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Harrier Gr.7, Revell, 1/144 -> finished


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Everybody is familiar with the Harrier a VSTOL (vertical/short take-off and landing)aircraft of British origin.

 

The Harrier II was a planned upgrade to adress some range problems and augment the weaponsload that could be carried.

One of the upgrades was for the engine, but due to a bigger size, it couldn't be mounted in the original airframe, which would raise the costs (that already exceeded the planned costs) so the British left the joint program with the US. Albeit later on a new, enlarged, wing was ounted on the original airframe and bigger lerx'es.

 

These basemodels were called Gr.5, succeeded by the GR.7 (new avionics, FLIR, day/night capacity, MFD and new navigational map), GR.7A (more power) and GR.9 (more modern munition could be carried)

 

The kit:
1181816-12741-66-720.jpg

 

the parts:
28081_1_rev03887_2.jpg

 

28081_1_rev03887_1.jpg

 

A PE-set with cockpit details and antenna's

 

Brengun-Models-1-144-AV-8B-HARRIER-II-PL

 

I've started with thinnng certain edges:
1052685-11032-15-1440.jpg

 

Just some scraping with a tip of a knife. If no good, these can be completely replaced with PE.
The same for the steerable exhausts:
1052690-11032-95-1440.jpg

 

1052688-11032-10-1440.jpg

 

The wings needs an extra panel to add (to preven shrinkmarks), but this results in a large seam. I've filled it with glue and plastic shaving dust

1052689-11032-80-1440.jpg

 

After that I've started with the cockpit:
1052684-11032-37-1440.jpg


Sideconsoles are painted paper approx1mm x 1,5 ongeveer, looks messy (it is too, but I've used CA, so it is fixed...),

 

And next the instrument panel:

 

1052669-11032-39-1440.jpg

 

For size comparison

 

1052670-11032-13-pristine.jpg

 

and installed

1054696-11032-80-pristine.jpg

 

To be continued...

 

Edited by Silenoz
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Time for an experiment...  

 

Some pictures show the airbrake drooped down, so I've started cutting/chiseling the area out:

1056724-11032-41-720.jpg

 

Then traced the contours with a paper and pencil. The darker line is where to cut
1056725-11032-47-720.jpg


Next up is bending and cutting to fit the opening.
1056723-11032-40-720.jpg

 

and some dryfitting and sanding later...
1056726-11032-97-720.jpg

 

and on the model:
1056727-11032-29-720.jpg

 

I'm happy with how that turned out...

Edited by Silenoz
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Some more progress:

 

Added some missing antennas:

 

on the left side (As far as I can find, these are only on this side, not both sides?)

1060278-11032-48-1440.jpg

 

and the vane below the tail:

1060279-11032-73-1440.jpg

 

Also tried to deepen the hollow for the airbrake, but the plastic was to thin (or my opening too deep...) 

 

So removed the inside completely and added some backing plate, and some inside reinforcements.

 

1060280-11032-99-1080.jpg

 

This unfortunately didn't work out without making a hole on the other side to push it down

1060281-11032-87-1080.jpg

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My monologue continous
Second missile is also a fact, the first ons us "easy", to get the second one equal... not so...difference is a half a mm

 

1071561-11032-73-1440.jpg

 

The Retrokit intakes are installed for the parked position.... bit of a fit problem:

 

1071562-11032-75-1440.jpg

 

So added some material to sand away:
1071563-11032-87-1440.jpg

 

Next up the refueling probe, as per kit:
1071564-11032-15-1440.jpg

 

So cut away at an angle and scraped round:
1071566-11032-38-1440.jpg

 

And the other half installed, due to the slanted cut you have some raised  borders, which is good...
1071565-11032-81-1440.jpg

 

To be continued....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Been looking for a config for the weaponry, but choice is very limited. With the guns mounted instead of the strikes it seems only LAU-5002 or LAU-5003 launchers for unguided missiles are legit. 

rs=w:600,h:600
These mostly had a streamlined cover at the front, which makes it more easy.

So looking for dimensions and converted these to scale:

1076937-11032-72-1440.jpg

 

Next up a piece of sprue of almost the right diameter, and using a drill (Sorry, no lathe, SWMBO would kick me out indefinitely unfortunately), sanding sticks and other ad hoc material to shape it:

 

1076935-11032-77-1440.jpg

 

Next up the shape at ghe front and the back. The paper is to prevent the clamps making damage to the part

1076936-11032-47-1440.jpg

 

Haven't forgotten to drill out the back, but no pics..
1076934-11032-31-1440.jpg

 

Engravings have been changed to more equal spacing...

The canopy was ordered in a vacuum version from Brengun, but it arrived dented... leaving white markings at the outside surfaces... 

So only option is to bin it...

 

We'll see how to cope with that

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  • 2 weeks later...

The canopy was intended to be replaced by a vacform from brengun, but this one arrived dented (with white markings.. so unusable)

kit cockpit:

 

1083157-11032-74-1440.jpg

 

Wooden mold:
1083159-11032-90-1440.jpg

 

Just sanded to shape and made as smooth as possible.

Next up some clear packaging (Revell kit + paint to the rescue)
1083158-11032-97-1440.jpg

 

Next up, heating and pulling it over the mold.

and dryfit:
1083160-11032-39-1440.jpg

 

almost there...

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • 1 month later...

and some progress in this monologue here...

 

First two colors are on, medium sea grey and dark sea grey... but these seemed way to dark straight from the paintjar... so some mixing later 

 

First coat: Mix OF Barley grey, medium sea grey and white:

1131493-11032-30-1440.jpg

 

Next up a few hours of taping
1131489-11032-98-1440.jpg

 

1131488-11032-42-1440.jpg

 

And the second color

 

 

Dark sea greay, medium sea gray and white

1131490-11032-18-1440.jpg

 

Unpacking, which luckilily went a lot smoother:

1131492-11032-61-1440.jpg

 

1131491-11032-40-1440.jpg

 

Two more colors to go...

 

Edited by Silenoz
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Sorry to barge in on the monologue :) I am by no means a Harrier expert (by BM's standards, not an expert at all) but I'm not quite sure about the main canopy, seems a little wide... maybe if you take your windshield part which looks like an excellent fit and use the kit part minus the kit windshield? Can't help with the armament, sorry...

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Hello, thx for the intrusion 😉

 

The canopy can be glued in the open position. The backpart with the cut-outs is a bit wide, true, but I think I will leave it as it is at the moment.

 

Armament has been cleared for a Gr.7... not a lot... a Gr.9 gives more posibilities.. Maybe with the Rise144 kit as an example for the next one (https://www.rise144models.com/1-144-Harrier-GR7-9-armament-kit-d22.htm)

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On some other painting instructions the leading edges have a different color, so more tape:

1132512-11032-90-1440.jpg

 

1132513-11032-87-1440.jpg

 

And then some handbrushing with vallejo, I didn't dare to use the AB for this:
1132511-11032-41-1440.jpg

 

1132514-11032-48-1440.jpg

 

So on to the wintercamo

Next :
1134496-11032-93-1440.jpg

 

1134497-11032-33-1440.jpg

 

And after unpacking:
1134499-11032-17-1440.jpg

 

spacer.png

 

I'm rather happy, despite that I keep thinking the dark sea grey is way to dark...

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  • 4 weeks later...

Some progress:

Added the decals:
1153790-11032-60-1440.jpg

 

1153789-11032-45-1440.jpg

 

Misplaced the decals for the droptank, so tried it with the AB:
1153791-11032-27-1440.jpg

 

Luckily there aren't that much decals..

 

Started the bang seat. Only 6 parts... spent most of the evening on my knees..

Searching for parts thus....

Size: 
1153785-11032-35-1440.jpg

 

But in the end:
1153787-11032-74-1440.jpg

 

And installed:
1153786-11032-29-1440.jpg

 

An overview so far...

spacer.png

 

Edited by Silenoz
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Windshield and IFR-probe are installed... 

The IFR-probe needed to be lengthened and made a bit thicker to make da fifference between the outer tube and inner tube. I didn't use slide-fit tubes, because of the tip part that would be to weak. So I turned to a paper mantelet rolled around the contour.

The windshield gave me the most problems... First attempt was good... but when looked from above it was slightly angled with regards to the axle of the aircraft... So broke it away, reattempted it, which resulted in a bit of fogging on the inside trying to fill the gaps... So there was a third and fourth attempt... Still need to clean the edges, but... it is there...

Here with the CA


1157385-11032-26-1440.jpg

 

Here is the last attempt
1157389-11032-11-1440.jpg

 

Need to be cleaned in a bit more.

 

And I've installed the rearview mirrors in the sliding part of the canopy:

1157504-11032-14-1440.jpg

 

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Hopefully some nice weather soon for pics in RFI:

 

Some hard times getting the windshield mounted afterwards... i don't dare to sand it further to avoid extra damage...

 

1158148-11032-20-720.jpg

 

1158149-11032-13-1440.jpg

 

Thx for interest

Edited by Silenoz
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  • Silenoz changed the title to Harrier Gr.7, Revell, 1/144 -> finished

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