The Hawker Hunter is to RAF aficionados as the F-86 is to USAF fans. It is the epitome of a jet aircraft. A timeless design that just looks right no matter how one view it. It doesn't hurt that the Hunter also had a very long service life and was operated by a great number of air forces around the world. Unlike the F-86, it was in service until the late 1980s and perhaps even into the early '90s with some places.

Today, many Hunters survive in the hands of jet warbird enthusiasts and are quite popular performers at air shows.

  Seeing a new 1/144 military jet kit from a major kit maker is a real surprise. It also helps that this kit happens to be a particularly good one. Reports from those who have built the kit are filled with exclamations of delight with the fit and ease of construction. They also like the quality of the parts and the amount of detail put into this small jet.

One gets a full cockpit with seat, stick, instrument panel and tub. There are also full wheel wells and underwing stores consisting of drop tanks and rocket pods. The kit can be built with the gear up if desired. A prop is provided to keep it from tail sitting, though most of us will try to fill the rather small nose with weight to keep it on all three gear.

The instructions are quite thorough as it typical of Revell of Germany. It is also printed on the newsprint type of paper. Decal options are for two aircraft. One from 54 Sq RAF in 1968 and the other a Swiss AF version circa 1960. The decal sheet is incredibly complete even offering data stencils. Those of us with less than young eyes will undoubtedly pass on putting on those teeny decals! The decals look great and are well printed, though a bit on the flat side. 

This is the kind of kit that can be brush painted with no problem, though there are those of us who will break out the airbrush anyway! I dare anyone to do a good freehand airbrush job of the camo scheme!

I can tell you that this kit sold out quickly at my local hobby shop. The low price combined with the subject and the quality of the kit makes this a must have model if you have any interest in this scale.

Review kit courtesy of me and my wallet!

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