I am wanting to build a British Sea Harrier FA2, and I would like to use the Hasegawa Harrier Plus model in 1/48. My question is this, what other than decals are needed to transform the US Marine Harrier 2 Plus into a British Sea Harrier Fa2. Thanks, Herbie
I’m not even sure it can be done.
The Sea Harrier FRS.2 was, from an airframe standpoint, taken from earlier Harrier specs. those specs covering the GR.3 and FRS.1 airfames.
The Sea Harrier 2 had the older style short wings with outriggers right at the wingtips. It’s main differences from the Sea Harrier 1 came in the cockpit and the new radar which gave it a somewhat different nose profile.
To my knowledge, the Harrier became almost a completely new aircraft with the arrival of the GR.5 and AV-8B series and their descendants.
I’d say you’re better to find a 1/48 kit of a Sea Harrier 1 and go from there, a whole lot less work involved and I know for a fact it can be done with that as you’re base kit. If I’m not mistaken, somebody did make a resin conversion set for that very purpose.
Sorry to say, it’s not just a matter of different decals. The Sea Harrier FA.2 has a longer fuselage than the standard harrier, a different wing root and a radome (rather than the slopped nose of the AV-8B or the GR.7). It may not be worth trying to transform the Hasegawa kit unless you have a dedicated FA.2 resin conversion kit. You may want to explore Great Models.com. I think Airfix makes a FA.2, but I can’t remember the scale. Whirlybits does a resin conversion for the FA.2 in 1:72 (available through Linden Hill Imports). They may also have a 1:48 (?). Good luck. Hope it helps.
Frank
As the other guys said, Herbie, you are on a loser here.
Other than the name & the VSTOL concept & layout, the two don’t have a lot in common.
The 1/48th Airfix FRS2 is, compared with your Hasegawa kit, crude. But, given lots of work, maybe a new seat & the fact that there is a lot of reference material out there it can be made into a decent model. It should be fairly cheap too, so buy a couple & experiment.
There is the Tamiya FS1, not a bad kit but it does have a lot of critics, basic shape, I think.
There is also the Airfix 1/24th SeaHarrier. Though I can’t remember if it’s a 1 or a 2. That should be available on discount somewhere as it was expensive. Again it’s relatively crude in places, being based, I think, on their earlier Harrier GR3 kit, but then so was the real thing!
BTW, on the ground a Harrier’s gear doors are closed & are only opened by the ground crew when needed. A lot of people leave them open on models, so where does the blast go when it takes off? Yep, up into the bays to merrily burn up the wiring. Makes sense you know!
Happy Hovering
Pete
Thanks for the information fellas. I guess I will give the Airfix model a try, and do a few of the fixes the kit needs. Thanks, Herbie
The 1/24th scale Airfix Sea Harrier is the FRS1 version. Am putting one together at the moment, and yes it might be a bit crude in places, but i’m finding it an enjoyable build. It is available on discount in the UK at the moment, with my local branch of Modelzone selling it for £29.99.
Heritage Aviation does a resin conversion set that will allow you to change it to the FRS2 version. It isn’t cheap though at around £90. Heritage also do a set of intakes that have the auxiliary intake doors open as they should be when the Harrier is on the ground. I am using a set of these on my SHAR build.