Hawker Hunter recommendations
Discussion
Does anyone have any experience building a Hawker Hunter kit?
Googling didn't throw up a Tamiya kit...so it looks like Airfix or Revell.
It's my dad's birthday soon and he just expressed an interest in building kits again for the first time since I was a kid and he helped me out (he used to build them when he was a kid too).
He had a joy ride in a Hunter when he was in the army hence me thinking of that type. (The trainer version doesn't look to be made off the shelf, and the single seater looks better anyway
).
Am also considering getting him an airbrush and the paints etc needed....though this may be a step too far. If there are beginner recommendations for that too they would be gratefully received.
(For those who get bored of people asking common questions, I will be continuing to Google Was just looking to shortcut a little as it's his birthday next week ).
Googling didn't throw up a Tamiya kit...so it looks like Airfix or Revell.
It's my dad's birthday soon and he just expressed an interest in building kits again for the first time since I was a kid and he helped me out (he used to build them when he was a kid too).
He had a joy ride in a Hunter when he was in the army hence me thinking of that type. (The trainer version doesn't look to be made off the shelf, and the single seater looks better anyway
).Am also considering getting him an airbrush and the paints etc needed....though this may be a step too far. If there are beginner recommendations for that too they would be gratefully received.
(For those who get bored of people asking common questions, I will be continuing to Google
Was just looking to shortcut a little as it's his birthday next week ).I have no experience with Hunter kits, so I'm sure more direct advice will come your way shortly, but when I'm looking for a kit of a particular model I start here:
https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=hawker+hun...
Decide what scales you are interested in, for example there are 8 kits at 1:32. When I filter to that I see they are mostly Revell kits.
If you select any one of those kits and scroll down you'll see there's a product timeline, and that most of the kits will be updates, reboxes, or modifications to a single one (New tool).
As a rule of thumb, kits have gotten better in fit quality and detail over time, so the newer the "new tool" version is, the better the kit is likely to be both to build and to look at.
Conversely, they've also got more complicated over time, so a 2010s new tool kit might have two or three times as many bits as one from the 1980s.
You usually find there might be four or five different kits on the market from different manufacturers but when you look at the timeline they're all developments of the same original kit.
Once I've worked out what kits I'm interested in, I google "builds" or "build reviews" of that kit. Make sure to include "build" because a "review" is often just someone opening the box, staring at the pieces and then commenting on them. The builds and build reviews usually reveal any kit weaknesses, how easy or difficult it was to build, and plenty of pictures of what the end result can look like.
There is, incidentally, a 2 seater in 1:32 but it's a brand I do not recognise.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/echelon-vacuforms-...
EDIT:
There's been a few threads recently about airbrushes and there's not really concensus. I'm not going to reopen that debate here because it will derail the thread from the Hunter feedback, so I suggest look through the history for the airbrush threads.
https://www.scalemates.com/search.php?q=hawker+hun...
Decide what scales you are interested in, for example there are 8 kits at 1:32. When I filter to that I see they are mostly Revell kits.
If you select any one of those kits and scroll down you'll see there's a product timeline, and that most of the kits will be updates, reboxes, or modifications to a single one (New tool).
As a rule of thumb, kits have gotten better in fit quality and detail over time, so the newer the "new tool" version is, the better the kit is likely to be both to build and to look at.
Conversely, they've also got more complicated over time, so a 2010s new tool kit might have two or three times as many bits as one from the 1980s.
You usually find there might be four or five different kits on the market from different manufacturers but when you look at the timeline they're all developments of the same original kit.
Once I've worked out what kits I'm interested in, I google "builds" or "build reviews" of that kit. Make sure to include "build" because a "review" is often just someone opening the box, staring at the pieces and then commenting on them. The builds and build reviews usually reveal any kit weaknesses, how easy or difficult it was to build, and plenty of pictures of what the end result can look like.
There is, incidentally, a 2 seater in 1:32 but it's a brand I do not recognise.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/echelon-vacuforms-...
EDIT:
There's been a few threads recently about airbrushes and there's not really concensus. I'm not going to reopen that debate here because it will derail the thread from the Hunter feedback, so I suggest look through the history for the airbrush threads.
Edited by kiseca on Friday 28th May 08:40
Some of my modelling friends (very established modellers, write magazine article/books etc) have been playing with a Fengda FE-180 airbrush and getting superb results. It's only £26 so well worth a punt for a first step into airbrushing.
https://www.airbrush-fengda.co.uk/
https://www.airbrush-fengda.co.uk/
The first decision is "What Scale".
In 1/72, the most modern and best kit around is the Revell one. It comes in either F6 or FGA9 guise - so one of the later versions.
In 1/48 scale, the new Airfix Hunters are very nice -
In 1/32, Revell have a nice pair -
There are many much older models of Hunters around some being very crude and in varying degrees of accuracies.
Also, the two seater variants are not well served. Matchbox brought out a rather inaccurate two seater in 1/72 back in the 1970s. In more recent years, Xtrakit (Hannants) brought out a more accurate T7 in 1/72.
The Hunter has also been well provided for when it comes to after market accessories - especially in 1/72 where there are lots of options for different tail cones, noses, bulges, stores, braking parachute housings etc
In 1/72, the most modern and best kit around is the Revell one. It comes in either F6 or FGA9 guise - so one of the later versions.
In 1/48 scale, the new Airfix Hunters are very nice -
In 1/32, Revell have a nice pair -
There are many much older models of Hunters around some being very crude and in varying degrees of accuracies.
Also, the two seater variants are not well served. Matchbox brought out a rather inaccurate two seater in 1/72 back in the 1970s. In more recent years, Xtrakit (Hannants) brought out a more accurate T7 in 1/72.
The Hunter has also been well provided for when it comes to after market accessories - especially in 1/72 where there are lots of options for different tail cones, noses, bulges, stores, braking parachute housings etc
Thanks guys.
I'm thinking 1/48 scale - I suspect 1/72 may end up too small/fiddly, and 1/32 maybe a bit too big and needing more aftermarket detail to look decent.
Airbrushes...thanks for the Fengda. Think I need to think through that one a bit more - will need to think about a compressor etc too.
I'm thinking 1/48 scale - I suspect 1/72 may end up too small/fiddly, and 1/32 maybe a bit too big and needing more aftermarket detail to look decent.
Airbrushes...thanks for the Fengda. Think I need to think through that one a bit more - will need to think about a compressor etc too.
Murph7355 said:
Thanks guys.
I'm thinking 1/48 scale - I suspect 1/72 may end up too small/fiddly, and 1/32 maybe a bit too big and needing more aftermarket detail to look decent.
Airbrushes...thanks for the Fengda. Think I need to think through that one a bit more - will need to think about a compressor etc too.
The compressor is the easy bit. Look for one with an air tank, a pressure gauge and a water trap. There are hundreds of different named ones, all the same design. Probably all made in the same factory.I'm thinking 1/48 scale - I suspect 1/72 may end up too small/fiddly, and 1/32 maybe a bit too big and needing more aftermarket detail to look decent.
Airbrushes...thanks for the Fengda. Think I need to think through that one a bit more - will need to think about a compressor etc too.
e.g.
The only difference is usually the price, p&p etc.
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