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Pardon me. My ignorance is showing. But just how far off from other marks of the Harrier is the XV-6A Kestrel? I know there are no models of the XV, but can one be attempted, or is it just too much of a different animal?

Recently came by these. Edwards 1968.

XV6Akest2.jpg

XV6Akest3.jpg

Rick L.

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Actually, Airfix did a 1/72 kit of the P.1127 Kestrel and it was reissued a few years ago. It wouldn't take much to do it up as an XV-6 Kestrel. Of course, there isn't much out there in 1/48 as I recall. The basic proportions are similar to that of the AV-8A Harrier, but I believe the Kestrel is smaller in most dimensions, meaning if one tried a conversion, it would probably end up being a bit off scale in spots.

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Looking at an Airfix P1127 over on MM, there appears to be significant differences. The delta wings, and the intakes are the biggies. Would the swept wing be the same as later Harriers?

Rick L.

Nope, it's different again (The P1127 actually had 5 different wings, the last identical to the Kestrel)

A Harrier mk 1 is certainly the best starting point for a Kestrel, although the P1127 kit would give some useful parts.

You need to:

- Reduce the wing chord at the leading edge and re-profile the tips

- reprofile the intakes

- (The biggie IMO) redo the intake sides, which are a completely different style and shape - in 1/32, the Revell Harrier is actually closer to the Kestrel than the production aircraft

- redo the rear canopy - and the windscreen

- round off the nose

- replace the exhaust nozzles

- re-make/replace the nose & outrigger wheels

- re-do the main wheel bay (combined airbrake and u/c door on the Kestrel

- reduce the fin height slightly

There are other things as well. That said, it is possible and I have seen it done - there were even some articles on doing in in magazines in the 80s.

The Heritage Kestrel was originally based on such a conversion from the ESCI AV-8A IIRC

It's a bit like making a legacy Hornet from an F-18E kit (with the F-17 as the P1127!!)

Edited by Dave Fleming
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