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TN Hawker Hunter Mini jet


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Hi,

I have eventually managed to start my TN Hawker Hunter. I have put my Kougar refurb aside for a bit because i'm waiting for a few bit to arrive that are on back order.

The plan is going to be standard build, tissue and dope the painted but i'm not sure of a paint scheme yet. I like the 2 below but worried about visibility

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I want a Royal Navy scheme (as a serving matelot) but there isn't a lot of high vis ones to choose from.

Anyway, build started buy cutting the kit

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Got the formers, stringers and fan all fitted. Started the sheeting but leaving that to dry overnight before continuing. Fin is cut and shaped and made a start of the horizontal stab. I think this should go fairly quickly

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Gary

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Thanks John. I just use a scroll saw to get close then a disc sander to get them exact. For the middle holes, i cut a rough shape with a dremel multipurpose cutting bit then tidy with the sanding drum on the dremel. Works with 1/8 ply but any thicker the centre hole technique doesn't really work.

Gary

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More progress made. I have the tail parts cut and test fitted and control rods fitted for the elevators.

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I've found it quite tricky to shape the cylindrical shape of the fuse without making the skin to thin away from the stringers. Maybe I've been too ferotious with sanding but something to watch out for.

Wings are cut and started shaping but no photos yet. Next job will be to finish the bottom sheeting, shape the raised spine and start the nose. These little birds go together pretty quick so hopefully I can keep up momentum and get it done soon without it ending up on my "I'll just sit that there just now until I sort this" shelf and never getting finished!

Gary

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UsMaking good progress despite having a busy week. I definitely think you'd be able to rattle up one of these little jets in a week if you had a few hours each night! I'm definitely enjoying it but it's much smaller than anything I'm used to so that is a challenge for me.

Wing is shaped and been test fitted but ailerons haven't been cut yet

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Wing profile was shaped after drawing the black lines showing where most of the wood will be removed

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Tail parts trimmed up and ready to fit

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Couldn't help trying a test fit af everything

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I am currently about to start shaping the nose then fit the raised spine behind the cockpit. Only hatches and electronics, intake holes and shaping the external intakes to do before finishing can start.

Gary

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi Gary,

Your Hunter is looking good.

I have made the wing and have just got to the stage of sheeting the top and bottom sides of my Hunter. They are drying now. The next operation as far as the RCM&E article reads is to sheet the top and bottom with the 5 mm. I am a bit concerned about doing this now as further on in the artical, after shaping the fuselage it says to fit the snakes. I can't imagine this to be a very easy procedure and wondered if these should be fitted now but not glued so as to allow them to be pulled back slightly during fuselage shaping.

Any thoughts on the subject would be most welcome.

Graham

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Hi Graham,

I'd definitely recommend fittng them before sheeting the top of the fuse. I ran mine centrally through the top of the former around the fan and cut some slots through the top sheet. It made shaping a little more awkward where they pop out but that is significantly less work that trying to fit them later.

I found shaping tough without sanding through the top and bottom sheet near the stringers. Maybe just me but some of the skinning is pretty thin now so just take care when sanding. I may have to double up a little once I cut the hatches and have a look from inside but I'll keep you updated.

Gary

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all,

Finally got a chance to get back into the garage and get building. It is amazing how many tasks the wife can give you when you are on lockdown and a toddler definitely doesn't help managing time!! First job was to sort the bench. A few weeks of inactivity and this has happened...

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Finally got sorted and my 2 current projects were there ready to go (this doesn't include my BT Spitfire which i have a blog for on RC Scale Builder and a Sig Kougar refurb which i have one on this site for...)

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The 1/4 scale moth minor is just slightly larger than the hunter!

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All the major parts were done so just a matter of aligning wings and tail then start the intakes and spine

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It made a massive difference to add the intakes as it really started to look like a hunter now! I have the electronics ready to go and started to cover in tissue ready for paint. Seems to be coming along well so far.

Gary

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I got the tissue and dope all done but did the frustrating thing i do when i get excited and i rushed it! tried to do most of the model in 1 go and the result was pretty untidy. Luckily i've had to learn to bee good at sanding and hiding errors over the years!

I still have a little filling and sanding to finish off but she's almost ready for colour. The dope warped the hatch a little so the fit isn't what it was before...

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Gary

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And she is done! The surface still need to g on but the hinges still have not arrived but not a long job when they do.

It's been an enjoyable build but much smaller than what i am used to so i did find elements of it tricky but a fairly simple build overall and an experienced builder could have it done in a couple of weeks.

Hopefully some of you found it a worthwhile thread.

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Gary

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  • 1 month later...

I am nearing the end of my build, and have a question. The outline of the 3S 2200 lipo on the plan is much smaller than any of the standard 2200 packs I have, and I am getting concerned about making the cg work. Can anyone let me know what you are using and was the cg an issue? I am thinking the pack will be too big and far forward.

Cheers

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HiStu,

On both my Hunters shown on the group pic the standard 2200 3s pack fitted but only after about 25mm 'U' shape slot was cut out of the front of the wing. Without this it would not go in !!

I mailed Tony and he said he cut a slot.. which was not on the plan or I missed it.

With the battery as far forward in the fus on the mounting plate it was too nose heavy.. with the battery against the wing it was tail heavy. So I then moved to the correct position for balance. This meant there was a gap of approx 40mm in front of the battery for mine.

I then cut a piece of solid Blue foam, in the section of the battery, and slid this into the fus first. Then the battery and it was stopped at the right position.. sorted

Steve

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Hi Steve,

I had exactly the same problem re the battery position/c of g. I did the same as you with a bit of blue foam in the nose for positioning. As I did not think that I would get the battery out again if I used Velcro I shaped a piece of foam to fit the back of the battery then made a locking plate to hold it with a little bit of pressure. I have only bench run it at present as we have had a few problems with our field but the results look good, 390 watts and a 6 min run (mixed throttle settings). Only one problem the LIPo was a little warm when I took it out so I am wondering about a couple of air intake holes in the nose. Has anyone else experienced warm battery?

Graham

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