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The Gentlemanly Pursuit


06/24

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Well I opened the box of the Fujimi Harrier thinking I could do a quick wheels up build, perhaps using some Airfix spares, but it's so unrefined I'm not sure I shall bother. There's lots of flash, part location is poor, generally lacking in definition and detail. It's quite different in shape to the red box bird. We'll see if I can muster any enthusiasm after the rugby.

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The super detailed cockpit. Don't be fooled by the mounting ledge, it bears no relation to the cockpit tub shape!

 

39289685975_970d4dcea3_c.jpgFujimi almost a Harrier. Don’t buy one of these! by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Black paint and a pilot might hide the worst evidence.

 

And the fuselage. This was the best fit I could muster for the airbrake insert:

 

25316268727_bbbd791c48_c.jpgFujimi almost a Harrier. Don’t buy one of these! by jongwinnett, on Flickrq

 

As the caption says, don't buy one of these. The Italeri/Esci tooling and the modern Airfix version are streets ahead!

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I've given up! It's a pile of ordure and I shall just hope the decals are usable for one of my Airfix builds. As noted on another thread, today is an anti-Midas day (everything I touch turns to sh1... You get the idea) so I have stopped, I was fettling a driver for one of the Airfix Harriers but have decided to go watch some Poirot with 06/24 minor instead. Just not a productive day, and no point risking damaging any other build.

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I was so enjoying the True Confessions of the modelling fraternity spilling their fallibilities & foibles & thinking, oh happy band of brothers that I belong to & then Jon came along & started building the blasted things again, including one he'd just bought. :o Jon, I'm recommending you for retraining. :D

Steve.

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On 2/10/2018 at 1:59 PM, Procopius said:

my ashes scattered off the White Cliffs; how to get them there is a problem I leave to my executors.

 

By the time you fall off the perch young chap, there'll be teleporters giving cheap rides; they'll just drop it in the slot and send it.

 

That is, of course, assuming that said White Cliffs haven't fallen into the sea or suchlike by then.

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I'm sure between them, W, G and K (06/24 minor) will be able to enact our dear Procopius' last wish. But hopefully not for many, many years yet!

 

So I went out to Hobbycraft this morning and bought paint for the Provost (Colourcoats don't do a trainer red as far as I can see), and, as a reward for the Fujimi not even almost a Harrier debacle, an Airfix GR.1. This will get the spare Falklands nose from one of my existing Airfix GR.3 boxes, a PJ Productions driver, a Blue Eric pod, and a pole to pose it in flight. I need to decide on a weapon fit, unless I give it empty pylons post ground pounding?

 

I've mentioned elsewhere that the tail of the Airfix GR.3 is too short (it's modelled as the same height as the GR.1) I've read the difference in height post RWR fitting should be about 5 inches. Freightdog do a brilliant drop in replacement and I have one in stock, but I thought I would try the DIY route.

 

Here's the GR.1 tail alongside the Freightdog version, to show the difference:

 

25332750667_bfecdcf3ca_c.jpgHarriet GR3 tail mod by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

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The extra height is all above the RWR, so first split the part along the zig-zag panel line above the RWR:

 

28424503299_77ac18374c_c.jpgHarriet GR3 tail mod by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Then insert two short lengths of plastic strip (1.75mm would be ideal, these are 2mm and I'll need to take that into account:

 

40171381362_07d3274690_c.jpgHarriet GR3 tail mod by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

Once this is dry, I can reprofile the peak of the fin.

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Impatient as ever, I have reprofiled the fin, but I really must let it dry thoroughly before smoothing the sides.

 

39309083185_47cf0b48a6_c.jpgIn-flight GR.3 by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

You can also see the square tube (1/8th interior dimension) set in for the in-flight support. This has been firmly fixed with superglue reinforcement to hold the supporting rod. I've ordered some round square acrylic rod, which I suspect will not be strong enough, so for this I will probably use some 1/8th inch square steel bar.

 

The driver has been been firmly fixed into his seat and the whole cockpit interior has been given a blast of primer to ready it for detail painting - fitting the driver before painting may seem counterintuitive, but it allows me to make sure he's bedded in well, and, hopefully he'll be easier to paint with the cockpit to hold on to.

Edited by 06/24
Because I'm a muppet
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If you forget I'm not sure anyone would notice! TBH I think the freightdog replacement is worth the couple of quid it costs, but this was a challenge to redress my failure with the Fujimi.

 

Flight Lieutenant PJ has had some paint, now drying before he gets a wash and highlights (I sound like a hairdresser!)

 

26336801818_6021f4075a_c.jpgHarrier Pilot by jongwinnett, on Flickr

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A little more progress, The pilot and pit has a Nuln Oil wash (Agrax Earthshade on the skin), and the panel stickers are applied. Just deciding if it needs a very light drybrush to highlight, maybe unnecessary:

 

40190710512_a9bff57310_c.jpgHarrier by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

39325763585_1865cde632_c.jpgHarrier by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

25352637607_ed1732e46e_c.jpgHarrier by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

25352637857_804476e29b_c.jpgHarrier by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

28444011699_b84421ed4b_c.jpgHarrier by jongwinnett, on Flickr

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You might wonder why I'm bothering to convert a GR.1 to GR.3? Well apart from the pleasure of the challenge, Airfix, who it appears have undergone a significant retrenchment this year, no longer list the GR.3 at all.

 

One can hope that this is temporary state of affairs, and that if they get their finances, inventory and supply issues under control that the wider range will reappear, but I suspect for now it will be famine or feast, so I'm seeing what I can do meantime.

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A little more work once the other two have gone to bed. Intakes and canopy and outriggers on the Falklands, in-flight plane, odd blade aerial added to all three, gun pods added to the OCU/Belize (not decided yet) airframe.

 

My workbench looks like a Harrier airfield:

 

39519964314_3aaa49fb61_c.jpgHarriers by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

From left to right: Falklands GR1 - 3 conversion; OCU/Belize GR3; Kitchentable build GR1; Wee dram...

 

Although Airfix supply decals for one of the Falklands, Blue Eric equipped, airframes, they don't supply much in the way of suitable weaponry - through the wonders of BM I have learned that Falklands aircraft used RN 2" rocket pods, not the larger SNEB pods supplied in the kit. However, the new Airfix Phantom does include RN rocket pods, so what better excuse to fondle the plastic of the big EDSG plane.

 

25359850477_9d481c54b5_c.jpgHarriers by jongwinnett, on Flickr

 

From front to rear we have RN rocket pods (still to be cleaned up), tanks, and the Vinten recce pod for the centre pylon.

 

Thats all for tonight folks, time to sink the dram before bed. Tomorrow 06/24 minor and I are going to the National Museum of Flight at East Fortune :pilot:

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