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Fleet Air Arm Harvard MkIIb, KF494


85sqn

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Hi everyone,

 

I shall be attempting a Fleet Air Arm Harvard IIb using the Italeri/Occidental kit and some extras:

 

Harvard IIb, Fleet Air Arm Katakurunda Harvard IIb, Fleet Air Arm Katakurunda

this is the aircraft I will attempt:

 

KF494

 

But is it yellow or silver/aluminium? The more i look at it the less sure I am. I have heard others note it as silver but other yellow ones definitely served in the SEAC area.

 

What do you reckon?

 

 

 

 

 

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Can't help you with the colour scheme for sure but FWIW, I think it's silver/aluminium.

 

I'm a bit confused though (easily done), the box says Harvard IIa but looks like a IIb and you're making a IIb so what's in the box?

 

Anyway, nice choice and welcome to the GB.

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27 minutes ago, Wez said:

Can't help you with the colour scheme for sure but FWIW, I think it's silver/aluminium.

 

I'm a bit confused though (easily done), the box says Harvard IIa but looks like a IIb and you're making a IIb so what's in the box?

 

Anyway, nice choice and welcome to the GB.

Heya Wez, yep Italeri must've mis-written IIa as it's a IIb in the box with the Canadian longer rear canopy with an extra frame plus long exhaust. All the schemes within are for a IIb. 

 

I'm glad you think it's aluminium as I'm biased towards doing that finish😁

 

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1 minute ago, 85sqn said:

Heya Wez, yep Italeri must've mis-written IIa as it's a IIb in the box with the Canadian longer rear canopy with an extra frame plus long exhaust. All the schemes within are for a IIb. 

 

I'm glad you think it's aluminium as I'm biased towards doing that finish😁

 

I've always shied away from the kit thinking it's a IIa, thanks for the confirmation.

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Hi folks, 

 

A little bit of progress from me this weekend. I have been working on the cockpit. Sprayed with Colourcoats, an oil wash and then Xtracrylix Flat. Some Eduard Seat belts thrown in with a couple of cockpit placard decals. We really need Airfix to get on and come up with a Harvard IIb! The cockpit doesnt really look like one and I wonder if it is based on the T-6G. Just flicking through the pilots notes and its really different! anyways here's the work:

 

Harvard IIb

 

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10 hours ago, 85sqn said:

The cockpit doesnt really look like one and I wonder if it is based on the T-6G.

 

It's nice to see this one underway :thumbsup2:.

I believe that the original Occidental kit on which yours is based was a T-6G, so it's possible that the cockpit wasn't modified to Harvard Mk.II when the other parts were.

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On 3/31/2021 at 5:14 AM, 85sqn said:

Heya Wez, yep Italeri must've mis-written IIa as it's a IIb in the box with the Canadian longer rear canopy with an extra frame plus long exhaust. All the schemes within are for a IIb. 

 

I'm glad you think it's aluminium as I'm biased towards doing that finish😁

 

G'day Nick

 

I don't think it is a 'natural' metal finish, but a doped (i.e. painted) silver finish.

 

I can't imagine that leaving an aircraft in unpainted aluminium would be a great idea in a maritime environment? Also the finish, from what I can see in the pic is a bit monotone suggesting a painted silver rather than a collection of different shades more common in natural metal schemes.

 

I really like the placards, they add interest to the cockpit sides,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

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1 hour ago, Pappy said:

G'day Nick

 

I don't think it is a 'natural' metal finish, but a doped (i.e. painted) silver finish.

 

I can't imagine that leaving an aircraft in unpainted aluminium would be a great idea in a maritime environment? Also the finish, from what I can see in the pic is a bit monotone suggesting a painted silver rather than a collection of different shades more common in natural metal schemes.

 

I really like the placards, they add interest to the cockpit sides,

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

Hiya Pappy, cheers I agree with you on that. It's unusual for Brit a/c to be nmf. Sprayed silver is most likely 👍

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The only RAF aircraft in service in natural metal as its standard scheme was the EE/BAC Lightning. This Harvard appears to be in a single colour finish which could be overall yellow or silver (aluminium) paint, to my eye it looks like silver, rather than yellow.

 

But then, see my next post...

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Hi folks, made some good progress today:

 

Harvard IIb

 

Harvard IIb

So it's all together. I've put some filler in a couple of spots before I eradacate the seams. It went together okay, with some care but the forward IP has been shaved down a little to allow the top of the forward fuselage to settle.. As you can see it needs a little filler. 

 

Personally I don't think that part of this kit is that great, something doesn't look quite right about it. I'll post a forward canopy comparison in a moment which is slightly off.

 

 

 

 

 

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So here is a comparison between Occidental and Monograms forward canopies. The monogram one is on a Harvard MkI fuselage by MDC. However the rake of the Occidental one is different, shallower and for me it just doesn't look quite right.

 

Harvard build

 

 

Harvard build

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Wez said:

The only RAF aircraft in service in natural metal as its standard scheme was the EE/BAC Lightning.

 

And then I remembered the P-47s and P-51's that were delivered in NMF :doh:

 

Nice progress so far.

 

Comparing the Occidental windscreen to the Monogram one to this photo of a Spanish T-6, I'd say the Monogram is shorter in length fore and aft and looks pinched in comparison, to my eye, the Occidental windscreen is closer.

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So apart from some Mustangs, Thunderbolts, Harvards, the Washingtons and Sabres, therenweren't any RAF aircraft in NMF until the EE Lightning :doh:  Glad we cleared that up :whistle:

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But the Lightning was the only British aircraft ... unless you count Furies and the like, where the bits that were metal, were bare metal.  Most of the surface was fabric, so painted, but the cowlings were metal and very highly polished.  I suspect that there may be a few more lurking in the shadows, yet to appear.

 

I've seen bare metal Valiant(s), but not in squadron use?

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Hi folks,

 

A little bit more progress from me. The engine has been painted with some Citadel colours. Black to start, drybrushed with leadbelcher  then washed with bulb oil. The grey section was a mixture of three greys.

 

Harvard Canopy and engine

 

And I've masked the canopies. Thanks to Eduards T-6G set, it was fairly quick.

 

Harvard Canopy and engine

 

That's all for now. I am sorting out seems on the fuselage and addressing it. I am also in a quandary regarding cowlings. I have a spare Monogram cowling which has the correct 'look' to it where it is more conical rather than the barrel of the Occidental kit. It is a little shorter though and will require the engine moving back a little to accommodate. I'm not sure which I will go for yet.

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Hi folks,

 

Well I've made a decision on the cowling and I am going for the Monogram one which is more accurately shaped. I've removed the 'dish' that sat behind the engine and fitted a thin plasticard version that allows the engine to come back a little so the cowling will fit:

PXL_20210412_185246222

Ignore the horrific seam which has since been filled and sanded.

 

 

PXL_20210412_184307734

 

 

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Hi everyone. I've been attacking seams and getting her ready for this:

Harvard primed

Alclad, black primer all ready to go. 

 

Since priming I have added the masks by Maketar and sprayed the resin exhaust in Alclad burnt metal. Photo to follow shortly.

 

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On 06/04/2021 at 16:13, 85sqn said:

So here is a comparison between Occidental and Monograms forward canopies. The monogram one is on a Harvard MkI fuselage by MDC. However the rake of the Occidental one is different, shallower and for me it just doesn't look quite right.

 

Harvard build

 

 

Harvard build

 

 

 

I always thought the rake of the windshield on the Occidental/Italeri kit was a bit dubious and doesn't look right at all.. My preference for a Harvard in 48th remains with the Monogram one. I have one part built but too far gone to enter this GB .

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1 minute ago, Paul J said:

I always thought the rake of the windshield on the Occidental/Italeri kit was a bit dubious and doesn't look right at all.. My preference for a Harvard in 48th remains with the Monogram one. I have one part built but too far gone to enter this GB .

I totally agree

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