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Harrier AV-8B Plus Italian Navy 1/32 Trumpeter


Piero

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Hi,

 

after a couple of Mirage kits, I'm back to my beloved Harrier.

 

This time she will be an AV-8B Plus finished in the Marina Militare Italiana (Italian Navy) markings.

 

cof

 

The kit is far from being a good model. Many details are completely missing or bad represented.

Fortunately there are many aftermarket detail stes available for the interior and exterior.

 

I've started dry fitting the cockpit tub and the front undercarriage bay from Aires. Very good fit and tremendous amount of details here.

 

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After a good session of paint the resin parts are ready to be glued inside the front fuselage.

 

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The plastic parts needs to be rescribed and detailed here and there on both side.

 

CIAO!

Piero

 

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Hi guys,

 

thank you!

 

Some close up on the cockpit tub and the front wheel bay.

 

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Going on with the Harrier, here the main panel lines on the fuselage that needs to be removed. CA glue is the best for me with this job.

 

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The one-piece wing required a lot of work to obtain a better shape of the "kink" at the middle chord. Some Milliput and good sanding is a must here.

 

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CIAO!

Piero

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi guys,

 

the whole fuselage has been rescribed and detailed with reinforcements plates and stripes.

 

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Another big fault of the kit are the chaff&flare box launchers over the rear fuselage.

The box is too small and the shape is approximate.

Milliput, plasticard and PE chaff grills are used to make a better piece.

 

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Next step is the vertical fin. Here the extended air intake at the base of the fin is too short.

Plasticard is used to have the right length.

 

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Next step is the front section...

 

CIAO!

Piero

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... back to the Plus.

 

The front section is the part that required more attention.

The radome is completely off! Too long, not bulbous enough. it looks like an F/A-18's radome. I made a new one. 

The FLIR is too slim and the shape is not correct. Plasticard stripes and Milliput to correct it.

 

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I made a new one RCV under the nose too.

 

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CIAO!

Piero

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Hi guys,

 

glueing and painting the IP cover and the HUD, I'm ready to start the painting stage.

 

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With the windshield on and masked with yellow tape, it's time to put down a good layer of grey as primer.

 

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Pre-shading will follow soon.

 

CIAO!

Piero

 

 

 

 

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14 hours ago, NG899 said:

Hi Piero,

 

Great to have you back working here on another Harrier!

Compared to the GR.7, this looks to be a quick build, so far...

 

Ciao

 

Nick

Hi Nick,

 

nice to hear from you my friend!

 

Yes, this Harrier seams to be a little quick build compared to the GR.7s because I had already make all the conversion parts & corrections some times ago.

At the same time this is a good time for me with modeling... so, let's go!

 

Pre-shading done...

 

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CIAO!

Piero

 

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Beautiful work Piero!

 

I'm sure this will take centre stage with your other Harrier builds!  You certainly do the Trumpeter kits justice with all your corrections.

 

I just have to sit down and have a crack at my own GR7 with your resin bits soon to get it on the shelf and enjoy it, until then I will enjoy your continuing build!

 

Regards,

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Hi guys,

 

thank you for your comments!!!

 

The camouflage is 36231 for the upper surfaces and 36320 for the under surfaces.

Unlike the USMC's AV-8Bs, no 36118 paint for the top surface.

 

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I use to paint with Gunze acrylic line: H317 and H307 are the equivalent references, but they looks too dark compared with the real italian AV-8Bs.

Also, the italian AV-8B camouflage fades very quickly, giving to the Harriers a patched look.

So, i sprayed pure H317 and H36320 first then I oversprayed random patch of very diluited colors mixed with white.

The radome has a dark grey shade between 36231 and 36118.

The wing is dark too, maybe because the blackish carbon fiber construction compared with the fuselage.

The color of the rear section looks lighter compared with the rest of the fuselage. Same for flaps and ailerons. 

Some scratched areas are evident over and under the wing.

Details as RWR and GPS antennas, chaff&flare launchers and RCVs are already painted too.

 

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A black false-canopy is painted under the front section...

 

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Washing will follow soon...

 

CIAO!

Piero

 

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Hello my friends,

 

going on with my big AV-8B+.

 

Matt finish has been completed.

Decals looks almost painted on now, but many of the grey shades varitions are lost too.

 

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I will apply some very diluited patch of greys all around and a lot of smoke, fumes and oil streaks in specific areas tipical of the Harries.

 

At the same time I'm working on the pylons and load... some pics will be posted soon.

 

CIAO!

Piero

 

 

 

 

 

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Looking excellent as always Piero.

Do you plan on closing the main landing gear bay doors? I only ask because the Trumpeter interpretation of what lies within is bordering on offensive. I think I may have seen another one of your builds (perhaps 1:48?) where you detailed the various tanks, ducts and cables that sit between the frames and the fuselage skin. The kit's "box" is more similar to an original P.1127 than anything that came after - but if the doors are to be closed, who cares? :)

 

Kirk

PS/ Can you educate me? Are those splitters in the bleed air duct outlets only found in the Italian version? I don't recall seeing them in other AV-8Bs but it maybe it's a Plus feature that I've failed to notice.

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