Hawker Hunter F6 Academy 1/48

[Ian M]

Just a quicky so you all don't think I have given up building on the 74 squadron project.

I didn't do build photos this time. I was 'under the weather' and just got on with it a couple of hours a day (read when I was awake and not blasting buckets of snot everywhere!!!)

The build was pretty simple. Academy cocked up and put a 1/72 scale bang-seat on the tool! Just happened to have an Aires cockpit and seat for this so no problem there.

Having previously had dealings with NeOmega resin, then grabbing this set from Aires, was like a trip in a time warp. In future, NeOmega will be the first place I look for seats and cock pits!!!!

Fast forward to the end of the film and we have this.

Top painted with Vallejo; dark sea grey, and Military green, which is a very good match to RAF Dark Green, even though it looks a bit to green on the photo, it is a lot better in the flesh. Honest. I have my DIY paint chips and it is just a fraction lighter than Xtracrylix RAF Dark Green. I just didn't have enough to use it!!!!!

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Bottom is with Alclad II, in various shades of Aluminium.

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Whats the verdict? I confess to being totally lazy. I could not be chuffed to scan the paint plan into the PC, resize and print out to make a mask. Sooooo I just grabbed the AB and got on with it.

OK its a bit feathery in the edges, and the such. I am hoping that a quick tour with a polishing pad will sort out the worst. If not there is always break fluid...... or is it bleach?

Just need to build the UC, which is a pain on this kit. Four doors and four activators on each of the main legs! (onto which the serial number for the Aircraft needs cutting into four parts each side!!!)

A bit of clearcoat then decals and more clear then a light weathering before the final clear.

Any comment welcome

Ian M

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[Guest]

Hi Ian, i looks pretty good to me, but then what do I know about Hunters.

The UC bays look remarkably detailed, well done.

Does the UC doors also come with the 3 pieces for the main gear?

Those Aden gunpacks just look the buiseness!

Theuns

[Ian M]

The UC bays are resin parts from Aires and the fit is spot on. The Doors that come with them are worse than the kits ones, so I will be using them. The Main UC doors are in four parts; fuselage wheel door, strut wheel door, strut door and a tiny little door strut door on the wing. Hope you know what I mean!

The best part is the decals. The ID numbers for under wings are in one part and will need cutting into four parts and to be honest I am still not sure how to get around that one. Tried mounting the doors onto tape and then place then in the bays. That's not going to work as the "hinges" on the wing mounted doors are in the way!!! I will figure it out some how....

Just been looking at the now dry gloss coat. It has gotten a real bad case of sand paper effect!!! Not Happy!!!

Ian M

[Guest]

Ian, what about holding the doors in place with big blobs of BluTac? I would cut around the hinges and paint them in manually afterwards so the transfer remains flat. I suspect that if you try to get the transfer over the hinges it will disrupt the positioning of the flat part of it.

[Ian M]

I will try the blue tac trick later. The hinges I refer to are infact the small tabs that hold the door in the open position. If the doors are to be posed closed, they need to be cut off to get them in the bay opening, this is what is giving me a head ache!

Here is a scan of the plan. You can see that the ID code on each side needs some serious cutting up!!!

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I should at this point say that the decal in the kit is cut up to fit the doors. However, I will not be using them, as I am building XE 599. I cant use the kit ones as a guide either because they are a different size!!! And it would of been to easy! lol

I was looking at the paint job yesterday and was thinking that looks crap! So out with the micro mesh and gave the camo a good polish down so it was nice and smooth.

Found that I have some WEM colour coat in Dark sea grey. Bonus! The top side got a new coat of paint with that yesterday.

Spent a couple of hours making masks and then sprayed the Xtracrylix RAF dark green that I had.

I really should get it together and buy some more of their paints. They spray like a dream! As do those from WEM as well!

I had just cleaned the air brush when I noticed I had missed a bit in under the tail plains! Bugger, I will get that later after the rest of the camo has had time to harden 100%

I think it looks a lot better than before.

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[Guest]

nice work for now

I'm folowing this project, like it

[Guest]

Hi Ian, Just back from holiday. I don't know why I haven't done one of these myself as it is a beautiful aircraft, one of the classics and you are certainly doing it justice, look forward to seeing the finished job. Cheers Derek