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Falklands Harrier GR.3 question


Pappy

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G'day people,

 

Apologies if this has already been asked,

 

I am doing some research and I would like to know what colour the forward 'cold' air nozzle (noting that the exhaust temp out of these nozzles is still in excess of 100degrees Celsius!) on RAF No. 1(F) Flight Harrier GR.3s would have been during the Falklands War.

 

I have been looking at pictures on line and they appear dark, so I suspect that they were painted in the surrounding camo at this point, the same way that SHAR forward nozzles were. Some online pics show these forward GR. 3 nozzles as shiny silve. These pics are of jets post conflict so again, I assume at some point post 1982, the forward nozzles stopped being painted.

 

Am I in the right ballpark?

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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The nearest I can punt to you is

 

EE7AFE1C_5056_A318_A80C524788C8098A.jpg

 

The forward exhaust nozzle looks unpainted to me.

 

Taken from this site https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/HarrierDiary8.cfm which was very useful to me when I built my GR3 in the last Harrier GB.I painted all nozzles with Humbrol Metalcote Polished Steel.

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36 minutes ago, Jabba said:

From looking at most pictures that I have of GR3s the front nozzles were painted in the camo scheme surrounding them whilst the rear one were bare metal.

I found the same when researching Falklands GR.3.  And that it`s the distress of the intense heat that gives them their `weathered` look.

I painted the forward nozzles standard camo then blitzed them with weathering.

Rear nozzles are bare metal as Jabba says.

 

Cheers, Ian

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9 hours ago, Pappy said:

G'day people,

 

Apologies if this has already been asked,

 

I am doing some research and I would like to know what colour the forward 'cold' air nozzle (noting that the exhaust temp out of these nozzles is still in excess of 100degrees Celsius!) on RAF No. 1(F) Flight Harrier GR.3s would have been during the Falklands War.

 

I have been looking at pictures on line and they appear dark, so I suspect that they were painted in the surrounding camo at this point, the same way that SHAR forward nozzles were. Some online pics show these forward GR. 3 nozzles as shiny silve. These pics are of jets post conflict so again, I assume at some point post 1982, the forward nozzles stopped being painted.

 

Am I in the right ballpark?

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Gloss green They didn't weather thatbadly at all as the rear hot nozzles got all the abuse!

 

Selwyn

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19 minutes ago, Richard E said:

I would suggest that the picture is actually taken at Wideawake Airport on Ascension Island during the campaign when a number of Harrier GR Mk.3s were deployed to provide a stop gap air defence capability as a precaution against a possible long range Argentine attack against the airfield.

 

I would suggest the sign on the front of the tower saying Royal Air Force Stanley gives a clue that the picture was taken in Falklands sometime in about 83/84 as opposed to ASI 

 

Cue appropriate emoticon::penguin::penguin::penguin:

And if you walked to the colony of :penguin:on Berthas Beach you will remember the smell :poop:

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2 minutes ago, PLC1966 said:

 

 

I would suggest the sign on the front of the tower saying Royal Air Force Stanley gives a clue that the picture was taken in Falklands sometime in about 83/84 as opposed to Asi.  

Thank you - I stand corrected !!

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32 minutes ago, 71chally said:

The picture is dated late 1982, which on closer study of the Phantom behind, is probably correct.  Note the tailplane seems to be missing, so I'm guessing it's XV468 after suffering severe tailplane damage after the RHAG whipped back

Did note the jet with the missing tailplanes.  First Phantoms went into Stanley Oct82.   

 

I was on Port San Carlos Heli-Replen in 85 and two of my abiding memories were the Phantoms giving it some along the valley in front of us at a couple of hundred feet, and just the once staring down onto a Harrier flying along the estuary behind the site on a misty morning.  Awesome. .

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G'day again,

 

More Falklands GR.3 questions.

 

I know that most (all?) of the first batch of 1(F) GR.3s did not have dedicated ALE-47 CMDS fitted and used the improvised airbrake fit similar to the improvised method used on the FRS.1 SHars.  I think that there were eventually 12 GR.3 deployed during the hostilities, the  original 8 that were ferried aboard the Atlantic Conveyor (then onto Hermes) and a further 4 that were ferried from Ascension Island. Can someone point me in the direction of a list of tail numbers please?

 

My next question is regarding these non CMDS  jets, what did the area aft of the airbrake where the CMDS look like? Were there two square cut-outs with black plastic blanks fitted over them for example or was is just plain metal without any openings?

 

The final question is regarding the 'Blue Eric" ECM. Once again, which jets had this system fitted. Also, when this was fitted, was the cannon also fitted inside the fairing?

 

Thanks (again) in advance,

 

Pappy

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My understanding is that ten Harriers were used down in the Falklands during the conflict, 4 flew the whole way, 6 ferried onboard Atlantic Conveyer

XV778 16, XV789 32, XZ133 10, XZ963 14, XZ972 33, XZ988 34, XZ989 07, XZ992 05, XZ997 31 & XW919 03.
 

These links don't answer your specific questions but do give a superb background to the Harrier use in the Falklands

https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com/2014/11/08/the-raf-harriers-baptism-of-fire/

https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/TheHarrierGoestoWar.cfm

 

Edited by 71chally
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18 hours ago, 71chally said:

My understanding is that ten Harriers were used down in the Falklands during the conflict, 4 flew the whole way, 6 ferried onboard Atlantic Conveyer

XV778 16, XV789 32, XZ133 10, XZ963 14, XZ972 33, XZ988 34, XZ989 07, XZ992, XZ997 31 & XW919 
 

These links don't answer your specific questions but do give a superb background to the Harrier use in the Falklands

https://defenceoftherealm.wordpress.com/2014/11/08/the-raf-harriers-baptism-of-fire/

https://www.raf.mod.uk/history/TheHarrierGoestoWar.cfm

 

G'day James, you are correct ten not twelve.

 

I just need some good guff on the Blue Eric now,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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11 hours ago, 71chally said:

I know very little about the Blue Eric pod, there is some info here though Pappy,

 

Thank you James

 

It seems that four of the GR.3s (XV778, XZ133, XZ992 and XW919) were fitted with both the Blue Eric and ALE-40 CMDS systems. I know that there were four additional jets ferried directly from ASI, it would seem logical then that these last four ASI jet were the ones with both systems, the original six GR.3 that were ferried aboard the MV Atlantic Conveyor were the 'come as you are' jets.

Which leads to another question,

 

What was the official designation of the centreline recce pod and of course does anyone have any drawings or pictures?

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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39 minutes ago, Pappy said:

What was the official designation of the centreline recce pod and of course does anyone have any drawings or pictures?

I only ever remember seeing it referred to as "The Harrier Reconnaissance Pod".

 

This thread might give you some more information: Falklands Harrier GR 3 question

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1 hour ago, Richard E said:

I only ever remember seeing it referred to as "The Harrier Reconnaissance Pod".

 

This thread might give you some more information: Falklands Harrier GR 3 question

G'day Richard,

 

All I can find is that it was made by Vinten and was a specialised pod specific to the Gr.3. It seems that the new Airfix 1/72 GR.3 boxing includes one so I will just buy that kit  and save myself the hassle of building one!

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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Yes the new kit does include the recce pod, and an alternative nose with the Falklands I band receiver bulge.

If you have another kit to build, you might be able to appeal for the parts in the'wanted' section of the forum.

 

I could be wrong here, but I was under the impression that what was known as the Vinten pod was the later one with digital tech used in the 2nd generation Harriers.

The GR.3 housed conventional film cameras, but of course might have been made by Vinten?!

There are good images in books, not much on the net, search Harrier GR.3 recce pod. 

 

 

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Re Blue Eric.  "Harrier at War" states that 4 a/c flew out from ASI fitted with Blue Eric and ALE-40 as 2 pairs on the 28 May and 8 Jun.   I recall from somewhere that they carried the large external tanks as were included in the first Airfix 1/72 Harrier - I think it was the only time these tanks were used

 

George

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