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1/72 T.52


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20 years ago I built a 1/72 scale Harrier T.2 by combining the Bobcat and ESCI kits. This was one of my earliest articles in Scale Aircraft Modelling. For this group build I will repeat the conversion, but this time I will build the Hawker Siddeley T.52 demonstrator. This is the only photo I have of the model, after it fell down from the shelf. It has since been repaired, re-marked as a 4 Sqn. aircraft (I think it was) and given to the squadron through the Harrier SIG.

T2.jpg

I have this old Bobcat kit

Bobcat_T2.jpg

And I have just torn the plastic wrapping off this ESCI kit.

Esci_AV-8A.jpg

Nils

Edited by Vingtor
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Well, kits are to be built, not collected. :)

Nils

thats what they say, but i find it soooo hard. infact i have lots of esci harriers, GR3's, FRS1's AV8As etc but refuse to make them, luckily Italeri resold them :-)

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The Bobcat kit is very simple, so I will use as few parts from this as I can, which basically means the nose section with cockpit and the tail section.

T52_1_800.jpg

Although it was first released back in the 1980s (I think), the ESCI kit has surface details that beat many newly released kits.

T52_2_800.jpg

I will display the model in flight, thus a plastic tube is installed inside the fuselage. A brass rod will go up into the main wheel door, and then into the tube. I do the same with most of my 1/72 scale Harriers, thus I ensure that the angle of the plastic tube gets the same for all.

T52_3_800.jpg

Nils

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The tails have been chopped off the ESCI kit

T52_4_800.jpg

and likewise for the Bobcat.

T52_5_800.jpg

ESCI fuselage and Bobcat tail was then joined together.

T52_6_800.jpg

Nils

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Hi Nils,

I'm following this thread with interest as I've finally just acquired a Bobcat T4 to go with the old (but great) ESCI GR3 which has been sitting in my stash for nearly 20 years! Do you still have a copy of your original SAM conversion article?

Cheers,

Doug

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  • 2 weeks later...

The progress on the T.52 is slow, I'm afraid. I have filled and sanded the joint line on the tail, and re-scribed panel lines on the Bobcat tail. Also the RWR antenna has been removed.

T52_7_800.jpg

Next is cutting off the Bobcat nose and start working with the cockpit.

T52_8_800.jpg

Nils

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Looks like I know what LF Models based their masters on for the Harrier T conversions.

There are some obvious similarities ...

I have continued with the nose. The shape is a bit curved at the lower half just in front of the intakes, so I replaced this with section from the ESCI kit.

T52_9_800.jpg

The Bobcat cockpit is rather sparse The seats ate moulded integral with the cockpit floor, with the head rests moulded as part of the fuselage halves. This had to go, as I plan to use white metal seats from Aeroclub. Here is the cockpit interior as provided in the kit:

T52_10_800.jpg

The seats removed, the void filled with plastic ...

T52_11_800.jpg

... and filled with putty:

T52_12_800.jpg

I have also started work on the wings. The outriggers are positioned in the "closed" position. Some filler is required.

T52_13_800.jpg

While I was waiting for things to dry, I made sub-assemblies of fuel tanks and nozzles.

T52_14_800.jpg

To be continued ...

Nils :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

I decided to use the front cockpit and side consols from the ESCI kit, while consols for the rear cockpit were built up with sheet styrene.

T52_15_800.jpg

The nose halves were then cemented together. To make tight joints I let the subassembly dry under clamp pressure while I went for a week's hillwalking in Wales. :)

T52_16_800.jpg

The nose is now ready to be attached to the rear fuselage, and for more work in the cockpit.

T52_17_800.jpg

Nils

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Before the nose was attached to the fuselage, I painted the engine fan and intake interior.

T52_18_800.jpg

The nose was then attached, and left to dry overnight under pressure.

T52_19_800.jpg

Nils

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I am indeed building G-VTOL in the desert camouflage scheme. There are however many markings variations for this and I have not yet decided which to do.

In the meantime, the snoopy nose has gone and been replaced by the nose from the ESCI GR.1 kit. Also the intakes are in place.

T52_21_800.jpg

I wonder how long before the pitot will break ....

Next will be some rounds with filler and sanding. Not very amusing.

Nils

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I am indeed building G-VTOL in the desert camouflage scheme. There are however many markings variations for this and I have not yet decided which to do.

In the meantime, the snoopy nose has gone and been replaced by the nose from the ESCI GR.1 kit. Also the intakes are in place.

T52_21_800.jpg

I wonder how long before the pitot will break ....

Next will be some rounds with filler and sanding. Not very amusing.

Nils

Taking shape nicely Nils! Filler and sanding eh? Good luck!!!

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