Unknown Harrier

[Guest]

Does anyone recognize this Harrier?

I built it twenty odd years ago but never quite finished it due to moving house.

It had minor damage to it in moving, which I hopefully can repair, but I have lost the decals for it.

So if anyone recognises which kit it could be and suitable decals I could obtain for it I would be grateful?

Due to the age of it I think it could possibly be a Tamiya Kit, because I favoured those back then.

The damage was one wing leg and both main landing gear broken off.

Can't remember what paint I used back then, but it was most likely Tamiya acrylic.

After digging it out of storage the paintwork was very matt so I have given it a coat or two of floor polish.

[Guest]

Thinking further, I think it highly likely I bought this just after the Falklands War as a tribute to our forces.

However I am not sure if the camo scheme would have been right?

[yak face]

Hi terry , off the top of my head ,i think the RAF harriers in the falklands were GR3's with the all over green grey camo and the different nose , so this looks like a GR1 in an earlier scheme. cheers tony

[Ian M]

Could also be one of the Navies GR1 that got a paint job on the way over. Maybe 800 NAS or 809. These were given sea grey / barley grey camo.

You might find a good use for these:

Buy Xtradecal X48058 1:48 scale from Hannants. We sell Aircraft decals (military), models, decals, paints & books.

Ian M

[Guest]

Given that it has the raised panel lines, I think it will be the Tamiya 1:48. As far as i know, and that is not far I will admit, Tamiya is the only one with the raised panel lines. However, that is the Navy FRS1 and I have not seen any sign of the re fuelling probe on the Tamiya kit but may be optional, I don't know.

[Guest]

Thanks guys!

You have given me somewhere to start researching.

I did wonder about the refuelling probe making it an RAF aircraft as opposed to Navy.

The nose is definitely not GR3. So it is either RAF GR1 or Navy FRS 1 or 2.

Graham, the refuelling probe was definitely part of the kit. I wasn't into customising my aircraft at that time. It is possible I have chosen wrong parts from the kit to go with the camo scheme.

I have just found an image of an Indian Navy Sea Harrier with the refuelling probe, so I could have mixed parts from the kit variants.

Then again it may have been an AV8A!? Did the Americans have the refuelling probe on early aircraft?

[yak face]

Terry its definitely not a sea harrier ,that had a different ,higher cockpit to improve visibility for landing on carriers, its an RAF GR1 Which sometimes did have the removeable FR probe fitted. The AV8A is the same airframe as the RAF GR1 except for the avionics fit and weapons, I'd say you can decal it as an RAF GR1 with no worries. cheers tony

[Guest]

Hi Tony.

I don't wish to contradict you as I know little about the variants, but from what I can see from images on the net there doesn't seem to be any difference in the cockpits between the FRS 1 and GR 1.

It seems most likely I would keep harrier as an RAF aircraft though, unless I cut the RF probe off!:tongue1:

Just need to find RAF decals now.:emo6:

[yak face]

Hi terry, there is definitely a difference in the cockpits, the sea harrier is higher and has a slightly differently shaped nose. Its 100% a GR1. cheers tony

[Guest]

Hi Tony

I'll take your word for it!:thumbsup: