1/32 Revell Hawker Hunter Mk. 6

by Eduard Boxem

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The Hawker Hunter used to be neglected by the major kit manufacturers for decades. The only kits available were from Airfix (1/72) and Lindberg (1/48). But now, a modeler wanting to add a Hunter to his collection has a lot of more choices. Really magnificent is the 1/32nd Hunter model from Revell. First only available as a FGA Mk. 9/F Mk 58, but now also as Mk.6 with decals for KLu (Royal Dutch Air Force), Belgian Air Force and Royal Air Force versions. I decided to paint my copy in the colors of KLu 325 squadron as it was stationed at Soesterberg Air base in 1959.

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In the late 1950’s Fokker/Amsterdam delivered 93 Hunter Mk. 6’s to the KLu.  The Hunter was the KLu’s principal Cold War fighter until it was replaced by the Starfighter in the sixties. Hunters were intensively flown from their homebases Soesterberg, Woensdrecht and Leeuwarden. Leeuwarden was at the time the busiest NATO Hunter base with sometimes more then 200 starts and landings a day. The final four KLu Hunters were withdrawn at Soesterberg in August 1968.

I found it a pleasure to built this kit as the parts fitted very well together.
To find the exact colors for the camouflage-job was more difficult. Eventually I used Revell matt dark green (63) and matt sea gray (57) for the upper side. True, the Hunters were delivered in glossy dark green and dark gray but due to weathering the glossy coating disappeared very fast and the dark gray became lighter. To accentuate the engraved panel lines I used thinned black paint. After the paint was dry, I rubbed the surface with a rag to cause a semi-gloss effect. The underside I sprayed aluminum (Tamiya TS17).

Eduard

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Photos and text © by Eduard Boxem