In 1/48 there are really only two options, Tamiya’s, which needs a LOT of work, (I am slowly working on one now[:S]) and Airfix. Which has softer detail, but does not appear to need as much work as the Tamiya Sea Harrier. Airfix also makes FRS.2 Sea Harrier, which combines a much nicer new fuselage with the older wings and other common parts. The best way to get a nice GR.3 is to take the Monogram AV-8A (far superior to Airfix or Tamiya’s Harriers in detail) and use either the Missing Link conversion or take those parts from the Airfix GR.3 kit.
It probably helps that we are no longer under threat of invasion. Our military now, as shrinking as it is, is about us projecting military power abroard rather than defending our own shores.
And i don’t think the French or German’s are about to kick off any time soon.
No, but those Spaniards may be thinking about a new armada one day if they get their budgets in order 
Yeah, I was being slightly sarcastic…Project military power? Without carriers? What is the front-line fighter the Brits use these days?
Frontline fighter if the Brits? Could be that Typhoon thingie…
Anyway, the uk has one of the more credible armies when compared to other European countries. Irish jet fighters or Dutch tanks are non exisistent.
I was really surprised at the low number of Harriers that the Brits actually built…!
What happened to their Leopard IIs? Retired? Scrapped? Sold off?
The leopard 2a5 are being sold. The Dutch decisionmakers are crazy. Here are a few trains of thought “lets refurbish all our P-3’s and then sell them to Germany” " let’s refurbish all our Leopard II to A5 standard and then sell them". Same with Soesterberg base, Cougar helicopters, etc etc.
Thanks SP, I hadn’t thought about kitbashing one or using a conversion set - great idea!
Well i think we will be fine lol, the Harrier was a dated design and other than make it more like a stealth jet I cannot see how it could be improved, I mean with the role the Sea Harrier played it was great as it had the right tools for the job, and it was a pure bread fighter unlike its fatter RAF GR7 brother. But it was old and like everything it had to retire from service. Honestly I dont see how the Royal Navy can afford new carriers and jets. When I left the Navy there were so many people leaving that if it continued the RN would not be able to send any ships to sea by 2015. It was a mess when you were in, things that would happen that the public would never hear of.
That would be the Euro fighter. And while the decision to get ride of carriers was a big mistake, i can’t see any major wars where we couldn’t manage without them. Look at Libya. We operated direct from bases in the Uk and from bases in italy.
The same pretty much goes for the Army. Though last Fri, my last day in, was the saddast day of my life, in a way i am glad to have gotten out before things get any worse.
Then why was it a mistake to get rid of them…???
I hear ya Bish… my last day in was pretty hard for me. The end of a boyhood dream. Well at least I have my other one in my day job
Really Bish ah well all things must come to an end. I have to say that after my Afghanistan tour everyone and everything changed, attitudes etc people drinking A LOT I was no exception most of us were on a path of self destruction and we were the lucky ones, there were some people who went further in fact it was so common in the Royal Navy that it was normal. I have to say for me and a lot of those guys it’s better to be a civilian. But to those who stayed it’s good for them. I only served 5 years and the transition back to civilian life was hard you shouldn’t but you kinda resented civilians for no reason, many of my mates felt the same, But the RN was a picture perfect organisation from the outside but within it was eroding at a rapid pace. I hope things have gotten better since then as people not making it back from theatre is one thing its sad but its almost unavoidable, but when they do make it back and then end it thats the worst and you heard about it monthly (literally Im not even joking here) it was in a real bad way. I mean the Harriers, like I think I said before, 13 onboard and usually there were no parts to keep them flying they had to be cannibalised just to get airborne sometimes, we had on some days 3 airworthy, the Illustrious has 3 Goalkeepers, one was permanently broken during the tour, generator failures were daily, an engine exploded in the Baltic it went on and on.
Actually I am really sorry for that last post guys, I’m sure you didn’t wanna see that I was just typing what I was remembering, anyway its done and in the past now so moving on…
I dunno----I’m becoming a BIG Harrier Groupie right now…