Skeg Posted January 16, 2012 Share Posted January 16, 2012 Title says it all. Must say though that i'm not one for mm margin accuracy, just want it to look like a gr5 and be a decent kit to put together. Thinking about the italeri kit and also the hasegawa kit although that doesn't seem to pop up on ebay as much. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XV107 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Title says it all. Must say though that i'm not one for mm margin accuracy, just want it to look like a gr5 and be a decent kit to put together. Thinking about the italeri kit and also the hasegawa kit although that doesn't seem to pop up on ebay as much.Thanks. If it helps, there is a handy technique for building the Italeri GR5. Put on running shoes and sprint in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. It is an awful kit (and, if memory serves, is the same as the Revell GR5, which has better box-art and might lure you into thinking that the kit inside will look like a GR5). Hasegawa is a much better bet, and I must confess that I quite liked the Airfix GR5 (also, if memory serves) buildable from their old GR7 kit, which ISTR had the GR5 parts in the box. I think, in order, my preferences would be: 1. Hasegawa (although this isn't perfect) 2. Airfix 3. A lump of balsa wood and use of the appropriate modelling tools to create a reasonable likeness of the GR5 4. Italeri/Revell/ESCI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 What about the Revell USA (Monogram) AV-8B? It may be a Marine Harrier, but they tend to be low priced on the secondary market and as I understand it, have a good wing shape. Are we talking 1/48 scale here or 1/72? In 1/72, would it be feasable to backdate Airfix's GR-7/9 Harrier to a GR-5? Or is there too much difference in spots? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I assume you're talking 1/72 here? Easiest and best option is to convert the new mould airfix GR7/9 kit back to a GR5, I did it for the Harrier GB http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=74695 Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 What about the Revell USA (Monogram) AV-8B? It may be a Marine Harrier, but they tend to be low priced on the secondary market and as I understand it, have a good wing shape. Are we talking 1/48 scale here or 1/72? In 1/72, would it be feasable to backdate Airfix's GR-7/9 Harrier to a GR-5? Or is there too much difference in spots? Considerable differences - apart from the nose, there's the ECM and antennae on the ventral fin, tail cone and wing tips, new seat, gun pods, outrigger AIM 9 pylon, stores... The 1/72 Hasegawa kit is also an AV-8B with an RAF nose and not quite right. The options are - build the old Airfix GR5; mod the old nose into the new Airfix GR7; mod bits from the Airfix GR5 onto the Hasegawa kit. The Italeri kit isn't great, but it's not all bad. The ESCI kit though... Just awful and a terrible swansong from the company that still does the best 1/72 SHARS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 If it helps, there is a handy technique for building the Italeri GR5. Put on running shoes and sprint in the opposite direction as quickly as possible. It is an awful kit (and, if memory serves, is the same as the Revell GR5, which has better box-art and might lure you into thinking that the kit inside will look like a GR5). The Revell GR.7s on the other hand (in both 1/72 and 1/48 scales) are Hasegawa reboxes. Hasegawa is a much better bet, and I must confess that I quite liked the Airfix GR5 (also, if memory serves) buildable from their old GR7 kit, which ISTR had the GR5 parts in the box. I think, in order, my preferences would be:1. Hasegawa (although this isn't perfect) 2. Airfix 3. A lump of balsa wood and use of the appropriate modelling tools to create a reasonable likeness of the GR5 4. Italeri/Revell/ESCI Come on, Italeri isn't THAT bad... The ESCI one though... oh dear, oh dear after those FANTASTIC AV-8A/GR.3/FRS.1 they came up with THIS??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mtd350 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 If 1/48 then Heritage do a resin GR 5 conversion for Hase/ revell kits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 It is worth pointing out that, even though there has been some blurring of the Italeri/ESCI over the last decade since the former started reissuing the latter, their Harrier GR5 kits are different toolings - Italeri's based on their original AV-8B (early) kit, ESCI's on... possibly a description down a telephone line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 There is one benefit I can see from the Italeri Harrier. I believe their AV-8B is the only kit to have the double row of intake vents that the prototype Harrier IIs had. Or did they change the mold more recently? Speaking of Harrier IIs, which is the better two seater TAV-8B Harrier? Would it be the Heller/Airfix offering or the Italeri one (which I had no idea even existed until recently)? Of course, if I get one I'll probably just pull the nose off anyway and graft it onto a GR-7/9 Airfix airframe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Speaking of Harrier IIs, which is the better two seater TAV-8B Harrier? Would it be the Heller/Airfix offering or the Italeri one (which I had no idea even existed until recently)? Of course, if I get one I'll probably just pull the nose off anyway and graft it onto a GR-7/9 Airfix airframe. The Airfix/Heller one of course. The Italeri was released around 1989 but was only available for a couple of years; even they realised that with the appearance of the superior Airfix kit in '91, nobody would bother with it. So why go into all the trouble of finding one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The Airfix/Heller one of course. The Italeri was released around 1989 but was only available for a couple of years; even they realised that with the appearance of the superior Airfix kit in '91, nobody would bother with it. So why go into all the trouble of finding one? I had a discussion with D Manton, formerly of this parish, over Christmas about modding the new Airfix kit into a two seater and he reckons the Italeri TAV-8B has a better nose and cockpit shape. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I had a discussion with D Manton, formerly of this parish, over Christmas about modding the new Airfix kit into a two seater and he reckons the Italeri TAV-8B has a better nose and cockpit shape. Indeed....who am I to argue with the big fella....... ......here's one I started to bash around when Airfix issued the GR9....Italeri TAV8B nose grafted on to the Airfix GR9 I have an Airfix T10 in the stash and will use that one day - just to compare..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I remember some talk in the Harrier GB about one of the builds ending up as a master for a herritage conversion, did I imagine that? T bird that is not GR5! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Panoz Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I had a discussion with D Manton, formerly of this parish, over Christmas about modding the new Airfix kit into a two seater and he reckons the Italeri TAV-8B has a better nose and cockpit shape. No kidding... Guess Italeri didn't know that. To tell you the truth, I haven't seen one of those ever built up. So why did Mr. Manton leave? (Don't have to answer if you don't want to.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeg Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks for all the replies, and yes i am talking 1/72. Just going through my stash of harriers. When looking in the airfix t10 kit (the one with the u.s. boxart with the eagle and stars on the tail) there are 3 nose options although only two are used in the kit. The unused option appears to be a GR5 nose. Not knowing any other differences really, what kit can i try and graft this nose onto to make a good GR5. Has anyone else got this kit and confirm that the third nose option is a GR5 nose, and if it is, what's it doing in that kit? Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks for all the replies, and yes i am talking 1/72.Just going through my stash of harriers. When looking in the airfix t10 kit (the one with the u.s. boxart with the eagle and stars on the tail) there are 3 nose options although only two are used in the kit. The unused option appears to be a GR5 nose. Not knowing any other differences really, what kit can i try and graft this nose onto to make a good GR5. Has anyone else got this kit and confirm that the third nose option is a GR5 nose, and if it is, what's it doing in that kit? Thanks again. That's just a consequence of all the noses being on the common sprue shared with all the kits - the T.10 only used the GR7 nose. Yes you can graft that nose onto the new Airfix kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeg Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 That's just a consequence of all the noses being on the common sprue shared with all the kits - the T.10 only used the GR7 nose. Yes you can graft that nose onto the new Airfix kit. Another kit to be added to the stash. All good though, got a display cabinet ready to fill which if my calculations are right i can get maybe 25 harriers in there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The GR5 nose should be included in the old mould kit so it sounds like you've got it! It should be easy to be sure as the GR5 has a prominent 'chin' under the nose, rather than the FLIR fairing on top of the later ones. I would highly recommend grafting it on to the new mould 1/72 airfix kit (its a perfect fit). Said old mould kit should also yield a pair of gun pods, of you can use the stakes. Other changes are to the ECM lumps on the wing tips and below the tail, but you could get away without in 1/72. Also the GR5 didn't have the strengthening behind the rear nozzle Lastly the instrument panel is different with a circular rolling map display in place of one of the screens present on the GR7. At the end of the day it's your model so how many changes you make is up to you! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeg Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 The GR5 nose should be included in the old mould kit so it sounds like you've got it! It should be easy to be sure as the GR5 has a prominent 'chin' under the nose, rather than the FLIR fairing on top of the later ones.I would highly recommend grafting it on to the new mould 1/72 airfix kit (its a perfect fit). Said old mould kit should also yield a pair of gun pods, of you can use the stakes. Other changes are to the ECM lumps on the wing tips and below the tail, but you could get away without in 1/72. Also the GR5 didn't have the strengthening behind the rear nozzle Lastly the instrument panel is different with a circular rolling map display in place of one of the screens present on the GR7. At the end of the day it's your model so how many changes you make is up to you! Phil Sounds like i've found the nose then, not looked at the rest of the kit though. I'm not one for having the most minor of details correct though so will probably just stick with the nose change and get a nice set of decals from somewhere. Did GR5's carry any other colour than the green? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 (edited) Sounds like i've found the nose then, not looked at the rest of the kit though. I'm not one for having the most minor of details correct though so will probably just stick with the nose change and get a nice set of decals from somewhere. Did GR5's carry any other colour than the green? The DB GR5's were Dark Sea Grey over Medium Sea Grey, but thereafter NATO Dark Green over Lichen Green. No 1 Sqn deployed to Bardufoss in Norway 1990 and applied white camo. 'splodges'........ Edited January 17, 2012 by Bill Clark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thx6667 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Plus there was ZD402 in the overall blue Pegasus scheme. Ironically, ESCI's GR5 managed to predict a pale grey scheme with low-viz roundels which would eventually be used on the GR7 - but never the GR5 which adds more to the oddity of the ESCI kit! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Did GR5's carry any other colour than the green? Pre-delivery "colours" in primer only on this decal sheet: Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Fleming Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 (edited) Ignoring the blatant self promotion above ( ), I was just about to mention Nil's sheet for the first GR5. The other colour option is one (ZD319) of the three DB aircraft (ZD418-420) which carried the Dark Sea Grey/Medium SEa Grey scheme also had the central undersides painted in a light blue colour, and carried US pattern bombs and rather unusual hybrid gun pods (They look like Adens wqith LID strakes - they rather like AV-8C pods) http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1313871/ http://www.harrier.org.uk/history/images/Z...eringTrials.jpg Edited January 18, 2012 by Dave Fleming Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vingtor Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Ignoring the blatant self promotion above ... Taking this a step further ( ) , this sheet also has the red and yellow tail numbers for No.1 Sqn. GR.5s, suitable for the Bardufoss winter camo. The two colours are printed separately, as these decals often are out of register from other manufacturers (e.g. the Airfix GR.5 kit). On this photo, the rear fuselage appears to be white. Haven't seen this before. Nils Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 On this photo, the rear fuselage appears to be white. Haven't seen this before. Nils Good spot Nils.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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