Pappy Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 (edited) G'day people, I have been sitting on this kit waiting for some extra bits to arrive. The itch to start got the better of me so scalpel in hand I took the plunge. There are lots of reviews around so if you want to find out what is in the box, the internets are at your disposal. Interestingly, two sets of wings are provided. One wing is for the previously released Sea Harrier FA.2 boxing. The only difference that I could find is that the FA.2 wing has the second vortex generator (from the inboard end) deleted FA.2 FRS.1 To ensure that I did not accidentally attach the incorrect wing, the FA.2 wing parts and FA.2 instrument panel were placed in a separate bag and went to the 'spares' box. I also decided that the APU exhaust was too shallow as depicted in the kit so I cut out the moulded mesh area and reshaped according to references. A few more parts were added to dress up the area Looking at the cockpit, the console details look adequate and I preferred the moulded detail to the coloured PE overlays. Apart from a dodgy colour match, the PE overlays look too flat. The aft cockpit bulkhead detail is busy but seems very spurious. I sanded this detail off and decided to start from scratch. The cockpit sidewalls on the Sea Harrier (SHAR) are quite busy, however the fuselage halves are completely bereft of any details. I now assembled the ejection seat halves, leaving off the seat cushion and back pad as there is a nasty seam running through the seat pan and parachute head box that is best dealt with whilst this part is not fitted. I brushed on some thick sprue glue and left it to set. The seat seems to feature two handles, one on each side of the seat bucket. The one on the right seems correct, but left side one looks like a duplicate. The left side of the seat lacks the Personal equipment Connector (PEC) assembly There is a Pavla resin MB.10 seat as an alternative, but it is much larger in height that the kit supplied seat. The kit seat fits on a raised plinth. This gives the impression that the seat is not resting on the floor, which is entirely correct. In order to fit the Pavla seat, the builder would need to remove the plinth and the seat would sit on the floor which would be incorrect. As it stands, the kit seat has some very nice and delicate details, with the addition of some basic details and PE belts I do not think a resin seat would be an improvement, especially if it is dimensionally innaccurate. This was also the time that some more PE details could be added, mainly associated with the u/c bays. The aft cockpit bulkhead doubles as the front of the nose gear bay. The main gear bay and speed brake well was assembled and some PE details installed In order to install the small brass box into the corner, there is some raised detail in the form of a horizontal bar that needs to be partially removed. Removing this would be a LOT easier if done before the bay is assembled! I now turned to the nose gear bay proper. Curiously, Kinetic have moulded a semi-circular recess in the rear halves. This is a feature of the outside halves but the interior section should have flat walls that meet in a horizontal 'V' at the back. The builder could just ignore this feature as it is deep inside the nose gear bay and not easily seen but I could not let it go. I scraped off the extant detail and glued in some sprue sections using CA, Some heavy sanding ensued and when the dust finally cleared, I was left with this blank canvas cheers, Pappy Edited April 9, 2022 by Pappy 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crossofiron1971 Posted December 23, 2016 Share Posted December 23, 2016 Fantastic Start sir! The etch makes a lot of difference... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 (edited) 13 hours ago, Crossofiron1971 said: Fantastic Start sir! The etch makes a lot of difference... G'day, thanks very much. Some of the PE provides a more delicate improvement, but some does not offer a great improvement for the effort involved IMO. G'day people, I worked the on the nose gear bay today. I have replaced some of the details lost due to filling and sanding. Starting from this, I added some plastic strip, stretched sprue, wine foil and lead wire to end up with this, I also used some plastic sheet to add a dummy roof for the aft nosewheel bay. This meant I did not have to bother filling the join seam in this awkward area. Followed by a quick blast of light grey to see what it will look like under paint Whilst I had the plastic strip handy, I started to tart up the cockpit sidewalls Finally the cockpit aft bulkhead also got some love - note the upper catapult attachment point that was carefully shaved off the original bulkhead part and re-attached to the new bulkhead. cheers, Pappy Edited December 24, 2016 by Pappy 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Nice work, will follow your updates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navy Bird Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Mind if I follow along? I'm building a 1:72 FRS.1 at the moment, and can steal borrow a lot of your detail ideas. Great work so far! Cheers, Bill 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howlindawg Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Will keep an eye on this one - I loves a nice Harrier so I does! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG899 Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Hi Pappy, Looking good so far. One very quick thing to correct in the third photo down... The GTS/APU outlet did not have a mesh covering at the bottom of the hole. Indeed, it was just a hole into the unit's exhaust which would soon have cleared anything out. So, remove the mesh from the port side opening. The outlet was literally an oblong box, so you could use 5 thou styrene sheet to make a small box and place it in there. It was in effect, just the same on the later GR.9s. Good luck! Nick 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 24, 2016 Author Share Posted December 24, 2016 5 hours ago, Navy Bird said: Mind if I follow along? I'm building a 1:72 FRS.1 at the moment, and can steal borrow a lot of your detail ideas. Great work so far! Cheers, Bill Welcome aboard Bill. I really liked your CMK bucc work, I shall be 'borrowing' plenty of your ideas for mine so that is only fair! 4 hours ago, Howlindawg said: Will keep an eye on this one - I loves a nice Harrier so I does! I luvs me an 'arrier too does I 2 hours ago, NG899 said: Hi Pappy, Looking good so far. One very quick thing to correct in the third photo down... The GTS/APU outlet did not have a mesh covering at the bottom of the hole. Indeed, it was just a hole into the unit's exhaust which would soon have cleared anything out. So, remove the mesh from the port side opening. The outlet was literally an oblong box, so you could use 5 thou styrene sheet to make a small box and place it in there. It was in effect, just the same on the later GR.9s. Good luck! Nick G'day Nick, thanks very much for the tip, best behaviour everyone, Mr Nick is watching now! cheers, Pappy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phildagreek Posted December 24, 2016 Share Posted December 24, 2016 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 25, 2016 Author Share Posted December 25, 2016 (edited) G'day people, Following NG's advise, I removed the mesh at the bottom of the GTS/APU outlet and fitted it over the APU intake. Kinetics's rendering is perfectly acceptable, all it will require is a simple wash to bring out the details The mesh is actually supposed to be installed over the kit intake. i decided to remove the moulded detail and sheet in the bottom and after sanding off the raised detail around the intake. This is what it looks like now, Meanwhile I turned my attention to the undercarriage today. The nose gear unit is well rendered but it is lacking the prominent hydraulic lines which give the item a busy appearance. Some wire and a few scraps of styrene soon changed that. The main gear unit did not escape unscathed either. Kinetics's familiar three piece wheels are also a feature of this kit. Whilst some people may like this design I don't. There is always a gap around the hubs and it means any tread detail (not that there is any provided) is eliminated in sanding the seam. I wish that Kinetic would adopt a convention design with the hub moulded integrally. - Rant over Next up, a blast of paint and the details could be picked out, Finally, whilst cleaning up the outrigger wheels I noticed that mine had some sinkholes on one side. I added a smidge of filler and sanded this back. Some lost panel lines were then restored, cheers, Pappy Edited December 25, 2016 by Pappy 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biggles87 Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 So now I have two to watch. Looking forward to the next instalment. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted December 25, 2016 Share Posted December 25, 2016 Another SHAR getting the master-modeller treatment I'll be following your progress with this one Pappy. By the way, with regard to the two wing types, main difference is at the second dog-tooth where the F/A.2 had a smooth transition fairing rather than the proper dog-tooth of the FRS.1. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 (edited) 18 hours ago, Biggles87 said: So now I have two to watch. Looking forward to the next instalment. John Welcome aboard John 18 hours ago, Col. said: Another SHAR getting the master-modeller treatment I'll be following your progress with this one Pappy. By the way, with regard to the two wing types, main difference is at the second dog-tooth where the F/A.2 had a smooth transition fairing rather than the proper dog-tooth of the FRS.1. I don't know about 'master-modeller'. With regards to the wing shape, I went and had a look at the FA.2 wing and the difference jumped out at me right away. G'day people, I managed to get on with the cockpit today I had previously added some of the cockpit rib detail using plastic strip The cockpit was painted first and then the details picked out. The PE set provides painted etch overlays for the side consoles which require the extant detail to be sanded off. I was not convinced with the pre-painted PE, they look like decals and in 1/48 scale appear too flat IMO. I left kit console detail alone. Once the cockpit interior had been painted, the PE was could then be added. These look a lot more convincing and add to the general 'busy' look of the SHAR cockpit. When I was spraying the cockpit, I decided to have a play around with the rear ('hot') engine nozzles. Unlike the front 'cold' nozzles (apparently the temp of the engine efflux out of the front nozzles is approx 115 degrees C!) the rear nozzles and their associated heat shields were not painted and soon developed a burnt, oxidised and sooty patina. After about 1984, the forward nozzles were no longer painted either. I had a play around with some various metallics and pastels cheers, Pappy Edited December 26, 2016 by Pappy 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 G'day people, I was not happy with the rear engine nozzle heat shields, they looked too new and shiny so these received further weathering to make them look duller and dirtier I have also assembled the stores The Aden gun pods look nicely shaped and will fit well, but are a little plain as they lack the prominent underside gun vents. Also, curiously, Kinetic would have the builder install a clear part into the recess for the shell ejector port. I don't know what this part is meant to represent but it looks incorrect to me ad I have left these parts off for now. cheers, Pappy 12 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted December 26, 2016 Share Posted December 26, 2016 Great start Pappy! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 26, 2016 Author Share Posted December 26, 2016 Thanks 'Martian' - er, is there something you are not telling us? Pappy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 27, 2016 Author Share Posted December 27, 2016 (edited) G'day people, I am still playing around with the things under wings. The kit provides a nice pair of Sea Eagle missiles. The problem is that the air intake as depicted is for an in-flight missile. The Sea Eagle is powered by a paraffin fuelled turbojet engine. The intake has an aerodynamic fairing fitted over it when carried by the parent aircraft. Upon launch, the engine is initiated the intake fairing is jettisoned to allow the engine to breathe and propel the missile. I decided to have a crack at replicating the air intake fairing using some scrap resin. The modified intakes were then offered up to the missile proper The back end of the kit missile is just an empty hole. I added some ally tube with a small section of exhaust turbine glued at the inner end. I am not sure where the exhaust turbines came from, I just looked through the spares box until I found something that looked appropriate. I won't be using these on my Falklands jet, but if I ever get around to building another SHAR, they may get a guernsey. cheers, Pappy Edited December 27, 2016 by Pappy 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 15 hours ago, Pappy said: Thanks 'Martian' - er, is there something you are not telling us? Pappy No the explanation is here : This is largely due to out beloved leader! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Kunac-Tabinor Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Hi Pappy - enjoying your build - the gun pods can with a bit of work be improved. here are mine: Cheers - watching with interest Jonners 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martian Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 Keep it coming Jonners, between you and Pappy we could have a masterclass on our hands! Martian 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 27, 2016 Author Share Posted December 27, 2016 8 hours ago, Martian Hale said: No the explanation is here : This is largely due to out beloved leader! Martian Riiight 6 hours ago, Jon Kunac-Tabinor said: Hi Pappy - enjoying your build - the gun pods can with a bit of work be improved. here are mine: Cheers - watching with interest Jonners G'day Jonners, lovely stuff and very similar to what i had planned, great minds think alike (and idiots never differ!). Did you make any sense of the small clear part that is supposed to fit into the shell ejector recess of each gun pod? Do you have a WIP thread going on here, I don't think I saw one? cheers, Pappy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 27, 2016 Share Posted December 27, 2016 nice work! good catch on the Sea Eagle... always something to watch out and remember... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted December 28, 2016 Author Share Posted December 28, 2016 (edited) 11 hours ago, exdraken said: nice work! good catch on the Sea Eagle... always something to watch out and remember... No dramas. G'day people, I have painted up the nose gear bay. The rectangular opening on the forward bulkhead actually leads to another compartment, but I chickened out of creating this new area as I want to keep pushing on with this build instead of getting bogged down with AMS. This assembly was now offered up to the cockpit tub assembly in preparation for attaching to the fuselage halves. It has already been mentioned in other builds, but in order for the nose gear bay to fit the bulkhead, material needs to be removed from the outside of the the locating guides on the front bulkhead. It was an easy process and only required a few minutes and a file. Due to my modification of the nose gear bay, most of the locating pins for the two nose gear bay halves had been removed. After lining up the two halves, thin liquid cement was applied and a reinforcing strip of plastic was applied along the seam to add additional strength and this assembly has now been set aside to dry Meanwhile, the canopy frame was the next item to get some attention. The PE set provides a PE overlay and an MDC control box for the canopy bulkhead. The first step was removal of the aft canopy frame details to prepare the surface for the PE. The PE was applied and the MDC control box was folded up and also added. The whole area is now much busier The whole assembly was now ready for painting Whilst the PE is certainly an improvement, the MDC control box is waaaay to big for 1/48 scale, it looks closer to 1/32. It occupies nearly the entire canopy bulkhead whilst the real deal is a relatively small box in the middle of the canopy bulkhead. if I was building another SHAR and using PE again, I would add the PE overlay but scratch my own control box. The last item for today was the aft turtle deck. Kinetic have thoughtfully provided a nice pair of ejector pin marks in the bottom of the boundary layer spill duct so the observer can see them easily These were cleaned up and given a coat of paint to check for flaws. cheers and thanks for all the comments, Pappy Edited December 28, 2016 by Pappy 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exdraken Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 I like the way you work! Looks good, you add a lot of detail this way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted December 28, 2016 Share Posted December 28, 2016 Fantastic work!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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