Hawker Hunter

[Mossie]

The only thing is that the conversion as is isthe prototype with the Avon RA3 - the same type and jetpipe used on the F3. Operational ones would have had the Avon RA7 and that would have had a different tailpipe entirely, probably something like the Swift F7 or perhaps the Fairey Delta 2.

In BSP Fighters it states the protoype would have had the RA.7, production aircraft the RA.14 with later production possibly getting the RA.19.  The tailpipe is still for the prototype however, the conversion matches that of the dimensions stated for the RA.7 reheat pipe of 71cm or 1.1mm in 1/72.  To be strictly accurate for a production version, I'd need another 1mm on the diameter, although this wouldn't be that noticable.

I've already bought an Aries Draken tailpipe with the idea of using it for the P.1083.  It measures slightly underscale, so I might try & make my own.

How about Indian? Say the RAF passed on it so Hawker sold the project to HAL.

I like the idea of a HAL liscence built version, mind you, India was still a Hunter operator.  Might be worth thinking about.

[Old Wombat]

Umm... ...Not sure where you got your maths from, Mossie, but I make 71cm (710mm) to be 0.99cm (9.86mm) in 1/72.

[Mossie]

I'm not sure either, doing the sums again.   It had been busy day!  I'll check my measurements again.

[Mossie]

I think the pic below gives me a good idea of how to proceed.  It's a Draken tailpipe, they used a similar version of the Avon in the Lightning but with eyelid reheat outlet.  Looking into the lip, you can see the shape of the reheat housing.  This suggests the pipe on the Aries set isn't underscale, that the widest point is not the tailpipe.  So my thoughts are to adapt the conversion or standard Hunter tailpipe to accept the Aries tailpipe, with a little bit of putty to fair it in.

The production version was to have a fully variable reheat outlet, unlike the on-off eyelid type of the prototype.  I've got an old Flightpath etch set that has petals for the Lightning, I found it too fiddly on another build but I might have another go with a bit more patience.  If that fails, the razor saw will come out to create petals on the Aries eyelid.

[The Wooksta!]

That's fine but...

The engine would have been too large for the Hunter fuselage so they came up with the craftyu wheeze of use the outer skin of the engine as the fuselage.  Could have some interesting results with the camouflage!

[Mossie]

That's what I mean, I'd use the structure that the reheat pipe is sitting on which is the skin of the engine, ignore the outer lip.

Yeah, camo could be a bit interesting around the pipe.  I think it'd be similar to the F-100, with the reheat portion left natural metal.  Either that or have some heat effects were the paint has been baked on, like a happened on the Danish Huns when the numpties overpainted the hot panels.

Hmmm, I know Denmark goes against what I've been saying about using non-Hunter operators but that's worth expoloring.  On it's own, the all over Olive Drab is pretty boring but the paint on Danish aircraft weathered heavilly creating an unusual patchy & criss cross finish.  Coupled with the orange patches on the reheat section it could make for an interesting model.  I've tried it before & failed, but I've gained more experience with thinned paint & washes & I should be able to pull it off this time.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Denmark---Air/North-American-F-100D/1734852/L/&sid=c0e5f0d20b674311ddddfc3a7d3ad54d
http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Gal7/6901-7000/gal6979-F-100-Westphalen/00.shtm

[The Wooksta!]

You could always do the conversion "as is", use Hunter F6 serials and RAuxAF markings - the early production 1083s having the engines and wings of the prototype, whereas later aircraft had the wings plumbed for missiles and drop tanks plus the "production" jetpipe.

TBH, that's what I'll be doing with one of mine, the other being a T-bird and having the earlier engine - don't want the sprogs going off half cock, do we?

[Weaver]

In the course of building a spaceship of all things, I have established that if you carve the "skirt" off the bottom of an F-16 canopy, it's a damn close fit to a Hunter; close enough that a little sanding can make it a perfect fit. Worth bearing in mind if you want a frameless canopy for an updated Hunter project.... The front edge of the canopy comes quite a long way ahead of the Hunter one, but that could be part of the mod.


Caveat: this was an Airfix F-16 and a Matchbox Hunter. Different donor kits with slightly different dimensions might produce different results....

[The Wooksta!]

The Matchbox Hunter single seat option is waaaaaay too broad.  It's a poor representation of an F6 at best.  The whole kit is a wasted opportunity really.

[Weaver]

Well that might be interesting then, because if anything, the F-16 canopy is a shade too narrow for the Matchbox sills, so it might be all right on say the Revell one. Also, the F-16 canopy needs a bit sanding off the bottom to get it to match the Hunter's spine, so that should make it narrower in the process...

[Mossie]

There's an article on the Hawker P.1109 (radar Hunter) in the current edition of Aeroplane magazine.  It's by Tony Butler & covers the project in a bit more detail than books on the subject (at least the ones I have).  As an aside there's some lovely air to air shots of Duxford's recentley-ish restored Spit Mk.I.

It'll be followed up next month by first hand accounts by one of the test pilots, Bob Brand.  In that issue will also be a DataBase article on the TSR.2.

[PR19_Kit]

Mossie, you and I buy the same mags! 

I was just about to post that, but glad you did it instead. Doesn't that P.1109 look GREAT!?

[Mossie]

Mossie, you and I buy the same mags! 

I was just about to post that, but glad you did it instead. Doesn't that P.1109 look GREAT!?

I do like Aeroplane, Flypast too.  I don't pick up every issue, but have a look to see if the articles take my , fancy.  I had to get it since it had the P.1109, the Spit pics were a bonus.  I'll be getting next months as well.

Yeah, the P.1109 looks fantastic, in all thee liveries that it wore.

[ysi_maniac]

Can any of you post a pic of that pre-production Hunter mockup with T-tail)

[kitbasher]

Planning one of those myself.  Will scan a drawing later this week for you.