1:32 Icelandic Fine Arts FA.2 Sea Harrier (Pre-Production Prototype)

[scvrobeson]

Happy to see this one back on the bench. Good fixes and additions on this one

 

Having the upper doors drooped is accurate for a parked Harrier. They drop with gravity when the engine is off.

 

 

Matt 

[Greg W]

Here's a question for the knowledgeable experts out there. Do any 1/32 British jet kits have decal sheets, that include stencil data and warning signs which are in common with the FA.2? Like ejection seat warning triangles, etc. I am thinking that maybe the Trumpeter GR.7, although it is a more modern RAF Harrier, might have a few usable decals, any other suggestions? 

[thierry laurent]

Well, this will be complicated as there are very few available 1/32 aftermarket sheets for low-viz grey RAF/RN jets. This asks for deeper investigation but I'm afraid possibly available options go down to a limited number of items on some Hawk, Tornado or Typhoon sheets. Kitsworld has a quite generic stencil set (set KW132153ABC  mainly intended for the Tornado).

[Greg W]

8 hours ago, thierry laurent said:

Well, this will be complicated as there are very few available 1/32 aftermarket sheets for low-viz grey RAF/RN jets. This asks for deeper investigation but I'm afraid possibly available options go down to a limited number of items on some Hawk, Tornado or Typhoon sheets. Kitsworld has a quite generic stencil set (set KW132153ABC  mainly intended for the Tornado).

 

Thank you for the heads up on the Kitsworld stencil set Thierry, I will track it down.

 

I have been considering decals from kits too. Usually, if a kit is in production, the decals can be ordered from the manufacturer or found by putting the word out over the forums. 

 

I looked up the Trumpeter GR.7 decals on the hobbydna site (Trumpeters spare part service) and found that I can buy just the kit decals that way. Not sure yet, how much is usable from that sheet but it is one option.

 

So there is the Italeri Tornado that I know of. I will have to look and see if Revell has one too? What Hawk and Typhoon kits are out there, is unknown to me, so a visit to ScaleMates is on the to do list.

 

I have contacted DN Models in order to have masks made for the roundels and larger markings but the smaller ones will have to be gathered together from various existing decal sheets. 

 

One ace I have up my sleeve is a collection of 1/32 red,white,yellow, grey and black Verlinden dry transfer stencils, which can be cut up and used to simulate text that I see in my reference.

 

In the decal sheets I am hunting down now, I am looking for things like the arrows on the canopy and other Sea Harrier symbols. 

 

Thank you so much, the help I am receiving from you lot is keeping this project going! 

 

[thierry laurent]

Here's the link to the sheet I mentioned. I guess this is probably the best available option:

https://kitsworld.co.uk/index.php?GOTO=745&PICFILE=745

[thierry laurent]

Revell had a Tornado but I don't think the RAF version is still available and this is not really a solution has the kit had high-viz markings. The Hawk and Typhoon are produced by Revell. Trumpeter also had a Typhoon. Most of the aftermarket sheets for them were made by Xtra decals but I don't think useful references are still available. 

[scvrobeson]

Eduard and Euro Decals both make sets of stencils for Tornado GR.4s, that could get you into the ballpark.

 

 

Matt 

[Greg W]

1 hour ago, thierry laurent said:

Here's the link to the sheet I mentioned. I guess this is probably the best available option:

https://kitsworld.co.uk/index.php?GOTO=745&PICFILE=745

 

1 hour ago, thierry laurent said:

Revell had a Tornado but I don't think the RAF version is still available and this is not really a solution has the kit had high-viz markings. The Hawk and Typhoon are produced by Revell. Trumpeter also had a Typhoon. Most of the aftermarket sheets for them were made by Xtra decals but I don't think useful references are still available. 

 

11 minutes ago, scvrobeson said:

Eduard and Euro Decals both make sets of stencils for Tornado GR.4s, that could get you into the ballpark.

 

 

Matt 

 

Many thanks gentleman!

 

I have just ordered the extensive three page set by Kitsworld from Hannants. Cheers Thierry.

 

Matt, I'm off to look into your suggestions now, much appreciated!

[Stevepd]

You could have a look at the uprise decals sheet for the Tornado F3. Sure I've seen it on eBay but it's over this side of the pond obviously.

[Greg W]

19 hours ago, Stevepd said:

You could have a look at the uprise decals sheet for the Tornado F3. Sure I've seen it on eBay but it's over this side of the pond obviously.

 

Another top recommendation!

 

I was completely unaware of Uprise until right now. As soon as I read your post, I checked it out. From what I can see, they look really good and I almost purchased a set upon first sight. I decided to wait, only because I would like to take stock of what I have, when the Trumpeter and Kitsworld decals that are on the way arrive in the mail. 

 

I have a sneaking suspicion that your heads up may pay dividends.

 

Thank you  

[bentwaters81tfw]

Hi Greg, just an FYI for you, Alan also sent me 3 of his pre production prototypes, in fact I had all the major parts back in 2022, but the remainder came on 1 st August.

Alan said you and I are the only two people on the planet to have these.

I have only done some preparatory clean up work, as he said you were going to do a build on LSP, and Tom Probert confirmed to me yesterday the thread was up and running.

I have been looking for decals too, the problem being the white, particularly the nozzle markings and pink detail stuff like the fire access openings. 

I will see what you think about decals before I make a move.

TBH, Alan is so fastidious about accuracy, I think the radome is correct. I never trust published drawings unless they come from the drawing office of the original manufacturer. I even get people arguing with me over measurements taken on the Thunderstreak I'm helping to restore. That nose drawing looks a bit off to me, and unless the SH has a taller fin than the GR3, it looks fine compared with our museum example.

 

I await the next installment.

Frank

[Greg W]

On 9/30/2024 at 5:24 PM, bentwaters81tfw said:

Hi Greg, just an FYI for you, Alan also sent me 3 of his pre production prototypes, in fact I had all the major parts back in 2022, but the remainder came on 1 st August.

Alan said you and I are the only two people on the planet to have these.

I have only done some preparatory clean up work, as he said you were going to do a build on LSP, and Tom Probert confirmed to me yesterday the thread was up and running.

I have been looking for decals too, the problem being the white, particularly the nozzle markings and pink detail stuff like the fire access openings. 

I will see what you think about decals before I make a move.

TBH, Alan is so fastidious about accuracy, I think the radome is correct. I never trust published drawings unless they come from the drawing office of the original manufacturer. I even get people arguing with me over measurements taken on the Thunderstreak I'm helping to restore. That nose drawing looks a bit off to me, and unless the SH has a taller fin than the GR3, it looks fine compared with our museum example.

 

I await the next installment.

Frank

 

Hi Frank, welcome to LSP!

 

I am so glad you are posting on the build. Your input is most welcome. Just for the moment, I would like to focus on decals. We can breach the subjects of tail and nose shortly. Know that I do not consider myself an expert on Sea Harriers and will be happy to update any mistaken conclusions going forward.

 

The timing of your post is good. The Kitsworld and Trumpeter GR.7 decals have arrived and I can show them to you now. I think a great deal of what we need, is present on these sheets. Including pink stencils. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The GR.7 nozzle angle indicating lines are not white and not the same design. 

 

I have been thinking about how to represent these. Pictured below is a test, just done today, of the idea I have been walking around with for a while. I wanted a proof of concept test run, in order to see if I could use white decal strips effectively. I am going to see if I can find white model railroad dry transfer numbers, to use at the trailing edge of a few of the lines. Because I have a limited amount of white strip decals, they will be saved for later. I had plenty of black on hand, which worked fine for this experiment.

 

 

 

The first thing to do, was establish the 0° and 90° lines. I used a sheet plastic disc with a bit of EZ Line attached to the center, in order to align the decals over compound curves.

 

Once that was done, I added the 30° and 60° lines, which meant  at that point, I just had to add two decals in between the existing four on the model. There are 11 lines in total.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yup, this is the way forward.

 

Now I do not have to have someone with a Silhouette cutting machine create a mask for me, or commission custom decals for the white lines. 

 

Thoughts? Concerns? Please leave them below and... a very good evening to one and all.

 

Greg

Edited October 1 by Greg W

[scvrobeson]

Looks like the decals are working well, I say go ahead with them. Really nice progress, I hope that the aftermarket decal sheets give you the stencils that you need.

 

 

Matt 

[thierry laurent]

Having custom decals correctly reproducing that geometry over such compound curves is not going to be easy. I think you surely used the best even if time consuming approach. Personally I would go as well with the individual decals!

 

[bentwaters81tfw]

Hi Greg.

Good work on the decals. The Tornado sheet is easy for me to get; Where did you source the Trumpeter set from please? I have mixed reports of their spares support.

Xtradecal stripes are easy, Hannants are about 40 miles away. Freightdog Decals do them too.

Should you have need, I have 3 extra sets of wings.

 

Frank