Harrier Disbandment 3rd Painted Jet

[rafrobbo]

Hi folks,

as promised, here is a preview of the 3rd aircraft to be painted for the Harrier disbandment. It is ZG506 / 77 painted as a GR-1. It has the Force Commanders name under the cockpit right hand side and the first Harrier pilots name under the left.

It is still a work in progress with artwork (big stickers) showing the harrier history and some writing to be added to the fin. Paint is still hardening but should be ready friday fingers crossed. Then it will need servicing etc to get it ready for the proposed flypasts on 15th Dec.

There are 4 jets coloured for the final doo. The 1 Sqdn and 800 NAS I previously posted and one of the 4 Sqdn red/yellow/black finned jets has some dates, etc added. Will hopefully get that covered and posted here later this week.

Sorry, but there are no arctic GR's or all black jets T-12's being done.

As a side note you may have seen reports of a Harrier roaded up the A1 yesterday. It was the old GR-1 XV279 being brought up for the celebrations at Cottesmore. I guess that will be another one needing disposal some how??!

And the Navy still have two Sea Harrier FA-2's outside their hangar, one looking very cold!! I imagine they will go back down to Yeovilton in the New Year.

[Mike]

Cool pics - thanks for sharing, although I can't help feeling a bit sad every time I see or hear about the premature retirement of the Harrier

[Iain Ogilvie]

Iain

[ChocksAway]

Looks grand. I better ask Santa for another GR7/9 kit.

[Spence]

OMG!!!!!!! That is amazing!!!

Yesterday I started planning a GR.9 and decided to paint it in those exact colours! How weird is that - now I know I don't have to imagine it any longer...

Honestly, I really cannot get over the site of an aircraft that yesterday was only in my head!

Spooky...

Spence

Oh and BTW - It looks absolutely gorgeous in those colours!!!

[Screech]

That is one really sweet paintjob!!

Now how about some decals to go with it. Definately would like to do my Hasegawa kit in 1/48 with that scheme!

Cheers,

[tonyot]

Thanks for adding those Andy,

I had a feeling that it may be in grey green camo but had not seen the grey undersides coming....nor how strange it looks in those colours......I suppose thats what it could have looked like when the GR.5 entered service if the old Match Cote trials had not been done on the GR.3`s in Germany?? In my opinion it needs bigger roundels, what does everybody else think?

I look forward to seeing the finished article....but not to the fact that the Harrier will soon be gone from British service......criminal........I hope the billions we send to India and China to fund their carrier projects and other defence buying, plus the Irish buy out are worth it......but I already know the answer to that....NO!

Very Sad,

Tony

Edited December 8, 2010 by tonyot

[Tony Westwood]

I'm loving the "Retro" look

You're doing the job I wanted to do when I joined up there mate, but I'm embarrassed to say that I was under 18, and my Mom wouldn't sign the papers for me to go in as a Painter & Finisher, so I ended up doing 12yrs as a Supplier instead

Tony

[Max Headroom]

Hurrah! A Harrier in PROPER camouflage again.

Grey on any warbird is just dull dull dull.

At last an excuse to build a second generation Harrier.

Trevor

[thx6667]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

Is it getting D roundels or the standard 12 inch red/blue?

[Paul A H]

That's gorgeous! I'm thinking about the new Airfix kit... perhaps a new Xtradecal sheet... Hmmmm!

[xffw45343tg]

Great pics - Thanks for posting!

[Calum]

What is the reasoning behind the gloss finish?

I know warbirds are genrally gloss as it is easier to keep clean but I'd be itnersted to know why the (near to be warbird) has a gloss finish.

[ChocksAway]

The original deliveries (1969) were high gloss (GR1) and I think toned down to matt in the following year (1970). I'm sure others more knowledgeable than me can give you chapter and verse.

Edited December 9, 2010 by ChocksAway

[Dave Fleming]

The original deliveries (1969) were high gloss (GR1) and I think toned down to matt in the following year (1970). I'm sure others more knowledgeable than me can give you chapter and verse.

That's about it! Dates varied (68 delivery I recall)

Proper Harrier colours though!!

[Richard E]

Very nice - all we need now is one of the Naval Strike Wing's aircraft to be painted in the Sea Harrier's original grey and white colour scheme.

[davidelvy]

If they can get hold of some EDSG this time. I would prefer not to see one painted in Roundel Blue as a substitute.

[ursa_major]

Details of the flypasts next week as the farewell 16-ship:

Ref: H5381/10

FIR: EGTT

Code: WVLW

Traffic: VFR IFR

Purpose: Misc

Scope: Nav Warning

Lower limit (FL): 000

Upper limit (FL): 030

Centre and radius (nm): 5250N00010W040

Parent ICAO: EGTT

Start date/time: 15/12/2010 12:55 UTC

End date/time: 16/12/2010 14:40 UTC

Activity period: 1255-1440

Lower height limit: 000

Upper height limit: 030

FORMATION TRANSIT BY 16 MIL FAST JET ACFT ACFT. THE FORMATION WILL

FORM UP IN VCY OF 5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) FROM 1305 HR AND THEN

ROUTE:

5239N 00033E (MARHAM AD) 1318 HR

5221N 00006W (WYTON AD) 1322 HR

5237N 00029W (WITTERING AD) 1326 HR

5239N 00029W (STAMFORD) 1327 HR

5302N 00029W (CRANWELL AD) 1401 HR

5310N 00031W (WADDINGTON AD) 1402 HR

5318N 00033W (SCAMPTON AD) 1404 HR

5306N 00010W (CONINGSBY AD) 1411 HR

5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1415 HR

5240N 00044W (OAKHAM) 1416 HR

5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD) 1420 HR

THE FORMATION WILL REMAIN IN VCY OF 5244N 00039W (COTTESMORE AD)

UNTIL 1430 HR PRIOR TO LANDING.

16TH IS RESERVE DAY. TIMINGS, HGT AND ROUTE ARE APRX AND MAY CHANGE

DUE TO WX OR OTHER REQUIREMENTS. 10-12-0055/AS 1

[FZ6]

That is a fantastic looking scheme. I can almost see myself doing this one....

Regards,

Mark

[Shaun]

Hi folks,

There are 4 jets coloured for the final doo. The 1 Sqdn and 800 NAS I previously posted and one of the 4 Sqdn red/yellow/black finned jets has some dates, etc added. Will hopefully get that covered and posted here later this week.

Photo's of the 4 Sqn jet can be found here

4 Sqn Tails

Like that green and grey scheme, but it needs bigger roundels?

Shaun.

Edited December 9, 2010 by Shaun

[F111Fan]

Well, thats the scheme for my 1/48th GR.9 sorted! It looks so beautiful, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. It's criminal that they are retiring them D:

[Harrierpilot]

Sorry to bring the joy level down lads but I tried the other day to get a Revell 1/48th scale Harrier GR7/9 from Hannants and they are out of them - and to cap it all Revell have stopped making the kits

That's unless.....................they are waiting for all the disbandment makings to be made public

But on saying that - I love the scheme

[stever219]

Roundel sizes on the GR1s were 18" on the fuselage and 24" above and below the wings. I suppose that if those on the GR9 are the same size they will look small on the bigger airframe.

[Devilfish]

Roundel sizes on the GR1s were 18" on the fuselage and 24" above and below the wings. I suppose that if those on the GR9 are the same size they will look small on the bigger airframe.

Would look better as D type tho, as they originaly were delivered in!

[Howard of Effingham]

that harrier scheme is lovely.

i see its marked for the station commander or am i wrong?

i can see these as decals already......

as someone who recalls the very early days of sea harriers at yeovilton as a young lad, best say nowt about retiring them.