Hawker Siddeley Sea Harrier FRS.1 (Fujimi)
Here are most of what I'll be using on this build, along with bits from the Hasegawa kit.
The Fujimi kit is quite similar to ESCI, although engineered differently. Look at that nasty fuselage join!
The Pavla resin cockpit is designed for Airfix, and needs some mods to the front fuselage (black line).
After the modifications.
The nose gear well has no detail at all.
We'll start by boxing it in.
Fujimi's air brake well has some nice detail.
Hasegawa's is blank.
The Hasegawa ventral fin (above) is too small. Plus, the nose is too short and has an odd upturned nature about it.
Harrier intake blow-in doors are open when parked. I cut this section out of the Fujimi intakes.
A view from behind. The inner intake wall is one piece - nice! No sanding!
The Pavla cockpit painted and with the addition of some Eduard photoetch.
Another view.
And another. I'll use Eduard photoetch for the turtledeck.
Here is the Eduard PE in place on the turtledeck. Front fuselage assembled.
Need to fix the nose pitot mount - my kit had a short shot on one side.
Starting to build the blow-in doors with card stock.
Notice that the doors are different shape and size - this is accurate.
Fujimi outrigger wheels (left) are better detailed than Hasegawa's. I'll probably use them.
The front end of the Pegasus. Only the fan blades will be visible.
The rest of the blow-in doors in place. These are spring loaded on the real aircraft, and droop down when parked.
Port side.
I cut out the APU exhaust.
Some inauthentic detail I made for the nose gear well.
I used card stock to make the inner "chute" of the APU exhaust.
Notice how the chute angles toward starboard. The screened area to the left is the APU intake.
Hasegawa air brake (left) is correct; Fujimi is the longer version used on the GR.1/3. However, the Fujimi air brake well is the correct size. Go figure.
I trimmed the Fujimi air brake and added some Eduard PE designed for the Airfix kit.
Note the small bracket which will hold the air brake actuator.
Photoetch lash down rings added to the outrigger wheels. Wonder how long they'll stay on?
Pavla exhaust nozzles are a BIG improvement over the Fujimi versions. Even though designed for Airfix, the Pavla parts fit.
Hasegawa (left) have the correct size tyre on the nose gear. The Fujimi version is too small.
The fuselage is together and it needed a "wee" bit of filler. Yikes.
Don't look at the bottom, it's too disturbing.
The Hasegawa gun pods fit perfectly on the Fujimi fuselage (Fujimi's don't). I drilled out the cannon and vent holes.
I guess it looks better under a coat or two of white paint.
Hard to see, but there are a bunch of Eduard PE vents and antennae bases on the fuselage.
From the top: Hasegawa 1000 lb, Fujimi "bomb", and Fujimi 1000 lb. That last one goes to the spares box, it looks like a cluster bomb to me.
Hasegawa drop tanks (above) are the correct length.
Oh dear. Hasegawa refueling probe (above) is wrong in so many ways.
When the bases are aligned, it obvious how bad the Hasegawa part is. Too high, wrong angle, and the base doesn't "lean forward."
I love Extra Dark Sea Grey!
Gunze H333 post-shaded with H331 Dark Sea Grey.
Masking off.
She doesn't need any outriggers to set properly!
Sliding canopy from the Hasegawa kit - needs some additional detail inside.
Starting to scratch build the canopy detonator control box. Can you see it?
Stickers! Combination of Fujimi, Hasegawa, and Microscale.
The Microscale decal sheet is about 35 years old, but the 800 squadron markings look great.
Floquil Flat used for the satin finish. Air brake and nose gear doors added.
Ship number on interior of air brake.
Angle of Attack probe on starboard side of forward fuselage from Master.
A look at the underside. Cold nozzles are painted Gunze H333 Extra Dark Sea Grey.
HUD made from Eduard photoetch and clear film.
Detonator control box made from sheet styrene with photoetch details.
Hot nozzles are Alclad Magnesium; heat shields are Eduard photoetch with no paint or finish at all.
Rear shelf and detonator control box added to the canopy.
Detonator cord supplied as photoetch.
Painted and detailed Pavla ejection seat with a not-so-subtle reminder of simpler times...
Windscreen and drop tanks added. Windscreen blended into fuselage with wall plaster.
Detonator cord formed to the inside, dipped in Future, and "glued" to the canopy.
Ordnance!
Finished!
Sidewinders from the Hasegawa weapons set, bomb from Scale Resin Buccaneer kit.
Master turned metal pitot probe and AoA sensor.
FAA family reunion! With CMR Buccaneer S.2.
And with the Fujimi Phantom.
Comments
1 6 January 2017, 20:50
Bill GilmanHi mates! Sorry, I'm a bit late getting this project and album up online, as the build has been going for a couple of weeks. I'm having some fun with this one, basically taking all of the Sea Harrier FRS.1 stuff that I had in my stash and seeing if I can make a nice model out of them. Have a look at the photos and tell me if I've lost my mind or not. 🙂 🙂 🙂
6 January 2017, 21:31
Markus Antoniusa big relief to see this nice progress and detail. i like it! what do you use for filling (that red stuff)?
7 January 2017, 11:45
Bill GilmanThanks mates! Markus, the red stuff is Nitro-Stan Red Spot and Glazing Putty. It's an automotive product. It comes in a 0.5 kg tube that lasts forever. You only need to buy one tube for your entire modelling career - unless you build a lot of kits like this one! 🙂
7 January 2017, 15:23
Spanjaardthat putty looks like a really interesting idea... it must be possible to find it around here....
7 January 2017, 15:38
Dirk HeyerBill, all I can say is: it`s a true gem in braillescale. As always a wonderful clean work, eyquisite workmanship is on show here!
7 January 2017, 15:50
Christian BruerThis is some fine work so far, clean and sharp as always 👍
What is your opinion about the scale 1/72 Harrier family from Airfix?
Cheers, Christian
7 January 2017, 19:27
Bill GilmanHi Christian, in my opinion the Airfix Sea Harrier FRS.1 and FA.2 in 1:72 scale have some shape issues especially in the front fuselage and canopy. I think the panel lies are quite heavy as well, and I could not recommend either one. However, the new tool Airfix 1:72 GR.1, GR.3 and GR.7/9 are really good kits. Not without some small problems, but they build up quite nicely.
7 January 2017, 20:28
Christian BruerThx Bill for your view about the Airfix kits. I agree about the SHAR and I thought so far to manage one. I do not know about the shape issues but I will take a look.
The GR. 1 family is quite nice, I have one in progress.
Happy modelling
Christian
7 January 2017, 20:35
Bill GilmanHi mates! I've posted a few more progress photos, she's looking quite sharp now that she has her stickers on. I'm leaving for a week-long holiday in Florida in just about an hour, but wanted to get this up before I leave. Cheers, Bill
16 January 2017, 14:35
Wilfried BogaertsLooks amazing so far Bill, a well deserved rest awaits you, have a nice hol in Flor 🙂
16 January 2017, 14:54
Christian BruerYou made a fast and nice looking progress, very well done 👍 I'm looking forward to the final step.
Enjoy your holiday!
Cheers, Christian
16 January 2017, 17:20
Dirk HeyerHello Bill,
you have succeeded again an unusual model. Especially remarkably I find the very small scratch built parts like the canopy detonator control box. I take off my hat, because 1/72 is one damn small scale. (In compare I build gigantic models in quarterscale ) 🙂
The colour modulation with the Seagrey is very nice also. What kind of gloss coat did you have used?
16 January 2017, 18:35
Bill GilmanThe Sea Harrier project is almost done - it's down to the fiddly stuff and adding ordnance. I've posted a few more pictures that show where we are. Not long now, and then I can start the agonizing process of trying to figure out what to build next!
@Dirk, sorry I didn't answer your question earlier. The gloss coat was Future, the label actually says "Pledge Floor Care Tile & Vinyl Floor Finish with Future Shine." The marketing genius who came up with that name needs to get his coat. I think it's actually called something different now, I bought this bottle several years ago.
29 January 2017, 18:37
Bill GilmanFinis! 🙂
The Sea Harrier FRS.1 is done and has agreed to pose for some pictures. Have a look! Cheers, Bill
3 February 2017, 02:21
Roland SachsenhoferWow! I am deeply impressed- what an accuracy! Just....ingenious
3 February 2017, 06:51
Hanno KleineckeAlways an inspiration to see your skillful work Bill.
All the painstakingly accurate details you added
plus the convincing colour-modulation =
high end modelmaking !
3 February 2017, 16:16
Gary Brantley1/72? Wow! Very nice model Bill, awesome work in any scale I'd say...🙂
3 February 2017, 16:38
Christian RistitsA nice pair, congrats Bill, its a pleasure to have a look on these beauties!
3 February 2017, 17:30
Alistair GrahamThe phantom and buc, are good also. I'm hoping for a good 1:48 modern mould of the British phantom. Will be interesting to see if Airfix will follow their new 1:72 scale kit with my preferred scale.
3 February 2017, 17:34
Bill GilmanThanks everyone, I really appreciate the nice comments. The Sea Harrier has taken its place in my display cabinet and I am starting my next project - a 1:72 Canberra PR.9 in its retirement scheme. I'll create a project and get a photo album started soon. I'm torn between building the Xtrakit or Airfix kits - they both have pros and cons. Maybe I should just build them both!
3 February 2017, 18:02
Christian BruerThis is how a SHR should look like! Very well done Bill 👍
I hope mine will look just a bit like this.
3 February 2017, 18:51
Album info
Finally I am adding a Sea Harrier to my collection of FAA aircraft. I should be using the ESCI kit since it's the best in this scale, but I already have the Fujimi and Hasegawa kits in my stash. So I will use them! The Fujimi fuselage matches the drawings much better than the Hasegawa kit, so that will be the basis for the build.
