moaning dolphin

A very fine choice indeed, I'm currently half way through my build as a RN version (would I choose anything else?). She goes together well just be careful with your fuselage joins. When it comes to fitting the halves around the fwd frame there was much whittling and checking involved! Just dry fit everything! Looking forward to this cracking on! Bob

So I was just perusing the GB calendar and saw this. I was debating on doing my Corsair for the 'In the Navy' GB but also wanted to do an Avenger for that one. So it was with a pleasing eye that I saw this GB and thought lets do that! Just after Christmas I bought a Tamiya 1:32 kit for a very nice price. My intention was to build it as a Royal Navy version but the only kit available was the Birdcage one, luckily I can still depict this as a RN FAA bird as they used it for training as a Mk 1 so that will be my goal, probably end up opening a whole but i'm sure it will be fun...…. now just need some decals! Bob

Always late to the party, Smashing subject to portray, looking forward to this! Bob

Great build up, first time ive seen the Trumpeter version. I know they had issues with their colour call outs (silver underside?) but yours is a stunner. Excellent stuff Bob

One is doffing ones hat in admiration, BZ young man! Bob

Very nice indeed, I saw this kit at a hobby show and was debating over that or a Mig 19. I opted for the 19 although I will follow along with your build and see if that 23 is still there this year! Cracking start so far! Bob

I did put my name down but not on the list so i'll go again . I have numerous in the stash, amongst them in 1:48, a Walrus, Avenger, Gazelle and Sea Vixen are what springs to mind..... I think an Avenger in FAA colours is favourite! A few weeks left to clear the pile and make way! Bob

Looking forward to it! Bob

A fine kit and turns out nice, looking forward to the plastic coming together! Bob

Looks good, great paint job! Great rendition! Bob

That colour looks good, starting to come to life now! Bob

Was desperately hoping to complete this in time but alas no, I don't think that is now possible, but I have come this far so will carry on. Im hoping to complete it this year I have now actually got some colour going, well I have something different from grey! I got a couple coats of white on the upper part of the fuselage. Im using a general purpose spray from 'Krylon'. Unfortunately here in Canada we don't get good old Halfords stuff and the sprays we do get have horrible nozzles that just seems to lightly atomise. The area was a bit too big to try and cover with white from an air brush. I perservered and in the end got a decent coat. I did get a couple of runs but the coating was thick enough that I should be able to just rub it down Not very clear but you can just make it out. Next up is a eight year old can of Halfords grey for the wings (I managed to smuggle it out of the UK when I moved!). Im thinking it would have been easier to do the wings first and then mask them off rather than the way I have elected, but hey ho I shall just have to go easier. I'm letting the white dry now for a few days so that its nice and hard for when I apply the grey. So I wont be done by Sunday but I shall continue this thread and post the finished one on RFI. Cheers now Bob

Hey Andy, looking good so far, always nice to see an on board vacuum cleaner! Just for reference on the exhaust nozzles, these are natural metal, I don't ever recall them being painted, even on earlier iterations of the Harrier. And yes they do only vent cold air. The Pegasus engine is a "by-pass" type. The initial stages are a large fan which compress a large volume of air, this is the Low Pressure section and sits forward of the forward nozzles. Some of that compressed air will enter the hot section (also known as High pressure section) and this is basically a conventional jet engine and exhausts out the rear nozzles. The hot section is situated between the two nozzles. Any air that doesn't enter the hot section is vented out of the front nozzles...…. hope that makes sense! Keep up the great work! Bob

That's bad news, I suspected something was up as my LHS were not restocking. The MM Acryl is my go to standard now as well, great paints for spraying. I managed to order some from a hobby store in Edmonton which worked out a buck a jar for shipping. Had I known they were discontinuing I would have stocked up a lot more, I may have to go back and get a load of my favourite RN colours. I have used Vallejo as my back up, some are good some OK, didn't like their primer, it sprays nice but it doesn't sand well and tends to peel (like satin wall paint) rather than feather. I will soon be experimenting with AK paints. Damn I'm annoyed at testers now, bleddy shysters! Gorgeous tail buildings by the way! Bob

A very fine effort indeed, she looks a beauty! Bob