Mike Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Harrier Resin Updates 1:48 Pavla Models The Harrier had a long and useful life with the RAF, and still continues with other more forward thinking powers, so went through many versions during service. Consequently, there are a lot of kits in most of the major scales, with 1:48 having a mixture of Airfix, Hasegawa and Revell taking it in turn to provide the better kit of a share of the major versions. Pavla have released a number of Harrier upgrades in resin, and although they aren’t brand new to the market, it’s always useful to have a summary handy for reference. We have received examples of seven of their sets aimed at the Airfix and Hasegawa kits, and here they are: Intakes & Exhaust Nozzles (Airfix) This set is intended for Harrier and Sea Harrier kits, to replace the incorrect intakes, with examples that have the blow-in doors at rest, with the upper sets dropping down into the intake due to gravity. The exhausts are also cast in one part each, as the kit parts have horrible seams running down the middle of each slat, making clean up a tedious chore. No more though, as hot and cool nozzles are provided in the set. Casting is good, with minimal clean-up required after removing the resin pour stub, which for the intakes is the mating surface with the fuselage, and for the nozzles, a narrow line down the curved “leading edge” of the exhausts, requiring only a rub with a sanding stick to clear up. Highly recommended Control Surfaces (Airfix) Designed for the Airfix kit, this set includes a full set of the flyinfg surfaces of your 1:48 Harrier. The full length of the rear wing is replaced with nicely moulded flaps and ailerons, which have separate actuator housings, suitably angled to give the surfaces the characteristic up/down offset on either side. The horizontal tail is replaced completely, with the swash-plates moulded to the tail parts themselves, requiring the modeller to sand away the representations moulded into the fuselage where appropriate. This gives a much more realistic look to the airframe, and the elevators can be posed at any sensible angle as a result. Finally, the rudder is replaced with a new part, which has an offset trim tab to add a little extra visual interest. Recommended. Weapons Pylons (Airfix) This set contains four underwing pylons for the Airfix kit, although I don’t see why they couldn’t be used on any of the Harrier kits. The pylons are handed, and have a pair of sway brace inserts which fit between the Sidewinder adapter rails and the pylons. They’re a quick and simple drop-in upgrade to the rather featureless kit parts, giving a bit more realism to the area, although you’ll have to take care positioning them as they don’t have any location pins. It may be as well to put some short lengths of brass rod in the appropriate place to give the joint extra strength. Recommended. Harrier GR.7 Cockpit (Hasegawa Revell) This is one of the more complex sets for the Harrier we have today, and because of that, it comes with two small pages of instructions, which will help the non-Harrier aficionado place all the lumps & bumps in the correct places. The tub is well details, festooned with buttons and switches all over the narrow side consoles. The instrument panel is similarly well detailed, showing the large MFDs present on this later variant, and all the panels are shown on a handy painting guide, so get out those fine brushes! A pair of sidewall skins are also included to take away that blank look in the kit, and of course, the control column and ejection seat are similarly well done. A pair of rudder pedals attach to the underside column of the instrument panel, and the whole tub is assembled before being installed between the nose halves. A new coaming and rear deck to the cockpit are also included, which improve the detail substantially when compared to the kit parts. The final small parts are a trio of rear view mirrors and grab handles, all in resin, all of which attach to the inside hoop of the sliding canopy, and gives a nice busy look to the area. Highly Recommended. Nosewheel Bay (Hasegawa) The original kit nose gear “bay” for the Hasegawa/Revell kit is pretty much non-existent, consisting of small depression to receive the nose wheel strut, and a pair of closed doors. It was probably moulded that way because most of the time this area is closed up while a Harrier is on the ground, but this set gives the modeller the option to open up this area either for the hell of it, or for a maintenance situation. The set requires a little cutting of the nose underside, and a set of instructions are provided to assist with this, showing exactly which areas need removing. It should be the work of a few moments, and then it is a case of fitting in the bay’s tub into the fuselage, ensuring that it doesn’t foul the cockpit area. It has a cut-out in its structure to avoid this, onto which you glue the cockpit tub, but test fitting will still be wise. The bay is well detailed, with plenty of clutter within, and new doors are supplied to replace the cut-out parts, with their prototypical bulges to accommodate the tyre in the bay. Retraction jacks are also supplied for the doors, plus a separate tube that installs along the length of the bay on the starboard side. This was presumably moulded separately to ease moulding. Recommended. Martin Baker MB.10H & MB.12 Ejection Seats These are detailed resin replacements, The Mk.10H (pictured left) being suitable for the Harrier FRS.1, as well as the Hawk T.1A. The Mk.12 is suitable for the GR.5 and GR.7, as well as being used in the later trainer, the T.10. Moulding quality is excellent, and with careful painting they will enhance any suitable cockpit they are used with. Recommended. Mk.10H Mk.12 Review sample courtesy of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Belbin Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Nice and handy that little lot – I just hope they'll fit my two generations of Monogram kits! Thanks for the review. Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Thanks Mike, that's really useful I'm planning to finally build one of the SHARs in the stash and I've been eyeing these up! Wasn't sure what the control surfaces gave you but they have some features that might make them worth while! Phil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousAA72 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 Very timely - given that Airfix are re-releasing both the GR3 and Shar FRS1 this year... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pacificmustang Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 hmmmmmm, might be time to look out for those air fix harrier kits now these have been released Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Posted January 20, 2012 Author Share Posted January 20, 2012 Updated with links to the products on Hannants' site Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted January 30, 2012 Share Posted January 30, 2012 I'm toying with the idea of getting some of these updates for my Sea Harrier. The one I'm least sure about is the control surfaces. I gather that Harriers at rest rarely have their flaps deployed, so being able to pose them down doesn't seem vital. At the same time I'm sure the Pavla parts will be better moulded than the original kit (they could hardly fail to be, in some respects). So the question is, does anyone know whether they fit properly in the raised position - no unsightly gaps at the sides? (Incidentally, I don't have ugly seams down the middle of my exhaust nozzles - is that an RAF Harrier feature?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 I'm toying with the idea of getting some of these updates for my Sea Harrier. The one I'm least sure about is the control surfaces. I gather that Harriers at rest rarely have their flaps deployed, so being able to pose them down doesn't seem vital. At the same time I'm sure the Pavla parts will be better moulded than the original kit (they could hardly fail to be, in some respects). So the question is, does anyone know whether they fit properly in the raised position - no unsightly gaps at the sides?(Incidentally, I don't have ugly seams down the middle of my exhaust nozzles - is that an RAF Harrier feature?) Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 (edited) Sean, Deffinately go for it! I was unsure too but the Airfix kit has the flaps and elevators incorrectly positioned on the kit (this may not be true of all boxings though as I've heard it was fixed). You're right about the flaps generally being set up at rest but the Pavla set can be posed like this. It gives you the option to deflect the elevators and the rudder which add nice little details. There is also the fuel dumps on the elevators which are missing from the kit! These were my reasonings for getting a set! Phil Edit - see here for use: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67767 Edited February 1, 2012 by SaintsPhil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pigsty Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Sean,Deffinately go for it! I was unsure too but the Airfix kit has the flaps and elevators incorrectly positioned on the kit (this may not be true of all boxings though as I've heard it was fixed). You're right about the flaps generally being set up at rest but the Pavla set can be posed like this. It gives you the option to deflect the elevators and the rudder which add nice little details. There is also the fuel dumps on the elevators which are missing from the kit! These were my reasonings for getting a set! Phil Edit - see here for use: http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67767 Thanks, that's helpful. Of course, you have just cost me an extra seven quid, and put me right off the whole idea by reminding me of that brilliant build, but heigh-ho, c'est la vie ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted February 1, 2012 Share Posted February 1, 2012 Sorry! I actually think £7 is a bargain for the detail you get with those bits! I know the feeling with Rich's build in trying my hardest to draw inspiration (read copy) it but so far I'm just filled with trepidation! Phil As an aside does anyone know if the Second gen nose wheel bay is any good for the first gen harriers? Ie is the wheel bay the same? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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