East Kent Scale modellers club night 09 April - an impromptu 899 NAS line-up

 

After missing a couple of meetings thanks to other stuff it was nice to get up to RAF Manston and the history museum cafe/canteen for the monthly club meet of East Kent Scale modellers. As usual some fantastic models on display and plenty of model 'chat' and  'advice' and tips being dispensed ..

Dave's Skyhawk and Mitsubishi T-2

Callum's GwH 1:144 TSR 2

Dick's Airfix Sea Vixen in a line-up  of 899 Sqd machines...

Two of Rod's WnW masterpieces, a DH 2 and a naval Camel..

Peter's HPH 32nd scale SG 38 glider (partially built) and Dick's Special Hobby DFS 230 

Robert's Italeri 72nd Ju 188. Re-scribed panel lines and a neat finish..

Dick's Arma Hobby Hurricane. Lovely kit, decals apparently "a pain.."

The end of the 899 NAS line-up featured Bill's Hunter T8M. XL603 was one of two Hunter T8M conversions operated by 899 Squadron as radar trainers, fitted with the Blue Fox radar..

this is Henry's 32nd Hasegawa Raiden ('Jack')

Harrier trainers from the Kinetic kit by Dick and Bill..

Stu's Airfix Meteor in 72nd. Lots of great comments on his super metallic finish - Tamiya

HS Harrier GR. 1 - Airfix new tool 1:72 (build review)

I have made a start on the new-tool Airfix Harrier GR. 1. Like most aircraft kits the first few steps are building up the cockpit, and the Harrier is no exception. The cockpit tub area is made up of 8 parts, 4 for the tub and 4 for the bang seat, there are also 6 decals for this area 4 in the tub area and 2 on the seat. I have added some harnesses from some left over brass etch.

The cockpit tub and intake channels are fitted into the fuselage halves which are then brought together. My last few Airfix new tools have involved a fair bit of fettling to get the cockpit nicely seated without fouling the fuselage halves..and this one is no different. I must be doing something wrong. I wasted some time by painting the rear of the cockpit and the lower part of the intakes on the sprue when it would be perfectly possible to spray these areas in situ..they do in fact make up the forward undercarriage bay, which unless you are careful will have a big seam across the middle which will be difficult to fill and file..

Stage 12 of the instructions indicates that one of those "bumps" on top of the fuselage should be removed. It doesn't appear to be present on the GR. 1 but is on the GR. 3 according to the pics I've been looking at, although its not on Caruana's scale drawings in McLelland's monster Harrier book from Classic. Talking of which there seems to be a relative dearth of decent reference on the GR. 1 - even in this 330-page tome..apparently according to 'Fred' on the Airfix Tribute forum this surplus 'bump' was only on later GR.3s [Snoopy nose and a few pointy nose] and it is a cooling outlet for the 12KVa AC generator. It would be the rearmost on the starboard side. The two front outlets are for the GR1 & 1A only.In addition for the GR.1 & 1A there is only one aerial behind the cockpit, on the starboard side.

new tool Airfix Harrier GR. 1 in 1:72nd scale first look in the box review

..another new tool release from Airfix, this one again looks very nice in the box and the major parts assemble neatly without recourse to glue or tape, so I'm hopeful that this might be a more straight-forward build than some of the recent Airfix new tools.. 89 parts including the canopy in two sections, assembly instructions comprise 45 stages with in-flight or ground poses possible, with appropriate vents, stabilisers and air brake options..

I did see some forum carping about the price of this kit, mine was an Ebay purchase for £9.99 with free postage from Froome Model Centre. At the risk of being taken for an Airfix 'apologist' it looks pretty neat too and as far as I can tell the forum experts have had pretty meagre pickings - the holes in the tail boom need filling for a GR.1 and the strakes just forward of the outrigger legs are absent and one of the rectangular apertures visible on the forward upper wing needs a mesh cover. Personally I would have liked an AV8A decal option, AFAIK the only airframe difference is the large blade aerial on the fuselage spine ...as usual if you want to get in close to look at some of that lovely fine detail just click on the pics...

This thread looks at the visual differences between the GR. 1 and the GR. 1A

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234945032-harrier-gr1gr1a-visual-differences/