Max89 Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 (edited) Hey there, I have some general questions about the Harrier GR.3 that I'm hoping someone here might have the answers to. I noticed that there are two boundary layer bleed air discharge ducts directly behind the canopy (#53 in this diagram). Are these actuated with controls to open/close/adjust them, or are they fixed? Does the tailplane taper out towards the end or does it end with a straight edge that's parallel to the fuselage? I've attached a crude drawing depicting top views of the tailplane, where #1 tapers out and #2 doesn't. Which is more accurate? Thanks in advance! Edited December 27, 2022 by Max89 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 It's been a long time, but I'm sure that the boundary layer ducts are just channels without doors or controls. The tailplane tips are not square cut but rounded. However the shape will be basically that of the aerofoil section rotated 90 degs. So a rounded shape at the front then tapering to the rear. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Not the best pic as I was photographing the gun pods, but you can make out the tailplane tip. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bentwaters81tfw Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 Check out our walkaround section. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimB Posted December 27, 2022 Share Posted December 27, 2022 The boundary layer doors did move, but not very much. Below is an image from the IPC . I think they were were spring loaded, to operate when forward speed was higher. They were always closed on the ground - except if anyone dropped something down the ducts. There was no separate control for them. The ducts can (just) be seen in some pictures of the inside of the nose undercarriage bay. I'm currently working out how to add them to a 1/24 Harrier, having just added some (very) rough shapes to a 1/48 one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max89 Posted December 27, 2022 Author Share Posted December 27, 2022 I found a pretty good picture of the tailplane from an angle that avoid perspective distortion. So as Graham said, rounded at the front, then tapers at the back. See the image below. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max89 Posted December 28, 2022 Author Share Posted December 28, 2022 Is it just me or are the rear nozzles on the GR.3 wider than the front nozzles? I've been operating under the assumption that all four nozzles are identical in appearance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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