Sheet #

 Cutting Edge # 48043 'Hunters pt 1'

Price:

 $7.98

Units:

 8 schemes: see writeup

Review By:

Scott Van Aken

Notes:

For Academy 1/48 Hunter

Difficult to believe that it has been several years, but that is how long ago it has been since Academy released its 1/48 Hawker Hunter. Since then it has been picked to death by various reviews, but despite its faults, it remains a super kit of what many feel is the finest looking aircraft to ever fly.

The kit decals are really very nice, but one always wants something a bit different. Cutting Edge has provided us with a great sheet covering the Hawker Hunter. There are eight different schemes to choose from, including markings for F.6 and FGA.9 Hunters.

Starting with the F.6, there are markings for an Iraqi, Jordanian, and Dutch version in the 'European' scheme of green and grey as well as a Saudi F.6 in desert camo of sand, stone and azure blue. Moving on to the FGA.9 one is offered two schemes for Omani Hunters. One in European green/grey and another almost devoid of markings in overall grey from 1989. Similarly, there is a Rhodesian FGA.9 in their green, brown and sky scheme with the single spear roundels and one later in life as a Zimbabwe aircraft nearly devoid of markings from the early 1980's.

Other than the addition of Sidewinder rails on the later Omani aircraft, there are no modifications to the kit required for any of these schemes. The one downside I can see to this sheet is that none of the colors are called out using names. Instead the BC 381C number is used. Like most non-British, I find this most confusing and would prefer to have the name of the color along with the code. As with most aftermarket sheets, the biggest difficulty will be determining which one to use!!