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Rhodie Hunter 1/32


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Greetings all, I havent been very active here or on the modelling scene for a while. Those that remember me will know I generally model civil stuff as my preferred subject and avoid preshading, fading, weathering and panel line accentuation like the plague. (Actually I do do these things but really subtly)
I am a volunteer at the Bullcreek Aviation Museum in Perth and have built this model for an imminent display. Steve Murray a former Rhodesian Air Force Hunter pilot and more recently a former Qantas check captain has donated a former Singapore Air Force Hunter to the museum. Along with the real airframe which is being currently cosmetically restored (in RAF scheme) he donated a Revell 1/32 model kit to be built and finished in the colours of his former mount. I like the Hunter, I eyed off this kit and thought I would take it on.... the dude in the cockpit was supplied by my favourite Uncle Les (thanks cobber).
The stand is a home made design in timber and the model can be rotated on its roll plane for display. The dedication is a temporary paper print taped on on to show how it would like when I print it on glossy sticker paper.. I can't do that yet as my printer has crapped out. I realise I still have to glue on the pitot tube and have to put in a bit of crystal clear in the hole portside cockpit which I thing is meant to represent the emergency hatch blowing lever.
This will be displayed near the real hunter in a protective case.
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16 minutes ago, gingerbob said:

Lovely looking build, and I really like the stand!  I have to say (do I HAVE to?) that this scheme is not the most flattering for the Hunter's sweet shape, but that's not your fault.

 

bob

yes indeed bob, it is a bit drab, they got even crabber a few years later with no markings at all! interestingly it was found the brown undersides was more effective camouflage than the light grey that preceded it..go figure!

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18 minutes ago, Tornado 01 said:

An excellent build of one of Hawkers finest.  Also It will go very well as a tribute to folks that took part in the Bush wars.

 

Sadly the y tend to get forgotten all to often these days. Any photos of it next to the real airframe ?

 

Tim

hi tim, the real airframe is in bits in the workshop being restored for display, god knows how long it will be before it is back together again

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That is really beautiful!  About the pilot: were the Rhodesians wearing South African-supplied French helmets in the late '70's?  It certainly looks that way from the figure--his helmet does not appear to be the 60's vintage British bone dome.  Your pilot friend would know.  Seems a reasonable guess that the South Africans were supplying lots of hardware until '79.  

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Wow, Wally, she's a beauty! Absolutely stunning!

  

17 hours ago, gingerbob said:

I have to say (do I HAVE to?) that this scheme is not the most flattering for the Hunter's sweet shape, but that's not your fault.

 

bob

Personally I'm a big fan of the Rhodesian camo on Hunters, I think they look fantastic. Especially when executed as well as Wally's!

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3 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

That is really beautiful!  About the pilot: were the Rhodesians wearing South African-supplied French helmets in the late '70's?  It certainly looks that way from the figure--his helmet does not appear to be the 60's vintage British bone dome.  Your pilot friend would know.  Seems a reasonable guess that the South Africans were supplying lots of hardware until '79.  

hey kenny,

dont know the source of the helmet but he wore a one with a central visor slot / knob like the one on the figure if you look closely you can see the ford mustang badges either side of the helmet

 

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Excellent job Wally and a great dedication too,...... one of the lesser known of the Cold War confrontations against Communism and scandalously not supported by the west.

Cheers

           Tony

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12 minutes ago, tonyot said:

scandalously not supported by the west.

Hmmm.  Not sure where to begin with that, but that would take us into political territory.  

 

Great aircraft, lovely color scheme, and a compelling back-story, regardless of where you stand on the issue of UDI!

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9 hours ago, TheyJammedKenny! said:

Hmmm.  Not sure where to begin with that, but that would take us into political territory.  

 

Great aircraft, lovely color scheme, and a compelling back-story, regardless of where you stand on the issue of UDI!

yes interesting discussions could be had hereon the subject. I wonder if there might be some backlash on the dedication on the display model..

The words and dedication are the donor pilot's who wanted to honour his fallen mates and the end of his hunter which he loved to fly.

I'd argue that every country honours its war dead regardless of the rightness or wrongness of the cause (as perceived by itself or by others at the time or years after when attitudes change), (after all how are they are going to convince young men to go to war and risk dying for some political whim?)

I'd be very upset if some woke-ee were to topple the model ( like the statues in Liverpool) into the canal. Actually no canals here in Perth but Bullcreek is nearby gulp!

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