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Harrier AV-8B II - 162074 / VL-07 of VMA-331 "Bumblebees", USMC, c1986 The latest model (build 13) in my Harrier Project is an AV-8B II of VMA-331 "The Bumblebees". It's an attempt to copy the aircraft as shown in some photos in the World Air Power Journal (Vol.6, 1991) and Andy Evans' BAe/McDonnell Douglas Harrier book (Crowood Press). As VMA-331 only flew the original AV-8B II variant before being disbanded, it was also an appropriate choice of VMA as I ultimately want to a Harrier from each VMA. The aircraft depicted, 162074 / VL-07, was later re-manufactured as an AV-8B II Plus, 165311. The original cockpit ended up back in the UK I believe. This is the Revell / Monogram kit and is pretty much built straight out of the box. I created some decals for this particular serial and modex and added some Verlinden Mk.82 Snakeyes and a couple of TERs from (I think as donated) a Hasegawa Weapons Kit. Harrier experts will notice a number of flaws, both in the kit and introduced by me. Assembly is pretty straightforward compared with the Hasegawa kit as it does not need to support the multi-variant build. In some ways I prefer it to the Hasegawa version, in others I don't. As i have two more to build, it's not wise to hate it! She's brush painted of course, using Life Color's acrylics: "Israeli Green" (FS34064) and "Extra Dark Sea Grey" (FS16099) for the upper surface camouflage and "Light Gull Grey" (FS36440) for the undersides. Pylons are painted in white (as per colour scheme set out in Aeroguide 16 for this specific aircraft). I used FS34079 for the Snakeyes. A coat of three of Klear sealed the paints ready for the decals (from the kit and bespoke as mentioned). Weathering from Tamiya and rounded off with a spray of Humbrol matt varnish to finish and seal. I'll close up the canopy once I've added an MDC (a story for another day). Things I'll "fix" for the next one ... re-position the nose formation lights and pitot tubes; extend the main undercarriage strut to make it easier to get it to sit firmly on the ground; re-shape the intakes where they meet the fuselage; heat the canopy to modify its shape for a better fit; get some sway braces for the TERs (I had to drill holes to use 0.15mm nickel wire to attach the bombs), fit the refuelling probe before painting and tone down the decals for the formation lights. Enough waffle, here she is ... Comments welcome as ever. Next up on the bench will be a Hasegawa AV-8B II Plus as flown by the Italian Navy (perhaps SaintsPhil and I can get our models together on the next Harrier SIG display at RAF Cosford - April 2013?).