IPMS/USA Detail Review: PJ Productions' 1/72 Hawker Hunter T7-T8-T68 conversion for the Revell Hunter

PJ Productions

1/72 Hawker Hunter T7-T8-T68 Conversion
For the Revell Hunter

Stock Number: 721207

Reviewed By Jim Pearsall, IPMS# 2209

MSRP: $26.75
Website: www.pjproduction.net

The Kit:

Twenty two resin parts; including three fuselage halves, two noses, two bang seats, cockpit interior, new exhaust and two fairings for the exhaust. 8 metal parts for the landing gear. Two vac canopies (but you only need one) and decals for RAF, Royal Navy, Royal Netherlands AF and Swiss AF two-seaters.

Of course you also need one of the 1/72 Revell Hunters, either kit #04186, the FGA9 / Mk.56 (recommended) or #04350, the Mk.6 (which works). The reason 04186 is recommended is that it contains the parts you need to build the T 58, which is the Swiss Hunter, as well as the parts for the RAF, RN or RNAF versions. With the Mk.6 kit, you can only build the T 7 or T8, which are the RAF, RN or RNAF planes.

The Conversion:

Since I already had a Revell Hunter, I started the conversion. It’s a good thing I didn’t want to do the Swiss Hunter, as my kit was the Mk.6. If I really wanted to do the Swiss version, I could have gone to my local hobby shop and picked up a Mk.56, as there was one in stock, but I’m quite happy with the version I built.

It’s really pretty simple.

Assemble the Revell fuselage halves. No exhaust, etc.
Remember that, in the PJP kit, you get three fuselage halves, and the left one with the gun is for the Swiss version.
Assemble the correct PJ Productions cockpit/nose assembly.
Cut the front of the Revell fuselage off, and the fairing behind the cockpit.
Detail paint the interior of the PJP cockpit.
Cut off the Revell cockpit/nose.
Glue on the PJP cockpit/nose and the new fairing.
Add the PJP exhaust and exhaust fairings.
Clean up the seams and attachment points.
Paint and decal.
Finish the Revell kit, using the PJP metal landing gear.
Add the canopy and the antennas. And add the hook on the T8.

All the resin parts were complete and all were bubble-free. There was a tiny bit of flash on the control sticks, but that’s expected.

The Revell kit was an easy build also. I’m going to have to get another, so I can do a single-seater.

Evaluation:

This was a very easy conversion to do. Which means that there was a lot of thinking and planning on the part of the folks who designed the conversion parts. Everything fit. I expected to have a big problem with either the cockpit to fuselage fit, or that big fairing on the spine. I had to use some putty, because my cut was slightly uneven on the cockpit/fuselage joint, but otherwise it was just go from one step to the next without any big problems.

Which is not to say that this kit is absolutely perfect and problem free. I found that the RAF/RN roundels are ever so slightly out of register. This doesn’t show up except on the white surround on the top of the wing on that dark blue and white Hunter.

Recommended. This would be a good "first conversion" if you haven’t worked with a resin conversion before. I'd like to thank PJ Production for the review sample and IPMS/USA for allowing me review it.