Airfix 1/72nd Harrier Gr5 Pegasus test a/c

[Grant]

Airfix kit with decals for the dark blue and white test scheme. Should look pretty when done.

I had wanted to display it in the hover with the flaps drooped, then Paulo put up this excellent tutorial on how to get the flaps working.

Been working on this for a few weeks now. Here is the progress so far.

Then I started work on the flaps. Thanks Paulo, a terrific tutorial. That was a lot of effort on your part and it is greatly appreciated.

Obviously the brass rod is there just while I check it all works. More discreet pins will replace it when I am ready to stick all the bits together.

Now to get the port side working aswell!

And finally; A hover display. How about 4 clear rods shoved into each exhaust to hold the aircraft up?

The photo below has the full length rods in place as a test, but I reckon I will cut them down to about 3-4 inches.

It seems pretty stable. I think it will work. Anybody got any comments?

cheers

Grant

[mikeew]

Neat idea Grant, though with four rods it looks like a hybrid extra from War of the worlds!

Its like they're legs or something, a bit robotic looking, it could be because the rods are, as you say, still full length.

Maybe if you modelled it in a slightly nose up attitude as if it were powering out of a hover into the vertical as they do/did at airshows?

[Grant]

"War of the Worlds"! There was something weird in the back of my mind about it and that's what it was. It could be the full length effect, but I do like the idea of a nose up, climb out attitude. Luckily it is a decision that can wait 'till the very end. So, at my build rate, that will be plenty of time to think about it!

cheers

Grant

Edited April 5, 2009 by Grant

[Grant]

Well the painting went well. However, the decals being a pain. The backing/glue has aged and is coming off white. I have to rinse the decals off, once they are off the paper, but then they are going on fine with a bit of Klear. They are a bit thick, but a couple of coats of Klear seem help reduce that effect.

Here is a top shot with all the upper decals on, and with the tips and controls surface sealing being painted. Why is white paint such an awful paint to use?

And here with the masking tape removed.

It is on it's u/c now, and still on track to appear at Plymouth on Saturday.

cheers

Grant

[kspriss]

Well the painting went well. However, the decals being a pain. The backing/glue has aged and is coming off white. I have to rinse the decals off, once they are off the paper, but then they are going on fine with a bit of Klear. They are a bit thick, but a couple of coats of Klear seem help reduce that effect.

Here is a top shot with all the upper decals on, and with the tips and controls surface sealing being painted. Why is white paint such an awful paint to use?

And here with the masking tape removed.

It is on it's u/c now, and still on track to appear at Plymouth on Saturday.

cheers

Grant

Plymouth on saturday?..ooo whats happening here on saturday??

steve

[tornado64]

Neat idea Grant, though with four rods it looks like a hybrid extra from War of the worlds!

Its like they're legs or something, a bit robotic looking, it could be because the rods are, as you say, still full length.

Maybe if you modelled it in a slightly nose up attitude as if it were powering out of a hover into the vertical as they do/did at airshows?

i'd say less is more and just go with the one rod , just looks like too much going on underneath ,fantastic work in 1/72 tho !!

[AnonymousFY21]

I look forward to seeing it on Saturday Grant.

rich

[xffw45343tg]

Looks great - particularly the rivet detail on the dorsal access panel.

Airfix's idea of what the front IP looks like is amusing and I'm not sure where they thought the wheels retract into but such minutiae don't detract from your model.

Personally I quite like your "jet efflux stand" idea (particularly on this aircraft) though I think the length of the rods makes it looks a bit strange. Perhaps you could model it a bit closer to the ground? (In case you are "weathering" those rods, the hot end tends to look a bit smokey when the water injection is on in the hover. Take a look at the Lowestoft crash on youtube and you'll see what I mean.)

What colour/mix did you use for the blue? I heard that the colour for the real a/c was made by adding black to roundel blue until it "looked right" and I've never seen a colour picture to work out what "right" was.

[Grant]

Rich - It is done! So it will be there on Saturday. I hope you like it.

Kirk - The whole kit is just strange! Too narrow in places, like no room for side consoles in the cockpit, and jet efflux pitch and yaw control outlets missing, (which I finally twigged way to late to do anything about). As for the 'in-flight' option. The u/c is molded compressed, and way to difficult, at this scale, for me to mod. So it will be sat on the ground, motor running, just prior to t/o.

The FlightDec decals instructions described the colour as roundel blue plus 25% black. Mine is Xtracolor #123 'Blue Angel Blue' and Revell #7 black, mixed 2:1. It is possibly a bit blue, but I was getting worried about the mix suddenly becoming just too dark, so I stopped mixing and started painting.

'finished' photos to follow, after the Plymouth show.

cheers

Grant

[Grant]

Finally got around to taking some shots of the finished article! Looks OK (from a distance ) and looks pretty in the display case.

Here it is 'at Filton'...

A full walkaround is in 'Ready for Inspection'

cheers

Grant

[xffw45343tg]

Very nice Grant.