ChocksAway Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 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?). 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SimonR Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 Very nice, love the scheme, and yours is a bit grubbier than the one I just finished! ! cheers Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimbuna Posted November 15, 2012 Share Posted November 15, 2012 very nice indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Cracking job Graham, the home made decals look good as always. Look forward to seeing the Italian bird come together too, if the left over decals from my build are any use let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skeg Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 A real beauty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagle Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocksAway Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 Thanks chaps. Phil - I'll think I'll be okay, I have a cunning plan, but may come back to you on the offer ... long way to go yet. BTW, where's your final build photos? Did I miss them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNoAF Aerobatic Team Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Very nice indeed! Great job! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 No you didn't miss the RFI, it's still sat in the same state! I've been away, need to get back to it. Just scratching my head about how to make some decent intake FOD covers... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChocksAway Posted November 22, 2012 Author Share Posted November 22, 2012 (edited) Phil - that explains it then. Never done FODs, but twenty seconds of thinking about it now makes me think I'd do this .... cut some pasticard to the shape of the intake so that it'll sit in there without falling into it (or glue a tab in the intake for it to rest against) ... cover in a layer of blue tack ... if creating the guards that have the ring (instead of flat), add a roll of blue tack around the edges on top of existing. Be creative with a sharp knife / tooth pick to wrinkle the blue tack. Paint colour of choice - Ferrari red for the Italian Navy ones by the looks of things. There is text on them left/right and the Wolves insignia. If you want to be more authentic and can wait, I can try and do decals for them - but I've not tried decals on blue tack. So maybe an alternative as these are flat is to coat the plasticard in some white glue blobbed on and unevenly spread so it appears rumpled and then once dry, paint. Decals will stick to that. BTW, I notice when embarked, the FOD covers are sometimes the "sheet" ones that wrap over the aux intake doors as well. For these, perhaps tissue paper could be soaked in something "gluey" (or Klear), put in place and then allowed to dry before painting? I know, very Blue Peter-ish! Edited November 22, 2012 by ChocksAway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 It's the Tarp style ones I'm going for, to cover the gaps between intake and fuselage! I tried the tissue approach but wasn't happy with the results. Lacking in other ideas I'll try again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 It's the Tarp style ones I'm going for, to cover the gaps between intake and fuselage! I tried the tissue approach but wasn't happy with the results. Lacking in other ideas I'll try again! Can I suggest using kitchen foil for that? I've used this on FOD covers for the F-16 with good results. My method is #1 Cut a piece of foil out to the approximate size. #2 Place on the model and carefully mould to the desired shape then trim to correct size. #3 Carefully remove the foil for painting,I usually use a spare piece of sprue with some blu-tack to hold it in place. I give it a quick blast of Halfords primer (usually white as most covers are red) then paint the appropriate colour.Once dry,I then give it a coat of Klear. #4 Place the cover on the intake and glue in place,then you can add securing lines from lycra thread. They're not Harriers but here are a couple of kits with FOD covers made with the above method Lynx HMA.8 TA-7K Rafale C F-16C HTH Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintsPhil Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Thanks, I tried wine bottle foil, but it was too thick, I'll grab some baking foil next time Im shopping. Ps nice Harrier Graham.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted November 22, 2012 Share Posted November 22, 2012 Lovely Harrier and nice tip with the foil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HOUSTON Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 (edited) It's HELLUVA BEAUTY. Edited April 14, 2013 by HOUSTON Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted January 8, 2013 Share Posted January 8, 2013 love the harrier, great finish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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