Harriers and HMS Eagle

[Stuck]

Im wondering if any of you can help me,

All throughout 1969 and early 1970 I served on board HMS Eagle as a stoker first pumping avcat to the flight deck, and then becoming a hangar sentry ; After just 2 years service I got a discharge on medical grounds, Dermatitis caused by all the different fuels and oils I was coming into contact with. And that was that.

Well when a few years ago I rekindled my childhood passion for makeing model aircraft, memories started flooding back of those days on the Eagle and all the close contact I had with the aircraft .Nearly 50years down the line those memories are becoming a bit vague, but i can remember having to pay special attention to a Harrier while on watch which was undergoing some sort of trials, also there were Phantoms doing them as well.

Up until now I have only made ww2 aircraft, but in the future I would at least like to make that Harrier and eventualy the rest of the ships compliment, so at least I have a few aircraft in my collection which tell a personal story for my Grandchildren, maybe ! .

So if any of you can fill me in with any information as to squadrons numbers and markings etc, and to just what kits are available and anything else i would be really grateful.

Thankyou M

[Dave Fleming]

Got that somewhere, will dig it out!

Dave

Edit: A quick google finds this:

http://www.axfordsabode.org.uk/pdf-docs/eagle03.pdf

and this:



From memory, that's XV281 and the other one was XV741,, but I'll check.

Edited February 1, 2013 by Dave Fleming

[Giorgio N]

Not related to the Harrier but to the Eagle in general, this book (written just after the retirement of HMS Eagle) might be old but it's a good resource to know about the units that served on her:

http://www.amazon.com/Carrier-Air-Groups-HMS-Eagle/dp/B00152CLIG

As I have the book, I'll be happy to give you details that would be of interest to you

Re. modelling a Harrier GR.1, today the best option for 1/72 would be to find an old Esci kit, with fujimi as a second best,. Airfix has just announced a new GR.1 for this year, could be worth waiting a few months and see what this is like.

In 1/48 the best option is the now hard to find Monogram kit. The only other alternative is to convert an airfix GR.3.

[Stuck]

"DING , DING , DING ; " Well the sound of that lift going up and down is one along with the constant bang as a result of sleeping directly belore the arrest or wire is one i will never forget !!. So thank you so much for the links Dave, The Liverpool trip I remember well cause its the last visit that I made ; I think that we were supposed to go to Hamberg but for some reason the visit was cancelled .

Thankyou too Giorgio, I am just going to check Amazon out I didnt know a book existed.

The only photo piece of memorabilia that I have is a good quality B/W aerial pic of the Eagle entering Boston summer 69 ; As soon as I have found out how, i will up load it if is of interest to any of you .

[Arniec]

I also think there were one or two pictures of a GR1 onboard HMS Eagle(?!) for trials in the old in action series of the Harrier from Squadron books. If my memory serves me well it was beside a Sea Vixen and a early Buccaneer.

I hope this helps.

I have just seen the picture in the in action book. And it's the same as from Dave. It's indeed XV281 on HMS Eagle. It hase got a white E on the tail and a small animal near the air inlets?!?! The photo was take in 1970 (according to the book).

Cheers,

Edited February 1, 2013 by Arniec

[Stuck]

S

[Stuck]

Seem to have made a slight cock up there, was the first try at uploading a pic onto this site. Hope this pic will be of interest to some of you. Could perhaps be useful reference to someone modeling the Eagle and wondering how many crew to put on deck!.

Correct me if I am wrong but it was taken entering Boston in summer 69, but because I was given this pic over 20 years later after a bizarre set of circumstances, I am not certain. But if correct then I was one of those on deck shaking with fear cause immediately afterwards I was in front of the Captain to be doshed out 2 weeks punishment, and consequently never stepped a foot ashore in Boston. One day I will never forget in a hurry.

[ark4]

Hi

A sluck would have it, I have a set of images taken on board Eagle by an old colleague of mine. It may take me a week to find them but I am sure they are still in my collection somewhere. It is the Harrier GR1.

Let me know if you want a copy as I have them scanned in to the PC.

ARKROYAL4

[Stuck]

Thank you very much for the offer Ark, I am trying to gather as much info and referance as possible;, so it would be nice to have a copy if it is not too much of a problem.

[ark4]

Please bear with me as I have not seen them for a while.

[Dave Fleming]

Back from my travels, hope the following is of use!

Harrier trials on Eagle were conducted in March 1970, the aircraft involved were not squadron aircraft, but came from the development fleet at Boscombe Down - on the picture , you can see the unofficial marking of A Squadron, Boscombe Down on the side intake.

The aircraft are XV281 and XV740. XV740 is the one with the pionted tailcone. - close up of XV740

Colour scheme for both is Dark Sea grey/Dark Green over Light aircraft grey, with quite a glossy finish. The AAEE badge is dayglo red. Note they also carried the serial on the nose in white. Both have the very early upper fuselage 'block' intakes/outlets. XV281, being a development batch airframe, has a different style airbrake I think.

You can see a colour pic of XV281 here:

http://www.abpic.co.uk/images/images/1102513F.jpg

Kit wise, the following are your options. All except the 1/24th are currently out of production

1/72 - ESCI AV-8A, with a little work to make an Early GR1, or the forthcoming Airfix kit

1/48th - Monogram AV-8A is the best start

1/32 Revell - has decals for XV281, but depicts an earlier DB GR1 with different intake sides.

1/24th - Airfix GR3 had GR1 parts

Drop me a line if I can be of any more help!

Edited February 9, 2013 by Dave Fleming

[Stuck]

Thanks very much for that Dave, working in 1/72 scale i will wait for the airfix kit to come out.

[ark4]

Hi Stuck

My apologies. I have found the images but they are Ark Royal with Buccaneers and Phantoms. Only one of a harrier which is taking off over the bow. Can't see details.

The Guy that took them was a Barrie (surname escapes me at the moment), I scanned them in 2001, my how time flies.

[Jon Freeman]

If you are after 1:72 decals for XV281 Xtradecal X72181 has the option included with the AAEE badge 'ER' Eagle code letters and 899 NAS Winged Fist 'Zap'.

If you are after a digital copy of XV281 just PM me.

Jon

[NAVY870]

S

Cmon Airfix, in 1/350 if you would.

[czechnavy]

AIRfile HS/BAe First Generation Harrier (Glenn Ashley - ISBN 9 780956 980 267) has a side view on page 17 of XV281 (officially an P.1127(RAF)/Harrier GR.1 - it was one of the six pre-production GR.1s used by Hawker Siddeley - as it was marked when flown by Test Pilot Cyril Peckham during the carrier trials on board Eagle in March 1970.

The finish is the standard early Harrier scheme with the serial repeated in 4" white characters on both side of the nose. Above the three colour tail fin is a 12" high white 'E' [slightly italic] followed by a 4" high white 'R' - a touch of patriotism? There is an orange 'sea-dog' logo and a minute 899 NAS zap on the portside intake as well as 8" deep white calibration markings on the forward nozzles.

[rayprit]

If it helps here is film footage of the Phantom on trials on HMS Eagle:-

[Martian]

That video is so cool!

Martin