ESCI 1/72 Sea Harrier FRS.1 - Finished

[Johnson]

15 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

The ladder looks phenomenal Charlie and along with the tractor and the beautiful Sea Harrier is going to look awesome with the crew around it too.

Thanks Chris, you're most kind. It's coming together OK. Still work to do on the tow bar and then the deck. I've bought Colour Coats paint which has the right deck colour. I've also got to try to work out where the tie down points were on the deck! I'm finding it really hard to grab the time for modelling. The dog, family, grandchildren etc take a lot of time, not that I mind at all! A good day out yesterday with 'the chaps' (old work mates). We went to the Haynes Motor Museum. Fantastic, well worth a visit.

 

Cheers,

[Paulaero]

Great work on the figures, if you want to bring out the detail on them try a dark wash, I use Tamiya smoke.....

 

 

[Johnson]

1 hour ago, Paulaero said:

Great work on the figures, if you want to bring out the detail on them try a dark wash, I use Tamiya smoke.....

Thanks Paul. I was thinking that I ought to try a bit of dark wash on them. I'll experiment (lightly) tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

[Johnson]

Working on the tow bar, the vital link between the deck tractor and the expensive bit of hardware they towed around the deck.

 

This is as far as I've got today, unbelievably about 4 hours work. Quite a lot of measuring from photos, trial and error, and a  large discard pile. I don't think my eyes will take much more. Hopefully, with some help of a ethyl-2-cyanoacrylate*/talc mix (to fill some gaps and make it look like it's been welded together) and more bits of tiny plastic, it will start to resemble a tow bar soon...

 

 

Cheers,

 

*superglue

[AlxBNE]

I love everything about this project.

The ladder, tractor and crew look amazing.

Empathy and admiration for the frustration of measurements from photos and lots of guesswork to get a tow bar you are happy with.

It certainly looks good so far.

Looking forward to seeing the end result.

[Johnson]

Many thanks @AlxBNE

 

51 minutes ago, AlxBNE said:

Looking forward to seeing the end result.

 So am I !

 

And I just thought of another couple of things to make. Chocks.

Small but necessary. ! 

[Richard E]

20 minutes ago, Johnson said:

And I just thought of another couple of things to make. Chocks.

Small but necessary. ! 

 

Probably already on your list Charlie - tie down chains

 

If not being used, seen stored on top of the tug together with tool (?) boxes 

[Johnson]

11 hours ago, Richard E said:

Probably already on your list Charlie - tie down chains

 

Absolutely Richard. Another essential item of deck equipment to stop the planes (and tractors when parked) sliding about - or off the deck!

 

Using this photo, I worked out the approximate size of the chain which at 1/72 is about 40 links per inch.

 

 

And Langley Models had 40links/inch in stock. 😀

 

 

But unfortunately not. It's actually only 32links/inch when measured. 🙄

In fairness they did offer a refund. But I've hung on as it may have to do, can't find anything finer.

 

14 hours ago, Richard E said:

together with tool (?) boxes

 

Good idea!

 

 

Obviously another essential item on the deck under a Sea Harrier being prepped for a CAP. Roundel Blue apparently, with 801 in white (801 NAS).

 

Cheers,

[Johnson]

This is my best guess at what the tow bar looked like;

 

 

It appears to have a winding mechanism on the left above the wheels that raise and lower the legs.

 

 

I really had to guess at the length. I tried calculating from various photos and using the Sea Harrier as a reference, but I got wildly different results, so in the end estimated it based on what I could see. In photos they look so different that I wonder if they could be extended?

 

Tomorrow, paint.

 

Cheers,

[Johnson]

Tow bar...

 

Some of the tow bars on HMS Invincible (possibly all of them for Op Corporate?) were painted dark green with obvious signs of wear showing the yellow underneath. I'm guessing that they were painted green like the deck tractors which were later all painted dark green presumably to make them and the carrier less visible. I've followed this with the tow bar which I think is a bit more interesting than painting it yellow like the tractor.

 

But what colour dark green? Most of the photos were B&W. So another guess - that they would have been the same green as the later deck tractors, colour photos of which can be found online. I needed to use matt paint (to make the weathering work) and the nearest dark green paint I could find was some 50 year old Humbrol HB1 Authentic Colour - still usable in an airbrush!

 

I airbrushed on a coat of yellow. Actually, there's a coat of Alclad steel under there, but I think it was a waste of time. I forgot to photograph either 🙄. I brushed on hair lacquer and then airbrushed the old Humbrol Dark Green. Next day, once all was dry, a bath in warm soapy water and delicate weathering with a toothpick.

 

 

 

 

Finally, I gave it a coat of Alclad Aqua Gloss.

 

Probably (almost certainly) not 100% accurate, but it will do.

 

Chocks...

 

Little yellow things, grab handle at the back and joined by a chain.

 

The only solution was a bit of scratch building. I primed them with pink paint to bring out the yellow;

 

I think the SHAR front undercarriage needs more weathering!

 

Nearly there! Just need a tool box and some hold down chains.

 

Thanks for looking, back soon.

[Zephyr91]

17 hours ago, Johnson said:

Nearly there! Just need a tool box and some hold down chains.

 

Apologies Charlie.  Only just found this.  It's not a subject i will probably model but I'm impressed with what you have achieved with this.  And the scratch building of the items for the display, like the tow bar, I'm loving.  Shows what can be done with a bit of determination and a lot of skill.  Thanks for the ideas.

 

Rob

[Johnson]

1 hour ago, Zephyr91 said:

Apologies Charlie.  Only just found this.  It's not a subject i will probably model but I'm impressed with what you have achieved with this.  And the scratch building of the items for the display, like the tow bar, I'm loving.  Shows what can be done with a bit of determination and a lot of skill.  Thanks for the ideas.

 

Hi Rob,

Glad you like it! The ESCI Sea Harrier was great fun, if a bit of a challenge at times. I love a bit of scratch building, so the flight deck was ideal, though I may have got a bit carried away!

 

Cheers,

[bigbadbadge]

Looks fantastic Charlie, great job on the tow bar and chocs , brilliant stuff.

Chris

[AlxBNE]

Nice to see the hair lacquer weathering technique in action....... something I have read about but not been brave enough to try myself (yet).

Thanks for the inspiration...... actually this whole build is inspiring.

Looking forward to the finished article.

That is ......if you ever finish it.

I suspect that you may find one small detail after another to keep adding little by little for a few more years!....if you do we will all be watching and enjoying.

[Johnson]

13 hours ago, bigbadbadge said:

Looks fantastic Charlie, great job on the tow bar and chocs , brilliant stuff.

Many thanks Chris. Hope to get a tiny tool box, usually underneath a SHAR being prepped for flight, finished today or tomorrow.

 

13 hours ago, AlxBNE said:

Nice to see the hair lacquer weathering technique in action....... something I have read about but not been brave enough to try myself (yet).

Thanks for the inspiration...... actually this whole build is inspiring.

Looking forward to the finished article.

That is ......if you ever finish it.

I suspect that you may find one small detail after another to keep adding little by little for a few more years!....if you do we will all be watching and enjoying.

Cheers @AlxBNE. The ladder and the tow bar are the first time I've tried the 'hairspray' weathering technique. Very pleased with the results. But have to be careful as it's very easy to remove too much paint. On the tow bar I had to retouch it slightly with green. And thanks for you kind words, I'm enjoying the build very much but it is getting near the end. Having said that, there are a couple of things still to do on the SHAR, hopefully without dropping it!

 

Cheers,

[Johnson]

First Up - the Tool Box.

 

Most Sea Harriers had a tool box underneath the plane when being prepared for a CAP.

 

 

I tried using one from the Hasegawa USAF Ground Crew set, but it wasn't right. I think the British boxes may have been old ammo cans? Certainly they look similar. The only option then was some scratch building using 10 thou plasticard.

 

 

They were painted Roundel Blue. Handles are 5 amp fuse wire.

 

 

They had the Naval Air Squadron number (801) on the front and the Plane Number (004) on top. Very old Almark decals, 2" white numbers, were just right.

 

 

 

Back to the Sea Harrier (what this thread is supposed to be about).

 

Today, with some trepidation, I was adding the roundels under the wings - that I should have done at a much earlier (and easier!) stage, but completely forgot about them. I think I was in a rush to get the Sea Harrier finished during the 40th anniversary year.

 

 

While the SHAR was upended, I also painted the landing light silver, added the tie down rings on the front u/c leg and the smaller red light (what's it for?) that all 1/72 model manufacturers think is unimportant and leave off. I think it looks great and adds detail to the nose gear. The tyres are a bit shiny aren't they? The guns got the white bit on the front, again, not sure why they're like that, but they were. On 004/ZA175 anyway.

 

The 1000LB Airburst bomb got its No 947 backup impact fuze in the tail pocket, thanks for the tip @Selwyn. Not that anyone can see it. But it's there!

 

 

Oh, and I knocked 'the bloody doors' off, twice.

 

Enough for now. Back with tie down chains shortly.

 

Thanks for looking.

[Richard E]

1 hour ago, Johnson said:

the smaller red light (what's it for?)

 

There are a couple of references in Andy Evan's Sea Harrier Modellers' Data File to a "Visual Indicator Light" - an uneducated guess is that it might be intended to be used when the aircraft is conducting night time operations from the carrier to help preserve both the air and flight deck crews' night vision?

[Selwyn]

On 2/13/2023 at 1:43 PM, Johnson said:

 

Absolutely Richard. Another essential item of deck equipment to stop the planes (and tractors when parked) sliding about - or off the deck!

 

Using this photo, I worked out the approximate size of the chain which at 1/72 is about 40 links per inch.

 

 

And Langley Models had 40links/inch in stock. 😀

 

 

But unfortunately not. It's actually only 32links/inch when measured. 🙄

In fairness they did offer a refund. But I've hung on as it may have to do, can't find anything finer.

 

 

Good idea!

 

 

Obviously another essential item on the deck under a Sea Harrier being prepped for a CAP. Roundel Blue apparently, with 801 in white (801 NAS).

 

Cheers,

Its a metal  H86 ammunition box. Its probably the box for the tie down chain kit. If you look closely it appears to be chained to the tie down chains by its handle on the left. Originally it would of been brown in colour.

 

Selwyn

[Johnson]

15 hours ago, Richard E said:

There are a couple of references in Andy Evan's Sea Harrier Modellers' Data File to a "Visual Indicator Light" - an uneducated guess is that it might be intended to be used when the aircraft is conducting night time operations from the carrier to help preserve both the air and flight deck crews' night vision?

Thanks Richard, I also thought it might be something like that.

 

14 hours ago, Selwyn said:

Its a metal  H86 ammunition box. Its probably the box for the tie down chain kit. If you look closely it appears to be chained to the tie down chains by its handle on the left. Originally it would of been brown in colour.

Thanks. Couldn't fined H86. Possibly a H50 ammo box Selwyn?

https://talesfromthesupplydepot.blog/2020/05/22/7-62mm-ammunition-box/

[Selwyn]

2 hours ago, Johnson said:

Thanks Richard, I also thought it might be something like that.

 

Thanks. Couldn't fined H86. Possibly a H50 ammo box Selwyn?

https://talesfromthesupplydepot.blog/2020/05/22/7-62mm-ammunition-box/

H86 is a longer version of the H80.

 

Selwyn

[Johnson]

12 minutes ago, Selwyn said:

H86 is a longer version of the H80.

Definitely a H86 then. Mine is too long for a H50!

Ta.

[Johnson]

A small portion of HMS Invincible's deck

The small portion of deck is made from a piece of laminated chipboard shelf. Nick Greenall (IPMS Harrier SIG) kindly sent me a plan of Invincible's deck and 'runway' at 400 yards near the rear lift. I printed it at 1/72 and used it as a guide for the deck markings and circular tie-down points (Pic 1). I drilled 2mm holes (46 of them!) with a pillar drill so I could achieve an accurate and consistent hole location and depth. Then scribed the line of the lift edge using a thick piece of plasticard with a suitably rounded corner as a guide, enlarging the groove until it looked like the gap in photos. The deck was painted with Halfords black and grey primer rattle cans, mixing grey and black and using Colourcoats 'Deck Grey' as the guide for the 'deck grey', The deck was then masked for painting the white guide lines (Pic 2). Tie-down rings are wire from kitchen tie-twists. The wire was a bit too shiny so it was heated to red hot on the stove and when cool it took on a nice dark steel colour. The wire was twisted round a 1.2mm drill bit and individual rings cut from the spiral (Pic 3). The rings and ring holders (10 thou plasticard) were glued in the deck holes with PVA. The white 400 yard marking was painted using a stencil mask made from Nick's plan. Pic 4.

 

 

A rather too clean deck;

 

Tie-down chains

I bought modelling chain which was supposed to be 40 links/inch, which would have been about right at 1/72, but when measured they turned out to be 32 links/inch 🙄. Hey-ho, best I could get.

The clamps that attach the chains to the undercarriage legs are pretty complex (in real life). I made the 1/72 representations out of stretched sprue and thin strips of Tamiya tape wound around to simulate the adjusting rings, sealed with thin super-glue then painted. The chains were sprayed with Alclad steel, but it didn't stick to the brass and I had to resort to Humbrol aluminium (the old good stuff, No.11) and matt black mixed;

 

 

Attaching the chains to the deck revealed the problem with oversized chain, it didn't want to go through the rings at all, nor hang convincingly. A frustrating evening spent faffing around, unintentionally removing rings from the deck and much paint from the chains, more repairs... and then it was done.

 

One Sea Harrier FRS.1 on a (slightly grubbier) deck;

 

Mostly happy with the result. Better get the rest of the crew and bits n' bobs on deck, and get them ready for a CAP.

 

Thanks for looking in.

[corsaircorp]

Waooow Well done Charlie !!

Impressive detailling !! really love that SHar !!

Sincerely.

CC

[Johnson]

4 minutes ago, corsaircorp said:

really love that SHar !!

Many thanks CC! With all the other stuff I've been doing in this build, I've almost lost sight of the main player - ESCI's excellent little SHAR. Came out in 1983 and still the best FRS.1.

 

Cheers,

[bigbadbadge]

That is looking fantastic Charlie with the chains and the box.   Looking forward to seeing the crew added.

Great work

Chris