neilg Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Over the last few weeks, I've had a bit of a Harrier binge. It started off with an unplanned purchase of the Airfix Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1, which I saw in Hobbycraft. I was really impressed with this little kit, and I liked the vintage look. I hadn't really done many camouflage paints, the only others being the 1:72 Spitfire and 1:48 Lightning. I also saw the GR9A, which looked nice and modern, and then I was intrigued to see the versions in between. So after browsing ebay, I ended up with a collection... All Airfix 1:72 kits, here are: Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.1 Hawker Siddeley Harrier GR.3 BAe Sea Harrier FRS1 BAe Sea Harrier FA2 BAe Harrier GR9A All of these kits are really enjoyable to build, and although they have a skill level of 2, they each took a while to build. They're also pretty nicely detailed, and I'm impressed with how they turned out. I've also discovered that I can donate the Flying Hours of these kits to the Models for Heroes charity, and I'm sad that I've thrown away so many boxes with the stamps because the Airfix club was not accepting new accounts for such a long time. Edited July 14, 2020 by neilg 35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booty003 Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 That is a fine collection of Harriers you've built there bud. I wonder what the correct term would be, a gaggle of Harriers maybe....??? 😂 Interesting to see the development of the air frame over the years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 Just now, Booty003 said: That is a fine collection of Harriers you've built there bud. I wonder what the correct term would be, a gaggle of Harriers maybe....??? 😂 Interesting to see the development of the air frame over the years. According to this site, https://lenichoir.org/collective-nouns/, the collective noun is a harassment of harriers, or a swarm of harriers. Harassment of Harriers sounds good! I'm fascinated by the development of the airframe as well, and you can see how much larger the GR9A is compared to the others. Even in model form, it's the heaviest of the lot! 2 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigbeale Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) Wow. An amazing ‘Swarm’ of Harriers😍😍😍 I was about to put up pictures of my 35 year old Sea Harrier and GR3 Harrier from Matchbox Edited July 14, 2020 by Brigbeale 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 15 minutes ago, Brigbeale said: Wow. An amazing ‘Swarm’ of Harriers😍😍😍 I was about to put up pictures of my 35 year old Sea Harrier and GR3 Harrier from Matchbox Are they old kits recently made or are they old builds? They look great! 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SAT69 Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Impressive collection of Harriers. I was especially impressed with the consistent quality of the masking of canopies and windscreens across the builds. That's an area I'm still working on. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 14, 2020 Author Share Posted July 14, 2020 1 minute ago, SAT69 said: Impressive collection of Harriers. I was especially impressed with the consistent quality of the masking of canopies and windscreens across the builds. That's an area I'm still working on. The masking was the part that I least enjoyed... I use Tamiya tape and I always make sure the craft knife has a fresh blade. I apply one strip of tape, and as hard as I dare without breaking the plastic, I run my fingernail around the frame to let the tape dig into the corners. It's easier on a sunny day (no problem in San Antonio, I'm sure), to hold the canopy up to the window and slowly score around the edges of the frame. With the tape scored, I can then gently pull away the excess tape, and then I put the next strip of tape on. I find it easier to do one strip of tape at a time, because then it's easier for the blade to cut, without risking losing control of the blade, which can scratch the canopy, or slip the other way and go through your finger. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMCS Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 Fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigbeale Posted July 14, 2020 Share Posted July 14, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, neilg said: Are they old kits recently made or are they old builds? They look great! They’re not as good as yours. They were both built over 33 years ago.They have both been rattling around in a box In storage and then a house move. I’ve recently returned to modelling. The Sea Harrier had the fuselage practically split in half where the old polystyrene cement had given up and had a strip down and rebuild. the GR3 is as I built it all that time ago with just the landing gear and weapons re-attached. Edited July 14, 2020 by Brigbeale 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 10 hours ago, Brigbeale said: They’re not as good as yours. They were both built over 33 years ago.They have both been rattling around in a box In storage and then a house move. I’ve recently returned to modelling. The Sea Harrier had the fuselage practically split in half where the old polystyrene cement had given up and had a strip down and rebuild. the GR3 is as I built it all that time ago with just the landing gear and weapons re-attached. They've done well for 33 years! I always wondered how well decals last on models, whether they flake off or fade over time but yours look fresh still. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Fine work, lovely collection 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brigbeale Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) 4 hours ago, neilg said: They've done well for 33 years! I always wondered how well decals last on models, whether they flake off or fade over time but yours look fresh still. Thanks for your generous commments. The GR3 has it’s original Matchbox decals put on with just water - no setting solution as I’d never heard of it then. The red has faded a little in the roundels but that’s an easy fix with decal paper. although I wanted to keep that one as near original as I could. The Sea Harrier has been repainted and has decals I purchased off eBay which were leftovers out of a larger sheet. Also, I never liked the Matchbox missiles so a pair of Revell ‘issue’ missiles were fitted. I also ‘updated’ the kit by changing its bombs to 3D printed fuel tanks. The shape came out a bit wrong but I kinda like them. Edited July 15, 2020 by Brigbeale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sky Keg Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Neil, that is a very nice collection of the Harrier. PS : I like the “tarmac” too 😉 Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
binbrook87 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Great collection! Gotta love the Harrier family. A brilliant way of showing the evolution. Shame Airfix don't re release the P1127 or Kestrel to complete the line up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil5208 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 Nice line up, you can see the shape issues on the Sea Harriers spine and intake when compared to the later kits GR1/3/9. Reminds me I needs some SHAR's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 3 hours ago, Sky Keg said: Neil, that is a very nice collection of the Harrier. PS : I like the “tarmac” too 😉 Mike Thanks, it's my display table for my Concorde and B-2 in 1:72. It's a bit busy with the stone pattern, but I don't have any other surface large enough for photos! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 1 hour ago, neil5208 said: Nice line up, you can see the shape issues on the Sea Harriers spine and intake when compared to the later kits GR1/3/9. Reminds me I needs some SHAR's I think there were some lumps and bumps that I was supposed to cut off a couple of them, according to the instructions, but I forgot to! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 1 hour ago, binbrook87 said: Great collection! Gotta love the Harrier family. A brilliant way of showing the evolution. Shame Airfix don't re release the P1127 or Kestrel to complete the line up I have space for one of those! 😄 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 That's a really nice harassment of Harriers! I forgot that Airfix did an FRS.1. I also notice, is that a crack in the nose of your FA.2? Time to start a collection of Harriers me thinks! Martin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 8 hours ago, Lightningboy2000 said: That's a really nice harassment of Harriers! I forgot that Airfix did an FRS.1. I also notice, is that a crack in the nose of your FA.2? Time to start a collection of Harriers me thinks! Martin It's not a crack in the nose, it's a small sink mark that hasn't been fully filled 😬 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightningboy2000 Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 2 hours ago, neilg said: It's not a crack in the nose, it's a small sink mark that hasn't been fully filled 😬 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neilg Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 25 minutes ago, Lightningboy2000 said: 👍 I thought I got away with it 😆 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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