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1/48 AV8B+ Italian Navy


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The colours I have for the Spanish B+ (and TAV-8B and later Bs) are FS36231 upper FS 36320 lowers, same as I quoted above for the Italian aircraft (Source - Series Espanolas decals plus references from US). The early Spanish AV-8Bs were FS 36375 lowers FS 36320 uppers.

Thanks for pointing my mistake out Dave, type error and has been corrected.

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Ok so rather than getting too worried about FA numbers I decided to shoot some paint!

EB65E5C8-BAE2-4154-891F-A8761CD3F410-23439-00001083AD3BC385.jpg

XF-24 with a dash or 2 of MSG to lighten it. Looks pretty close to my eye!

Now the nights are drawing in I need to sort some light in garage so I can see to paint the undersides and top, so a further update may have to wait until weekend.

Phil

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I can confirm the 36231 upper surfaces and the 36320 lower, witness a manufacturer sticker indicating the colours attached to one aircraft of which I have a picture somewhere..

And yes, the radome is supposed to be in 36231 but in most pictures it's darker for the various reasons mentioned. Using XF-24 straight from the bottle would be my choice, it would contrast nicely with the lightened paint used on the rest of the upper surfaces

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sorry I've neglected the build thread a bit, I have made some progress on the Harrier, in between getting some other builds moving for various GBs!

Main colours on:

A0CBD879-8BA4-4FD0-8664-BB1ABDA93545-5306-000003AA41C21253.jpg

15E574FF-FAC3-47F4-BBBA-E7F9942D32BE-5306-000003AA4E180435.jpg

This one shows the demarkation of the 2 colours, it maybe looks a bit stark compared to photos but hopefully some weathering and various varnish coats will see to that.

I've also attempted to depict what I assume is over spray from paint touch up on the nose, saved masking the radome...

D0161DA4-8B84-4EF4-B690-2A541150E89A-5306-000003AA482C5A7C.jpg

Pictures aren't the best, taken with my phone on the desk!

Since I took these I have tried to replicate a but of the weathering on the jet in the picture I posted above, by using Floymodellers wash directly onto the paint. I've found before that this leaves a stain on the paint if not applied over a protective gloss coat. In this case I've used that to my advantage. I think it looks good but I'll take a quick snap later to show it!

Next up gloss coat, then decals.

Phil

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Updates are like buses today...first one was late second one comes along hours later...full and doesn't stop...

I had to pop home so took advantage of some daylight to take some pics of the weathering I was prattling about.

78972DBC-C363-463C-B43D-170CB03AC0A8-5306-000003E0F9E50A2A.jpg

01CCA296-4F75-4D1B-961B-F42D0243B869-5306-000003E0D128C681.jpg

It's quite subtle so hopefully the pics show it up.

Phil

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Well just a quick update, I managed half an hour at bench last night and got to put on a couple of decals...

D9DF6A39-C62A-4185-8A8A-44F6371091BE-1937-000000EFA1CA2287.jpg

Sorry awful photo, taken in the dark while I was half asleep...

These are some home made decals by Chocksaway (Graham) to make up for them lacking from the kit decals. Very nice they are too, they went on well and settled down nicely!

Theses will set the whole jet off very well I hope.

Thanks Graham!

Phil

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Thank you! I'm going to try to emulate the streaking you managed on your FA2.

Anyway got the decals on last night.

7D483349-406B-451D-9A68-704DCAEDB81B-4911-00000329C4348048.jpg

E2767409-DF5E-4E9F-B1FC-FF29D340D9F9-4911-00000329CA138BB0.jpg

These are the Hasegawa kit decals, kindly donated by another Harrier Sig member. They behaved very well with micro sol and set I'm pleased to report!

The tanks are just held on with white tac as I couldn't resist see how they looked.

Just need to seal them with some varnish then the weathering starts.

Thanks for looking

Phil

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Thank you! I'm going to try to emulate the streaking you managed on your FA2.

Phil

Cover your model with a generous coat of Klear/ Future or another acrylic varnish after that drybrush it with enamels. If you are not happy just wipe the enamel out!

If you are happy seal your model with another varnish coat!

Edited by LT Motta
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Ok update time!

For weathering I decided to fall back on my usual methods! I prefer to weather over a satin finish, I find I get better results. I used the alclad laquer satin varnish, amazing stuff! Dry as a bone in an hour. Here's the all important pics

AAEC561E-50C0-46D0-9CD1-DED999086F71-742-0000008D6EDFFDAC.jpg

CF72BBFC-DD97-4876-BB0D-F3F3AFA3BC56-742-0000008D74B3AAED.jpg

9E594A7A-24CD-4504-A45B-0B503823C74A-742-0000008D7A0867B6.jpg

Bit of artistic license used with weathering but I'm pretty happy with it, think I stopped before I went too far!

Also just about finished the ordinance. I used two bobs stencil decals but they crinkled quite badly, not too bad from a distance shot

5B7A69A2-3105-4A24-BA18-1C1B0662CB68-742-0000008D7F43EDA9.jpg

I've also got round to doing the bang seat.

18BCB35B-965B-4AC4-809D-6A3E554A8E94-742-0000008D8447FEC3.jpg

This is a pavla resin seat, but as it doesn't come with the launch rail I've cut the one off the kit seat and stuck it on, worked quite well. Just needs the black stripes on the side handle plus some stencils and the pull handle adding, from the Eduard zoom set.

On the home straight with this one now, but still need to make the FOD guards....

Edited by SaintsPhil
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Beautiful!

After I saw your result with alclad varnish I'm intending to do what you said on my SHAR: cover everything with 2 Future coats and them use alclad varnish.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks Simon, sorry didn't spot your post till now! Be good to see the AV-8B I've got that kit in the pile!

Anyway long over due an update, I've been away hence the delay!

Harrier is all but done now

72F81D07-471F-4F26-8DCF-BFF43CE59FE2-6245-0000056299767B65.jpg

I only have a few small bits left to add, the biggest head scratcher was the intake FOD covers. The Italians tend to use a tarp style that drape over the intakes, covering the aux doors as well. This is fortunate as it covers the gap I managed to end up with between the intakes and fuselage! I tried tissue paper first off but wasn't happy with the results, so thanks to some suggestions I went back to foil and I'm pretty happy with the results!

B53A2114-65F1-4B2C-B68D-4348B829B38A-6245-00000562932DFDC7.jpg

Also shown are the rear nozzle FOD guards that came from a resin set (manufacturer escapes me currently!!). Can't decide if I'll use these or the actual nozzles yet.

All that's left now is to add the fiddly bits. Next stop RFI.

Thanks for looking in on the thread and thanks for all the help on the colours. Guys from the Harrier sig have been as helpful as always, donating decals and making me some (Graham).

Phil

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