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Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 in 1/72


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For a modeling competition last year, I thought about building a Hawker Siddeley Kestrel FGA.1 myself. Because there's nothing on the market that one can buy.

 

If you're interested, I'd be happy to republish the building process here.

 

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Edited by nexus11
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Ok, great, it seems there is some interest on this topic.

It is of course something completely different when you do it in the small 72 scale than in 1/24... and yes, @P.1127, I saw Your thread when I started with my little project. 

 

But of course there is no kit of a Kestrel (only an anigrand bycatch in 144 and an old resin-kit, that's not available anymore), but there are plenty of Harrier kits of later versions and only one of an early P.1127, the first plane with a Pegasus engine. The kit is from 1963, but was reissued by Airfix in 2000.  Nice retro box, bad contents. 

Sp I decided to merge this old kit with the GR.1 release from Airfix in 2013, what seemed to me to be a Harrier kit that could be really fun.  And I really spoiled it by making a Kestrel out of both kits.  So far, the plan... 

 

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But before I bought a kit at all, I wanted to know what exactly the difference is. So I got some source material:

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But be warned, it took me almost a year to finish this project and I did not start or finish another model besides my job and family.

 

For me the build consisted almost only of sawing, filling and sanding.

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9 minutes ago, nexus11 said:

For me the build consisted almost only of sawing, filling and sanding.

Ahhhh. My kind of modelling. 😀

 

But What is the history of the Kestrel vs, Harrier?

Edited by Orso
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The P.1127 kit consists of few parts. At least they remind of P.1127, even if the wing was only installed on the very first plane for a short time. Otherwise of course raised panel-lines and lots of rivets, few details, except the fairings in front of the engine intakes probably nothing to use.

 

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The GR.1 is somewhat more detailed:

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Nice details such as the turbofan, which can be rotated, correct inlet ducts and the possibility to display the additional air flaps open or closed have their charm. But unfortunately I will not have anything of that, because the air intakes look completely different than here in polystrol.
 

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12 minutes ago, nexus11 said:

But be warned, it took me almost a year to finish this project and I did not start or finish another model besides my job and family.

 

For me the build consisted almost only of sawing, filling and sanding.

This both gladdens and saddens my heart. 

 

Gladdens because I'm at the sanding / filling ad nauseam stage on my Kestrel built.

 

Saddens because I've only just started and am already 11 months in! 

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6 minutes ago, Orso said:

But What is the history of the Kestrel vs, Harrier?

After the P.1127 came the Kestrel. There were nine Harrier predecessors build that flew in the TES (Tripartite Evaluation Squadron). A very special and therefore highly interesting unit. .

In 1961 the United Kingdom, the United States and West Germany jointly agreed to purchase nine aircraft developed from P.1127 to evaluate the potential of V/STOL aircraft. These aircraft were designated the Kestrel FGA.1.
The Kestrel was purely a test aircraft, but was slightly more advanced than its continental competitors such as the Mirage "Balzac" or VFW VAK191.

The Tripartite Evaluation Squadron consisted of ten pilots; four each from Great Britain and the USA, and two from West Germany (Colonel Gerhard Barkhorn and Lieutenant V. Suhr). The Kestrel made its maiden flight on 7 March 1964.

A total of 960 missions were performed, including 1,366 takeoffs and landings by the end of the test in November 1965.
One aircraft was lost in an accident, six were subsequently transferred to the United States, received the U.S. designation XV-6A Kestrel and were tested there by the Air Force and Navy. The two Kestrels remaining in the United Kingdom went to RAE Bedford for further tests and experiments, and then to museums.

The experience gained was so positive throughout that the Harrier Force was launched. The first three GR.1s also looked quite similar to the Kestrels, but were later modified.

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So far all this was not really work. In fact, I did not start until May 2019.

 

While I had made the Bundesliga conference bearable with one (or two) beers, suddenly there was enough courage to cut the hulls. This was especially sad with the GR.1, as this is a really good kit, very well thought out, great fit, as I could see during the fitting tests. But it didn't do any good…

 

 

The GR.1's fuselage is too long. We need to cut out nearly four millimeters out from the stern. Here from the blue mark to the tail's root.

 

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This is of course impractical with a conical fuselage, so I cut a little more at the top so that I can taper the front part more. I also have to make room for the airbrake in the rear part. Which is not located there on the Kestrel, as I will find out later.

 

Another difference is the air intakes, which on the Kestrel don’t have the Harrier-typical auxiliary air vents (if only they were) and have a completely different shape. Also, the bulges in front of the exhaust vents look completely different. But that's why I have the P.1127.Kit. So I sawed everything in parts.

 

After that it looked like this:

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Edited by nexus11
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40 minutes ago, P.1127 said:

Gladdens because I'm at the sanding / filling ad nauseam stage on my Kestrel built.

 

Saddens because I've only just started and am already 11 months in! 

sanding / filling is inevitable in this matter, You know what I mean.

 

I just finished because I had a deadline to meet. If there hadn't been one, I would have spent more time on certain details. But in the end, it absolutely looks like a Kestrel.

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While I was busy with it, I also clipped the wings. The Kestrel wings looked a lot like those of the Harrier, with vortex generators and the sawtooth in the leading edge. Except you only went as far as the outriggers. A little bit of sanding around the curve, and you're done... well. Of course, I'll have to putty and engrave it later on...

 

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The rear is of course also different. First of all the air intake in the fin root must be eliminated.
 

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For the GR.1 there are great air intakes included, which I will of course use. Of course they are too long outboard, so I shortened them. But here on the picture you can only see the fit test, also because it shows the effort of the changes. The rear bead in front of the outlet I have already started to work on, because I have to get rid of a lot of material to make it look like the front one. It only needs to get a rounder shape, as there is enough material this will be feasible.

 

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Fitting test tail section, after that I sawed out the area around the airbrake. But the fuselage thickness fits.

 

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But now it's time for the cockpit. Then comes the trinity of model making: gluing, filling, sanding...

 

But the most important thing is: the beginning is made!

Edited by nexus11
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Exactly, thanks, that was it. But it is more than rare and to be honest, it's not very detailed. Just have a look at the outriggers, the details are more like 1/144 or less…  on the other hand the exhaust nozzles are quite nice. The decals are absolutely incomplete. Be assured, I made better ones and I would like to share these with any future Kestrel-modeller…

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So I started gluing.

 

The toothpicks only serve to press the pieces of sheet against the curve. But at least now the correct inlets are attached. Now comes the putty...

 

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I don't know, as for me, best candidate for conversion in Kestrel it's  FROG/NOVO Harrier GR.1.

Because I have some damage 

NOVO Harrier GR.1.

P.1127 from Airfix I have but me need P.1127 also.

Harrier GR.1 from Airfix, yes I see comparison Airfix with ESCI/Italery, probably Airfix look as more geometry accurate and more interior accurate, but  I would not want to buy this model for conversion.

 

But it's my personal point of view.

 

But any case this topic interesting for my as for fan STOL/VTOL:

 

 

B.R.

Serge

 

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The blokes from the mentioned groupbuild should follow my little story here…  since I have pulled through the construction to the finished model, I now know all the pitfalls.

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