Gallery = Template=20 #04

"1/72 = Hawker Hunter=20 F.56A "

by "John Moran"
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Steve Bamford=20 will insert full=20 sized version of photo 01.jpg here =

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The Indian = Air Force=20 selected the Hawker Hunter for their official display team after = considering=20 the HAL Kiran trainer, MiG 21 and of course the Hunter. The team first = performed in 1982 at the IAF's golden jubilee celebrations. The = aircraft used=20 were part of No 20 Sqn with Wing Commander P.S. "Ben" Brar as team = leader. The=20 team initially consisted of 6 aircraft which was later increased to 8 = or 9=20 depending on which information source you believe. The team was = disbanded=20 in 1990.

Reference sources for = the blue and=20 white colour scheme are hard to come by and I only managed to find two = photos=20 of the aircraft, one in colour and one black and white. This caused a = small=20 dilemma as one photo was of the starboard side of the aircraft which = did not=20 have the IAF crest on the nose and the colour shot of the port side = did sport=20 the badge. The question as to whether the badge was carried only on = one side,=20 neither side or both sides and at what stage in the teams history was = kindly=20 answered by the Indian Air Force themselves. It seems the badge was = only ever=20 carried on the port side.

Click on images=20 below to see larger images
Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 03.jpg here. Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 03.jpg=20 <= IMG=20 border=3D0=20 = src=3D"http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/03t.jpg"><= /A>	Steve Bamford will insert a click-able smaller = version of=20 photo 04.jpg here. Clicking on that photo = will bring=20 up the full sized version of photo 04.jpg=20 <= IMG=20 border=3D0=20 = src=3D"http://www.aircraftresourcecenter.com/Article-Templates/04t.jpg"><= /A>

The kit used was the = Airfix FGA.9=20 which is externally identical to the Mk 56a with the exception of the = blade=20 aerial behind the cockpit which was removed for the Indian aircraft. = The kit=20 lends itself to improving so with the help of the pictures on the IPMS = Stockholm and Thunder and Lightning web sites I set about opening and=20 detailing the flaps and speed brake, the undercarriage bay and the=20 intakes.

Finding suitable decals = was initially=20 solved by Propatagem, however the decals disintegrated when removed = from the=20 backing sheet. As I had to produce the IAF crest for the nose I simply = added a=20 set of roundels and fin flashes to my print run, using=20 the Propatagem decals as a colour guide. As for the blue and = white colour=20 scheme, it was fun masking it all off and getting it right first time. = The=20 heading photo is a little bit of Paintshop Pro magic combined = with=20 Terragen.

Steve Bamford=20 will insert full sized version of photo 02.jpg here

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Photos = and text =A9 2003=20 by "your name goes here"