The (almost predictable...) Hunter PR16

[PR19_Kit]

When the Hawker P.1086 advanced PR aircraft was effectively axed in the 1957 Defence, cuts because its RR Thames engine was cancelled, the Hawker Siddeley Group's hopes for supplying the RAF with a more modern PR aircraft than the Meteor PR19s were dashed.

But not for long. Having close knowledge of the awesome U-2/Meteor aerodynamics, as the long spanned Meteor was built by Armstrong Whitworth, a member of the HS Group, enabled the Kingston Design Office to come up with an alternative proposal. The RAF's PR units preferred two seater aircraft for the strategic tasks as the pilot could concentrate on keeping the aircraft steady at the very high altitudes required by these tasks, while the 2nd crew member handled the navigation and the PR tasking itself. While the original P.1086 was a single seater, it was expected that the production versions would have had a tandem cockpit in its long, slim fuselage nose. Accordingly the design for this tandem cockpit was applied to the new project, which was, as many other Hawker projects of the time, designed around the very successful Hunter as a basis.

See here for the build https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=36798.0

And here for the backstory https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=36797.msg593115#msg593115

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So here we have the Hunter PR16, a long spanned (there's a surprise, eh?  ) long nosed, tandem two seater Hunter.



The essential component boxes etc. A Revell Hunter FGA9, an Academy U-2 and one of Colin Freigthdog's wonderful resin conversions, which I picked up at the Coventry Show.




A tape-up of one side of the project, which shows how the U-2 wing will be slightly swept on the leading edge, giving a straight trailing edge, unlike the Lockheed aircraft which has an equi-tapered wing.

So far things are going OK on the build, except it looks as if I'll have to move the main gear bays forward somewhat as otherwise the wheels will be too thick to fit into the trailing edge of the thin U-2 wing. But having done some of this sort of work on my Defender F3 recently I reckon I can figure it out.

[sandiego89]

Nice, this will look good. 

What does that only leave about a dozen 1/72 U-2's in your stash?   When does panic set in, under 8 or so?? 

[PR19_Kit]

It's already setting in, less than a couple of dozen and I get all shaky! 

Actually I've got 3 left at home, I had to get this one off eBay for the GB. 

[kitbasher]

Swept-wing U-2 for the 1950s GB then, Kit?

[rickshaw]

Will you have the Secret Squirrels ringing you up again, Kit?   

[PR19_Kit]

Hehehe, you guys know me too well. 

There's not enough of the Hunter's wings left to go onto the U-2 Dave, and who knows WHAT those guys at Langley are up to Brian. 

Putting one of Colin Freightdog's conversions together is always a joy. If you do exactly what it says on the instructions it all fits like a dream, and the forward fuselage of the PR16 did exactly that. 

Colin says make sure you assemble the nose cone at the same time as you glue the two halves of of the cockpit section together, and that's a must. If you don't the nose cone is too large to go through the hole in the cockpit section and you'd have to lever it all apart again. 

And no, I didn't do it all wrong, but I did test it to see just why that instruction was so important.



The same can't be said of mating the U-2's wings to the |Hunter's wing roots. Because the latter part has a curved 'root area' the inner end of the U-2's wings need to be similarly curved to suit, and trying to line up the main gear bays with that curved root area is a NIGHTMARE!

I still haven't figured it out, but I'm working on it......

[PR19_Kit]

SUCCESS! 

I've managed to sort out t he main gear bay's position in the U-2/Hunter wing root. It took a lot of fiddling and some custom styrene cutting but it all seems to fit.

At least on one side, all I have to do now is do the same for the other side......



You can see what I mean here, with the re-positioned gear bay on the right side and the standard Hunter arrangement on the left. The position of the top of the gear leg has only gone forward about a scale foot, and it won't be a tailsitter, thank goodness.

[Gondor]

Looks good although my initial impressions is that will either narrow or shorten the intake ducts. 

Gondor

[Tophe]

SUCCESS! 
At least on one side, all I have to do now is do the same for the other side......

No need for the other side: asymmetry is even more whif, even better!

[PR19_Kit]

Looks good although my initial impressions is that will either narrow or shorten the intake ducts. 

Sure, but they curved more for the PR16s. 

At least on one side, all I have to do now is do the same for the other side......

No need for the other side: asymmetry is even more whif, even better!

Tophe, your response to that pic was as predictable as me doing this build. 

[Tophe]

At least on one side, all I have to do now is do the same for the other side......

No need for the other side: asymmetry is even more whif, even better!

Tophe, your response to that pic was as predictable as me doing this build. 

Your denying this way was also probable, but I had a moment of pleasant dream imagining you would do it, thanks for this dream, even if not turned true

[Gondor]

Looks good although my initial impressions is that will either narrow or shorten the intake ducts. 

Sure, but they curved more for the PR16s. 

Exactly the way my thoughts went Kit. After thinking there would be problems I realised that this Hunter will not need to be as fast as it's brethren so it will not run into as many problems with such an intake, and it is whiff world too 

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

Half of it done anyway. 



The cockpit's painted and decaled, as well as it could be anyway, and the seats are glued in. The PR nose is glued in place and the fuselage is now done, bar the geeblies of course.

[Gondor]

Is there enough nose weight?

Gondor

[PR19_Kit]

It doesn't actually need any. The entire front end is pretty much solid resin, and the CG is about level with the leading edge of the wing.

Result!