DaveJL Posted June 9, 2022 Author Share Posted June 9, 2022 4 hours ago, Pappy said: G'day Dave, Canopy interior is same as cockpit i.e Dark Admiralty Grey (DAG) so whatever you used for the cockpit tub should suffice. I like Tamiya XF-54 myself. One thing I noticed with my stabs is that they had a weird 'swirl' pattern to the upper surfaces. I noticed in the unpainted parts but thought it was just the way that the plastic had cooled or something but after painting I noticed a faint pattern peeking through the primer. It only need a light rub back with a sanding stick and a re-prime but may be worth noting when you have primed yours? Also, dunno if I missed something but why are both the wingtip lights green? I think the port one should be red? cheers, Pappy Cheers Pappy. I'm guessing the frame of the ejection seat is the same? Thanks for the tip, I'll keep an eye on the stabs when I come to priming them! Regarding the wing tip lights, that's just the Mr Hobby Liquid mask showing as green, I haven't painted them a clear colour as yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 9, 2022 Author Share Posted June 9, 2022 A little more done today. Firstly, I sprayed the coaming and HUD frame black before fitting the HUD itself. Once set, on went the windscreen and relevant masks. All the wheel wells were sprayed and masked up. I also sprayed the airbrake bay white with the intention of dirtying it up. The main gear doors were also fitted with a slight droop, which had a tendency to happen when hydraulic pressure bled off the aircraft after shutdown. The kit parts are slightly undersized, leaving a bit of a larger gap than what would be seen between the doors but it will suffice for me! Inner part of the canopy frame was painted. I'd added some wire to give a bit more detail: Ejection seat finished: Finally, I borrowed pinched an idea off @Pappy for the canopy detonation cord; painted over the detail with some light grey acrylic. I'll then remove the excess on the clear part with a toothpick. Hoping to finish a few more sub assemblies tomorrow before priming the airframe. More soon and stay safe Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted June 10, 2022 Share Posted June 10, 2022 19 hours ago, DaveJL said: Cheers Pappy. I'm guessing the frame of the ejection seat is the same? Thanks for the tip, I'll keep an eye on the stabs when I come to priming them! Regarding the wing tip lights, that's just the Mr Hobby Liquid mask showing as green, I haven't painted them a clear colour as yet. Ref the seat, I think the same as well or perhaps a medium sea grey. Only the headbox will be seen in nay case You had me worried with the wingtip lights for a sec! cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 4 hours ago, Pappy said: Ref the seat, I think the same as well or perhaps a medium sea grey. Only the headbox will be seen in nay case You had me worried with the wingtip lights for a sec! cheers, Pappy Cheers. Just plumped for the cockpit colour. As you say, not much is seen once it's fitted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 10, 2022 Author Share Posted June 10, 2022 Didn't get much done today other than a lot of prep work. I did however, manage to finish the AIM-9s and FOD covers, the latter of which were given some weathering to simulate grubby hands etc. Edge of your seat stuff. Hoping to get more of the sub assemblies done tomorrow before moving onto the airframe itself. More soon and stay safe Dave 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 A little more progress today. Firstly, a small package arrived: So.. 'What's in the baxxx?' Well, four beautifully detailed bits of resin and etch: I left off the mounting lugs as a test fit showed these to interfere with the Harrier's pylon. I wasted no time in giving it a squirt of primer followed by some green paint: Beside the 'nine limas': Wing pylons were also finished. I added some 'chipping' to the leading edges with a mixture of Tamiya XF-16 Aluminium and XF-4 Yellow Green: I'll probably add some more to the undersides of the pylons. Undercarriage and associated bits were finished off, as was the airbrake. I did make a boob boob here and chopped the mounting pins off, so it may sit a little short in the recesses on the fuselage. I'll assess once it's fitted, may be able to correct with craftily fitted shims of styrene. Will get the nozzles and fuel tanks finished tomorrow and finally get the airframe primed. More soon and stay safe Dave 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 11, 2022 Share Posted June 11, 2022 All looking very good Dave, excellent work all round. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 11, 2022 Author Share Posted June 11, 2022 37 minutes ago, Johnson said: All looking very good Dave, excellent work all round. Cheers, Thanks mate, hopefully it all looks ok in the end! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 12, 2022 Author Share Posted June 12, 2022 Airframe was primed this morning and I'm happy to report that all looks good, despite the amount of sanding that was done. Pre-shaded and now ready for a top coat. Not sure why I bothered with this as it will be hidden under the EDSG. Old habits die hard eh? The rear engine nozzles and heat shields were finished. Base coat of Tamiya X-10 'Gun Metal' then dry brushed with various metallics. I then added some pastels and oils to dull them down. Front nozzles will be EDSG. The tanks are also finished. Bit of a sod to photograph, but hopefully you'll be able to see the chipping I added to the noses, again with Tamiya XF-4 and XF-16. Will get the airframe sprayed tomorrow. I'm using Tamiya XF-77 'IJN Grey Sasebo Arsenal' for my EDSG as my usual paint choice (MRP) doesn't look right in this instance. More soon and stay safe Dave 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 13, 2022 Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 A good session done today and the airframe is painted. Finally! Two coats of XF-77, allowed to cure for 5 hours (I had to stop myself from masking the nose off after about 20 mins, forgetting I wasn't using MRP!). Anyway, I avoided any mask-paint-peeling disasters and sprayed the nose, followed by detailing the RWRs and antenna. Tamiya paint is very flat compared to MRP. I shall rectify that by getting a few gloss coats on tomorrow in preparation for getting the decals on by close of play on Wednesday, which coincides nicely with my Covid isolation ending on Thursday!😁 More soon and stay safe. Dave 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 28 minutes ago, DaveJL said: A good session done today and the airframe is painted. Finally! Looks great Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted June 13, 2022 Share Posted June 13, 2022 Great progress Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 13, 2022 Author Share Posted June 13, 2022 2 hours ago, Johnson said: Looks great Dave! 48 minutes ago, coneheadff said: Great progress Dave! Thanks chaps. There's light at the end of the tunnel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pappy Posted June 14, 2022 Share Posted June 14, 2022 The SAG is a great sub for EDSG and I don't think I would have picked it if it wasn't already mentioned. The pics look to have a slightly bluer almost purplish hue but not in a bad way, cheers, Pappy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 14, 2022 Author Share Posted June 14, 2022 5 hours ago, Pappy said: The SAG is a great sub for EDSG and I don't think I would have picked it if it wasn't already mentioned. The pics look to have a slightly bluer almost purplish hue but not in a bad way, cheers, Pappy I thought that too, probably a mixture of the camera flash and the flatness of the paint. I much prefer lacquers for the big painting jobs but as I say the MRP EDSG wasn't great in terms of darkness. Would be great for a worn and weathered scheme on WWII aircraft but not the SHAR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 15, 2022 Author Share Posted June 15, 2022 Decals on. These are by far and away the best part of the kit. They performed flawlessly. According to numerous sources, the majority of the underside stencils were painted over so there are minimal stencils across the airframe. I also popped on the forward nozzles. Some weathering and a flat coat tomorrow all being well. Stay safe Dave 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 Nearing the end of what has been a bit of a saga! Panel wash was applied first thing this morning and, with the excess removed, I was able to add a flat coat. Once cured, I set about adding some weathering, soon followed by the attaching of the stabilisers, pylons, nose probe, rear nozzles, heat shields and FOD inserts. All nav lights also fitted and painted. The angles that the outboard pylons are sitting look a bit odd, but it's how they fit so who am I to argue! I assume the slight inward cant is to do with the anhedral wing. I have been made aware that the location of the pylons as suggested by Kinetic is incorrect however I decided I was content not to give myself extra work! I may also add some more grime to the rear of the lower fuselage; doesn't look overly weathered in the pictures! Next job will be to fit the landing gear. Stay safe Dave 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 Looks superb Dave! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 25 minutes ago, Johnson said: Looks superb Dave! Cheers mate. We’re getting there thankfully. Be glad to see the back of it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 16, 2022 Share Posted June 16, 2022 4 hours ago, DaveJL said: I may also add some more grime to the rear of the lower fuselage; doesn't look overly weathered in the pictures! The air brake bay tended to be very mucky Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 16, 2022 Author Share Posted June 16, 2022 42 minutes ago, Johnson said: The air brake bay tended to be very mucky Dave. So it seems! I think I need to add a few more oils back there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 Nearly done with this one. Looks like I spent my Covid isolation well! Back to work tomorrow then the pub on Sunday 🤗 The landing gear was fitted last night and again, other than the outriggers, Kinetic sort of leave you to guess how the front and main parts fit. The front was easy enough to work out but the main required a little care and some adjusting to get to sit correctly. Once set, I added the doors then popped in the ejection seat. I also added a small map and stuffed it between the coaming and windscreen. You'll see the small nick in the windscreen that I've been unable to remove. Couldn't quite get the map in far enough to hide it but might try again . I added some more oil to the air brake well and fitted the rather crude chaff set up that was employed during the Falklands - anti submarine chaff attached with string. When the airbrake opened in flight, out popped the chaff! It's not accurate by any means but for all you see of it, it will do! Just the ordnance and canopy to fit. More soon and stay safe Dave 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnson Posted June 17, 2022 Share Posted June 17, 2022 47 minutes ago, DaveJL said: I also added a small map and stuffed it between the coaming and windscreen. Looks very realistic. Might be one of ours (I was a young MOD cartographer back then, we made the maps of the Falklands, in a hurry!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaveJL Posted June 17, 2022 Author Share Posted June 17, 2022 2 hours ago, Johnson said: Looks very realistic. Might be one of ours (I was a young MOD cartographer back then, we made the maps of the Falklands, in a hurry!) Thanks mate. I've no idea where it came from! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coneheadff Posted June 19, 2022 Share Posted June 19, 2022 Great looking Harrier Dave!! Love the idea with the map Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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