delticfan Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 During the Falklands war the photos of GR3’s on Ascension show them with over sized wing mounted fuel tanks. The lower section of these tanks look to be painted light aircraft grey. Does anyone know what aircraft they may have been borrowed from, I thought perhaps Hunters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Harrier 330 Gallon Aluminium Ferry Tanks? Initial Harrier ferry configuration involved optional removable AAR probe , large tanks and extended wing tips but I believe the extended wing tips were later dropped although the tanks remained solely for ferry trips and could not be used in combat or in training simulating combat maneuvering so quite possible that they were never 'toned down' and retained their initial colour scheme with Light Aircraft Grey undersides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delticfan Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 Great info thank you, just need to source four! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Des Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Might be wrong but I seem to remember that the very first 1/72 Airfix Harrier GR.1 kit back at the end of the 1960s had a pair of very long tanks included so there might be some lurking about in spares boxes but then no use whatsoever if you are planning to build in another scale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tempestfan Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 17 minutes ago, Des said: Might be wrong but I seem to remember that the very first 1/72 Airfix Harrier GR.1 kit back at the end of the 1960s had a pair of very long tanks included No, you aren't - but they had rather thick fins. The tanks were retained for the 1982 retool of the kit into the GR.3. You're also probably correct in that few of the kit tanks were ever used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat fingers Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 Known as big jugs on 1 Sqn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delticfan Posted June 18, 2019 Author Share Posted June 18, 2019 Thanks for all the help chaps looks like a search on eBay for an old kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG899 Posted June 18, 2019 Share Posted June 18, 2019 330-gallon ferry tanks to a shape used on the Harrier but NOT on the earlier Hunters; which were slimmer. The Harriers' 330s were used by the Falklands GR3s for the ferry flights to Ascension and for the direct onward flights of four GR3s from Ascension to HMS Hermes. The tanks were dropped before landing. Empty 100-gallon tanks were carried for the flights to the carrier on the outboard pylons; so the aircraft could use these operational once on board. The extended ferry wing-tips were not used for the flights to Ascension. The RAF's 330s were usually Dark Sea Grey Overall or DSG plus Light Aircraft Grey underneath. 330s were often used for European ferry flight deployments by the Harrier force, including the RAFG squadrons. Sea Harrier FRS1s of 899 NAS Sea Harrier Support Unit and the newly formed 809 NAS at RNAS Yeovilton in April/May 1982 did carry out trials of the 330-gallon tanks, including from the ski-jump. Lt Cdr Tim Gedge, CO of 809, decided against using them for the SHARs ferry flights to Ascension. Probably a wise move as XZ438 was lost off the ski-jump at Yeovilton while testing them on 17 May. Fleet Air Arm 330-gallon tanks were finished in Extra Dark Sea Grey and White, as seen on XZ438 before it was W/O. I've been endeavouring for years to get someone to make 330s as after-market items in 1/48th and 1/72nd and I may just have a taker in the offing with the new Kinetic GR1/3 due for release before December... As far as I know, the extended ferry wings tips were only used for the May 1969 Transatlantic Race GR1s - XV741 and XV744 - plus a few very early Harrier Squadron deployments to the Med. The larger wing tips provided extra stability at high altitude, which was useful during the Race. While fitting them was supposedly easy, it seems it was not deemed worth the effort by the Squadrons, who usually flew at lower altitudes on ferry flights than the Race aircraft; much lower. Hope that helps Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delticfan Posted June 19, 2019 Author Share Posted June 19, 2019 Excellent info, I didn’t know about the new GR3 model but I’ll press on with my new Airfix one and leave the inner pylon empty, I’m sure an aftermarket will turn up as you said. Good colour info about the tanks, I wonder if any have washed up somewhere after being dumped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT7567 Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) 22 hours ago, tempestfan said: No, you aren't - but they had rather thick fins. The tanks were retained for the 1982 retool of the kit into the GR.3. You're also probably correct in that few of the kit tanks were ever used. For reference to anyone that might be looking for these tanks in 1/72, the Airfix GR.3 (nee GR.1) has been isssued as recently as 2009 so should still be widely available on the secondary market (if not collecting dust in a few shops). Most of the GR.3 releases show the gray/white Norwegian deployment scheme on the box art. As noted above, the fins are much too thick for scale accuracy but the overall shape seems reasonably accurate. Edited June 19, 2019 by CT7567 Correction of typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Truro Model Builder Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 (edited) At the risk of thread drift, a number of Harrier GR.3s used by the School of Flight Operations at Culdrose were fitted with the extended wingtips to allow better simulation of long span Harrier GR.7/9s by trainee aircraft handlers. Edited June 19, 2019 by Truro Model Builder 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG899 Posted June 19, 2019 Share Posted June 19, 2019 Thanks Truro! Excellent information! Cheers Nick 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 ZD667 was one of them, Picture copywrite of Scott Rathbone / Flickr Harrier GR.3 ZD667 by Scott Rathbone, on Flickr The long range ferry tanks were also used by some GR.3 s transiting to Belize, again with the light aircraft grey undersides. I guess they weren't used enough to repaint? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 (edited) My 1/72 Fujimi Harrier GR3 with tanks from an old Airfix kit but with four fins from plasticard. Built many years ago from a photo of one at St.Mawgan (Newquay Airport) which was the jumping off point for the ferry flight with help from the Harrier SIG. I can't find the original reference photo just now so a photo of the model will have to do, it will be as close to the reference as I could get it although the colours look a bit off on my screen. My view of the Fujimi kit is similar to that of the original Airfix kit, useful as a source of weaponry but hard work to make a decent model from it. Edited June 20, 2019 by rossm More detail 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 24 minutes ago, rossm said: My 1/72 Fujimi Harrier GR3 with tanks from an old Airfix kit but with four fins from plasticard. Built many years ago from a photo of one at St.Mawgan (Newquay Airport) which was the jumping off point for the ferry flight with help from the Harrier SIG. I can't find the original reference photo just now so a photo of the model will have to do, it will be as close to the reference as I could get it although the colours look a bit off on my screen. My view of the Fujimi kit is similar to that of the original Airfix kit, useful as a source of weaponry but hard work to make a decent model from it. A good friend of mine took slides of them arriving at St Mawgan (Newquay, pah!). I think there is also a picture of to in the Peter London Aviation in Cornwall book. Lovely job with that build and tank fit. Must admit though that the Fujimi (and Esci) kit is still my favourite of the GR.3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delticfan Posted June 20, 2019 Author Share Posted June 20, 2019 Nice model, I’m inspired to go for the long tank. My two kits are the new Airfix GR3 so I thought it a bit much to buy an older kit just for the tanks but it might also donate a correct size fin as well so could be a good option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG899 Posted June 20, 2019 Share Posted June 20, 2019 (edited) Nice photo 71Chally and a nice GR3 Ross. Are the St Meagan photos available? To the Harrier SIG, fir example? A PM to me will allow me to explain why. Thanks. Did you know that at the RN SFDO, the only people allowed to taxi the aircraft with engines running are members of the SFDO ground crew team? Ex Harrier and Sea Harrier pilots are NOT allowed to do that, even though the nozzle stop prevents them doing an accidental VTO... for old times sake! I know a RN Cdr with a great deal of SHAR FA2 and Op Herrick GR9A experience who was not allowed to taxi them; much to his surprise! Cheers Nick Edited June 21, 2019 by NG899 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat fingers Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 I remember them being housed in base hanger at St Mawgan at the time, but can't remember their fit state. In hindsight I really should have taken some photos! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted June 21, 2019 Share Posted June 21, 2019 12 hours ago, NG899 said: Did you know that at the RN SFDO, the only people allowed to taxi the aircraft with engines running are members of the SFDO ground crew team? A good friend of mine is one of the 'drivers', must be one of the best jobs going anywhere! I worked with him in Air Traffic, but he is also ex RN Sea King techie. Re the slides, the chap is really old now and isn't particularly swept up with scanning etc, and unfortunately I have moved away from Cornwall now. However I am still in regular contact with him and I am endeavouring to get stuff done with him. The shots are pretty much underneath the Harriers, must have come in over his head, the funny thing is he didn't realise the significance of the shots until I pointed out the tanks and the dates on the slides! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted June 24, 2019 Share Posted June 24, 2019 On 6/20/2019 at 12:07 PM, 71chally said: A good friend of mine took slides of them arriving at St Mawgan (Newquay, pah!). I think there is also a picture of to in the Peter London Aviation in Cornwall book. Lovely job with that build and tank fit. Must admit though that the Fujimi (and Esci) kit is still my favourite of the GR.3. I suspect, but can't check till next week, the book is In Cornish Skies https://petelondon01.webnode.com/album/photo-gallery-portfolio/#in-cornish-skies-jpg1 It was a long time ago but from what I remember the kit needed plenty of care with alignment (using force?) and more filling and sanding than I expected. I Haven't seen the ESCI kit so can't say how they compare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossm Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 On 6/24/2019 at 1:02 PM, rossm said: I suspect, but can't check till next week, the book is In Cornish Skies https://petelondon01.webnode.com/album/photo-gallery-portfolio/#in-cornish-skies-jpg1 That is the book with my reference photo, clearly shows the big tanks with four fins as on my model rather than the two fins as moulded in the Airfix kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Pete London wrote the book I mentioned aswel so the same picture possibly shows up in both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 A bit more detail on the big tank, and the dimensions John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canberra kid Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 John 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT7567 Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 So is the confirguration in Airix's kit with only two fins (downward pair at 45 degrees either side of centerline) an error? I notice in @canberra kid's photo it looks like the tank only has the lower fins, but looking closely it appears the upper fins are there, just mostly obscured by the wing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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