Overview
Fantasy Printshop produces a wide range of decals, both in their own product lines and for other companies. Their decals are some of the best available, with great color density, good registration, and some wonderful subject matter. Their latest decal option is for some single-seater Hawker Hunters.
The Decals
Some Hunters means double digits, to the tune of thirty-two. Yes, that's right, this decal sheet has almost three dozen options on it, covering just about every RAF Hunter unit. The options span the entire range of Hunter variants as well, from the Hunter F.1 to the Hunter FR.10, and span decades of operation from 1955 to 1984. Camouflages are varied as well, including the original dark green and dark sea gray over high speed silver, dark green and dark sea gray over aircraft gray, wraparound dark green and dark sea gray, and a training scheme of red, white, and aircraft gray. There are two decal sheets included, one with serials and the other with all the squadron bars and markings.
The aircraft covered include:
- Hunter F.1, 43 Squadron, RAF Leuchars, 1955
- Hunter F.1, 222 Squadron, RAF Leuchars, 1955
- Hunter F.5, 1 (Fighter) Squadron, RAF Tangmere, 1955
- Hunter F.1, 54 Squadron, RAF Odiham, 1956
- Hunter F.4, IV (AC) Squadron, RAF Jever, 1956
- Hunter F.4, 111 Squadron, RAF North Weald, 1956
- Hunter F.4, 71 Squadron, RAF Bruggen, 1956
- Hunter F.4, 92 Squadron, RAF Linton-on-Ouse, 1956
- Hunter F.4, 130 Squadron, RAF Bruggen, 1956
- Hunter F.5, 34 Squadron, RAF Nicosia, Cyprus, 1956
- Hunter F.5, 41 Squadron, RAF Biggin Hill, 1956
- Hunter F.5, 56 Squadron, RAF Waterbeach, 1956
- Hunter F.4, 3 Squadron, RAF Geilenkirchen, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 3 Squadron, RAF Geilenkirchen, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 74 Squadron, RAF Horsham St Faith, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 93 Squadron, RAF Jever, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 98 Squadron, RAF Jever, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 67 Squadron, RAF Bruggen, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 118 Squadron, RAF Jever, 1957
- Hunter F.4, 234 Squadron, RAF Geilenkirchen, 1957
- Hunter F.6, 63 Squadron, RAF Waterbeach, 1958
- Hunter F.4, 26 Squadron, RAF Gutersloh, 1959
- Hunter F.4, 66 Squadron, RAF Acklington, 1959
- Hunter F.6, 208 Squadron, RAF Tangmere, 1959
- Hunter F.6, 20 Squadron, RAF Gutersloh, 1959
- Hunter F.6, 229 OCU, 145 Squadron, RAF Duxford, 1960
- Hunter FGA.9, 8 Squadron, Aden, 1961
- Hunter FGA.9, 8 Squadron, Aden, 1962
- Hunter FR.10, 1417 (Fighter Reconnaissance) Flight, Aden 1967
- Hunter FR.10, II(AC) Squadron, RAF Jever, 1970
- Hunter F.6, 4 Fighter Training School, RAF Valley, 1974
- Hunter F.6, 79 Squadron, RAF Brawdy, late 1970s
- Hunter F.6, 12 Squadron, RAF Honington, 1984
As you can see from this list, the majority of options are for earlier Hunter marks, which will require modification of the Revell kit to backdate it from the stock F.6/FGA.9 version. There are plenty of aftermarket options to handle this conversion.
Conclusion
This is an excellent set for Hunter fans, and one which will keep many quite busy building their favorite units. My thanks to Fantasy Printshop for the review sample.