Airfix 1/72nd Harrier GR.9A Completed page 2

Thanks guys.

I will be doing a Falklands War Group Build staring next year to mark 40 years in 2022.

Very cool.  Nice pair of Harriers.  I dig the bomb loading guy and equipment.  

This one is super nice too. You make the scale look far larger than it is. Well done.

BK

Really nice! I love the work you've made on the plane and the rest. I have a special interest in all the Harriers because of the Malvinas/Falklands war.

Thanks Chad. I do like these later RAF ones, i prefer the look of the nose for some reason.

This one is my favorite of the two you made. Love this design. 

Time to wrap up the Harrier. Adde some RBF tags as well as a Hasegawa USAF figure painted in UK Desert DPM. The cut of the uniform looked close enough in this scale. Figures are always a let down.

This aircraft was base at Kandahar in 2009.

Thanks for following along guys. All comments welcome.

Bish

Still not a bad price for that kit. Sounds like you have a nice selection of harriers.

This one is the favorite one I have, bought on clearance at a Michael's arts & crafts.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/revell-85-6878-av-8b-harrier-with-operation-iraqi-freedom-book--194116

And I like the Falkland Islands veteran I also have.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-gunze-gx-206-bae-sea-harrier-frs-mk1--1157263

Still not a bad price for that kit. Sounds like you have a nice selection of harriers.

This is the exact kit I got, found at the Fort Knox thrift shop for $7. A little more than I like to pay for a thrift shop find (I got a 1/48 scale Monogram B-26 for $3.99 and a Moebius Ironman for $1.99), but I like the Harrier. Although I prefer the USMC AV-8B version.

https://www.scalemates.com/kits/airfix-a50093-bae-harrier-gr3--142947

I need to dig out my Matchbox kits; I bought two of them many years ago to build one in each marking version.

Thanks Rob.

I've loved this kit since the old Matchbox kit. It looks great.

It was my first time adding det cord, so it was just a case of seeing what worked. Don't have all this trouble with WW2 aircraft.

Thanks Bish.  Good to know!

I have just found out that yes you can, but it was worrying when the canopy frosted up. But it cleared once the setting soloution had dried.

I first tried the PE one with white glue but that was a mess. So i removed it and cleaned it up and then coated the inside with future and that did the trick.

Can you use decal solvents like MicroSol and Set on clear canopies?   Also, how do you apply a PE DET cord to the canopy? I would be deathly afraid of getting CA glue on the clear plastic. 

A final short update before i wrap this up. Got the GR.9 finished with a flory wash. I have gone for a rather grubby lok which i think match's the pics i found quite well. Stores were adde along with the canopy and other final bits. I used the decal for the Det cord on the canopy as i didn't have a PE set for this kit. I am not as keen on the decal as i am on the PE i used on the Shar.

Just got to add some RBF tags, fit it to the base and sort out a figure.

Thanks G. Your not kidding about the increased load.

Looking good there, Bish!  That underside shot really shows off the increased payload of the second gen Harrier!

Thanks guys.

Well executed paint Bish! I love those low visibility liveries. 

Thanks Nick. I think nthis scheme was a late one, they seemed to have changed a few times from the early 90's.

nice. I always thought it was just barley gray used on your phantoms

Been a while since i updated as the build slowed a bit, partly due to a painting issue. The Harrier has 3 shades of grey on it, though you can hardky distinguish the lighter 2 even in the flesh let along on the pics. I used Xtracolour for all 3 but for some reason the 3rd one took ages to dry, it was still tacky a week later. So i had to do quite a bit of repair work.

I put on a coat of Aqua gloss to seal the paint before adding the decals.

Next up some weathering.

Thanks BK. Ye, i think your right. And i am looking forward to doing the older versions with the different schemes. These 2 are just various shades of grey.

This one looks really good as well. They will certainly complement each other on the shelf.

BK

Thanks guys.

Greg, he must be hideing in case Bond find him . But i am surprised that 007 has not flown one, it only appeared in one Bond movie.

Chad, i agree. I have a GR1 and 3 in the stash as well, but i am not really as keen on the look of the front of the 1, its only from the 3 that its starts to get more interesting.

You can see the finish line from here. I always like the nose on this variant. Seems like there's a lot going on and a lot of technology packed in that nosecone.