Global Scale Modeller

Long time lurker, first time poster, very first group build anywhere !

As a child my favourite mode was a Matchbox 1/72 Harrier.
The VTOL was a bit of a novelty back than and I've always had a bit of a fascination with them.

Even more of a fascination was .... snow something we don't see a lot of in tropical northern Australia !

So I'm going to be having a go at making something like this :



Not sure on the kit yet probably the Hasegawa GR7 .

That is one very tasty looking harrier.

cant wait to watch it come together

Cheers mate, this will be my second non-wargame kit in over 30 years so we'll see how it goes !

Some progress

It has arrived !




Wow, It's a lot bigger than I was expecting ......


Plenty of bombs and pods to hang off her too



So tonight is studying the instruction sheets for tomorrow we RIDE .... errrr build

So tonight's work, doesn't seem like a lot but there was a lot of painting and detailing in the cockpit.

For the first time ever I've used the decals for the instruments. They were OK I guess but next time I think I'd be filing down the raised detail on the instruments and letting the decals speak for themselves.

Does anyone know when having a pilot figure stopped being a "must have" for 1/48 kits ? I was fairly surprised this kit came with none

Nice work so far
I couldn't tell you about the pilot figure but i am sure someone can

Have a look on flee bay mate, there are some awesome harrier pilots in 1/48 scale by aerobonus.

Nice work on the tub. Hard to see in there I guess. I'm building a p40 at the moment that had a great cockpit build only for it to be mostly hidden once in. At least I know I did I guess lol

Cool build, I will follow along

I think all scale aircraft should have a pilot(s) included

Yeh sorry about the photo, on second look it really doesn't show very much !

I think I'll go with out a pilot and pose the canopy open, maybe in time have a guy standing next to it or something. Just seems a bit funny one doesn't come with the kit.

More pics soon, it's a fairly simple kit and coming together quite well won't be needing too much filler I think.

upload going crazy

upload going bonkers

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! bloody thing !

A big night at the bench tonight ! Starting to look like something now.



The cockpit/top -front wing arrangement was designed by a very special member of the Hasegawa team, it's a nightmare of parts that have to all link together with one relying onthe next and no real clear order that they are supposed to go together in. Also they don't -quite- fit.

I think I've been spoiled by Tamiya kits





Off to the "hobby shop" (well shop that stocks some odds and sods or modelling gear) for some more Tamiya Thin tomorrow so I can start cranking away at some of those gaps.

Any tips on how you clamp something like the front section that joins to the main wing ? It needs a fair bit of force to hold it together but it's no hugely strong plastic on the leading edge

Looks great!

MagpieII wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:15 pm
Any tips on how you clamp something like the front section that joins to the main wing ? It needs a fair bit of force to hold it together but it's no hugely strong plastic on the leading edge

Would an elastic band work?

ElCapitan wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:19 pm Looks great!

MagpieII wrote: Fri Feb 17, 2017 1:15 pm
Any tips on how you clamp something like the front section that joins to the main wing ? It needs a fair bit of force to hold it together but it's no hugely strong plastic on the leading edge

Would an elastic band work?

I tried that, they can't put enough force on it, and the rounded edges makes them slide off !

Sometimes I wrap masking tape tightly round fuselage to hold it together. Might that work in this case?

Hmmm, not sure. I'll get some Thin cement tomorrow and see what I can come up with

I may offer the patent for the "Magpie Hob and Skillet Clamp" to Ultimate for their next indispensable hobby equipment item.





It's closed those gaps up fairly well

Brilliant!

thats a great idea.

We are wheels down, not too far to go now, then onto the paint.

One of the joys of the colour scheme I'm doing means I can actually attached the landing gear now as the main colour of the underside will be white

I got the load out sorted tonight

Winter has come !!

Words fail me to describe the love/ hate I have with painting white !!

OK back into it and making some progress on the camo

Words fail me to describe the love/ hate I have with painting white !!

I hate it altogether, no love involved at all. Worst colour in the world to get right. I have the Eduard LTD edition of this (I think it's the same kit) so am following with interest. Looking good so far.

looking great now the grey is down

I know your pain in painting white (just finished Thunderbird scheme on a F4 Phantom) but you have done this marvellously
It looks spectacular so far, very much like the reference photo at the start of the thread. I love that camo scheme!!!
Such a cool looking plane
Post a pic into Dan's thread for the live show...lots of Harrier lovers in there
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=21655

Looking great so far

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Thu Mar 09, 2017 5:19 am I know your pain in painting white (just finished Thunderbird scheme on a F4 Phantom) but you have done this marvellously
It looks spectacular so far, very much like the reference photo at the start of the thread. I love that camo scheme!!!
Such a cool looking plane
Post a pic into Dan's thread for the live show...lots of Harrier lovers in there
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=21655

I think you should get one, in fact you owe it to yourself and your Thunderbird's Phantom to get one and display them together

Oh god help me...it is too soon to do an all white paint job so soon again
I am gonna go crawl into the corner and go into the fetal position now

Marathon decaling effort tonight and I am on the home stretch now, just the touch ups and the final clear coat, on with the canopy and I am done!



Nothing I like more than a realistic but ludicrous load out !

Looking really good - nice work

Cheers Neil,

I'll have better photos for the final reveal !

And I am done, see the reveal thread for the final pics

Thanks for letting me tag along, It's good to have a deadline to focus on for a build.

Sweet build! That's a lot of ordnance for a little plane. Maximum awesome it seems!

Cheers mate, but check the reveal page ....... maor Ordnance

Congratulations on your finished project!

Looks fantastic.