1:32 Trumpeter Harrier GR.7

[John Wolstenholme]

Hi Chuck and Marcel, guess I’ve joined the ‘conned club’. :o

I think a lot of people buy these sets just because it's another piece of aftermarket for their kit and surely, all aftermarket must be an improvement by definition... where in reality, a lot of their gear sets just seem to be rough copies of the kit parts.

It's what’s known as an error of judgement/mistake; was misled by the “corrected nose leg” bit. Certainly won’t be buying anymore of these sets. You are quite correct in the last comment ;)

Hello John, here’s the link:

http://s362974870.onlinehome.us/forums/air/index.php?showtopic=214546&st=100#entry2445815

Not sure how much it will help!

Edited March 2, 2013 by John Wolstenholme

[John Wolstenholme]

Got all the stbd access steps/positions sorted. The downward extending step is over-long; will correct when gear is attached. If you’re going to form the recess that it retracts into, you need to do this before fuselage closure.

Didn’t like the idea of having to fit the nose leg at fuselage closure stage, so modified to fit later.

[Marcel111]

John, more inspiring work on your Harrier. It all just looks so crisp!

I started doing more research on this kit since I do like the Harrier a lot... but boy, is it a bear! So more hats off to you!

Marcel

[John Wolstenholme]

I do like the Harrier a lot... but boy, is it a bear!

Hey Marcel, depends on whether you go koala or grizzly. The nose leg turned into a grizzly.

I was going to use the Eduard PE tie-down rings. They are a bit of a sod to get the ring and bracket together and they easily fall apart. One knows what is going to happen once they are attached to the leg, so I opted to make my own. Even without clear photos of the rear of the leg, it is clear the kit leg is completely wrong. Finally got something like the real thing.

[loki]

Simply amazing stuff John. Loving the accuracy and the details. Makes my eyes water :)

[Gambler]

Awesome work on that landing gear John!

Brilliant.

Cheer's,

Jeff.

[Kagemusha]

Outstanding work John, very inspirational.

[chuck540z3]

Now THAT is so cool. Really, really nice, clean, smooth and precise work as usual John. This Harrier will wind up as good or better than the others you've built, which is saying a lot.

[KRI76]

...what impresses me the most is how clean and tidy the scratch-built part are. In these pictures they seem to me - I would say - perfect.

I've been observing those tie-down rings: they are certainly made of several parts, however they look like they were perfectly molded. Or maybe they are resin casts?

John: what can I say that hasn't been said yet? I'll go with simply "WOW".

/Kristian

[Marcel111]

Beautiful legs there, John! The tie-down rings look incredible!

Marcel

[Youngtiger1]

Now THAT is so cool. Really, really nice, clean, smooth and precise work as usual John. This Harrier will wind up as good or better than the others you've built, which is saying a lot.

Chuck, that's what we expect from big John cause he can deliver for sure ;)

Totally awesome work John.

[geedubelyer]

A significant improvement over the standard kit parts John. As usual, beautifully sharp and crisp work.

Great stuff.

[John Wolstenholme]

big John ;)

Mike, as I recall it didn’t end that well for big John! :D

Thanks Martin, Jeff, Andy, Chuck, Kristian, Marcel, Guy for dropping in.

The Aires main gear bay is turning into a real downer. The gear doors are too small in length and width, rectangular with no cut-outs for the small leg door, gas bottles on the port wall, presumably correct for the USMC. Spent a lot of time fitting bay in fuselage to get rid of the horrible 1.5mm fuselage thickness for a good fit; looks like a complete waste of time. Looking at photos the main gear doors always seem to be closed, except for maintenance. You know it makes sense. Not a lot of point in removing the gas bottles or spending time painting all that lovely detail.

Both the kit and Aires require the gear leg to be fitted in the bay before fitting this into fuselage. Don’t like that one bit. Kit leg looks a potential weakness around axles, so may actually use the SAC part. Sticking the wheels on with CA isn’t a good idea either, having seen how it weakened the pivot rods on the A-7 tailplanes.

[loki]

John,

Instead of using CA, why not investigate whether a two part epoxy would be stronger?

Just a thought. You could also drill out the main leg and insert a metal rod into it and then epoxy it.

[John Wolstenholme]

[a] Instead of using CA, why not investigate whether a two part epoxy would be stronger?

You could also drill out the main leg and insert a metal rod into it and then epoxy it.

Hi Martin

[a] Yes, 5 min epoxy is the way I go.

That's the plan, reduce width of leg mount to fit afterwards.

Oh, did I mention the wheel hubs look like an artist's impression?

I see the question of main gear doors has been discussed on Britmodeller:

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/75270-harrier-gr79-configuration-when-parked /

Seems they are opened manually to access weapons panel, but then closed afterwards. Sod, really wanted the doors open, but I guess unless you are doing a diorama with armourer performing this task it would be a no no. :(/>

[John Wolstenholme]

Maker, if you happen to drop by here, hi to you and thanks.

Sod, really wanted the doors open

I have been known to say if you think long enough about a problem a solution will come. So now having got an idea I am proceeding with modifying the main gear bay to look more like the GR.7. Aires said the bays are the same for USMC and RAF, clearly not.

First phase is removing detail from port and rear walls which are most in need of modification. I’ll think about anything else when I have got these rebuilt. Thank goodness the bay is in 3 pieces otherwise this would be impossible.

[John Wolstenholme]

Turned out adding the revised details was a much longer process than to remove the original. Having removed the lower ‘rods’ representing hydraulic lines decided the upper ones had to go as well. Not totally accurate but much closer than before.

I think my eyes need a rest!

[Tripio]

Hello John,

I am following your builds usually and I am wondering about the level you are making the models.

"Normal" people use the detail sets as they are made by the original manufacturer.

For you, those sets are only the basics to upgrade...

Simply fantastic.

Regards,Laz

[John Wolstenholme]

"Normal" people

Hello Laz, it has been said before

When I thought the port and aft walls of the MGB were the most in need of attention I was clearly deluding myself. After removing most of the cast detail to stbd wall and some to upper front wall I started to re-detail. Overall it’s going to be a compromise as there is too much going on in there! I assume (not having seen photos) the bay is correct for the AV-8B II, but I am surprised there is such a big difference between the RAF and USMC!

Due to ongoing problems I am unable to achieve the standard I require, so build will be suspended for a while.

PS I am really beginning to hate this new photobucket.

Edited April 25, 2013 by John Wolstenholme

[chuck540z3]

Due to ongoing problems I am unable to achieve the standard I require, so build will be suspended for a while.

PS I am really beginning to hate this new photobucket.

I hear you loud and clear on both fronts John. The expectations for my Trumpeter A-10 kit have gone from improving an OK kit to just getting the kit to the "OK" level. I'll never buy a Trumpeter kit again.

As far as Photobucket is concerned, the new software and unnecessary complexities have made it a real drag. Photobucket has lost it's way, but I'm hopeful that with enough complaining, it too will some day be "OK" again as well.

Nice scratch building as always John. You are the master of copper wire and white styrene!

[Kagemusha]

Hope you enjoy your break John and get back in the saddle one day in the not to distant future.

Andy

[HOLMES]

Geez..this is just simply super work.

[John Wolstenholme]

Thanks Chuck, Andy and Holmes, appreciate the thoughts.

Now I can see what I am doing thought I’d get back into the build with the detailed painting of the ejection seat. The Zotz decals weren’t of much use, so I used bits of these decals etc and the smallest letters/numbers I could find. The Zotz decal shows HAWK 23 for the seat (for servicing records) when it should be ‘HAF 0xx’. It’s also printed in black to be placed on the black headbox! The Airframe decals don’t provide anything, which is somewhat disappointing. Clearly I don’t know what the correct number was for this acft for the time in question.

The much modified Wolfpack seat:

Closer inspection of the quality confirms I made the right decision going for the Aires and not the Wolfpack cockpit set.

[chuck540z3]

GREAT to see you back at it John. Those seats look terrific!

[ghatherly]

Hey John, Glad to see you back at it. If I can offer few words of encouragement, I will try to do so. No kit is perfect. I just completed a Tamiya F-15C. During the time I built it I thought I caught all the fixes and problems and after all it is Tamiya.....right?? wrong. As my skills and health have improved, I have had more time to study the real deal, the kit and what was going on to build more accurate models. In the end I built a real nice model, I am proud of it and it is the best I have ever made by far, but I am also so driven by how I can do things better and make corrections to Tamiya errors that I am building another one at as I cannot get those fixes out of my head, kind of like that song that you keep playing in your head over and over. I believe it is special skill to be able to point out these errors and want to fix them, and for builders that do this the hobby is at a whole different level. Not better or worse, just different. Most builders are happy with the kits as is, maybe they ad some decals and detail kits and are done. That is great and I am glad they are in the hobby, but for you and I and a few others that is not what this is about. What needs to change, as Chuck has pointed out, is the way our branch of the hobby is treated in contests, as right now it is not treated with respect.

What you have John is a real gift, stay positive, take a break when needed, and enjoy the heck out of being able to do what few can do.

I do have question for you on the seat. Did you consider using an Aries Mk10 seat and update to the Mk 12? I have a UK harrier build down the road and was thinking of this route for the seat?

Keep up the great work and enjoy!!!!! Gary