Kinetic Sea Harrier FRS1 Colours

[Graham T]

I'm building this & considering which colour scheme to use (there is a LOT of choice with this kit, straight out of the box!).  The colour schemes are not too clear on the kit instructions.  I want to build ZA194 of 809 squadron July 82.  According to the illustration in the instructions it was It wore the later "pale" scheme which if I understand correctly is over all Medium Sea Grey with Barley Grey on the lower flying surfaces (the MSG wrapping around the leading edges onto those lower surfaces) - is this correct?  What colour were the pylons & tanks?  I assume Barley Grey but am I right?  It looks like the only national markings were the fuselage roundels (nothing on wings).  Again is this right?  TIA!

[NG899]

Graham, I’ll reply to you tomorrow. Busy day. Cheers, Nick

[scotthldr]

Looking at this picture would suggest tanks and pylons being MSG

 

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oullfrqUz_0/TV9XxC3jA3I/AAAAAAAABkA/Y3gVcwwwboo/s1600/Sea+Harriers+Ascension+1982.jpg

[NG899]

Hi Graham,

 

To answer your questions: Colours "The whole fuselage, wing and tailplane upper surfaces were semi-matt Medium Sea Grey (MSG) (BS381C:637) which overlapped wing and tailplane leading edge centre-lines onto their under-surfaces by 1 inch, with about 4 inches MSG overlap into the intake lips. (Different to the drawings as this information has only come to light since the Kinetic kit was released.) The intake interiors were semi-matt White, which soon discoloured. Photographs show the EDSG colour behind and on top of the front nozzles, where the nozzle masked the fuselage: the nozzles were set fully back and not removed during the re-spray; except on ZA194 and XZ497 which were delivered in the new scheme directly from BAe Dunsfold. The gun pods and underwing pylons were also MSG." The only roundels were those on the cockpit sides.

 

ZA194 July 1982 was an interesting month for ZA194 as it had two schemes. First, as it returned from the Falklands War on HMS Hermes as black 94 and was quickly repainted to become black 251 of 809 NAS for its deployment to the South Atlantic on HMS Illustrious between August and December 1982. 

 

In the instructions, scheme 12 shows her in late July as 251, with the just pale blue 809 Phoenix fin insignia (decal 15), though the cockpit-side roundels should be in a slightly higher position for this scheme. (For some reason the cockpit side roundel location changed between the two 809 deployments.) 809's SHARs deployed on Illustrious in the main with single Sidewinder rails and overall MSG 190 gallon tanks fitted though, due to issues with the 190s, some aircraft flew back to Yeovilton to get 100-gallon tanks as the carrier sailed down the Channel; hence photographs showing 809's tanks in various colours: pre-war EDSG+W and overall MSG. In the South Atlantic, 809 took turns being based at RAF Stanley and photos show ZA194/251 at Stanley with MSG 190s and the twin AIM-9L rails fitted - instruction section 8G. On 17 October ZA194/251 piloted by Lt Cdr Tim Gedge accompanied by Lt Pete Collins in either XZ500/252 or XZ459/256, ZA194 escorted in the first Phantom FGR.2 XV468/W flown by Wg Cdr MacFadyen of 29 Sqn to land at RAF Stanley. By this date the name of LT CDR THORNTON has been applied in black under the windscreen on the starboard side and the name AEM MORSE was added to the starboard front u/c door (I have spare decals for those). The name 'Rosie' was added in black script (using a permanent marker pen!) to the port cockpit side (and mainly erased!) at some time before 809 arrived back at Yeovilton in December. This scheme gives you the option of something different.

 

For ZA194 as 94 between 28 April and 19 July 1982 - She was delivered directly from BAe at Dunsfold to Yeovilton on 28 April with a few differences to the SHARs which had been painted in the medium greys scheme at Yeovilton; regarding it having underwing serials and the style of some stencils. Also, its serial number was located in the standard position on the ventral fin rather than on the lower rear fuselage as those aircraft respired at Yeovilton had it. Quoting from my monograph for the Harrier SIG on 809's SHARs at this time.

 

"As delivered from BAe it was in the Medium Greys scheme (except for the roundels and fin markings), with the standard black 4 inches high serial on the ventral fin and standard 20-inch black under-wing serials. It had standard red ejection seat warning stencils on the cockpit sides and standard yellow rescue arrows and stencils on the canopy frame. Its engine cover Fire Access stencils had no red outlines and the RCV stencils were just the red words. ZA194 had the strake marks under its fuselage but not white edges to the nose wheel bay (it had been resprayed MSG while fitted with strakes which, when replaced by gun pods meant that the front area of the original white under the strakes still showed as white, or may be zinc chromate on this SHAR; some aircraft were respired with their front u/c doors open, resulting in two white lines down the edges of the front u/c bay. The front nozzles had been sprayed separately so it also had no EDSG areas on the top of those nozzles or on the fuselage behind them. It may have had Barley Grey rear sections to its gun pods (these were fitted after its arrival at Yeovilton so painted there, where stock of MSG may have been getting low as a few SHARs had lighter sections to the rear third of the gun pods). Port wing-root light fitted in an EDSG panel. The cockpit-side 809 NAS fin markings and Royal Navy titles were applied on 29 April.

 

(BAe's photographer at Yeovilton in April 1982) Phil Boyden recalls that ZA194’s shade of grey was different to the other 809 NAS FRS.1s; though this is not noted in Dick Ward’s articles or Modeldecal sheet colour notes from the aircraft’s return to the UK. Two hypotheses which may explain this are, BAe may have:

1. Applied the MSG directly over primer rather than over existing EDSG paint; resulting in it looking lighter than if applied over EDSG.

2. Sprayed it overall Barley Grey; less likely.

 

I have only found one colour photograph of ZA194 at Yeovilton prior to its flight south which, as the aircraft is on its own at Dunsfold, does not show any tonal difference with other 809 SHARs! One photo of its nose alongside XZ499/99 when they returned to Yeovilton shows no discernible difference in colours. So the hypotheses will have to remain unproven for now." ZA194 departed for Banjul on its way to Ascension on 30th.

 

The photo in Scott's link shows one of 809s FRS1s was they had arrived from the UK on Ascension before they transitioned to the Atlantic Conveyor with MSG 100-gallon tanks and Sidewinder launcher rails. On arrival on Hermes the fin markings were overpainted MSG , though they showed as a slightly darker shade of MSG on some SHARs.

 

If you PM me with your direct email address I'll email you some things to help you with the build and markings.

 

Bye for now.

 

Nick

Edited July 22, 2020 by NG899