Popular Post The Shearwater Posted February 15, 2023 Popular Post Share Posted February 15, 2023 (edited) Here's my first go at a kit which is older than me! The 1963 Airfix version of the Hawker P.1127, of course the very original design which eventually became the Harrier. Let's just say that kit design and quality has come a VERY long way in 50 years... (to be fair, I'm sure this was great for the manufacturing technology available at the time). I've seen some beautiful versions of the kit online - quite a few where people have smoothed & filled the finished thing. I decided to keep it as original as possible although the kit canopy was way too wide (a common issue). In the end I used the front part and replaced the rear section with a part from a GR1 kit. I also swapped the kit seat for a spare resin one (sanded down a bit to remove modern headbox etc). Added a bit of dirt to represent the live version in testing (and highlight a little of the extensive rivet details on the surface) and added underbody strakes, although reference photos are not thick on the ground! To be fair to the kit, the one thing I thought I'd have trouble with was the old decals: in fact, they went on fine, they weren't fragile, and they conformed really nicely to the surface. A couple of final shots with my Airfix GR9 kit - the first and the last of the Harrier lineup together. About half a century between the real things (and also the kit versions) showing how both have evolved almost beyond recognition. Thanks for reading! Edited February 16, 2023 by The Shearwater added photo & seat info 92 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amos brierley Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 I’ve got to tip my hat 🎩 for your build, brave man, beautiful build. 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farmerboy Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Cracking job on both models, good job! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACALAIN Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Well done. Alain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
echen Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Wow! That brings back memories! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F-32 Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Love it, absolutely superb! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlxBNE Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 You've done a great job on both kits. The comparison shots are brilliant and very interesting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Very neat and interesting display work! Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisbob12 Posted February 15, 2023 Share Posted February 15, 2023 Good result! I'll be bookmarking that for mine 😉 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Homer Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 A blast from the past,remember building this in the 1960s when it came in a plastic bag with instructions stapled to the top .You have made a fantastic job of it ,well done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanC Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 8 minutes ago, Homer said: A blast from the past,remember building this in the 1960s when it came in a plastic bag with instructions stapled to the top .You have made a fantastic job of it ,well done. Yes, a wonderful build. I also remember having the bagged version, only I was a bit too young to do it so my mum stuck it together for me. Her first and last model! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Bob Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 As others have said, a real blast from the past. I built this kit from the bagged version (I/6d or were they 2/- by then) and I always fancied building a Kestrel version. One of these prototypes ended up at the RAF Hendon museum in 1972, I had a close look at it, there was a lot of araldite holding it together. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelh Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 (edited) Another blast of nostalgia. Of course I too built the bagged version far too long ago. Recently ITV4 aired an episode of the 'Saint'. Some nice footage of one of the prototypes. It had been stolen on behalf of a villianous East European country. Luckily Simon Templar was able to fly it back to England two up and saved the day. Implausible but great fun. Worth it to see the Kestrel in flight. Edited February 16, 2023 by noelh 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillF67 Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Super! To my jaundiced, old eye, it looks better than the Harrier - more futuristic and modern in a funny sort of way 🤪 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue Monday Posted February 16, 2023 Share Posted February 16, 2023 Great build of an Airfix classic. It would be amazing if they did a modern tooling of this early version of the Harrier. A new-tool P1127 along with a Kestrel would be great to see but sadly might not prove overly profitable for Airfix. BM. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shearwater Posted February 16, 2023 Author Share Posted February 16, 2023 On 15/02/2023 at 10:33, amos brierley said: I’ve got to tip my hat 🎩 for your build, brave man, beautiful build. 😉 On 15/02/2023 at 10:48, Farmerboy said: Cracking job on both models, good job! On 15/02/2023 at 11:14, MACALAIN said: Well done. Alain On 15/02/2023 at 12:23, echen said: Wow! That brings back memories! 22 hours ago, F-32 said: Love it, absolutely superb! 21 hours ago, AlxBNE said: You've done a great job on both kits. The comparison shots are brilliant and very interesting. Thank you folks for the very kind comments 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shearwater Posted February 16, 2023 Author Share Posted February 16, 2023 23 hours ago, Spitfire31 said: Very neat and interesting display work! Kind regards, Joachim 11 hours ago, Homer said: A blast from the past,remember building this in the 1960s when it came in a plastic bag with instructions stapled to the top .You have made a fantastic job of it ,well done. 11 hours ago, IanC said: Yes, a wonderful build. I also remember having the bagged version, only I was a bit too young to do it so my mum stuck it together for me. Her first and last model! 11 hours ago, Retired Bob said: As others have said, a real blast from the past. I built this kit from the bagged version (I/6d or were they 2/- by then) and I always fancied building a Kestrel version. One of these prototypes ended up at the RAF Hendon museum in 1972, I had a close look at it, there was a lot of araldite holding it together. 9 hours ago, noelh said: Another blast of nostalgia. Of course I too built the bagged version far too long ago. Recently ITV4 aired an episode of the 'Saint'. Some nice footage of one of the prototypes. It had been stolen on behalf of a villianous East European country. Luckily Simon Templar was able to fly it back to England two up and saved the day. Implausible but great fun. Worth it to see the Kestrel in flight. Thanks folks, some very interesting info in there - and sounds like there’s plenty of affection for the kits of our youth! 22 hours ago, chrisbob12 said: Good result! I'll be bookmarking that for mine 😉 Good luck! 😁 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 It's interesting to reflect on the fact that Sir Sidney Camm, who supervised the development of the radical P1127, was also the designer of the Hawker Fury biplane fighter. 🤔 Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rat Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 WOW! I fought that P1127 kit a few years ago, didn't help that the molding was short in a few areas, now it sits on a corner of the bench like it's in the fire pit at an air base. Unfinished and ugly. If I can find another maybe there will be a second attempt, after seeing what can be done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shearwater Posted February 17, 2023 Author Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 16/02/2023 at 11:11, BillF67 said: Super! To my jaundiced, old eye, it looks better than the Harrier - more futuristic and modern in a funny sort of way 🤪 On 16/02/2023 at 12:34, Blue Monday said: Great build of an Airfix classic. It would be amazing if they did a modern tooling of this early version of the Harrier. A new-tool P1127 along with a Kestrel would be great to see but sadly might not prove overly profitable for Airfix. BM. Thank you. A new tool Kestrel would be fab. I agree with you, unlikely to be a sufficient market for it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shearwater Posted February 17, 2023 Author Share Posted February 17, 2023 37 minutes ago, Spitfire31 said: It's interesting to reflect on the fact that Sir Sidney Camm, who supervised the development of the radical P1127, was also the designer of the Hawker Fury biplane fighter. 🤔 Kind regards, Joachim True… and in between them, he managed to design the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest!!!! Almost impossible to imagine that sort of portfolio from a single designer these days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 Very nice indeed. One of the first Airfix kits I ever saw, on my Summer holiday in Rothesay in 1967. My dad bought one of these and a Westland Scout from Woolworths on one of the less sunny days. The impact that experience has had on me was seismic 😀 The 1127 does look like something Gerry Anderson dreamed up though, doesn't it? John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hopesdaddy Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 Excellent work, way better than the result I was able to get when i gave this kit a try. I too would love to see a new version of the prototype harrier. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spitfire31 Posted February 18, 2023 Share Posted February 18, 2023 23 hours ago, The Shearwater said: True… and in between them, he managed to design the Hurricane, Typhoon and Tempest!!!! Almost impossible to imagine that sort of portfolio from a single designer these days Not to forget the Hunter… 😉 Kind regards, Joachim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shearwater Posted February 18, 2023 Author Share Posted February 18, 2023 1 hour ago, Spitfire31 said: Not to forget the Hunter… 😉 Kind regards, Joachim I’d forgotten that one. Absolutely amazing tally! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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