Airfix 1/24 Harrier Gr3

[Wendall]

I picked up this kit the other week for £29.99. I thought it was a pretty good price!

I was going to save it for one of the GBs next year but I kept going back and opening the box and finally I could resist no longer.

The box is huge and stuffed full of plastic, dominated by mahoosive fuselage halves and wings. In typical large scale Airfix fashion lots of parts have fallen off of the sprues and the ones that haven't have their fair share of flash. The tyres are supplied as rubber parts and the canopy is fairly clear and free from distortion (I'll show these when I get to them) the decal sheet is also nicely rendered with 3 decal options.

Most of the time I buy a kit and then start looking for aftermarket goodies, I'm a bit of a PE junkie to be fair. This kit is huge but very basic and needs something adding to it to do it justice. The cockpit is spartan, the wheel bays have virtually no detail, the side intakes are moulded closed and the body is covered with rivet detail more befitting an ancient steamship. Now there are good selection of upgrade options. Flightpath do a very nice PE, resin and white metal upgrade set. 60 quid though:eek:. Heritage do a resin interior, air brake bay and a few other bits and bobs which are slightly easier on the wallet but still add up if you buy them all.

So this is my plan. I have scoured the web for as many reference images as I can find and I shall be raiding the spares box and my styrene stash to scratch build as many missing details as my talent will allowo_O

So here goes. As in the norm, office first.

This is Airfix's 1970's rendition of a Martin Baker.

View attachment 90089


Doesn't really cut it does it!

I shall be modelling a Corporate Gr3 so after many minutes research I believe this should represent a Mk9 seat without the belts suspended from the headrest.

I may be wrong!!

Here's my crack at it anyway! Still got a bit to do. I'll be making some seat pads from Milliput and belts from tape or foil or both.

View attachment 90090

View attachment 90091


Some work done on the big bits as well. Top is how it came out of the box, bottom is after a couple of hours input from yours truly.

All of the rivet detail has been filled, sanded and panel lines re-scribed. I'm not going for the totally smooth look. Going by my references, some areas have more visible rivets than others so this is what I am trying to replicate.

Also some of the raised surface detail has been added using 0.2mm styrene sheet.

View attachment 90092

View attachment 90093


Some work on the intakes as well. This is one of those jobs I wish I hadn't started but as the intention is to pose it stationary the it needs to be done. All flaps need to be in the open position except the bottom three I believe.

View attachment 90094


Still a bit rough around the edges but there's hours of work left to do on them yet:rolleyes:.

So this is the first of what will probably be many updates. Hopefully get it finished before Christmas.

Thanks for looking

Jason

 

[Alan 45]

Ooooo I have this kit in my stash so I will be popping in to see how this comes along

Are you going to chain drill the section above the engine so you can see it all ?

Are you going pinocio or the standard nose ?

 

[Wendall]

Hi Al, nice to have you along for the ride

The pinochio one, I think the normal pointy nose is for the Gr1 or the US AV thingy. I am trying to work out the best way to display the engine. Probably gonna try and hinge the forward engine covers if its not too ambitious. The engine is huge, it'd be a shame not to show it off.

 

[Alan 45]

If you look at the kit there's a cover that fits on top of the fuselage that the wings attach to so I'm going to chain drill that out so you can see the engine

I don't think I've got the skill to make open engine covers

 

[dubster72]

Great bargain Jason! I'll watch your progress eagerly!

Cheers

Patrick

 

[Wendall]

If you look at the kit there's a cover that fits on top of the fuselage that the wings attach to so I'm going to chain drill that out so you can see the engine

You mean the one with the exhaust outlet Al? The pics I have shows that it opens up in four pieces, hinged down the middle. I think Airfix have designed the kit so as you can lift the whole wing assembly off but I'll have a play around and see what I can work out.

In my head it's gonna be easy:D

Great bargain Jason! I'll watch your progress eagerly!

They're flogging them off cheap at the moment Patrick. Went to my LHS for a browse yesterday and picked up the 1/24 Sea Harrier for £40 and he did me a deal on the Typhoon as well:D. Haven't got a clue where I'll put them though. Nice to have you along for the build mate.

Jason

 

[Polux]

Excellent start!!!

Permission to watch this one :P this will be very interesting!

Just hope to see you next year on the SIG as well

 

[Alan 45]

You mean the one with the exhaust outlet Al? The pics I have shows that it opens up in four pieces, hinged down the middle. I think Airfix have designed the kit so as you can lift the whole wing assembly off but I'll have a play around and see what I can work out.In my head it's gonna be easy:D

Jason

You know the top of the fuselage? There's a solid piece that fits on top ,

I'm going to cut that piece so you can see the top of the engine , I think that's what airfix wanted to do as there's another piece that fits on top of that so you can cover it up

I'm sure you'll make it look easy :D

 

[flyjoe180]

Nice start Wendall. Is the extended nose section a kit option? That nose pictured is the GR1/AV8A nose. For a static Harrier you are correct, the top four/five vent doors are open, the fifth usually partially. Gravity opens them up. The nose gear doors are open, the mains closed, and the nozzles are usually pointed rearwards. If possible the tail plane is usually canted back. The air brake should be open and lastly the flaps positioned up.

 

[Wendall]

Excellent start!!!Permission to watch this one :P this will be very interesting!

Just hope to see you next year on the SIG as well

Thanks Polux, permission granted mate. This is my practice run for next years SIG

Hi Joe,

The kit is the old Gr1 with an extra sprue of Gr3 bits so I have to carry out a bit of rhinoplasty and replace the pointy nose with the bulbous one. Thanks for confirming the other stuff, shouldn't be any issues posing it as you have described. Only one wheel bay to detail! That makes life easier:D.

Jason

 

[Wendall]

I'm sure you'll make it look easy :D

That's the beauty of the forum Al. I post the pictures that make it look easy. After all the swearing and crying has stopped :P

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Great start and a lot of work gone into this already!

I don't know if you have seen this but you might find it interesting:

http://reddogmodels.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/124-airfix-harrier-gr3.html

 

[Alan 45]

Thanks for posting that Richard, I was going to say it's very nice but his gray is too light until I noticed he's done a winter scheme lol

 

[Wendall]

Thanks ever so much Richard! Could you set the benchmark a bit higher please? I'll put mine back in the box now!

Seriously though, that is one impressive build, If mine can turn out a fraction as good I'll be a very happy bunny. I will be robbing some tips from this for sure.

 

[Polux]

If mine can turn out a fraction as good I'll be a very happy bunny.

Mate....you will do it equal or better! Sure

So go for it!

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Sometimes when you look at hese amazing builds you feel a bit inadequate at first until you remember that the guy who built that was also once a beginner to modelling and he is also learning all the time, just as we are.

I try to think of them as an inspiration and a wealth of ideas just waiting to be robbed!

 

[Wendall]

Just a quick update for you this evening.

As I am detailing the cockpit I don't really want to cover it all up with the pilot. I've decided to do some mods to the kit figure so as I can pose him next to his bird.

View attachment 90234

View attachment 90235


So far I have cut off the head and hollowed out the helmet. The head will be replaced with a spare Tamiya Rally mechanic head. The body has been cut in half, trimmed and glued in an upright position. I cut the back of the knees and straightened the legs with the aid of some styrene rods. At the moment he stands on his own two feet but still a long way to go yet.

Thanks for looking

Jason