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Arctic Harrier - putting the “Cold” into Cold War! Italeri 1/72 Harrier GR.3 No. 1 Squadron, Norway, Winter 1986


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Hello folks, permit me for being a little late with this addition.

Harrier_Box1.jpg

Urrm lovely box art, but not this one… this one at the top:

Harrier_Box.jpg

Took part in training exercises in Norway with proper ammo so satisfies the entry criteria. Mods please advise otherwise if not so.

Sprue shots:

Harrier_Sprue.jpg

Have made a small start on the pit. Piccies to follow.

Edited by Tomoshenko
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I did something like that with an Airfix Harrier in this GB

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234926240-airfix-72nd-harrier-gr3/

there are a few comments about paint application and weapons in there.

HarrierArctic.jpg

Anyway - welcome.

Edited by theplasticsurgeon
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Thanks for the warm welcome everyone. I have not done an awful lot, but obliged to post given your nice introductions.

Nice!

I'm very interested to see how this compares to the Airfix version - lots of in progress photo's please! :popcorn:

Craig

Careful what you wish for :winkgrin: Built the Airfix GR1 which is a lovely build. First impressions is that this is much less detailed, although to be fair it is an older tool. Fit and build ease…well we’ll find out.

I did something like that with an Airfix Harrier in this GB
http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234926240-airfix-72nd-harrier-gr3/
there are a few comments about paint application and weapons in there.

Anyway - welcome.

Checked out your thread. Very nice. Would appreciate your advice on the load out. I’ve seen some superb renditions of this scheme, some fantastic dioramas too, especially in the larger scales. Quite a lot of folk used the technique of painting as per normal grey and green wrap-around scheme, then overpainting the green with the white – as per the real aircraft. I think it works well with the larger scales, but personally the jury’s out for me at this scale. May paint all white, then add grey, then go over with green pastels to tone down the white and give an impression of bleed though…not sure yet.

Still finding me feet (or should that be wings) around the kit. The panel lines are fine – a long way removed from some of Airfix’s excesses. Perhaps a little too fine in some areas – across seams and the like which will be obliterated and require rescribing sigh. Not an expert but the tail appears more accurate than the Airfix versions. And while there isn’t excessive flash, lots of bits do have a little mould residue which requires a bit of sanding. Not too bad though and we are modellers after all.

One thing (or many) that is a little irksome is the injection come sink marks. They appear in abundance all over the kit like some sort of childhood virus. An example of the cockpit thus:

IMG_0697.jpg

Easily overcome but a tad irritating. Not to worry, the lastest addition to my toolkit was these. £1 from poundland care and beauty section. Can’t be bad eh. I can give myself a pedicure while the filler dries.

Files.jpg

Anyroad started on the seat. Now I’m not going to go OTP on this job, just a few bits and bobs here and there, but I must say the seat was pretty Toy Townish:

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Well Dr Tomoshenko had a long pre-op chat with the patient and we agreed there was only one course of action: extensive surgery, prosthetics, and quite a lot of swearing and cussing due to little fiddly bits pinging off into oblivion. Here’s the first stage of surgery:

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Now the post op piccies.

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The cushions are milliput and probably a tad over scale, (think it’s only fitting the pilot should have a little luxury out there on the Arctic fringes though) with bits of wire and rod. Dry fitted for now. I will add take-away foil harnesses later. Apologies for the blurry and repetitious piccies. More interesting stuff to follow.

Edited by Tomoshenko
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To my great disappointment and frustration your photos aren't showing on work's computer so I'll have another look once I'm home as this sounds an interesting update Tom.

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Checked out your thread. Very nice. Would appreciate your advice on the load out. I’ve seen some superb renditions of this scheme, some fantastic dioramas too, especially in the larger scales. Quite a lot of folk used the technique of painting as per normal grey and green wrap-around scheme, then overpainting the green with the white – as per the real aircraft. I think it works well with the larger scales, but personally the jury’s out for me at this scale. May paint all white, then add grey, then go over with green pastels to tone down the white and give an impression of bleed though…not sure yet.

As for loadout, go with whatever you find photos of. There were comments on my thread that the rockets were never whitewashed.

I whitewashed after otherwise completing the model, so that if my painting was less than fully accurate, the green would show through - just like with the real thing, as the crew painted arounf markings etc.

Anyway, best of luck with the build - it's getting a lot of the right attention.

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Thank you for the compliments folks.

To my great disappointment and frustration your photos aren't showing on work's computer so I'll have another look once I'm home as this sounds an interesting update Tom.

Sounds like a case for constructive dismissal Col.

As for loadout, go with whatever you find photos of. There were comments on my thread that the rockets were never whitewashed.
I whitewashed after otherwise completing the model, so that if my painting was less than fully accurate, the green would show through - just like with the real thing, as the crew painted arounf markings etc.
Anyway, best of luck with the build - it's getting a lot of the right attention.

Thanks. I will do a little more dabbling on tinternet.

Not much done, but started to add a little detail to the cockpit. Not that accurate, but give some semblance of things going on to break up the blandness.

IMG_0703.jpg

Will add a little more, then I'll have to see if it fits together ;)

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Right up. Brief update. Have been faffing about with fiddly bits. Cockpit interior ready for some paint.

IMG_0720.jpg

With a wash and some little detail painting here and there it will give the eye something to do.

Now I didn’t intend to get bogged down doing lots of detailing, but the nose wheel well was an empty void. I didn’t take any before pictures but here are the instructions to give you an idea. It’s not at all accurate and to be honest doesn’t compare favourably with the detail in the Airfix GR3. Not that much of it will be seen mind, but wanted a little more than what Italeri were offering.

IMG_0722.jpg

Here is something I’m trying to imitate:

http://data3.primeportal.net/hangar/michael_block/av-8b/images/av-8b_07_of_21.jpg

Okay it’s an AV8 but I think you get my idea.

I built up the bottom and rear and added bits and bobs

IMG_0719.jpg

I made up some hydraulics from Albion Alloys tubing, and scratched a connecting thingy from plastic strip

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The nose wheel sits too far back, but would require major works, or aftermarket resin implants to correct it in order to accommodate the hydraulics as per the real aircraft set up. I built up the base of the nose wheel with plastic strips and drilled it out, fettled it a little to get to here. Loosely assembled to give you an idea.

IMG_0713.jpg

Close up with a bit of cable added and I’ve drilled out the lamp. Will knock up a lens and bulb later. I kinda like the lamp on the nose wheel as I think it gives it a little character.

IMG_0718.jpg

Not exactly Hawker Siddeley specification, but a lick of paint and a wash should see it okay, and I’m satisfied it’s an improvement.

Sorry if that was a bit repetitious, but want to get to the stage where I can prime, paint and wash the internals before proper construction begins.

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Really enjoying your work here Sir. All that cumulative detail you are adding is giving a real sense of life to the build even in these early stages. Parking up to watch the rest develop :)

Tony

Note to self...must look in GB section more frequently.

Edited by TheBaron
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  • 2 weeks later...

I always seem to forget to look in the GB section. Glad I did this time. Cracking work Tom. Love the seat mods :)

Mind you - wish you were deploying these skills on a nice 80's Jag - I seem to recall there was a UK based attack squadron that deployed to Tirstrup in Denmark in the event that the Cold War went hot.....:)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Really enjoying your work here Sir. All that cumulative detail you are adding is giving a real sense of life to the build even in these early stages. Parking up to watch the rest develop :)

Tony

Note to self...must look in GB section more frequently.

You are always more than welcome to visit us down on the GB nether regions Tony.

I always seem to forget to look in the GB section. Glad I did this time. Cracking work Tom. Love the seat mods :)

Mind you - wish you were deploying these skills on a nice 80's Jag - I seem to recall there was a UK based attack squadron that deployed to Tirstrup in Denmark in the event that the Cold War went hot..... :)

There again, I am waiting for a certain ex-Jag pilot who is building a certain pair of lovely Hawks to build a certain Jag he flew so I can nick said certain person’s tips… ;)

Okay just to let you know the build hasn’t frozen over. Sod’s law this time of year I’m quite busy. Also off on holiday to France for two weeks next Monday (not to watch he football – that’s if England are still in it!), but have managed to get a bit done.

First up was to get the seat finished off. Knocked up some belts out of take-away foil:

IMG_0731.jpg

Then got them painted up, knocked up some buckles out of fuse wire, which are a bit makeshift but I think they pass muster. Also added a decal from the spares. Not technically accurate, but it adds detail so will suffice.

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With that set aside, I got the rest of the cockpit done. A little wash and a few spots of black here and there to create the impression of instruments.

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With that done I decided to add a little detail to the bulkhead. The kit offering is as flat as a pancake, but there should be some panels.

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I cut out a template and stuck it in place with cyano, scribed round, removed with a sharp knife, turned it over and glued to the other side, and scribed. Simple method to ensure consistent shape. Of course I hadn’t factored in the fact that it may ping off into oblivion on removal. Which of course it did. So after a tedious hunt I completed the process, and added a couple of circular panels punched out of beer can foil. Here it is with an added guide rail for the canopy.

IMG_0779.jpg

Again a little makeshift but will look better with a lick of paint, and certainly better than nothing

Next up was to do something with the camera in the nose. The Airfix kit has a black decal, this has diddly squat other than the modeller’s imagination. Given it’s at the front end and quite noticeable I thought I’d have a crack at coming up with something. Hence I cut out a teardrop shaped piece of sanded down clear sprue, and cut out an aperture.

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I then pressed a piece of take-away tin foil into a scribing template like thus. This was painted black, and then I popped in a Little Lens light.

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This is the finished job. Looks a little rough under the macro – damn things cut you no slack. Will need a little more sounding around the aperture, but should look quite distinctive against the grey and white camo. Also feel it gives it a little more depth than using a decal or a little gloss black.

IMG_0800.jpg

I began to make a start on the payload. Now I think Tim mentioned it on his Warthog build that he wanted it tooled up proper (my words) to represent a state of heightened tension as the Cold War heats up. Well I want the same, not wishing to get into Whatif territory or try and emulate the “Book we are not allowed to mention”, but the kit doesn’t have any SNEB pods, and I reckon a tooled up Harrier should have SNEB pods. Also as I can’t find any reliable sources so I thought I’d use a bit of artistic license.

Okay folks you have not stumbled onto the Hawker Hunter STGB thread by mistake, but I called on some assistance from the Hawker stable. Namely a Revell F9 I have in the stash. I had intended to have a crack at the Hunter STGB, but sadly didn’t have time. Of course it won’t go to waste and is a build reserved for another day in the not too distant future.

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Anyroad I made a cast of the pods and got busy with the resin.

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Here are the fruits of my labour

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Need a little tidy up, but got a selection of pods to choose from. Also started on some navigation lights. Yeh I know they look rough at the moment but won’t be left like this.

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Started gluing the main components together. Quite a bit of a gap so had to use bits of strip like thus.

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Right. Beginning to look like a Harrier. Wings are dry-fitted for the time being but fit quite well. I’ve glooped the gaps and sanded down the seams. Will need a bit of a re-scribe here and there, but beginning to take shape.

IMG_0806.jpg

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Tom - that idea about cyano'ing a tiny template to the kit and then scribing around it is a gem. Noted and gonna try that :)

Resin rocket pods look like they came out well.

Definitely becoming quite Harrier like.

Cracking skills :)

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