchbox kit.... the fit of parts is excellent! 

[binbrook87]

3 hours ago, Hobo said:

Great looking build sir. Did you apply white before you applied the dayglo?

Thanks buddy! Yes I used a white base coat first, then a nice solid orange (vallejo model color bright orange) and then several light coats of humbrol 209 fluorescent fire orange building up until i got the desired finish. On some of the early Hunters it was quite a bright reddish colour then faded to orange. Later on the scheme was revised to light aircraft grey and bright red replacing the dayglo. 

[Mig88]

Lovely job on the old kit. Well done!!

 

Miguel