Colin M's 1:72 Hasegawa Sea Harrier FRS Mk1

[eddiesolo]

Looks good work Colin, the painting scheme does like a tricky one but I am sure your will pull it off.

Si

[colin m]

Thanks for looking in Gentlemen. So, what happened today. Well I spent 6 hours in the greenhouse potting on - but that's not what you want to hear about, so:

Here's was the SHAR ready to connect the cockpit and fuselage up.

[ATTACH]81552.IPB[/ATTACH]


And then, success. With only a tiny bit of filler and sanding required. Things should be a bit easier on the painting front now.

[ATTACH]81553.IPB[/ATTACH]

[Guest]

Looking Colin. See that Hawsaga put in the air vents on the inlets. Amazing on the Tamiya 1/48 they just had a mark on the plastic. This is a nice aircraft it is just enjoyable to build. It is just amazing how much they managed to get into such a small frame. A great feat of engineering and imagination. Often study mine on the shelf and marvel even with out the omitted inlets.

Laurie

[flyjoe180]

Looks great Colin. Laurie, Colin opened up the vents himself.

[papa 695]

Looking sweet Colin

[Guest]

Wow Joe missed that well done Colin just makes the Harrier.

Laurie

[colin m]

Thanks Laurie, but it was Joe who pointed this issue out to us harrier builders, all credit to him.

Well, a bit of paint has been applied. No pre-shading, just a really tiny bit of post shading. I haven't seen any picture of these Harriers in this colour scheme looking well used at all. So, whilst it was really hard for me, the paint represents an aircraft virtually out of the factory, no real weathering or fading to speak of.

[ATTACH]81758.IPB[/ATTACH]


[ATTACH]81759.IPB[/ATTACH]


Time for a bit of gloss before the decals.

Colin M..

[Guest]

Not sure if this is a Falklands job. But as a matter of interest the Invincible had a spray booth area. Even though the ground crew (or is it afloat crew) were extremely active through out the conflict I bet they kept the craft topnotch. They were I believe (memory) also changed for their peace time colours to grey active on board Invincible. Hermes did not have the facilities that Invincible had so not sure if they hand painted.

One thing which is interesting is that the Radar technician sent down south said that the grd. crew on Invincible knew as much as he knew about servicing the sets. That the Invincible crew had made modifications which improved the use of the sets.

Laurie

[colin m]

In a way Laurie, this is a Falkland Harrier. It set sail on Hermes but on the way down had the white underside removed, at least I think so. At the same time the roundels also had the white removed from them. This is from memory, I haven't checked Any references here.

I read sometime ago Sharky Ward's book about life on Invincible during the war, and have just finished Dave Morgan's book about life on Hermes during the war. Both worth a read

So, my own SHAR proceeds slowly. Time for decals. The Hasagawa instructions could be better. I'm having to use lots of pics off the web to find the correct location for some of them.

[ATTACH]81991.IPB[/ATTACH]

[papa 695]

Looking very good Colin

[flyjoe180]

Coming along nicely Colin. I'm about to start the Fujimi one for the FAA build.

[colin m]

Coming along nicely Colin. I'm about to start the Fujimi one for the FAA build.

I've built one of their Phantoms, very nice kit. I've got an old Matchbox kit for the FAA build, but I don't think I'll have time to take part in the build - doh.................

[Guest]

Very nice. Just my favourite aircraft. Vents great. Very nice Colin.

Think I love it as I lived the Falklands. I was 40 at the time and I was just scared stiff for our blokes down there. A small dated aircraft carrier plus a pocket sized one with about 20 of these pocket sized aircraft which had such a punch in all ways.

Great fighter and also if Admiral Woodward had known his job he would have allowed it to be a great surveillance aircraft.This was especially as "Sharkey" Ward and his pilots (and his radar grd. crew) had conquered the Blue Fox Radar capabilities and gone beyond the specs of Ferranti. Sharkey Ward was a trainer who just got the best out of the machine and men. Why ? One of those who realised you lead from the front knowing those behind will follow as the man infront knows more than you and is able to impart that knowledge without any selfishness.

Laurie

[colin m]

Thanks for the input Laurie. It was indeed amazing what the task force managed to do and as many acknowledge, the SHAR was a most important component to the success of the war.

So, getting all five wheels on a Harrier to touch the ground can be a bit of a problem (I'm talking about the kit, not the real thing) therefore, I've tackled the problem this way. Front and wing gears are attached, allowed to set, then the main gear will be added, at which point the height of the main gear can be adjusted so everything sits on the ground nice and square - well that's my theory anyway.

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I still haven't decided on the finish, it's gloss at the moment, but maybe a bit too shiny, so I might go for a satin varnish for the final coat.

Colin M..

[Guest]

Just had a look at mine the same colour scheme and I decided that satin looked good. Looking good i wished I had had more guts and cut out the vents on the instakes.

Must have had the same problem with wheel balance quite frankly I just do not how I achieved it. Had a look at the wheels and no file marks.

Laurie