As a real newbie when it comes to Jaguars, I have decided to enter the fray for the group build. As I promised when I first joined Britmodeller, I'm sure to astound you with my ineptitude. And here's a darn good excuse to do just that.

You see, I'd like to do a GR3 - there's some lovely Model Alliance decals out there. But how do I get there. I have read there are some cockpit differences with the panel and stick ( and I stand to be corrected by those with much greater knowledge on the subject) and chaff dispensers and TIALD pod?


So, where do I start chaps?

Where do you want to go with this Gr3 or Gr3a the main differences on the outside are the brake chute housing at the rear flattened end not a cone the after the GR1b the top two UHF Ae's above the secondary heat exchanger behind the cockpit was reduced to one with the addition of an Ae extension ontop of it,
Like So:


infront of the front windscreen directly above the rear avionics compartment there is the addition of a circular domed GPS Ae green in colour, the TIALD pod on a GR3a can be fitted either to the centre line or the stbd inboard position this was used for the aircraft in self designation whilst carrying a Paveway LGB, as for the flare dispensers I dont know as I'm not a leckie I'm Avionics but other than that outside is pretty much as is I think
The cockpit is a different story in the old jags the predominent feature was the PMD Projected Map Display a moving map which was on 35mm wet film the HUD was the open frame type with a motorised glass screen.
Now this where you need to decide
Gr3 has inplace of the PMD a small TV Tabs Screen called an MPCD Multi Purpose Colour Display the same screen that is in the T4 jaguar when it retired this gave the Jag TIALD capability, also to throw a curve ball some GR3's retained there PMD so research your chosen airframe!!!
Gr3a Has inplace of the MPCD and the PMD a bigger TV Tabs screen Called and AMLCD Active Matrix Liquid Crystal Display, Pictures of which are on the References Thread I started in the main forum, for further info goto www.sepecat.info or if you want send us a msg.
Hope this helped in some way
Wardy

Wardy,

Many thanks for that, for at least a complete and utter novice now knows what's what in the differences in Jag world! I appreciate you taking the time to point me in the right direction.

Kind Regards

Andy

Don't worry about it any time Just post on here again if you want any other info.

There is an article in Scale Aircraft Modelling June 2003 by Tony O'Toole - which describes a GR3 build from the Airfix kit.
It uses a TIALD pod from a Tornado GR1.
GR3 had a glass cockpit, so the kit decals were unrepresentative. Main visible difference is that the cockpit interior is black rather than grey, for compatibility with NVGs.

the jag cockpit has always been black even in gr1 format, glass cockpit??? whats meant by glass cockpit???

Screens in place of dials. It might be a bit much to describe the GR.3 pit as a glass-one - glass-ish maybe For a glass 'pit, look at a Hornet, Raptor or Typhoon.

Very thorough answer, I won't pretend to have your expertise but I thought that the revised aerial fit and tail cone modification were also present on late GR1As. Am I correct in thinking that the flattened tail cone also has a fairing under the rear fuselage that (I'm guessing) covers its hinge mechanism.

Yes true it seems as if the Ae's were on the Gr1's but the late examples but the airframes i don't know but as a rule of thumb from what I know and have been taught on its as i've said above IMO

The tailcone was done like that for safety the original cone had no ground safety pin so it could be operated by groundcrew by accident so a safety pin was fitted to the port side for ground safety at the same time I think the cones mod was done as well so its just as the previous it seems as if a few airframes recieved the mods before the majority, in my experience when a mod came out they had a time limit sometimes months or a year on 1 mod so its probably right in thinking that the airfames that did have the mods were at that time either on a major servicing at that time it came out so it was done were as a jet on sqn was still in service flying around and the saying is "If it aint broke don't fix it" so it was probably left until the jet went for a major or primary service.

The hinge I wouldn't know about as the vast majority of them were removed when I worked on them as they were b*@?$#ds for cracking so they were removed.

Oh I get it glass lol no it was more like sticky backed plastic and toilet roll tubes

And now on Blue Peter...

Externally there was no difference between the late mk 1s and the 3s (with the possible exception of the GPS antenna) - the revised radio was fitted to GR1s as part of the Gulf war mods.

Radek's page (link below) shows the main points that varied, but you can see them all on GR1s as well as 3s

http://sepecat.info/photo-sp4.php

Morning all,

Thanks for the help here - it's much appreciated I can tell you!

If anyone is after cheap Airfix GR3's, I see Antics are knocking them out at £7.99.

http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/601_1_15904.html

Now to order some resin..........

...and that, my son is the expensive part!

Too true...going down the Paragon flaps/wheels/afterburners way....any of our friendly retailers on here sell the Neomega cockpit for this offering? Decal wise, I'm going to get the Model Alliance set for Special Schemes Pt 2 - a 6 Sqn and 41 Sqn sheet.

Good job I get paid Friday