Yep... I may be slightly
I started these builds on the first day of the GB. Things did not quite go as planned... more of this later.
Here was the original bunch of kits.
The intention was to build the following
Hawker P1127(RAF) XV276
Not strictly speaking a Harrier. This is an aircraft from the Development Batch. The DB aircraft varied a lot in their intake geometry - some had fewer blow-in doors and odd shapes to the cold nozzle fairings.
XV276 was the first of the DB aircraft but at the time represented by the model it had production standard intakes. I can use the Airfix GR.1 kit with a simple repaint - natural metal!
Harrier GR.3 XV738
The first production Harrier. This one has a personal connection for me. I was my jet! Bravo was used by IV(AC) Sqn as its flagship for the 75th anniversary of the squadron formation. I designed and painted the famous fin insignia. However, this model will represent the jet as a standard line jet, which is how I remember it best. This is the Airfix GR.3 kit with a Freightdog fin.
Harrier GR.5
One of the first plastic pigs taken on charge by 3 Sqn (Cementheads). This aircraft was in use at the same time as XV738. This is the Airfix GR7/9 with a Quickboost replacement nose. I will be using decals from Modeldecal Sheet 100.
AV-8B+
Here's where the wheels came off! This is the Hasegawa AV-8B kit using undercarriage ahys from Aires and a speedbrake from Quickboost... More details in the next post.