06/24 Posted September 27, 2022 Share Posted September 27, 2022 “…nasty, brutish and short…” Thomas Hobbes 1651 “The Empire Strikes Back” Newsweek magazine cover 19 April 1982 “I'm not allowed to say how many planes joined the raid, but I counted them all out and I counted them all back.” Brian Hanrahan I was 12 when the Falklands War broke out. Like most people in the UK, I had never heard of the Falklands, let alone have any idea where they were. Political Diatribe Removed When the Argentine Junta made its fateful decision to invade, they set in train a series of outstanding acts, as Britain shook off its lethargy and proceeded, with great skill, dash, bravery and more than a little luck, to wage a war 8000 miles from home waters. The task group was the bleeding edge of that war, and the men and machines fascinated me at 12, and still do today. I remember the returning ships, although time has dimmed those memories, and now, as an adult, remember the lives lost with respect. Lots of waffle 06/24, how about some plastic butchery? This project began as a spin off of my Cold War whatiffery, realising that the force that retook the Falklands was an all arms effort that utilised many of my favourite old bits of kit (indeed, with hindsight, is probably why they are favourites). I could therefore make double use of much of what I had acquired. However, if there is an iconic British weapon of the war, then it must be the mighty Shar, the Sea Harrier FRS.1 so I set about building one. Consensus seems to be that the Esci/Italeri (also once released by Airfix!) is the most accurate, albeit a kit first tooled in 1983 or thereabouts. I’ve set to, but am grafting in bits of Airfix Sea Harrier where I think they add a little more detail. Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted September 27, 2022 Author Share Posted September 27, 2022 Grafting the Airfix ‘pit into the Italeri fuselage Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted September 27, 2022 Author Share Posted September 27, 2022 Main wheel bay also from the Airfix version Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Dropped intake doors (crude but should clean up ok) Task Force 317.8 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planebuilder62 Posted September 27, 2022 Share Posted September 27, 2022 I have built both kits, you have used the only Airfix parts worth using so I would just use the Italeri bits from now on. regards Toby 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Some progress… Untitled by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Untitled by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Aden gun pods and ‘winder rails are going to be spares from an Airfix GR.3, an altogether better species of Harrier 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Frankenharrier by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 8, 2022 Author Share Posted October 8, 2022 Thinking ahead to my GR.3 build, does anyone know what weapons fit would go with the RN 2” rocket pods? Adens?, ‘winders on the outboard pylons? Anything on the centreline? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted October 8, 2022 Share Posted October 8, 2022 4 minutes ago, 06/24 said: does anyone know what weapons fit would go with the RN 2” rocket pods? Adens?, Just the rocket pods on the outboard pylons; drop tanks on the inboard pylons and Aden gunpods; I think the centreline pylon would be clean. Hope this helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 The Airfix gun pods (from the GR.3, not the weird bulbous things from the SHAR) are a surprisingly good fit on the Esci/Italeri/Old Airfix fuselage. 1/72 Italeri/Airfix Harrier by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Haven’t decided if I’m using the Esci original drop tanks or the set from the GR.3 yet, they are broadly the same (Needless to say the Airfix new SHAR tanks aren’t…) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 10, 2022 Author Share Posted October 10, 2022 Drop tanks by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Airfix GR.3 on the left, Italeri on the right. The latter are fractionally shorter. Don’t suppose anyone knows the correct length? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 11, 2022 Author Share Posted October 11, 2022 No amount of Google-fu seemed to turn up dimensions, so in the end I went with the Airfix versions, on the basis they cleaned up slightly better, and I know at least one set will be spare as I want to do a GR.3 RAFG version with weapons on each pylon at some point. Drop tanks fitted by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 16, 2022 Author Share Posted October 16, 2022 Took advantage of the autumn sunshine to shoot some primer onto the Shar. Shows up a few areas needing attention but overall I’m quite pleased. SHAR in primer by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr SHAR in primer by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 18, 2022 Author Share Posted October 18, 2022 I need to decide which airframe the Shar will be. At the moment I’m leaning toward XZ455 as that was the one that made a pit stop on Fearless. However I don’t have suitable decals (only source I know of in 1/72 is the Xtradecal sheet which seems to have vanished from Hannants website) and the aircraft which landed on Intrepid was ZA177 which I think has featured on more decal sets. THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT, APRIL - JUNE 1982. © Crown copyright. IWM (FKD 199) IWM Non Commercial License THE FALKLANDS CONFLICT, APRIL - JUNE 1982. © Crown copyright. IWM (FKD 83) IWM Non Commercial License I do have another Ita/Esci/Airfix in the stash from the Airfix 25th anniversary set, so maybe I’ll do both, if I can get hold of suitable stickers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 18, 2022 Author Share Posted October 18, 2022 Meanwhile, I’ve made a gentle start on a GR.3 which I’m hoping to build to represent XZ989/Red 07 after its “hard landing” at San Carlos FOB ( https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/55553 ) again I’m using the Esci/Italeri as the base as I’m hoping this will make representing the chopped nose easier. As the aircraft lost the main part of the canopy during the crash, I felt the cockpit needed something better than my home brew I used in the Shar, so I used the CMK set, which, despite being designed for the Airfix version fitted the Italeri cockpit with only minor fettling. Harrier GR.3 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Harrier GR.3 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Harrier GR.3 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr The set comes with a nice MB9 bang seat too. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 The cockpit has been dry fitted into the fuselage to test. Once painted and closed up I think it’ll look the part. In the foreground, the wings are having the pylon fairings removed - pretty much the only real challenge with the original Esci kit Harrier GR.3 by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 19, 2022 Author Share Posted October 19, 2022 A lucky strike on EBay at lunchtime means I’ve acquired the Xtradecal set, so can build all the Falklands Harriers I want! 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 20, 2022 Author Share Posted October 20, 2022 A bit more work on the GR.3 - dropped flaps courtesy of the CMK control surfaces set, to match the photos of ‘989 after the crash. Dropped flaps by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr The photo shows me more clean up is required. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 The cockpit is coming together on the GR.3: 1/72 GR.3 with Kitsworld Instrument Panel by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 The fan blades were painted using Games Workshop/Citadel contrast paint, which provides a useful light and shade effect straight from the pot. Contrast painted fan blades by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
06/24 Posted October 23, 2022 Author Share Posted October 23, 2022 For this one, to drop the intake doors, I decided to copy the method @Navy Bird used on his build of the Fujimi kit, which typically understated masterclass can be found Here Dropping the intake flaps by Jon Gwinnett, on Flickr 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete in Lincs Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 They're coming along very nicely, Jon. Next in the to read pile is Sharky Wards book. First read years ago so It's time for another delve into those days. I was doing my Puma course at Westlands when they set sail. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAF4EVER Posted October 23, 2022 Share Posted October 23, 2022 I was stationed at RAF Sek Kong, when the Falkland War commenced,,came back in 83. and out in 84,so I never got to go Down South. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now