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.
Click on
images below to see larger images
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 The final four KLu Hunters were withdrawn at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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