Yet another Harrier GR3

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The Harrier GR3 seems to be a popular choice in this GB, so I'll add in another one.  

 

This is the Airfix 1/72 kit.

 

 

 

 

 

 

These trwo sprues are specific to the GR3 version.  For anyone building a Falklands GR3, it is important to use the LRMTS nose on the right, the one with a small fairing and antenna on the underside.   I will explain why in my next post.

 

 

 

 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The Harrier GR3 went through a number of modication states.  By the time the Falklands war came along, the entire fleet had been upgraded to Phase 4 standard, with Phase 6 in the planning stage.  Operation Corporate led to a rethink of Phase 6.

 

Phase 4 jets did not have Sidewinder capability. That was planned for Phase 6.  However, the capability was added in very quickly to what became known as the "Corporate fit".  The cables required actually ran down the outside of the outboard pylons!  They were covered with speedtape and green paint.   Another problem with Phase 4 jets is that they could not operate from an aircraft carrier as the INAS system needed a perfectly still platform while it was running up, known as "in align".  Put a Phase 4 jet on a moving deck and it would autorev in align. Basically, this meant that the INAS system could not settle on the current position as its base point.

 

This problem was overcome with some Nasty magic.  There was a small fairing added to the underside of the LRMTS nose which had a small antenna.  This allowed the jet to align on a moving deck.  The term "Nasty" referred to the avionics groundcrew who provided a lot of TLC to the INAS system.  In the rest of the RAF, these people were referred to as "Fairies" but on Harrier squadrons they were called "Nasties".

 

After the war, the next step was a "post-Corporate fit".  The outboard pylons were replaced with new ones that allowed the Sidewinder cables to run down the removeable leading edge. Fitting this was a total pain as there were forty hi-torque screws needed.   Post-Corporate jets still had the Nasty magic fairing.  That wasn't an official name, by the way...

 

The intention was to upgrade the entire Harrier fleet to post-Corporate fit, but Phase 6 got in there first.

 

Phase 6 was a major upgrade to the Harrier fleet.  By rights, the Phase 6 aircraft should have had a new mark number, but GR5 was reserved for the Harrier II.  Phase 6 jets had another new outboard pylon which did away with all the hi-torque screw pain.  The Sidewinder control panel was intergrated into the instrument panel in the cckpit rather than being a bodged up add-on.  The INAS system was modified to operate from a carrier deck, so the fairing under the LRMTS nose was removed.

 

Most importantly, the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) system was removed which saved a lot of weight.  Phase 6 jets also had a whacking great antenna added to the dorsal centreline and this is the main recognition feature.

 

The Phase 6 programme moved rapidly so that by late 1985 about 90% of the fleet had been upgraded to Phase 6 standard.  There were still a handful of post-Corporate Phase 4 jets around and they always caused problems for the younger pilots who had only ever flown Phase 6 jets.   On startup, the liney running the see-off would run the pilot through a few functional checks.  On a Phase 4 jet that meant the jockey had to stir the stick, causing the RAT to cycle up and then down.  It was hilarious to see the look of bewilderment on the faces of the younger jockeys when you gave them the RAT instruction. They just didn't have a clue   Eventually Ops would simply assign the younger lads to Phase 6 jets to avoid that problem.  

[Ozzy]

Just the one???

[Enzo the Magnificent]

13 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Just the one???

Harrier?  Yes.  

 

But it will be followed by a Skyhawk.

[heloman1]

Another Harrier and why not? Thanks for the Mods heads-up Enzo. Looking forward to your build.

 

Colin

[Johnson]

Excellent info Enzo.

 

If you could get a move-on that would really help as I know squat all about Harrier GR.3s and it appears that you know lots!

[Cummulus]

On 4/21/2022 at 9:20 PM, Enzo Matrix said:

Harrier?  Yes.  

 

But it will be followed by a Skyhawk.

👌👍

[Pappy]

Top gouge Enzo, I can't wait to see what you do with the kit!

 

cheers,

 

Pappy

[Enzo the Magnificent]

It's about time I got on with documenting this build.

 

The cockpit and engine fan assembly is quite tricky.  The assembly provides for a detailed nose gear bay,   Although the bay doors are closed when the aircraft is powered up and when it shuts down, they need to be open for the linies to get in there and do their stuff on turnrounds.  There is a tiny door on the port side just ahead of the bay which gives access to a switch relieving the pressure in the hydraulic system allowing the doors to open.  The jockey resets the switch and closes the door as part of his pre-flight walkround.

 

I painted the undercarriage bay Xtracrilx XA1015 Light Aircraft Grey.  The cockpit interior was sprayed Lifecolour UA-033 which is a reasonable match for Light Admiralty Grey. 

 

 

I sprayed the intake interiors white and then masked them off at the point where the intake duct changes contour allowing me to spray the forward areas with the relevant exterior colour.  There has been a bit of discussion as to where the demarcation line is.  In my experience, aircraft with the wrap-around camouflage had the line in the position I have shown.   Aircraft with Light Aircraft Grey undersurfaces had the demarcation line slightly behind the intake lip.  This is easy to represent on the kit as the external intake parts can simply be painted with the external colour and they will naturally provide a good demarcation line.

 

The inner intake walls were also sprayed white and masked off for the external colour.  The demarcation line is marked by the blow-in doors. Anything aft of the doors is white.

 

These blow-in doors captured the turbulent boundary layer when the aircraft was in forward flight and exhausted it through two square vents which can be seen on the panel behind the cockpit.  In hovering flight, there was no problen with a turbulent boundary later so the doors closed increasing the airflow to the engine just when it most needed it. 

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

All the parts installed ready for fuselage assembly,

 

 

Once the fuselage is closed up, make sure that the interior parts meet up correctly or you may end up with a gap in the nose gear bay and a problematic fit for the external intake parts.

 

 

The wing has been assembled ready for fitment.

 

 

About thirty years ago I saw a superdetailed 1/24 Harrier model where the access doors to the Pegasus engine had been built open.  Unfortunately the modeller had obviously never seen a real Harrier with the engine exposed.  They had opened access doors in between the wings which do not exist.   Access to the forward part of the engine is by removable doors just behind the cockpit.  Access to the rear part of the engine requires the whole wing to be removed.  The wing is in one piece exactly as you see in this kit.   One day I will build a Harrier up on stilts with the wing off.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

The Harrier GR3 was equipped with a nose mounted LRMTS (Laser Rangefinder and Marked Target Seeker) and tail mounted RWR (Radar Warning Receiver).  The Airfix kit provides these parts on an additional sprue.  However, there is a problem with the tail fin in the kit.  It has the RWR fairing but is the same height as the fin in the GR1 kit.  The actual GR3 fin was extended by about four inches and had a more pointed profile.   The kit part can be modified using a sliver of plastic card and some careful filling and sanding.  However, I took the easy way out and used a resin fin from Freightdog.

 

 

The external intake components have now been added.  Airfix correctly supply seperate parts for the blow in doors.  If you build an aircraft in flight then use the parts that provide a flush contour.  For an aircraft on the ground with power off use the parts that have the upper doors open, as seen here.  The only configuration that cannot be modelled is for an aircraft in the hover or on the ground with engine running.

 

These doors opened to provide extra air to the engine when it was running but not in forward flight.  When the jet was hovering it needed all the air it could get, so the doors would open to provide that.  They were not connected to any mechanism, and simply opened when the airflow pushed against them.  Checking correct operation of these doors was also part of the jockey's pre-flight walkround.  The jocky would punch the lower doors on each side and check that they opened and closed due to gravity.  This gave a characteristic hollow plunk-plunk-plunk-plunk sound as the doors closed.

 

 

Main assembly complete.  The boundary layer exhaust vents can be seen on the parcel sheld directly behind the cockpit.

 

 

 

[Johnson]

Excellent! Enzo has overtaken me!

 

How do you know so much about Harriers Enzo? Your posts imply a first-hand knowledge. I'm really learning a lot here.

 

Anyway, decision time as I'm about to add the tail fin.

 

6 minutes ago, Enzo Matrix said:

The actual GR3 fin was extended by about four inches and had a more pointed profile.   The kit part can be modified using a sliver of plastic card and some careful filling and sanding.

 

I was going for an OOB build, but this seems worth adding.

 

Keep going Enzo!!

[Enzo the Magnificent]

1 minute ago, Johnson said:

How do you know so much about Harriers Enzo? Your posts imply a first-hand knowledge.

 

I spent five years as an armourer on a Harrier squadron in Germany during the late 80s.   Best years of my life!  

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Windscreen fitted and masked.  Cockpit, intakes and nose gear bay masked.  Primed with grey plastic car primer from a rattle can.

 

 

And then sprayed overall with Xtracrylix XA1004 Dark Sea Grey.

 

 

Then comes the tricky bit - masking the camouflage.  RAF wraparound camouflage is always tricky getting the undersurfaces to match with the uppersurfaces.  It helps to conside that on the fuselage it is basically a single spiral from nose to tail.

 

I used my usual tehnique of Blutak worms, masking tape squares and Copydex to seal it

 

 

[exdraken]

Very nice Enzo, and extra informative!

[CliffB]

On 5/4/2022 at 8:09 PM, Enzo Matrix said:

Then comes the tricky bit - masking the camouflage.

 

You seem to have nailed that perfectly Enzo 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Camouflage sprayed using Xtracrylix XA1001 Dark Green.

 

 

The modek was then sprayed with a lacquer coat to seal the paintwork.  The decals were then applied.

 

 

Greeblies painted up ready for fitment.

 

[Enzo the Magnificent]

Finished! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Johnson]

2 hours ago, Enzo Matrix said:

Finished! 

 

Almost! Don't forget the weather vane Enzo.

 

Very nice, and good to see some ground support ordnance.

[Enzo the Magnificent]

11 minutes ago, Johnson said:

 

Almost! Don't forget the weather vane Enzo.

 

Very nice, and good to see some ground support ordnance.

 

Good eye with the weather vane!  I'll add it but the photos in the gallery will be the photos you see here.

 

This jet flew at least one mission with 1000lb bombs in the ballistic role (114 tails).  I prepped 'em!