Tamiya | No. 61026 | 1:48 | BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1 (WIP)

Arif Saeed
Blimey Neil, how many projects you got on the go ?, defo watching this one bud !

Neil
Hello mate. Er, yeah you're right!... I may have gone a bit build crazy the end of last year 😜

Arif Saeed
All good Neil I'm very envious 😉

Neil
I'm nearing the end of/or have finished multiple projects. So I thought I'd revisit this dodgy old Tamiya kit that I'd started a couple of years ago (and shelved) to see if I could progress it into something halfway decent? Those exhaust nozzles... I mean really what were they thinking!? haha!

Mark Sherwood
Oh Man! I remember this kit, probably the worst Tamiya kit going. I gave up, still in the box half built. But, looking at your perseverance on the build it's looking good. Sterling work on the engine, cockpit and thrusters. 👍🥸🤟

Daniel
Yeah I remember as well... I had restarted modelling and everyone was like "get Tamiya, they're amazing, build themself, hardly need glue..." And one day I saw this kit and thought "Oh, tamiya! I'm not really interested in Harriers but for that price I'll treat myself to a self-building-precision-engineered superkit!" - I was in for a disappointment😄 (Now I check with this site before I buy 👍)
Great work with this Neil, you're the true master of vintage models 🙂🤘🏻

Neil
Hiya mates 🙂 Thanks both for dropping by. You're both very kind to say such nice things 🙂 I'll try my best to wrestle it into some sorta Harrieresque shape 👍

I 100% agree with you both... I purchased it back in 2019 when I though I'd get back into modelling and (stupidly) assumed that this Tamiya kit would be an easy build - oh dear is all I can politely say! I too have 'parked it' in-between other builds many times, but rest assured in the longer-term It won't beat me! @Daniel - yeah good plan, I was foolish not to.

J35J
Great progress! Taking a chair.
Went in exactly the same trap as you, Back into modeling after 30years. Through I did a bargain buying a Tamiya kit for a fraction of the price comparing with the Kinetic kit. The kit is really a lemon but good for practicing your building skills.
Finalized one myself some months ago. The hatch behind the cockpit is a real challenge fixing into position.

Neil
Hi J35J 🙂 Thanks mate! And thanks for the tip. Yeah I'm getting there, slowly! I've added some more imagery it's a long hard slog on this one for sure.

Jos Jansen
Ah, missed this...taking a seat!

Neil
Hello Jos 🙂👋 welcome. I apologise in advance as this won't be one of my best! But it will hopefully end up looking more (shaped) like a Sea Harrier than this kit did when it left the factory 👍

J35J
The SHAR is coming together in a great way Neil. You will prevail!👍🏻
How did you get the raised panel line back in?

CaptGPF
I admire your tenacity! With all the work you did on the intakes and nozzles - this kit is definitely a labor of love. 😀. Can't wait to see you finish it!

J35J, you can restore panel lines using a pair of slightly thicker masking tapes, fill in the middle with puttly and sand it smooth before removing it. I think finescale had a YouTube video on how to do that.