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Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR9A


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Whilst I'm off work for a few days, I thought I'd gatecrash this group build with Airfix's latest offering. I'll be doing it as ZG478 of 41® Sqdn and adding the Aeroclub white metal Martin Baker Mk12 to the cockpit and adding some AGM65s to the weapon loadout.

Anyhoo, here is the obligatory box/references/aftermarket shot,

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The rest of the WIP will follow as it happens. Tonight I'm planning on tidying up some parts ready for some airbrushing fun tommorow.

Mark.

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Nice kit isnt it, ive just bought 3 of these so i can do all the kit schemes and im sure i'll be buying more. I can feel a green GR7 coming on.

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Nice kit isnt it, ive just bought 3 of these so i can do all the kit schemes and im sure i'll be buying more. I can feel a green GR7 coming on.

Aye, it's a cracking kit Martin. The next one I buy will be done out of the box as one of the 2 Op Herrick options and I'll buy another one after that to do as an Op Telic machine. What amazes me is the level of detail you get and the quality of the decals you get in the box for £12.99. I think I paid that for the Hasegawa GR5, and that's before you add in the cost of all the AM stuff to bring the detail up to standard. That alone makes the Airfix offering outstanding value for money.

I quite like the Harriers in the green scheme, so I might just do one of these as a GR5 from the SAOEU in the early 90's or I think I've got an old Xtradecal sheet somewhere with a 1 Sqdn machine on it.

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Good Morning All!

Last night was sub assembly heaven for this build. Airfix have really thought through the design of this kit and managed to come up with some pretty good build options. For the wheels down option you get a very well detailed undercarriage bay which will be the basis for someone to add some super-detailing to as well as the intake suction doors being moulded as a seperate insert. This option allows you to forgo the hassle normally involved in building a Harrier kit of having to modify these to represent the dropped doors normally seen when the Harrier is at rest.

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These first few images show the intakes, the main wing and the tail cone. All went together very well with only the absolute minimum of clean up needed. I read in a review build somewhere that it is best to leave off the rear stabs and tail cone until after painting if doing a two tone grey or green scheme as it makes masking so much easier. So I will be doing just that!

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These 2 images just serve to highlight the level of detail in the main undercarriage/airbrake assembly.

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The AGM 65's have come from the weapons sprues provided in the Airfix Club edition of the GR7. To say they are basic would be an understatement! Having trawled the internet, I now have enough detail images to improve these (starting with cutting off the rear fins and drilling out the rear of the missle) and to scratchbuild their dedicated launch rails.

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These last 3 images show the kit seat on the left and the Aeroclub one on the right. The Aeroclub seat is superb, but the kit seat isn't bad. Again, it would be a good basis for a bit of detailing.

That's it for now, I'm off to crack out the Airbrush and some Dk Admiralty Grey, white and black.

Mark.

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The one thing I would say about the Aeroclub seat is that it omits the back pad which bridges the gap between the seat back and the power retraction unit. Because it also allows you to position the seat pan where you choose, there is a natural tendency to place it in it's lowest position. If the pan is mounted a little higher and a piece of thin styrene card used to replicate the back pad then the overall result can be a bit more representative.

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Good start!

I'm trying to hold off starting mine until I've finished at least a couple of the other builds I've got on the go! I was wondering if it was worth getting a replacement seat but thanks to your comparison I probably won't bother! I think with some PE belts the airfix one will do just fine.

Phil

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Good start!

I'm trying to hold off starting mine until I've finished at least a couple of the other builds I've got on the go! I was wondering if it was worth getting a replacement seat but thanks to your comparison I probably won't bother! I think with some PE belts the airfix one will do just fine.

Phil

Phil, the kit seat is light years ahead of some of the offerings in kits and I'd say that it is a more than adequate basis for a little detailing. I'll be tinkering with it whilst I build this kit as a trial run for future builds.

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The one thing I would say about the Aeroclub seat is that it omits the back pad which bridges the gap between the seat back and the power retraction unit. Because it also allows you to position the seat pan where you choose, there is a natural tendency to place it in it's lowest position. If the pan is mounted a little higher and a piece of thin styrene card used to replicate the back pad then the overall result can be a bit more representative.

Yup, all my ref pics show what you mean and tommorow's planned scratchbuilding marathon includes detailing both seats. I've tried thin plasticard before but I'm not overly impressed with the results. I might give the thin aluminium from an Irn Bru can a bash to see if it's any better.

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Harry, IIRC the 2 shoulder harness straps emerge from the top corners of the back pad and are joined by the parachute harness the 2 straps of which velcro to the head box and are then retained by the retraction unit via a transverse strap. I've got one in the loft (don't ask) which I think is from a Mk10 if you need any references or else look at the excellent Martin-Baker site.

The Aeroclub seat sets out to replicate the ridges on the parachute box where the harness runs down but these look a little fat to my eye.

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I've got one in the loft (don't ask) which I think is from a Mk10 if you need any references or else look at the excellent Martin-Baker site.

.

OK, I won't ask!! I've already pilfered as many images as I can for just about every seat from the Martin Baker website, it's a great resource, especially the colour pics.

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Ok, got a little time this evening coz the missus was hogging the laptop, so spent a little time cutting up an Irn Bru can and some lead foil. Got the jet nozzles made up as well.

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Here's the aforementioned jet nozzles.

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Starting to add some detail to the seat.

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And the end result of the evening's work. A couple of bits still to add and then a coat of black before the detail painting.

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Whilst researching stuff for the AGM65, I found this listed at Hannants

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MMMK7240

Being a tight fisted Scotsman, I'll no be paying that! Well, not just now anyway, but it's good to know that should my scratchbuilding efforts come up short I've got the option for an off the shelf upgrade. Although marketed as a being for the Gripen, it seems you get the LAU 117 rail (correct for RAF) and the option of live/inert tail sections.

Thought it might be useful to anyone with a hole being burnt in their wallet!

Mark.

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Whilst researching stuff for the AGM65, I found this listed at Hannants

http://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MMMK7240

Being a tight fisted Scotsman, I'll no be paying that! Well, not just now anyway, but it's good to know that should my scratchbuilding efforts come up short I've got the option for an off the shelf upgrade. Although marketed as a being for the Gripen, it seems you get the LAU 117 rail (correct for RAF) and the option of live/inert tail sections.

Thought it might be useful to anyone with a hole being burnt in their wallet!

Mark.

Nice progress so far Mark.

I'm currently building the Airfix GR9 along side the Revell GR7. Since the Revell kit only comes with tanks and sidewinders, I had the same thoughts on loadout and went with Mavericks. Sourced mine fro the Revell Hunter FGA9, the pylons look about right on that. (Comes from the Swiss option).

Hope that may help.

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Nice progress so far Mark.

I'm currently building the Airfix GR9 along side the Revell GR7. Since the Revell kit only comes with tanks and sidewinders, I had the same thoughts on loadout and went with Mavericks. Sourced mine fro the Revell Hunter FGA9, the pylons look about right on that. (Comes from the Swiss option).

Hope that may help.

Nice tip! Found some sprue shots and the rails look bang on, just a shame the Hunter in my stash is the F6 boxing. Still, it wouldn't hurt to have an FGA9 n the stash too....

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Evening All.

Not much done today because the weather's been too good to stay indoors. That will change tommorow when the forecast aint good and the missus is going out for lunch with the bairn. That'll leave me free to build away!

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First up, a little surgery needed to enable the Aeroclub seat to fit. Think I'll detail the kit ones in future builds.

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Just like my Hawk, I'll be modifying the kit Sidewinders to represent the Aquisition Rounds seen on ZG478. Likewise, the Mavericks will be the inert rounds without the 2nd set of fins.

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The start of the LAU 117's. These'll take a few days before they're done.

That's all until tommorow,

Mark.

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Looking like your enjoying this kit and I see why! I can feel a stash replenishment coming on!

I like the use of the fizzy drinks can Ali as well, I swear by the stuff!

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Looking like your enjoying this kit and I see why! I can feel a stash replenishment coming on!

I like the use of the fizzy drinks can Ali as well, I swear by the stuff!

Well now that I've given it a go, I'm a convert too. I first saw it used when someone had used it to replace the undercarriage doors on the Frogspawn Whitley, then seeing your use of it on your Swordfish made up my mind. And it's a pretty cheap resource too, only 35p a can in my works canteen! I'll be using it to detail the AGM 65's today, so keep your eyes peeled for that update.

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I HATE WHITE PAINT!!!! So it's a good job it's on the inside of the intakes and the wheel wells as it hasn't sprayed very well. The humbrol satin white has sprayed not too bad, but the Humbrol matt white hasn't been so well behaved. It dried rather chalky and ran badly despite not being over thinned and then when I tried to sand out the worst of it, it clogged the wet'n'dry like a flock of geese clog a Pegasus!

Rant over, back to model making!

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White is awful! I've found the Vallejo white primer, in the small dropped style bottle, thinned a bit with their airbrush cleaner then sprayed at about 20psi gives a decent finish, it's a dull satin, not quite Matt.

Not sure if that helps or not!!

Phil

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White is awful! I've found the Vallejo white primer, in the small dropped style bottle, thinned a bit with their airbrush cleaner then sprayed at about 20psi gives a decent finish, it's a dull satin, not quite Matt.

Not sure if that helps or not!!

Phil

Nice tip, might have to try it some time. I've found that Humbrol can be a bit hit and miss when it comes to opacity, especially the satin white 130. So to overcome it, I've taken to spraying a matt white base, then top coat with satin white. Normally this works just fine, but not today!

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Evening All.

A quick update just now. The missus decided not go out, so not as much time available so no marathon of scratchbuilding. That might come tomorrow, but in the meantime it's on with the show.

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The aforementioned problem white parts. Not looking too bad until you get up close and personal.

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The jet nozzles after seams were cleaned up and a quick coat of matt aluminium. The cold front nozzles will get a quick drybushing of silver and the rear hot ones will be coloured and dirtied up.

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These 4 images show the intake and compressor blade assembly under construction. Airfix have broken this down into 4 parts, which makes painting an absolute breeze and it's so well engineered that it goes together very easily afterwards.

That's all for now, tonight I'll be getting the fuselage together and the wings on so there might be a further update later.

Mark.

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And is if by magic, a Harrier appeared.

First image shows the fuselage halves going together, second one shows the wings in place and the third one shows the whole assembly with the LERX in place. Unfortunately, the LERX doesn't fit too well because I didn't dry fit it first and sort out the fit problems. Oh well, lesson learned!

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At this rate I'll have a Harrier by the weekend...

Mark.

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