1/48 Airfix SEPECAT Jaguar GR1A (07104).

SEPECAT Jaguar GR1A, "Biggles/Pink Spitifre", RAF Jaguar Detachment (JAGDET), Muharraq, Bahrain. Operation Desert Storm, February 1991. Flown by Sqn. Ldr. DR Bagshaw DFC.

I'll be making it OOB with no additions, gear down with all the ordnance hanging off it. Make a nice change from WW2 stuff with props on. I made the Airfix SHAR last year and enjoyed that, so this will make a nice companion for it.
Best
Rich

Finally making some progress on the Jaguar, always a pleasure to work in 1/48 scale, the parts are so much bigger and easier to handle!


Painted up cockpit grey, for which I'm using Hu106 working on the basis it's close enough. Pity there is no pilot like in the SHAR kit, as this would cover up a lot of the cockpit.


Fit of the gun pod barrels is a bit shocking, definitely going to need some work!


Closing up the intake doors, as this is de rigeur apparently! I'll completely fill them in and use decals to represent the door outline and hinges.


Wings and the bits that fall off. All went together nicely. Only a couple of joins on the wing tips which will need a bit of work.


At least all the panel lines are recessed which makes it a whole lot simpler.
Best
Rich

Coming along nicely Rich!

If I may, how concerned are you about accuracy? My reson for asking is, that the Jaguars dropped a total of 8 (eight!) BL755s before switching to US CBU-87s when using cluster bombs. So, if it's important to you, you need to make sure that Biggles/Pink Spitfire was one of the (presumably) two Jags that used the BL755s or change the load to something else.

Mike's resin intakes would have made it easier......


Ed

Steady progress Rich. Keep up the good work


Wonder why this was. Anybody know?

Because the BL755 was optimized (specialized even) to be delivered from low level, whereas the US CBUs were also deliverable from medium altitude. Not sure of it, but I would assume the BL755 either lost too much accuracy (even for a cluster bomb) when being delivered from medium altitude or that the submunitions would scatter over too large an area. I believe the French had the same problem with the Belouga and also used CBUs.

Cool. Ta!

Not really that concerned, I couldn't tell you the differences or point out what's what on a photo line up. Presumably you'd have to source the CBU-97's from a Has weapons set? Would the weapons pylons be the same? If I can get hold of some in the time frame of the build (they'll be added at the end) I'll see.



It's only a bit of plastic card and a dab of filler, not a huge amount of work compared to some of the Airfix stuff I've done, the gun ports are going to be more of a pain!
Best
Rich.

BL755s are the four cannisters, 2 on each side of the drop-tank.

Jags only carried 1 CBU-87 on each pylon, not 2 like they did with BL755s. You could also use 1000lb bombs in place of the BLs, I would assume those were included in the kit.

Ooops, I meant I couldn't tell the difference between the CBU-87's and the BL755's! The kit doesn't come with 1000'lbers, the european option has recce pod and the underwing fuel tanks. I'll have a trawl through the few 1/48 jet kits I have in the stash to see what they have, the Buccaneer might have something.
Thanks
Rich

Finished painting the cockpit and added the decals, sealed with with Klear.


Got the intakes sanded downed, filled and primed.


Masked up and applied filler to the gun ports, for me this is really being quite constrained, usually I slap it on everywhere.


There are several sink holes at the rear on both fuselage halves, which have had filler applied.


Best
Rich

Finished off the bang seat with some very simple decal belts.


Look OK to me in the tub now it's all assembled. I'll be keeping the canopy closed anyway.




Finished sanding down the gun port gaps and stuck the intakes on. There was a small seam which I filled with humbrol filler.


Blended in pretty well. I'll do the final work once the primer layer is on to show up any dodgy areas.


Best
Rich

Got the cockpit tub glued in place. I think I managed to get it further back than it should be as there is a gap in the console top - have to fix that with some plastic card.


Joined up the fuselage halves and got the wing section and tail planes in place, added the nosecone.


There are several places that will require work filing and with filler. Front of the wing join being the worst. The rear of the cockpit doesn't match up either.


Top of the spine is a bit misaligned, bottoms OK. That duct is going to need a plastic card insert.


Tailplnes didn't go on very well, some plastic card and filler needed.


The engine plate didn't seat very well and needed some plastic card shims to raise it to the level of the surrounding fuselage.




Once all the glue had cured I masked off areas and applied a bit of Humbrol filler.




Hopefully it will clean up OK, at least the panel lines are recessed!
Best
Rich

lot of work going on there but it'll all be worth it in the end!

It's starting to look like a Jag now Rich! Keep up the good work

Hi Richard! that's looking really nice!! It's a bit of a pig to build, but when it's done it sure looks like a Jag! Looking forward to seeing this one finished.

Jesus I'm really not looking forward to building any of my examples of this kit! Looks like a bit of a pig.

Everything cleaned up pretty well with combinations of sanding re-fillering, sanding and buffing.



Made the plasticard cover for the cockpit where there was a gap between the control console, this is before I've filed it down a bit.

Put the square box thing on the tail, after figuring out to cut of the probe thing which was moulded onto the kit. Would have been nice of the instructions to mention getting rid of it.



Currently painting the anti glare panel and some other bits in the cockpit to allow me to epoxy the canopy on.
Best
Rich

Making loads of progress here Rich. Looking really nice. Looks like I had better stock up on some filler then as I haven't started to glue any of my kit together yet. Keep the piccies coming mate!
Regards
Andy

Finished painting the cockpit panels and the HUD. The two piece canopy went on very well, fitted perfectly, only very minor spots to fill to blend it with the fuselage.



Getting there now, once the canopy is masked and done I'll glue the remaing bits and bobs on to prep for primer.
Best
Rich

Spent time last night attaching all the fiddly fins and weapons pylons.


Applied some filler to the canopy.


Finally starting to look like the real deal. I left the nose to last as I was bound to knock it off if I put it on earlier!
Best
Rich

Looking good Rich

She sure is coming along nicely. I'm looking forward to seeing some paint on her.
Cheers,
Mark

Some more progress, got the pointy bit on the front, along with the designator transparency which took a bit of filing to get it to fit flush. (I'll be removing the fins from the fuel tank after reading some references).



Had a go at the gun pod bulges, they're a bit too round, but I've had a go at filing them into a better shape, which isn't really visible in the photo.



Also doing the chaff pods, opened up the back and have a plastic insert with the holes drilled out to put in (round holes both sides - I haven't mastered the art of drilling square holes!)



Yes one is slightly too close to the centre line - it's going to be moved!
Best
Rich

Got the primer on and put the first coat of Hu164 on, nice shade of grey, might have to do one in the two tone wrap around scheme at some point.




Picked it up by the intakes and managed to crack a join, this will have to be refilled before I paint anymore - too hamfisted for my own good!

Best
Rich

A bit more work needed on the cannon bulges I think, take a look at the real thing:

Did a bit of work on the cannon bulges. Got the second coat of Hu164 on the Jaguar, then applied a rough pattern of the green, in this case Hu66 as this is what I'm using for the bombs (close enough in my house). Finished off by roughly painting the black areas and wing leading edges. Put the first coat of gloss on today.



Best
Rich

She's coming on Richard. Keep up the good work

Two coats of Hu250 have gone on. They're now dry so I've made a start on distressing them, as can be seen on the fuel tank - quite fun!





Best
Rich

nice work mate!!!!!

Starting to look really nice now Rich.

First stage of distressed. I'm currently painting the undercarriage bays, gun barrels, burner cans and shield, ready for gloss coting and decalling.







Best
Rich

Washed her down to remove the dust and then applied two layers of Gloss Cote ready for the decals. Didn't take long to put these on, there's not very many. Typical Airfix decals, all perfectly out of register! Plus some homemade blow in doors decals for the auxilliary intakes.





Luckily it's going to be dirty so that should enable me to hide them. Also been applying decals to the stores and painting up the sidewinders and landing gear.
Best
Rich

Looking good Rich!

-actually, it looks like shite, but in a good way! Great weathering/wear you've done

Hmmmm, is it dirty enough?


Best
Rich

Nah, you've missed a bit What have you used for the wash by the way?

Gary.

I'm using Phil's Dark Brown wash. First time using it. Seems to have lifted out of the panel lines leaving an uneven finish, so I've gone over them again. Might be the lines are a bit shallow with all the layers they've got on them.



Best
Rich

Post wash with the undercarriage and brakes added.



I went way OTT with the exhaust staining in the rear (airbrushed on), the upper tailplanes and the fin were very overdone, the fin looked like a Tornados's. Managed to bring it back by swabbing the worst off with thinners.



The undrcarriage needs a bit of weathering to tie it in. I'm applying a matt cote to protect the wash, a bit of weathering on the burners with tamiya pastels then adding the wheels and ordnance and it should hopefully be about finished.
Best
Rich

Don't forget to chop that bump off from under the nose, Richard...

Really coming on.. Looks great

Final bits and pieces on the Jaguar. Had to make a new pitot tube to replace the one I snapped off and was snaffled by the carpet monster, just needs some fairing in with filler.

Added the outer pylons with the ALQ and Phimat and the centre line fuel tank. Finished the sidewinders and added them to the over wing pylons.



Some final paint touchups and the final matt cote, at which point I can add the nose wheel door and unmask the cockpit.

Best
Rich

Finished up and managed to get some photo's taken.

1/48 Airfix SEPECAT Jaguar GR1A (07104).

SEPECAT Jaguar GR1A, "Biggles/Pink Spitifre", RAF Jaguar Detachment (JAGDET), Muharraq, Bahrain. Operation Desert Storm, February 1991. Flown by Sqn. Ldr. DR Bagshaw DFC.









Plus some bombed up with some BL755s until I can source something more appropriate.









Best
Rich

Nice Rich!!!!!

Ed