Hi all

Now that my fun project (the P-47D-1) is done I want to start another one. As I finally want to have a new jet in my collection I started Revells Harrier GR.7 (Hasegawa reboxing). the molding is very nice I got an Aires cockpit and the nice decal set from Model Alliance with Lucy and Michelle (I know you like such stuff )



The real aircraft got under PC pressure and the nose art had to be removed (which were just shadows and really harmless) .. I found a few post PC-ban pix of ZD404 but nothing on ZD 437). Via HS Jet Forum I got two pix scanned from Air Forces Monthly March 2007 (small) but if anyone has a bit more material I would be grateful... also got a link to this pic of "Michelle" (both .. click IMG for the article)



and here are two images of the model so far (I started yesterday evening!) .. as I avoided the pit for the moment I got some good progress. the model is nice, though there is a bit to adjust here and there . Still I need to clean up and fill a few areas, but it was/is really fun




all the best

Steffen

always loved the harrier, someday I should add one to the que

Never knew that it was a re-box of the Hasegawa kit Steffen, so far so good. I'd like to do a second someday...the new 1/32 should be fun. Here is the one I did a few years back.



Looking forward to your next progress posting.

Happy Modeling,
Joe

Thank you Shawn and Joe!

At the moment I am still trying to figure out some details that puzzle me. Especially re a plausible ordnance load..

First there is this fuselage mount points. Per Revell instructions:



I can either mount the two pods (no idea what these are, so any input appreciated) or two "blades" guess thes are mount points.

The picture I have is no real help as there can hardly be seen anything



On this picture from the same AFM article you can see the "pod" right (i.e. left in the picture) and on the left fuselage (right in the picture) there is a targeting pod mounted to the "blade" (IMO) Considering this picture you can guess that the other one also shows a "blade" mount.



Furthermore you see a load to one of the wing mount points that seems kind of ECM stuff. What is this? Can I find it in any kit/AM set?

any help appreciated (also re correct designation of all the stuff)

May thanks in advance!

all the best

Steffen

as for the one that is marked "what is this", it is a ACMI pod or AIS data pod

www.airsceneuk.org.uk/hangar/2001/acmi/acmi.htm

Many thanks Vance!

i also got a few answers over at HS. Dave Williams (not sure, but i guess thats the man who wrote the books on a/c weaponry) :

The large pods that go on the belly are called cannon pods, although in the Harrier GR.5/7/9 they don't actually have a gun installed. They could never get the gun they wanted for the 2nd gen Harrier to work quite right so the pod has ECM gear instead. The "blades" are called strakes. They are part of the lift system used when hovering near the ground and function by creating a space to trap some of the exhaust that bounces back up from the the ground. The cannon pods do the same thing, and the Harrier is almost never seen without either the pods or strakes. There is a also vertical door behind the nose gear that drop downs when the gear is down that walls off the space between the front of the pods/strakes.

The pod under the left strake is a TIALD pod, which is a targeting pod used for guiding laser guided bombs. It is attached to it's own strake-like pylon, not the the standard strake. (Note that you can see the vertical door behind the nose gear in the shot also)

http://www.armedforces.co.uk/raf/listings/raf8d3.htm

The pointy thing on the Sidewinder rail under the wing is an ACMI pod. It's usually fitted for air combat meets like Red Flag and it's used to send real time data to the ground controllers on the aircraft's position, speed, altitude, etc. so that the controllers can monitor progress and later "play back" the fight for the participants. Each aircraft has it's own pod, so the controllers can monitor the entire battle on a couple of screens. Aircraft fighting in Afghanistan have been seen carrying the pods, I believe so that the commanders on the ground can keep track of where individual aircraft are without the use of an expensive AWACS. Normally ACMI pods wouldn't be used in combat since they displace a Sidewinder as well as give off a signal that could be tracked, but there aren't any airborne threats in Afghanistan, so it isn't a problem.

HTH.

that clears up a lot even if not all of my questions ...

all the best

Steffen

It has been a while since I had this model in my hands ... today I just wanted to add the Aires hoover nozzles (no glue , just clicked in) but I thought I could also use some glue in the cockpit area, so I glued it together with the aires pit. Not very smart from a painting point of view, but I have no fun in that anyway ....







all the best

Steffen

I built the same kit as well. I made it he mk.9. had the same dilemma you had with the pods. I went with the gun pods though. A few gaps at the bottom, nothing hard to handle. For some reason the decals that come with the kit are very difficult to handle. Good luck! The kit comes together great!

Thanks mate!

here is some more progress... still need to find a way to replicate the mount for the TIALD pod





all the best

Steffen

Hi nice model.

I have the same model and the canopy looks smaller, what you did to correct?

Best regards

HI Paulo,

wow, what an old thread, I did not even know I started it Well, the model is still in nearly the same state of sorrow.

Which means I did not correct anything. The front part seems to fit and my canopy will be open so I guess I can hide some fit issues.

all the best

Steffen

P.S. problem still is the TIALD pod and its mount. I got a pod from AMRAAM Line (which is not bad, but also not stellar) but I am still lacking a proper mount. I tried to replicate it with the lhs thrust deflector (which was mounted when the "Aden pod" was not installed) but I was not happy with that...

Here are two pix of the actual state.... yes shame on me





The canopy is polished and "Kleared" I have not fitted the rear clear section to the grey part of the sliding hood mechanism.

cheers

Steffen