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Harrier GR.1 / AV-8A visual differences.


Paul

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Sorry guys, yet another harrier based what's the difference thread!

I fancy building the new Airfix GR.1 as a USMC AV-8A. Apart from the prominent antenna on the top, what will I have to alter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Most used the Stencil type bang seat but that's the only one I can think off-hand. Think there's discussion of this in the GR.1/3 thread.

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Sorry guys, yet another harrier based what's the difference thread!

I fancy building the new Airfix GR.1 as a USMC AV-8A. Apart from the prominent antenna on the top, what will I have to alter?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Go to this link http://sg-etuo.de/Squadrons/No4SquadronGR3?p=3 and scroll down to XV810

Now what were you saying about the AV8A antenna?

Selwyn

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Go to this link http://sg-etuo.de/Squadrons/No4SquadronGR3?p=3 and scroll down to XV810

Now what were you saying about the AV8A antenna?

Selwyn

I beleive that was an attempt to trial air to ground communications (The reason the USMC had the VHF antenna).

The seat is slightly complicated, the first 30 AV-8As had the RAF seat, then the USMC started fitting the STENCEL to new airframes and retrifitted it to others. However, the IAM wouldn't let RAF pilots fly in the Stencel seat, so aircraft from 30 to about 90 were test flown in the UK with MB mk 9s then refitted with Stencels in the US.

The key is are headrest grab handles fitted? If yes, it's a Stencel.

Other things to check on an AV-8A - the alternator outlets on top the fuselage, and the small spotlight on the wing root.

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Enzo I have many a scare on my head or back from the sharks fin or the hyd drain pipe located just behind the centre line pylon from my days on the OCU :oops:

Shark's fin!!!!! AAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH! When loading the starboard gun, you can catch the shark's fin on your right eyebrow, giving you a black eye. So you scream "OH FOR FFFFFFFFF.......!" and stand up, whereupon you catch the GTS shark's fin in the back of your head.

The armourers on a Harrier squadron are the ones with a black eye and a bleeding scalp!

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Thanks for all the info guys :cheers:

Just one thing though, which are the alternator inlets on the top of the fuselage?

The raised ones on the saddle between the cockpit and the wing - a pair forward that appeared on early aircraft, and a single one to starboad just behind them that appeared on the later aircraft. A few AV-8As had both!!

Edited by Dave Fleming
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The raised ones on the saddle between the cockpit and the wing - a pair forward that appeared on early aircraft, and a single one to starboad just behind them that appeared on the later aircraft. A few AV-8As had both!!

And from what I can see, AV-8Cs had neither.

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