Matchbox – PK-117 (40117) – Hawker Hunter T.Mk7 / F.Mk58

Description:

Hawker Hunter T.Mk7 / F.Mk58

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of a British Hawker Hunter jet fighter aircraft and fighter-bomber introduced in mid 50s. Produced in almost 2000 units was also exported to a high number of countries like India, Switzerland, Belgium or Sweden amongst others.

F.6 variant was a single seat interceptor variant (designated Hunter Mk 58 in the Swiss export version), while T.7 was a twin seat trainer version build for RAF.

The “Blue Diamonds” was a RAF aerobatic team from 1960 to 1962 (pre “Red Arrows” time) who flown 15 blue-painted Hawker Hunter F6 aircraft and one T.7 (leader).

Original Matchbox kit tooled in 1976, the kit kept always its code number PK-117 or the later variation 400117 despite the changes, but during its life changed box art and decals several times, especially confusing the year 1983 release, when two different boxes where issued, one of them with the “Blue Diamonds” aerobatic team as box cover and title for the kit and a decal update in this edition kept also in the 1992 release. The kit was released again in 1996 with a new box art and again a new decal without the “Blue Diamonds” marking.

The kit always included parts for a single seat variant, F Mk.6, or a twin seat variant, T Mk.7, with optional parts for cockpit and front fuselage parts, as well a different clear part for the cabin.

Initially the kit had a decal sheet with two markings, RAF markings, one for the F Mk.6 variant and another for the T Mk.7. The 1983 “Blue Diamonds” kept the F Mk.6 marking and updated the T Mk.7 to a “Blue Diamonds” marking. The last release, 1996, introduced a Swiss (Patrouille Suisse aerobatic team) marking for a Mk.58 variant (similar to F Mk.6) and a new RAF marking for the T Mk.7.