Hawker Hunter

[Scooterman]

Was there any ideas of converting surplus Hunters into target drones?  Did they actually do it?

[MAD]

Sea Hunter - practicality be damned!!



regards,

Greg

Hey real nice Greg!!
Can you add a longer nose landing gear strut on her to give her a more pronounced AOA on launching?

M.A.D

[jcf]

The Avon 200 powered P.1099 (prototype for the Hunter 6), XF833, had a Rolls-Royce designed thrust reverser installed in 1956 by Miles Aircraft Ltd. The aircraft was demonstrated at the 1956 and 1957 SBAC flying displays.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1956/1956%20-%201289.html

[PR19_Kit]

Was there any ideas of converting surplus Hunters into target drones?  Did they actually do it?

Good question, I can't recall any proposals about that idea.

At the time the Hunter was nearing the end of its service life Llanbedr were still using Meteor U15s and 16s as target drones AFAIK, plus the Jindivik fleet as well. The singelton Sea Vixen D3, XP924, was also based at Llanbedr but that was never flown unmanned, currently it's the only flyable Sea Vixen too.

But of course in Whiffworld anything is possible.... 

[PR19_Kit]

In the RW there was only one Hunter T12, XE531, originally an FGR9 with the 'big bore' Avon 200 series engine and the dog tooth wing, but it had the two seat T7 nose grafted onto it to serve as the prototype of the planned TSR2 conversion trainer. Nothing came of it of course and the T12 remained a singleton, but......

What if the T12s were built with the P1101 tandem two seat cockpit (much more realistic for a budding TSR2 pilot or nav) and had the Super Hunter wings from the P1083 fitted, not to mention a reheat engine? Wouldn't that be MUCH more a practical TSR2 trainer?

Of course, the fact that I have a couple of Revell FGA9s, and the conversion kits for the P1101 and P1083 have nothing to do with this suggestion. 

[JayBee]

What if the T12s were built with the P1101 tandem two seat cockpit (much more realistic for a budding TSR2 pilot or nav) and had the Super Hunter wings from the P1083 fitted, not to mention a reheat engine? Wouldn't that be MUCH more a practical TSR2 trainer?

Just you stop that idea right there! Well at least mine will not be wearing camoflage! LoL

Jim

[Mossie]

I was talking to people at Telford & at least one person had the same idea, might well have been Jim, think it was Lee as well?  Colin had a P.1101 set due out too, haven't heard anything about it for a while, but you could combine all his advanced Hunter sets, the P.1101, P1083 & P.1109B radar nose.

A production P.1083 would have had an afterburning nozzle, if you wanted to do that it would mean scratching a parachute housing for Colin's afterburner rear end.  You could going further & planting an Avon 300 nozzle on it (it was planned to do this at alter stage).

I've got plans to combine a P.1083 wing with the P.1109 nose & a Draken exhaust pipe, hopefully I'll do it for the Test & Experimental GB.

[PR19_Kit]

I'm thinking of deleteing the underfuse air-brake, and fitting the NACA intake that comes with the Super Hunter wings, and fitting side brakes, like a Sabre. The hell with the parabrake, it has those new fangled Dunlop carbon brakes of course..... 

[Mossie]

I had similar thoughts about the airbrakes, although I wasn't quite sure what to do since the side mounted airbrakes caused pitchdown problems. I did find the airbrake fits just as well on the sides of the Revell kit as the underside.  That would leave me without an airbrake for my FGA.9 kit, although I've Geoff kindly informed me that Odds & Ordnance are doing an open airbrake option.

[PR19_Kit]

Ah, but the centre of lift change with the more swept wing meant the pitch down issue wasn't as severe, and in fact the instructors on 237 OCU didn't find any problems with it. Their pupils, the future TSR2 drivers, weren't too fussed as their 'proper' aicraft had brakes top and bottom anyway.

[That's my reasoning and I'm sticking to it.   ]

[Mossie]

Good enough for me!

[Cliffy B]

This may have been covered already, but does any company make an aftermarket 2 seat (side x side) conversion for the Hunter in 1/72?  I have a whiff in mind and would like to use the Revell 1/72 kit but am dreading having to scratch an entire new cockpit.  Any and all help is appreciated, thanks.

[Gondor]

This may have been covered already, but does any company make an aftermarket 2 seat (side x side) conversion for the Hunter in 1/72?  I have a whiff in mind and would like to use the Revell 1/72 kit but am dreading having to scratch an entire new cockpit.  Any and all help is appreciated, thanks.

I would recommend Odds & Ordinance who's web site is here http://www.oddsandordnance.co.uk/index.asp?pageid=161038

[Cliffy B]

Found it Gondor, thanks!!!!!!  They have one for 12.50 GBP and only 5 GBP for international shipping.  Works out to be about $27 US, not too bad.  Thanks again man! 

[Gondor]

Found it Gondor, thanks!!!!!!  They have one for 12.50 GBP and only 5 GBP for international shipping.  Works out to be about $27 US, not too bad.  Thanks again man! 

Not a problem Cliffy B

I have one of the conversions myself as well as having seen several built. Campbell makes an excellent conversion designed for the Revell Hunter and it comes with both cannons fitted under the nose for non UK trainers, easier to remove a gun or two than to add them.

Gondor