Hey gang, I know I'm really late to the party, but I'm hoping I can still get in on the fun. I'm waiting on a couple of parts to finish up my submissions for the Animalistic, Lockheed and Mighty 8th GBs, but I'd like to try to get two done for this GB. I have a couple of new projects in the works for the Animalistic and Lockheed GBs (crossovers), but those GBs run until the end of the year. Since I can take my time with those, I figured I'd try to get a pair of "quick" builds done before this GB's deadline.

I plan on doing a couple of 1/48 AV-8As in early USMC markings. 

One will be Monogram's Harrier. I bought it as a bagged kit for just a few bucks...

And the other will be Tamiya's offering. Also got it for a song...

The Tamiya kit is super-basic, so my plan is to build it in flight. The Monogram will be build gear-down.

Report cards are done...conferences are done...Spring Break's around the corner...I think I can knock these out.

OK, wish me luck!

Cheers!

-O

Wecome aboard O, as long as you get started it's all good.  My kitchen renovation has stoped me cold on the bench time so I'm just hoping get some of my stuff done.

I know its early, but anyone who started should keep posting till your build is done.

Looks cool O! 

Saw (or heard!) a Harrier at an airshow years ago, loudest plane ever!!!

I'll second that.  I was dead center in the grand stands at the Miramar Airshow years ago and the harrier pulled up right in front and hovered, slipped and spun around.  The loudest thing ever.  An F-18 Blue Angle buzzed the stands and it wasn't as loud as that harrier.

The promised spring time temps arrived, and allowed a coat of Italian Red to be applied.  The rear axle has been replaced with brass rod from the LHS, so all tires are in their place.

We're getting there!

Ohhhhhhhhhh, looks snazzy!!! 

Great job on that paint job, it's already looking fast.

Thanks all!  I have started humming the Magnum theme song while working on it now...

Lol, remember the episode where Higgins took away the Ferrari for himself and was driving her down the road at about thirty MPH!!!

I feel like it has been weeks since my last update...it has been a long week.

Over the weekend I started installing the hoods, windows and mirrors.  Then painted the trim, roof, and markings.

Next up is decals, somehow fixing the hoods so they actually sit flush,(they did during dry fitting!) then install the chassis without breaking any pieces or scratching the paint!

Wow, that GTS is really looking nice!

Yeah, that's beautiful Robert!

Hey dudes and dudettes, there's some, like, totally tubular work goin' on in here. Wicked stuff!

OK, enough of that...let me show you what I've been up to with my Harriers.

I have been able to get my Monogram Harrier's office finished. My only addition was some scratched ejection handles made from thin wire.

(Sorry for the terrible photo. Next time I'll pay more attention to my f-stop.)

That's as all I've been able to finish on my Monogram Harrier. Honestly, my Tamiya Harrier isn't much further along.

The Tamiya Harrier is a very simple (i.e. basic and bare) kit, so I decided to build it in-flight. If I was going to do that, I needed to decide on how I wanted to pose it. I decided on a nose-down/diving pose. 

I started with inserting a plastic rod through the engine assembly that will be buried in the fuselage.

From there, I moved forward to the cockpit. Since this was going to be an in-flight display, my Harrier needed a pilot. I found this ol' Sundowner in my figures box.

I had to change him from a squid to a jarhead. So, I handpainted (poorly, I might add) some woodland camo onto his helmet cover.

Some Tamiya tape belts and scratched wire ejection handles, and this Marine was ready to go flying!

Here he is earning his paycheck.

No, it's not perfect, but I think he'll make the cockpit look busy enough.

That's where my Harriers are as of today. I'll post more progress as I make it. In the mean time, keep up the righteous work everyone! 

Of course, comments, questions, and criticisms are welcome.

Cheers,

-O

He looks great O!

I don't know O, the camo looks pretty good to me!

It took two tries, a lot of nervous prying with an xacto knife, and a re-glue of the passenger side door interior, but the frame is now in the body.  

I don't know how you car builders deal with that stress!  Ha ha!

The headlights are allegedly workable, but I will not risk it to see.

Not much left, just a couple body decals for turn signals and the tail lights.  If I had better luck with decal printing I would make a "ROBIN 1" plate, since the kit includes a bland MAGNUM plate.  Such is the way the cookie crumbles...

O: That's a fantastic job- I love the pilot!

Robert: Very cool, you're doing a great job on her! The Ferrari does look a little odd with the top up, I don't think it was ever up on the series since Selleck wouldn't fit into the car with the top on!

Nice work O, it's great to see some building going on in here.  Wish I had the time to do the same.

Yeah, thoughs cars can be tough at times Robert.  It's looking great though and your on the final leg.

Little more progress - really complicated exhaust pipes and the cowling is proving to be a bit of a challenge.

Kenny is coming together

Great job on the bike and Kenny!!! 

Thanks Gam.  I've got a plan on painting Kenny after reviewing pics of the real leathers.  I wish Tamiya would have keyed his arms so I could add them.  As it stands they'll be painted and secured when I put him on the bike so I can position his hands on the grips correctly.  Same with his head(s)

Nice bike work there.  Kind of curious how you are going to deal with the figure.

Well...it seems like I'm not going to make it across the finish line in time. Life has thrown me too many curveballs since my last post. All the things I am currently dealing with are keeping me away from the bench. I will keep watching everyone else's progress, and I vow to get these two Harriers done. Unfortunately, it won't be for this GB. 

Sorry gang...

Thats okay, I'll keep it open to anyone that started and you can post your progress whenever you have some.  I myself have too many Irons in the fire and I'm still catching up on many things that happened in 2021.  I would like to get at least one done before the deadline but I know thats probably not going to happen.

Been lurking and admiring some great builds....thought I had signed up for this one but checked and I hadn't.  Having said that, 68GT-can I get in on this one?  I realize that this GB is in it's last month, but my build kinda fits into a Month of May build:

This is the car that Al Unser Sr. won his fourth Indy 500 in 1987....with an interesting history that led to Unser Sr. even running in the 1987 race.

Thanks

Bob

Sure Bob, build away.  Ill get you added on.

68GT

Sure Bob, build away.  Ill get you added on.

 

Thank you sir.

Looks cool Bob! And sorry to hear that O. 

Thanks 69GT, BA's van is still sitting here. I've been distracted by other stuff. I thought I had to the end of the year to finish her off- my mistake! I'll see if I can finish her up in the coming month but no promises.... 

Being that it's in the 90s today I spent a bunch of time at the bench today.  Got 2 of the A-7s ready and painted a bunch of white areas. Maybe tomorrow I'll mask and get some gray on them.

68GT: Those look great!

BTW I did get the stripe painted on BA's van. Pics soon. I got some nasty seepage under the masking though that needs to be cleaned up. No way I'll hit the end date at this point.

Thats too bad with the stripe but dont let it stop you.  Your still in so just post when you have some progress.