Da SWO Posted November 4, 2024 Share Posted November 4, 2024 My 130 is close enough to completion to start another model. The Harriers configured for air to air intrigued me. I picked up the Hasegawa AV-8B+ and some extras. Quinta cockpit decals, and lots of Flying Leatherneck stuff. The photo below shows the configuration I am going for. I spent the last few days slowly building the cockpit. The Quinta decals went on fairly easily, though some are frustratingly small (note they give you more decals than are in the kit). I have to touch up the stripes on the ejection handle, but over all a nice start. I'll have to add pics tomorrow, the ones I took today are blurry 😞 The only gripe so far is the design of the main fuselage. 4 pieces, two sides and a belly piece. The engine fan also contributes to the structural integrity. I don't have a large modelling area, so I normally don't build multiple sub assemblies at the same time, I don't think I have a choice with this build. We shall see how it goes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted November 4, 2024 Author Share Posted November 4, 2024 Here a cockpit photo. I'm pleased with the Quinta decals. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wxltcol Posted November 4, 2024 Share Posted November 4, 2024 Nice, Brett! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lgl007 Posted November 7, 2024 Share Posted November 7, 2024 Looking go so far 🙂 -Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted November 19, 2024 Author Share Posted November 19, 2024 Slowly working it. Essentially doing steps 1-4 at the same time. The main fuselage assembly is wonky (IMO) so I'll put the nose on the cockpit before gluing it to the fuselage. I also need to paint the section that will be inside the intakes. I should have a few more photo's later this week. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wxltcol Posted November 19, 2024 Share Posted November 19, 2024 Looking good, Brett! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted December 6, 2024 Author Share Posted December 6, 2024 Glued the nose and cockpit sections. If I am reading the instructions correctly, I should have put the cockpit onto the fuselage first. I did the nose to cockpit join in order to have a larger piece to hold, and I think the structure is more sturdy. The main fuselage is built, but I forgot to take a photo. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted December 17, 2024 Author Share Posted December 17, 2024 Forgot to take photos. Cockpit, panel behind the cockpit wings and strakes were glued to the main fuselage. Lots of gaps, ridges and seams to get rid of. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 A lot of work with little progress. Wingtips are on, and the intakes assembled/glued on. The left intake fit well, the right intake was a mess. Shape was off, and the lower half was too tall (mm+). I filed the attachment point on the fuselage and intake down to get a better fit, then I took a 180 grit flexifile and sanded it into shape; obliterating the details. I have to rescribe the details back in, and finish sanding under the leading edge of the wing on the right side. I dryfit the A/R probe and it has a sizable gap between the fuselage and probe. More putty and sanding await me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lgl007 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Lots of work but it's looking really good from the pics 🙂 -Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted January 28 Author Share Posted January 28 Sometimes you just shake your head. The ventral fin has three parts, two on each fuselage half and a third that completes the fin. I just wonder why? Why not just have the complete fin on each fuselage half? increase the parts count? @lgl007 Thanks for the kind words Quote Link to post Share on other sites
strikeeagle801 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 This is why, to date, I haven't tackled a Harrier. I'm afraid I just don't have the skill or the patience for it. I am cautiously optimistic for the Uma Model AV-8 if it ever indeed sees the light of day, hoping for a better fit and finish than the Hasegawa kit. Keep at it. You'll get there! .Aaron Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ESzczesniak Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 It is a tedious as hell kit to build, but can get you there… Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jabba29 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 15 hours ago, Da SWO said: Sometimes you just shake your head. The ventral fin has three parts, two on each fuselage half and a third that completes the fin. I just wonder why? Why not just have the complete fin on each fuselage half? increase the parts count? I think that it was something to do with the British GR5 & 7 versions, which have a different trailing edge to the ventral fin. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 16 Author Share Posted February 16 Slow progress. I hope to start painting by the end of Feb. Some good news, we bid on a house and I'll have a dedicated modelling area if we get it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wxltcol Posted February 16 Share Posted February 16 Good luck on the house! Hope you get it! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted February 27 Author Share Posted February 27 On 2/16/2025 at 3:48 PM, wxltcol said: Good luck on the house! Hope you get it! Sign for the house tomorrow. We will have an actual art room for model building and my wife can paint her icons. Started putting all the small fiddly pieces on. Shaky hands don't make it an easy task. Question for the experts. The Radome in most of the photos I have seems to be a slightly lighter shade of gray. I have one photo where it looks like the same shade as the fuselage. The instructions call it Radome Gray, but don't list a FS#. What color gray should I use? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lgl007 Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 Gratz on the house. Post some pics of your new 'modelling area' 🙂 Harrier is looking great so far 🙂 -Greg Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dave Roof Posted February 27 Share Posted February 27 12 hours ago, Da SWO said: Sign for the house tomorrow. We will have an actual art room for model building and my wife can paint her icons. Started putting all the small fiddly pieces on. Shaky hands don't make it an easy task. Question for the experts. The Radome in most of the photos I have seems to be a slightly lighter shade of gray. I have one photo where it looks like the same shade as the fuselage. The instructions call it Radome Gray, but don't list a FS#. What color gray should I use? There isn't a single color to use. I literally have hundreds of photos of Harriers I took while stationed at Cherry Point, and almost none of the radomes are the same shade of gray. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted March 3 Author Share Posted March 3 I dropped a couple of small pieces (engine vent, and an air scoop) into the carpet 😞 and will look for them over the next day or so, failing to find them I will open my spare box and rob the three parts from it. All the initial assemblies will then be done. I have to find time to watch YouTube to see how to remove the seam line from the windscreen and canopy. After that, I'll start painting. 1st time with an airbrush, so that should be interesting. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
wxltcol Posted March 4 Share Posted March 4 Hope airbrushing goes well. I need to set my paint booth back up and have at it. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted March 13 Author Share Posted March 13 Sanded, rubbing compound, and futured the windscreen and canopy. Letting then dry/cure for a couple of days. initial take is they look nice. Will paint the windscreen frames, then glue to the fuselage, paint canopy frames, and glue to the rails. Movers come tomorrow, so I get delayed, but I think I can see the end coming up. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted March 24 Author Share Posted March 24 The move is killing my bench time. Canopy and windscreen came out nice. I pre-shaded (1st time)and am taping the windscreen and canopy. I'll start painting after that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ExchefAndy Posted March 24 Share Posted March 24 Yep... moving always sucks, even when it's to your benefit! Keep the pics going when you can, good luck with settling in too Andy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Da SWO Posted April 8 Author Share Posted April 8 Started building the external tanks, then I remembered I bought a set from Flying Leathernecks. WOW! Great detail and well engineered. 3 piece tank with connector caps that go inside the tanks. Assembly was very easy with minimal putty. I also have the Flying Leathernecks AV-8 pylon set, again great detail, but no instructions in the package or on the website that I could find. IMO, you have to have @Dave Roof's pylons if you buy his tanks, using the kit pylons would require removing details from the tanks, a darn shame if you ask me. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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