A Little Holiday Modeling...RAF South East Asia Command Hunter F.12, 1969

[AeroplaneDriver]

Just like my last radar Hunter the nose is a drop tank nose.  Last time it was a 1/48 Revellogram Strike Eagle, this time it's a Hobbycraft A-4C.  I'm sure I'll order Colin's P.1109 conversion when it comes out, but 1/48 drop tanks work great on this kit.  The A-4 tank is very close to the look of the P.1109...

[AeroplaneDriver]

Oh well...it looks like my goal of finishing this before heading off to England tomorrow will fall short.  Still, it's all daone except sticking on the gear, weapons, and fiddly bits and posing for a nice pic.  Seems like taking good pics is taking me longer to get back into the swing of than building the damn thing, so these pics are also a bit lacking, but at least you can get a general idea.  Time permitting I'll get something better posted tomorrow, but if not I'll finish her up when I get home in a week or so.

Hunter F.12, RAF 64 Sqn, Da Nang, May, 1969.







Stores fit will be typical for a 1969 escort misson:

Inboard-Fireflash
Mid-100gal tanks
Outer-Sparrow

[sideshowbob9]

Beautiful 

[srkirad]

nice looking cammo on this "upgraded" Hunter

[tigercat2]

Looks really good; a great weekend project.


Wes W.

[philp]

Very nice.

Looks like I might have to use the "tip tank radar nose" option on my Henneway.

[Damian2]

Oh wow, that turned out great!!!

[pyro-manic]

That RWR on the fin is a lovely little touch, and the camo is gorgeous.

[Sisko]

Wow that is very nice!

The new nose gives it purpose and looks great!

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

At risk of repeating m'self.... Great to have you back, Nick ! 

Ian

[John Howling Mouse]

You are one talented fellow...this looks good enough to eat!

[AeroplaneDriver]

OK, almost done...

All but a handful of fiddly bits are on, decaling and weathering is done, she's sitting on her legs, and once the missiles are decaled and detailed I'll be ready for the reveal. 

Now the problem...maybe two years ago I wrote an alt history of the British involvement in Vietnam.  I was gonna repost it as the backstory for this build but I cant find it!!  I can go back and find every single post I've made since day one here, but that one is missing.   

Anyway, pics later this evening hopefully, then I can start on my OWGB.

[AeroplaneDriver]

OK...I'm using Firestreaks from an Airfix Javelin, but was using the Firestreak decals from a Trumpeter Lightning, but there are only decals for a single missile!!  WTF?   

[AeroplaneDriver]

OK, she's done!  My first completed model in almost 10 months!!   

I'll post better pics tomorrow along with the full backstory, but for now here is an RAF Hunter F.12, of RAF SEAC serving in the Vietnam conflict, c.1969.  It is armed with two AIM-7E Sparrow AAMs and a single Firestreak AAM.  RAF armourers will soon load the second Firestreak round in preperation for another mission escorting RAF and RAAF Canberras on interdiction strikes along the Ho Chi Minh trail. 

[srkirad]

it looks very nice - that "real radome" gives some serious look to Hunter, missiles also look great on this "oldy", whle I really admire detailing of airbrake and flapses on wings!

BRAVO!  Hope we won't wait so many months for new project of yours