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Sea Harrier FRS.1 ZA175/004 801 Naval Air Squadron HMS Invincible 1982 I started this build last June during the Britmodeller Falklands War 40th Anniversary Group Build. The 1983 ESCI 1/72 Sea Harrier is still the best and most accurate 1/72 FRS.1 on the market, even after 40 years. Detail and panel lines are as good as anything being made now. But, like most kits, not without the odd challenge. Having completed the model during the 40th anniversary year I set out to give it a suitable display base, a small portion of the flight deck on HMS Invincible, and some of the deck equipment that would have been seen during the conflict. A brief summary of what I did, used and modified; The Sea Harrier; Scratch built cockpit, HUD etc Instrument panel - Kits World Martin Baker Mk.10, Ejection Seat - a modified PJ Productions resin seat. Pitot tube - Master Eduard AIM-9L Sidewinders and 1000LB Airburst Bomb Deck Equipment; Vickers Mk2 Deck Tractor - Air Graphic Models (heavily modified) Deck Crew - Air Graphic Models Pilot - Aerobonus Ladder, Intake FOD Guards, tool box, tie-down chains, chocks and tow bar - Scratch built The deck crew, 'Maintainers', wear different coloured tabbards that reflect their various trades; Yellow - Captain of the Flight Deck & Aircraft Director Green - Engineering Electrical Trades Blue - Aircraft Handlers Red - Ordnance Vickers Deck Tractor No.1, 81RN81, HMS Invincible, Falklands TEZ, 1982; As she's firmly attached to the deck, the underside is now hidden, but here's photo from the WIP and one of the cockpit; For anyone wanting more details about how this went together, the WIP is here; I owe a great deal to Nick Greenall and Richard of the IPMS SIG, and all the Britmodellers who encouraged me - Big Thanks! Cheers!

Updated on 8th Aug 2022 ----------------------------- Hi Folks, This thread started in the Falklands War 40th Anniversary Group Build... but I ran out of time. It also started as an Airfix FRS.1 build, but reading up, the Airfix SHAR isn't that highly regarded (I checked on BM ). So I looked for the 1983 kit that is still considered the best FRS.1 in 1/72. I quickly found out that the ESCI (now sold by Italeri and just re-released) is actually a much better and more accurate model. £7.00 on that well known auction site. Looks nice, More parts, still wrapped. Not entirely sure how good the ESCI decals are, though they were printed by Cartograf, just rather a long time ago. The Airfix decals however do get good reviews, they were put together with the help of Nick Greenall 9f the IPMS Harrier Special Interest Group, and I'll be using them. Both kits, and a carefully selected selection of modelling stuff (tools, paint...) are got packed for a week away in Yorkshire to fill those idle minutes when I'm not getting dragged over the hills by the dog. It was on a previous visit to the North York Moors that I sat outside a pub in the twilight revelling to the sight and sounds of Harrier GR.7s screaming low overhead. Sigh.

Hi folk's finally with the release of Carracal's superb decal sheet's to build this oldie which has sat a good few years due to it's original decals being unusable. The Carracal decal's are superb with not only Sea Blue and Gray/White schemes but a couple of special schemes too they behaved beautifully too.Thank's for looking in.

This will be my GB entry. A random Friday night eBay purchase from a few years ago. It comes with a 1977 mini catalogue, so it has been sat in a box for over 40 years, waiting to fulfil its purpose. Still bagged, so hopefully it's all there. No instructions but there's a set on Scalemates. The catalogue includes a range of 1/9 scale motorbikes and a Kubelwagen. Out of curiosity I had a peek on eBay and my wallet started crying, This will be my first ESCI kit. I don't know much about them so I'm looking forward to finding out.

CF-104 "833" RCAF 439 squadron "Tiger" at RAF Woodbridge Tiger Meet in 1969. Built the current Revell 1/72 kit using the Esci decals. Complete nightmare to use. Luckily my Esci kit had two sets of decals. First attempt at taking one of the decals out of the water - it disintegrated into thousands of specks. So I liberally coated both sets of decals with Microscale Liquid Decal film. It was really tricky seperating the decals & film from the decal paper, but I eventually got there. The Canadian roundels were from the Hasegawa JASDF/RCAF decal sheet as were some stencils. All the black tiger stripes were masked using Tamiya flexible masking strip, blutac & masking tape. The Vicon camera pod was the clear resin one from Airgraphics. Ejection seat was from Aires & the pitot was fashioned from brass tube & rod. This was originally intended for the Canadian Group Build but it kept being put back, mostly for another couple of builds. Still waiting for a 3D printed ladders for it. I am intrigued as to what the "Red piddling man" is meant to represent which had been zapped a couple of times on the fuselage? If anyone could enlighten me, I would love to know! Thanks for looking! Martin

So, its hello from me. After several years of lurking, this is my first post on the forum. This build has also been several years in the making. Its F-100D 55-2817 of the 48th TFW, based at Lakenheath in Suffolk. 2817 crashed on a hill in NE Scotland in August 1969, about 5 miles from where I grew up (no, I wasn't around in 1969...). Fortunately the pilot ejected safely before impact. Some fairly big chunks of 2817 are still there apparently and the plan is to go and take a look once the weather improves. I've been planning on doing this for a couple of years now, but 2023 is going to be the year (once the snow is gone....). A bit of googling has led me to conclude that of the older 1:72 kits of the F-100 ESCI's was the best. So here it is. The box has seen better decades, but the kit is all present and correct. The decals will need replacing however, as they look past their best. Thanks for looking.

Two kits were looking at me from the stash for a while, one was the Buccaneer and the other an F-4G. The Bucc finally got built, so the Weasel was left. I kept putting it off as I wanted a Euro One scheme Spangdahlem Weasel and the colours are tricky. I have done a Euro One A-10 before but even then I wasn’t sure about the colours. To sort this I thought I would invest in a Hataka set of paints and try them on the Phantom. So the starting point - an old ERTL 1/48 kit. Quite like the Hill scheme too but it’s going to be Euro One Couldn’t resist the instructions picture I have a few bits to go into this build. The paints, resin seats, aftermarket decals, a cockpit etch set and some bits of resin. I have a full resin cockpit, but I got that after the etch set. So it’s going to be etch enhanced kit pit. The kit is getting on but has nice recessed panel lines. It started me thinking about another Phantom in the stash Taking a closer look they have quite a bit in common…. Er, much the same kit? Well very close anyway. One extra sprue for the Weasel. Actually that’s not quite true. The ERTL kit has way more cockpit instrument panel detail, so the ESCI kit seems more basic. You get an idea in the shot of the tubs The grey Easel instrument panels have noticeable detail on them. The ESCI ones have none. The crea part is a resin cockpit rear panel I have a few of. Nowhere near the full resin detail, but I have etch. Coloured Eduard etch at that So cleaned up panels, new resin backs, etch bits & bobs. Should look ok. Then spotted an etch F-4E/F set. So a double build? I had always intended the gunslinger to be a Luftwaffe one. In Norm 72 splinter camo to go with my RF-4 So last question for now. My recent builds have tended to have lights & motors. No motors on a Phantom, but working lights? Was thinking wing tips, nose taxi light, tail anti collision flashing light, and back of tail light. Worth the effort? Anyway looking forward to hearing your views. By the way I think the resin pit will go in an FGR2 that is also in the stash. I am a serial Phantom offender. I already have 6 in 1/48

Hi all! Another Israeli build complete as part of my little project (Next up is an F-4E). WIP below: This is Esci's A-4M/N kit from 1979, its not very accurate to the A-4N at all (wrong canopy shape, wrong exhaust- the list goes on) but it looks like a Skyhawk so it does the job. Apart from some minor warping to the avionics hump and wing slats the fit was pretty good considering the kits age. All OOB, though I painted the canopy frame to resemble the A-4N's more closely. The kit even comes with a fictional IAF squadron. Painted with AK's 3rd Gen IAF paint set and they were superb to brush paint with and the colours look pretty spot on. Thanks for looking in!

I had to build this to go with my Airwolf model, theres no kit for this so it was all a bit of bashing, the stars are individual decals. Along with her sister.

My kit bought for less than a tenner from Kingkit scrapyard. It’s missing one horizontal stabiliser but I should be able to make a resin cast from the one that’s still in the kit. In this scheme; SEA and a shark mouth what’s not to like

I'll be building 2 NF-5B's from 314 squadron Royal Netherlands Air Force. One will be the original ESCI kit and the other one the Italeri re-issue. Link to the Italeri F-5B: https://www.scalemates.com/nl/kits/italeri-1275-f-5b-freedom-fighter--105831 One NF-5B will be K-4021 in the grey/green scheme. Underside will be RAL 7001; top colors will be RAL 6014 and RAL 7012. The second one will be K-4018 in the F-16 scheme. Underside will be FS36375; top colors will be FS 36118 and FS 36270. Decals will be Dutch Decal and I'll be using the Wolfpack-D F-5A/B update set. Drop tanks for K-4021 will come from AK3D and paint masks from LF Models ( https://www.scalemates.com/nl/kits/lf-models-m72105-northrop-nf-5a-freedom-fighter-rnlaf--1408872 ) These paint masks are for an NF-5A and with some slight modifications on the nose can also be used for an NF-5B.

Hi all, When Sub Lieutenant Ian Watson took off from HMS Illustrious on 6th June 1983 in a Sea Harrier, he probably never imagined landing later that day on a Spanish freighter - with his radio and navigation faulty and fuel almost out, he had no chance of making it back to the carrier. The ship he landed on the MV Alraigo docked four days later in Tenerife, with its new cargo safely aboard. You can read more about what would be called The Alraigo Incident This was my attempt to recreate that in 1/72 for the 'In the Navy' GB here on the forum. The diorama build thread is here but to recap.. Kit: 1/72 Esci Sea Harrier FRS1 Build: Dropped the flaps, opened the upper blow in doors, otherwise OOB Paint: Revell acrylics with airbrush, Flory Models Wash, Klear, Satin Varnish Decals: Whirybird for Sea Harriers Extras: Base from a picture frame. Containers & Van built from plastic card. Wood pallet from coffee sticks. Figures: From Esci 'Nato Pilots' set Am happy how it turned out, especially the shipping containers. The van is probably the weakest part of it all and could be more refined. But was my first time trying to scratchbuild anything that wasn't a box! Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (3) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (4) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (5) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (6) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (7) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (9) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (10) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Esci_Sea Harrier_Alraigo_diorama (12) by Dermot Moriarty, on Flickr Thanks for looking and stay safe. All the best. Dermot

Rejoining with this kit. Bought from an IPMS colleague, a few years ago. Options, 2 US Navy aggressors. Parts, fairly primitive and raised detail.

Moving on from my sea patrol F-4EJ Kai onto another anti-ship/sub platform. I've been itching to do this one for a while now...even though an A-6 would be more practical. More recent Italeri boxing of the old ESCI molds. This will be built as an early/mid '90s B, so all the ASW gear will still be onboard. Resin wing & tail folds by Wolfpack. Resin/PE engines by Metallic Details. Resin cockpit by Black Box, donated to the project by a local club member. Thanks Ray! I also have a pair of Eduard AGM-84D Harpoons. I'm undecided if I'm going to put anything in the weapon bays, though they have carried torpedos and Mk.83 bombs. I'll save that decision for later on. Progress on this one will be slow getting started, as my primary focus will continue to be getting the F-4 finished up...but I foresee needing some breaks in the painting and decals. Prepare for a disaster! The kit and goodies. Did a "quick" dry fit last night to make sure I wasn't going to have major construction hurdles to overcome, as a lot of the original kit is going to end up as spare parts. I didn't get around to cutting the tail off yet, so hopefully the tail fold fits as well as the wings. It's definitely going to take a bit of work, but nothing is jumping out that is going to be a huge hurdle. I'm not sure on the fit of the AM engine pylons...I need to do some research and also maybe try fitting up the kit pylons.

A pair of recent completions. First, the Matchbox 1/72 Mystere IVA, done for the Matchbox Anniversary GB over at UAMF: A rather crude kit, lacking detail and subtlety, but once you've filled in all the trenches, it doesn't look too bad. Finished with the late, lamented Testors Metalizer Aluminium. Secondly, the ESCI 1/72 F-5B. This is a definite step up in quality despite being nearly the same vintage. Also finished with Testors Metalizer Aluminium.

Hi all, I made this vintage esci 1/72 panzer III Ausf M with my seven year old son. I added the zvezda panzer grenadiers and vignette base for him. The decals are for the 3rd panzer division which situates the tank during operation Citadel (the decals are hard to make out through the weathering.). Last July we finally made it out of Northern Ireland to go back to my home in London and see my dad for the first time in two years (Usual Covid restrictions story.). Whilst back home I got to convince the wife of a trip to RAF Hendon with our boys. Of course whilst their I had to go around Hannants,, which is just down the road from the museum. I spent a small age in their just chatting to the guy behind the counter. He incidentally pointed out another bloke in their from Northern Ireland (he turned out to be another English bloke who lived about ten minutes down the road from us in Ireland and was getting the same ferry back with us from wales that night!). The man who was the owner of Hannants was super nice, really knowledgeable and helpful. Once I was leaving he gave this esci kit to my son which I thought was so generous and such a nice gesture. Anyway 7 months later we finally made it... Their are several mistakes, all of which are my fault! I made a small sacrifice to the floor gods with one of the head lights, after knocking it off for the fourth or fifth time I gave up. The schurzen is wrong and the chassis was warped but I didn't straighten it out correctly, same with the gun barrel being slightly bent....anyway hey ho still really enjoyed working on it which I suppose matters much more. I took a couple pics before it was 75% covered with troops and foliage: Its all brush painted. For xmass we bought our son a v-tech kids video camera (as he really loves youtube and wants to be a 'youtuber'.) So we filmed the process of making the tank after xmass and I'll eventually get around to editing the vid together and posting up some time. And a couple pictures of the vignette/base before the tank and Grenadiers below: I made the grass from Jute twine and painted it with oil paints, this way I got to play with loads of different hues of colour which was good fun. I put tile grout on to the foam board so it would crack and look distressed, like an old Russian cottage/farm house. Thanks for taking peek, Paul

This Blitzenbuild victim will be wingless, due to needing to be a stealthy build while staying at the sister-in-laws over Christmas. The build will be a dad's army approach, i.e. Sneaking off for a bit of covert, plastic fondling ! Here's my chosen victim the ESCI 1/72 SD KFZ 250/3 Half track, which I believe was Rommel's personal,transport. Good luck everyone Cheers Pat

This is my ESCI Super Sabre in 1/48th scale. It's not the best model kit ever produced.. In fact, there are lots of inaccuracies, but still I enjoyed this build, especially finishing in the colours of the Danisch Airforce, which gives a lot of chances for weathering. I used an ejection seat from the spares box, since the original seat from ESCI is a joke. Also I made a new pitot tube from brass tubing. The ladder is from a Monogram kit, as well as the Bullpup missile. I read that Danish Huns were Bullpup compatible, so I decided to use one. The wing fences were cut out of evergreen, and only yesterday did I read that Danish aircraft didn't have them.. Well, here are the pictures: Kind regards, Gerben

Last year I picked up a group builds worth of F-16s on ebay. I first got an ESCI Viper just to get the ground crew set with it. Then a mixed bag of 2 more ESCI and one Monogram kit followed, so on with build. The first three became Dutch, Belgian and Norwegian Vipers earlier this year. Here with my previous Dutch F-16 and Academy Bentwaters Aggressor. But the fourth stayed in the box. My plan for the last one was to build a Weasel. Then I found that the decals I have are for a Spangdahlem F-16C, not the later Wild Weasel. I have a Spang F-4G Weasel to build in Euro One camo so the F-16 will sit nicely with her. So the plan is to convert the ESCI A model to a C, rescribe the panels and add the shark mouth decals. To my mind the shape is pretty good. So the aim is something like this When I built the others I tidied up the cockpit so this is what is in the box The rear stabilisers are coming off to be replaced by the scratch built Everdrenn sheets ones. They can then be angled upwards rather than the moulded on early A model ones. The tanks are from an Academy kit but I think I have ESCI ones too. And now toying with the idea of cutting off the slats. Flaps are already separate. And maybe the airbrakes too So let’s see what this one turns out like. Thanks for looking in

Stash clearance! This one is the original 1979 box of the ESCI A-4M Skyhawk. It's been sitting in the cupboard now since at least the mid-1980s so high time it gets built! In the box: Nice, silver coloured plastic with raised details but not half bad actually - I think there's plenty in there that is perfectly usable. Which probably doesn't quite go for the decals, being pretty antique now.. Seems I did make a start back in the dark ages, as there is a completed cockpit assembly. Waste not, want not Thought about using an aftermarket seat, but that would mean very likely either destroying the already built bits, or hacking that seat - neither option looks wise. So, let's keep it to the aftermarket decals then. Colour callouts seem to vary a bit. The sheet has different IDs than the TOMs colour set sold in Brazil, or the callout I found elsewhere: But even then, looks like at least some can be matched by Voodoo grey (which I have) and Ocean grey. Let's find out if we can get to this..

This is a placeholder for the ESCi kit of the A-4G variant produced for the Royal Australian Navy. I bought this in the late 1990s ago for the princely sum of 3 Irish Pounds. The supplied stores are 6 x Mk 82 500lb "slicks" + MER (for the centreline pylon), 2 x drop tanks and 2 x rocket pods. This is probably standard for most of the ESCI A-4 kits, except the "Aggressor" & "Blue Angels", which have no stores as I recall. I'm not sure if this load-out was carried by the A-4G, but I do know it was used in the ground attack role. It was also used in the air defence role with up to 4 Sidewinders, which is an interesting possibility.

While considering the virtues of the Kinetic F-104G kit I stumbled across an old ESCI kit with a great range of decals. I was thinking Luftwaffe but the decals included didn’t fit with what I was after, but the Dutch markings for 312 Squadron looked great. I have fond me,oriels of the mad Dutch pilots at Mildenhall shows in the early 80s. So much so I got the pilot’s autograph! Anyway, on to the kit. I used the base of a Martin Baker seat combined with the kit top section to show the smaller headrest / parachute pack as seen on these F-104s. Some scratch improvements in the cockpit & to add the ECM fittings below the nose & tail. The only other change was cutting the canopy & adding some of the opening structure. Decals are all kit. So this is her in some rare sunshine in front of the HAS So I still need a Kinetic one to do a good German F-104G. Question is Luftwaffe or Marine? Might have to wait as I now have another Kelly Johnson jet waiting to get started Thanks for looking

Hello everyone, After a bit of a break from the hobby, due to life getting in the way, lockdown has given me the chance to start again and the bug has really bitten! I must have started this one about 20 years ago (unfortunately, I am that old) but never made much progress other than sticking a few bits together but I thought it would make an easy way to start building again and try a few new things out as well. It's the old Esci kit in 1:48 scale with decals from the Ministry of Small Aircraft Production Condor Legion sheet, the original decals just disintegrating when I put them near water. It was painted using Xtracolour enamel and weathered using a mix of dry brushing, pastel chalk and water colour washes. Based on pictures of the actual aircraft I removed the antenna mast, added a faired tail wheel, seat belts, instrument panel and a few other bits. Considering its age it went together well with the only difficulty being the joints in the engine cowl and getting the top wing to fit. The decals on the upper wing also silvered around the edges despite being applied on a gloss surface prior to being oversprayed with matt varnish. I also discovered later that Xtracolour's interpretation of RLM 63 is too light but hey, you live and learn. As it turned out it would be the last kit I would paint using enamel paint but that is another story. Anyway, I hope you like it and I'm happy to get any pointers.

This is one of two entries for this GB. I built this kit twice back in the early 1980s from the original ESCI boxings, one as a Flammpanzer III, the other as the M. At he time, I never got the kit of the M/N with the side and turret "skirts". The Italeri kit is the M/N version, including the extra sprue with the armour skirts and mounts, as well as the 75mm L/24 barrel, mantlet and other details. It also has the "hard" tracks introduced in the ESCI/ERTL era. The tracks are for the Panzer IV, and have to be cut to size for the Panzer III.