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VMA-542 ‘Tigers’ Harrier II Plus - COMPLETED


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Hello,

I will join the GB with an AV-8B Plus from VMA-542 ‘Tigers’ in this scheme:

165312.jpg

I will use the Xtradecal sheet reviewed here:

Xtradecal sheet

and Hasegawa's kit, which I got in an HLJ sale for quite cheap but in the IdolMaster series :). Only drawback is that the plastic is quite hard/brittle, and so dark it's tricky to see the lines etc...

I have started this week, I will post my progress asap!

Glad to be with you guys,

Arnaud

Edited by arnobiz
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Hello Arnaud! Jump jets and Tigers - a rare combination! That harrier joined a NTM? But whatever...it has tiger stripes!

Idolmaster kits often have a "strange" pastic color. So I just recommend to use a good primer before painting (like Tamiya or Mr Surfacer...or??

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First a shot of the kit:

16527283115_bd05e3a394.jpg

And some initial progress. I added seatbelts using aluminium adhesive tape, a first for me and I will do it again, much easier to form than masking tape.

15904683994_a60689b441.jpg

Some basic detail added to the cockpit walls using strips of plasticard:

16339799850_8da074a6de.jpg

And the alpha probe was replaced with a needle tip, a bit finer and a LOT stronger!

16501245706_5ded457682.jpg

More soon ;)

Arnaud

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  • 4 weeks later...

Hello,

Finally some progress to report! Mainly the cockpit and the airbrake, which is not included in the kit and must be built entirely if the aircraft is not be on the ground if I understood properly...

16598407557_ffd5fb63a2.jpg

16185771693_790faba69b.jpg

16598407247_d1deb49494.jpg

More coming soon :)

Arnaud

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Fuselage halves assembled along with the top plate, and the seam filled with CA. First time I used this and re-engraved the panel lines, worked like a charm I'll do it again :)/>

16880155801_3158784000.jpg

Wings added next. Some sanding was required to make the whole top surface level but barely any putty.

16881157715_d361e1f2f9.jpg

And then disaster struck: I used extra thin glue, as usual, to glue the windshield. Except this time it is very close to the coaming so that the glue went there too by capillarity :(/>

16881157855_0a58db79d4.jpg

Oh well, I'll live with that as I have decided that I would complete all builds I start from now on ;)/>

Arnaud

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Uhhh, I feel pity for the windshield! Hmmm...what to do? Ahhh...just add the pilot's towel! And put it on the "bad zone" there. OFC the towel is 72 times smaller than the original! ;-)

When you don't have a towel, take a jaket and helmet.

Edited by tobiK
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  • 4 weeks later...

Thanks for the advice guys. Eventually I could not resist and removed the canopy, polished as much as possible the inside and fixed it again, with small amounts of Elmer's glue this time :)

Since then I added the intake covers, made from a mix of thick aluminium foil and white Milliput.

17004072330_cdf843266b.jpg

16571411553_beed1d7e14.jpg

Nearly at the painting stage now, still have to do the landing gear (something I really don't enjoy for some reason!)

Cheers,

Arnaud

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  • 1 month later...

Hello! Some progress on my Tiger :)

Primer (Tamyia Fine grey) is on

17892246354_4da0828625_z.jpg

As well as pre-shading and the top colour (Vallejo US Dark grey)

18510536352_90c218099b_z.jpg

Now I need to find a good match for the yellow to paint the tail...

Cheers,

Arnaud

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Thanks Sebastijan! Some more progress, decalling done! I must say I am quite disappointed with Xtradecals'sheet:

  • Part of the decals are inkjet printed on clear paper, which is not what you expect for a "premium" sheet and it does not look so good. These are the Eagles below the tiger stripes and the Marine Corps globes in front of the tail.
  • Some decals (the Intakes warning arrows on both sides, decals 20,28,41,45) are missing from the sheet even though they are numbered and shown in the instructions. Luckily it does not show too much as they would be mostly hidden by the intake covers but still, quite shocking if you ask me.
  • Slime lights are missing, which is quite anoying as they are not included in the kit's sheet either (IdolMaster boxing :()

Anyway, there it is :)

18809930010_8182652841_z.jpg

Protective coat of Future is curing, tomorrow weathering starts!

Cheers,

Arnaud

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