Academy Hawker Hunter FG 9.a

First colour on lower section after a coat of black stynelrez/UMP primer 

First time using MRP paints; RAF dark grey on top side, using Badger Sotar 20/20 - MRP + Sotar + win! 

MRP RAF green, after using panzer putty to roughly mask off camo pattern. RAF used rubber mats to demarcate camo lines. Even Indian bound planes were pre-painted 

Some reference... 

Still a bit rough and will need touching up 

These micromesh belt sanding sticks are the bomb for tricky areas - had to fix up some rough intake joins I had missed 

Yeah, ugly intake seams are ugly... no thanks to Academy's stupid construction engineering in this area. Apart from that, the kit is wonderful 

Contrary to the instructions, the canopy can be posed open. Just carefully spread the canopy and it stays in place naturally. No glue and best of all didnt have to scribe the slide rails 

After a near disaster using AK satin varnish - it sprayed in big sticky gloops even after thinning and left a milking residue over the whole model. Manage to save it by using Mineral spirits, but a real pain and I had to touch up the camo multiple times.  

Aires PE harnesses are fiddly, but I think better than any Eduard pre-painted which tend to lift off and look well... not right 

Further oil rendering using Mig oilbrushers (dark and medium grey and some brown) 

Nice few coats of Testor's gloss evened out the paint and gave a nice surface. The testor's stuff (gloss and flat) really are great utility varnishes 

The Aires wheel bays were an experiment, they added a lot more to the build time, but I say are worth it as they are much better than the kit's 

Errr... least favourite part of model making for me... decals, but wow they really transform it from a toy to a replica.. Cartograph decals a little thick but well behaved after using microsol/set with waterbrush set 

The top side of most Hunter's were well cared for and were not heavily weathered. I used Mig medium grey and blue/grey PLW to give a more subtle effect rather than an overall enamel or clay wash 

Dulled down the IAF roundels with a smear of artist oils (starship filth and greys), swiped with brush dampened in oderless spirit 

I didn't use the front wheel bay from the Aires set, as it required very delicate cutting of the front nose area! I didn't own my GLC or zona saws then, so no dice! 

Light wash of Tamiya black PLW - this is my goto wash to generally muddy up worn wheel bays or inner surfaces 

Underside's of active Hunters, got quite grimy. Could not find good ref pics of IAF hunters so extrapolated from well worn Swiss examples 

In a string of firsts for me; using oil rendering to weather and create grime, oil compressor streaks etc.. Not quite what I wanted but will do for now 

weathered starboard wing, the finely detailed Aires wheel bays shown here. Dulled down with the ubiquitous Tamiya enamel PLW. These are very worthy upgrades as the wheel bay is quite visible 

Used Mig oilbrushers, various Tamiya weathering powders and various Mig panel line washes 

Rocket pods, painted and attached to wings. These were not great in detail, but were better than the very poor 5 inch rocket salvos in kit. Painted with AK metallics and Vallejo metal colour exhaust