Global Scale Modeller

I cant tell you how many aircraft took part in the raid but I counted them all out and I counted them all back.

These immortal words were spoken by a news correspondent on one of the Royal Navy carriers after the first Sea Harrier Raid on the Falklands during the war in 1982. I was 11 at the time and it was just the most exciting thing. I collected all the pictures from the papers every day and watched the news updates every night after school. I remember the sinking of the Belgrano and the missile and bomb attacks on the Royal Navy during the landings at Carlos Water and thereabouts, the 'yomp' across the islands and the liberation of Stanley.

Looking back on it now, it is with a somewhat older (and hopefully a more mature ) eye. It remains an incredible feat of arms and it had a profound effect on the British psyche at the time. You can argue about the politics but what happened, happened.

Anyway, enough of that, its a model kit at the end of the day. I bought this over 3 years ago. I fancied a decent scale 1/48 Harrier but the only one that seemed available was the frankly terrible old mould from Tamiya. Not my thing at all. So when the Kinetic kit came out to good reviews I thought, 'Right then, I'm having me one of those beauties.' Its been languishing in the stash since then as I have built mostly armour over the last few years but when Tomcat reminded me about the hover SIG, the antenna went off and I thought, count me in.

So here she is, complete with a freebie tow tractor (which I will build).





Lots and lots of decals for multiple variants. I plan to do an Operation Corporate scheme so the subject will be a legit veteran from the war. The colour scheme will be grey all over as the Navy painted over the traditional white undersides on the way down to the South Atlantic (I think). I will be priming in black then marbling the whole aircraft prior to applying the grey. Hopefully that will produce a nice effect of a weather beaten warrior - although it cant be too 'unkempt' as I'm told the FAA are very particular about keeping their aircraft clean. Subtle variations caused by the marbling should be just the ticket I hope!



Lots of plastic and well packaged in individual bags - Nice



Now unpacked and she looks a beauty, surface detail is great and the sprue layout seems to make sense.



The only negative thing I read about the kit was that the ejector seat wasn't up to the job so I picked up a nice little resin beauty. Its a stunner compared to the kit offering.



Here's the bodywork. She's a big brute. She's perfect in 1/48. Just about right for yours truly



Well chuffed with the single piece upper wing. I can keep the files and filler where they belong - in their box!



Mostly greebles, all nice and crisp



Clear parts look good, not sure why the 2 canopies, sure it will become clear ( ) at some point.



And here's all the teeth. She's going to have a full dance card for the raid so she will be properly tooled up!



And here's the tow tractor, looks nice and should fun build up next to the bird.



Very much looking forward to getting stuck in. Thanks to Tomcat for the Sig invite, I've got some awesome aircraft kits in the stash so this Sig could be just what I need to get back into wingy things as apposed to the recent iron brutes.

Love the Harrier. You and Tommy are going to build some stunners!

A incredible aircraft and certainly added a chapter in air tactics.

Awesome to have you along mate

Can never have too many Harriers as far as I'm concerned - still can't believe we retired them 9 years ago while they're still going strong with other Navies/Air Forces

Looking forward to seeing this built up

Awesome looking kit and goodies, love the Harrier too.
Very 'Stoked' to have you along

Another Harrier and this a Falklands version Good luck with the build mate

Tomcat64 wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:08 pm
Can never have too many Harriers as far as I'm concerned - still can't believe we retired them 9 years ago while they're still going strong with other Navies/Air Forces

I know what you mean. Moronic bean counters strike again. BUT.....

Have you been watching the onboard docs re HMS Queen Elizabeth? She now has F35s aboard and they are looking mighty fine. They've even perfected rolling landings rather than the alongside hover drop the aircraft was designed for. Means they'll be able to carry more ordinance and land back on whilst still carrying it. Its been a long road but the good old RN is back in the jets business.

Makes one want to stand up and belt out Rule Britannia!

Kevthemodeller wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:49 pm Another Harrier and this a Falklands version Good luck with the build mate

Thanks Kev. Kinetic bought out the FRS2 not long after I got this one. Glad I did because while the FRS2 looks better the history is strong with this one!

bfrd wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 12:21 pm Love the Harrier. You and Tommy are going to build some stunners!

And out of the 2 Harriers so far, I'll be romping home a distant 2nd!

digger303 wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 12:42 pm A incredible aircraft and certainly added a chapter in air tactics.

And designed by the same guy who gave us the Hawker Hurricane!

Twokidsnosleep wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 4:10 pm Awesome looking kit and goodies, love the Harrier too.
Very 'Stoked' to have you along

Ooh, I saw what you did there...

Stokesy44 wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:22 am

digger303 wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 12:42 pm A incredible aircraft and certainly added a chapter in air tactics.

And designed by the same guy who gave us the Hawker Hurricane!

My god .... Methuselah works for the British government.....
Joking aside who was he ?

digger303 wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:34 am

Stokesy44 wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:22 am

digger303 wrote: Wed Dec 04, 2019 12:42 pm A incredible aircraft and certainly added a chapter in air tactics.

And designed by the same guy who gave us the Hawker Hurricane!

My god .... Methuselah works for the British government.....
Joking aside who was he ?

Sydney Camm. Similar story to Roy Chadwick at AV Roe. Gave us the rather average Lancaster then went on to design another dud, the Vulcan!

Stokesy44 wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 9:17 am Thanks Kev. Kinetic bought out the FRS2 not long after I got this one. Glad I did because while the FRS2 looks better the history is strong with this one!

The Falklands has a certain significance for me on several levels, one being a good friend was killed on HMS Sheffield.

Kevthemodeller wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:48 pm
The Falklands has a certain significance for me on several levels, one being a good friend was killed on HMS Sheffield.

I'm sorry to hear that. I remember the attack on the Sheffield. Suddenly the world was talking about something called an Exocet and how vulnerable the Navy was. I also remember reading a story much later about how MI6 might have scuppered a deal back in 82 when the Argentines were trying to buy more of them from the French. Scary stuff.

Yay!

The classic jump jet - awesome boxing with the tow tractor.

The resin bangseat is a nice addition too - I fully agree that the kit part looks a bit weak...

Good luck with your build!


Tommy

TommyKillander wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 7:16 am Yay!

The classic jump jet - awesome boxing with the tow tractor.

The resin bangseat is a nice addition too - I fully agree that the kit part looks a bit weak...

Good luck with your build!


Tommy

Thanks Tommy. Good luck with yours too.

Interesting genesis of the Mk 2 kit release. There's a Mk 2 radome in the box as an alternative to the pointy version from the FRS1. 2 different IPs too. I think its possible to make a Mk 2 from the kit I've got. Clever by Kinetic.

Stokesy44 wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 12:30 am

Kevthemodeller wrote: Thu Dec 05, 2019 12:48 pm
The Falklands has a certain significance for me on several levels, one being a good friend was killed on HMS Sheffield.

I'm sorry to hear that. I remember the attack on the Sheffield. Suddenly the world was talking about something called an Exocet and how vulnerable the Navy was. I also remember reading a story much later about how MI6 might have scuppered a deal back in 82 when the Argentines were trying to buy more of them from the French. Scary stuff.

It was a very scary time. What most don't know is what a total cock up the whole thing was, not from the military prospective they did superbly with next to nothing in a matter of days! But from a political prospective and just how much Islanders and Thatcher owes to our Forces. Another good friend of mine who fought in the war, pointed out to me, that some of the very ships we used to retake the Falklands were to be sold to Argentina in Apr - June of 82! This information was released post Thatchers death. Galtieri's original invasion date was Sept the beginning of spring but things were moving against him and he brought the invasion forward to April.

Another twist the Sheffield actually contained a large section of hull from the Argentinian navy's Type 42, other reports say the hulls were swapped, who knows. They had 2 Type 42's at the time of the war both fitted with Exocet. These were built at the same time as those batch 1 42's for the RN, the ship that was to be Sheffield, suffered a serious explosion and fire that killed some dockyard workers during fitting out. This happened due to the RN ship being required to fulfil our NATO obligation, to get the 42's in service.

The other twist which I'm not going to comment on, was Thatcher was going to allow them to have a Naval base on the Islands and was supposedly in talks to give them back!

I read an article earlier this year about the way the refuelling for the V-force was carried out - I honestly hadn't realised the extent to which they had to refuel the tankers in flight in order for them to give the Vulcans the range they needed. Tankers refuelling tankers to refuel bombers - mind boggling creativity.

Tomcat64 wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 2:19 pm I read an article earlier this year about the way the refuelling for the V-force was carried out - I honestly hadn't realised the extent to which they had to refuel the tankers in flight in order for them to give the Vulcans the range they needed. Tankers refuelling tankers to refuel bombers - mind boggling creativity.

Yep. Amazing stuff. I've read the book about the raid. The Vulcan didn't even have refuelling capability prior to the raid. The equipment had been stripped out due to the planned retirement of the V Force. When they were reinstalling it they found they were missing certain parts. Found one of them being used as an ashtray in the Officers Mess on one of the Vulcan bases. Gotta love the RAF.

The book also has a diagram of the refuelling plan showing all the tankers and the Vulcan IIRC, It looks like they got a spider drunk and then gave it a pen! Amazing. It all nearly ended in disaster as one of the Victors either gave out too much or didn't take enough on and only got back to Ascension on fumes. There was nearly fisticuffs on the tarmac until the error was explained.

The book is called Vulcan 607 and well worth a read.

Perhaps a second book is in order. Michael could do just fine in a Harrier!

Stokesy44 wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 10:09 am

TommyKillander wrote: Fri Dec 06, 2019 7:16 am Yay!

The classic jump jet - awesome boxing with the tow tractor.

The resin bangseat is a nice addition too - I fully agree that the kit part looks a bit weak...

Good luck with your build!


Tommy

Thanks Tommy. Good luck with yours too.

Interesting genesis of the Mk 2 kit release. There's a Mk 2 radome in the box as an alternative to the pointy version from the FRS1. 2 different IPs too. I think its possible to make a Mk 2 from the kit I've got. Clever by Kinetic.

It seems that you got the kit with all the goodies

I checked my kit - Nope, only Blue Vixen type radome....
But I got the 2 different IPs


Tommy

bfrd wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:51 pm Perhaps a second book is in order. Michael could do just fine in a Harrier!

Now there’s an idea!

Stokesy44 wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 5:29 pm

bfrd wrote: Sat Dec 07, 2019 1:51 pm Perhaps a second book is in order. Michael could do just fine in a Harrier!

Now there’s an idea!

Just going back to the Falklands link again for a moment, someone pointed out to me earlier this week that this year the Falklands war was as long ago from now as the Falklands war was from the end of World War II. Found that sobering #feelingold