Nic C.D. Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 It has been over 2 years since I've started a kit and that just isn't acceptable. So, I'll try to build an EAV-8B Harrier II Plus - a Harrier II Plus from the Spanish Navy. The basis of this is the Trumpeter kit, which I've bought a few years ago. It is quite a nice kit and the only one available. The advantage is that it benefits the good fitting of the brand's kits. Not being able to do an out-of-box build - I've tried, it never works - I've started to cut up some parts of the kit; I'll open the upper engine doors, the avionics bay in the aft fuselage and a few other panels here and there. Here's the set-up: Although the kit is a good basis, it can use some attention. The forward landing gear strut is a bit wrong and lacks detail, the cockpit is a little basic and some parts need cleaning up and detail. I'll show you when I'll pass those points. I hope to detail the radar, typical for this version of the AV-8B and detail the interior of the radome as well. The kit includes an engine, but it is rather basic. No provision is made to show the engine, so if you want to show it, you'll need to cut up the upper fuselage. I've done that but this area needs a massive amount of added detail. Now that sounds like a lot of fun to me! Here are the first steps towards that: There is a large bar spanning over this area, which I made from plasticard. It is far from perfect, but it is only a first try. The back and front of the engine bay has to built from scratch, this is the beginning of that. One of the heat exhausts is provided in the kit, but is way too small. Not the hardest part to rebuild, though. One thing you're just able to see is the upper wing and fuselage that I've riveted. I've got some photos showing where the rivets go, which helped. This photo not only shows the avionics bay that I opened up, but also a lot of work that needs to be done. The way too simple outer support gear, details on the aft fuselage, exhaust plates and much more. But hey, I'm in no rush! I'll be back with progress soon. At least, that's the plan... Nic Uncarina, scvrobeson, Alain Gadbois and 14 others 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stusbke Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 You could use the radar that comes in the academy F18? they are quite lovely in detail and since I got a few of those in the stash I can surely part with one of them... If I'm not mistaken its the same let me know if you want the parts I can give them to you at affligem or send them your way all the same for me... Looking great so far going to be one hell of a display when ready Cheers Frederick Jacobs Nic C.D. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic C.D. Posted October 6, 2019 Author Share Posted October 6, 2019 That is very nice Frederick, the kit has a radar in it, but it is quite euhm.. simple. Early Hornets used the same radar, so that could be a great help! I'll PM you this week to make sure we can meet in Affligem! Nic stusbke 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark64 Posted November 4, 2019 Share Posted November 4, 2019 any update? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic C.D. Posted November 7, 2019 Author Share Posted November 7, 2019 I'll make some photos after the weekend! I hope to find the air intakes that go on top of the fuselage at the show in Telford! I've been working on the ejection seat and some more detailing of the engine, but haven't got the time yet to make photos. Thanks to Stubske for the hornet's radar! Those parts will surely help ! Nic stusbke and scvrobeson 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic C.D. Posted December 30, 2019 Author Share Posted December 30, 2019 Took the time this weekend to make a little progress on the EAV-8B. Still in the cutting-up and scratch building progress, but that's what I like best! This photo shows the state of the engine bay. Some additional detail was added, but still far from finished. Next will be adding more tubes, rivets and the two heat exhausts that will be prominent near the aft part of the bay. The bay will be highly visual when the kit is done, so this really has to be good. Fortunately, I've got loads of photos to work from. For the cockpit, I bought a resin replacement and it fits relatively well. I cut open the part behind the seat to add detail, even though you probably won't be able to see a lot of it... I'll add some detail to the cockpit as well, but that's for later. In the air intake, 4 very visual ejector pin marks have been filled with putty. If there is one thing I don't like to do, it is sanding... But this was really necessary. Here's the seat; there's so much tiny detail to add to it that my eyes started to hurt... But I'm sure that it'll be very cool when it'll be painted. I did some more surgery on the fuselage of the Harrier II, with in front of the forward nozzle the hydraulic system's ground test and in between a larger panel which enables checks on the hydraulics and the fuel boost pump. Further aft on the fuselage, the avionics bay is located (I already opened that earlier), but more aft is the ground electricity supply point. I've opened up that part too... Here are two photos of the wings of the Harrier II. I made a hole on top of the wing where the water tank filler cap is located; another small detail that is added. The rivets are added, but the upper and lower parts aren't glued yet. Still, It looks like some putty will be needed for the leading edge of the wings... Finally, I drilled a hole in the landing gear, where the tow-bar goes. It still needs more detail though. Well, now it is back to working at the books for me. We've got 3 books coming by the end of March, so there's a lot of work there. This Harrier is proving to be a lot of fun and it allows to put a lot of detail in a relatively small model, especially compared to jets like the Phantom, Eagle or Tomcat. Next step will be to finish the engine bay, paint the cockpit, do the avionics bay and rivet the aft fuselage. I've started detailing the radar with the parts I got from Frederick, so that'll work out great too. See ya! Nic Landrotten Highlander, LSP_Kevin, Alain Gadbois and 10 others 13 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark64 Posted December 30, 2019 Share Posted December 30, 2019 This is one of my favorite build. So talented. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcel111 Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Amazing detailing, such clean work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robthepom Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Great timing. I intend to start mine when I have finished my current project. which AM cockpit did you use? amazing details so far Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alain Gadbois Posted December 31, 2019 Share Posted December 31, 2019 Excellent work! This is shaping up to be a stunning model. Alain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic C.D. Posted January 19, 2020 Author Share Posted January 19, 2020 I've continued a little on the kit - it's fun adding detail. This jet isn't really big and with the engine bay open, you have a compact kit loaded with detail, from the nose to the cockpit, engine and avionics bay and ground power connection. Really cool. Here's where I am with the engine bay: So the two round things to the aft of the bay are where the air intakes on top of the fuselage connect. More in the middle and diagonally placed, are the air exhausts. Of these air exhausts, only one is in the kit and it is way too small, so it had to be scratched. You can't see it in the photo, but I've also built some detail in the interior of them. On the starboard side, next to the round intake connection, an electrical wire box is located. That part alone holds about 40 tiny parts. You can't see it very well in the photo, but it's there. I have to build another one of these on the port side too, but I haven't started it yet. It took me about 4 hours to build just one... I think I'm almost halfway through detailing the engine bay. Painting it will be a big challenge, there are so many different colours in this area! Looking at some good close-ups of the area behind the seat, I noticed quite a bit of tubes, so out came some super glue and more metal wires. It looks very much like in the photos of the real EAV-8B, I'm happy about that. I also added some detail to the instrument cover and the leg straps on the seat. I'll show it when the seat is painted. I also wanted to add another point of interest by showing the extended in-flight refuelling probe. The kit provides just two parts for the closed probe. I cut the front part and extended the probe, so now I have to detail the middle section and the support strut. For this, I have to wait until the air intake is done, though... Another part that I cut open and detailed, is the large pylon, located nearest the fuselage. In the middle of it, an access panel is located. It holds 4 connection points, 2 tubes and some instruction plates. I spent a night building the interior and although you probably won't see it if you don't get really close to the kit, it's just one of those little extras that I like to add. So, here's another dry-fit photo of where I am at the moment: I've continued detailing the radar, started detailing the interior of the radome - I'd like a few more photos of that part, but not so easy to get - added detail to the cockpit, seat, area behind the seat and the canopy framing. Loads of almost invisible details there, not sure if it was worth the time, but I guess we'll see later. Then the engine bay, in-flight refuelling probe, the small hydraulic system's ground test panel, the hydraulic panel in between the nozzles, the avionics bay and the ground power panel. Ow, and I started detailing the nose landing gear. I hope to have the kit done by November. Not sure if I'll make it, but that's fine. Thanks for taking the time to follow, if you have any suggestions or photos of other parts that can be opened, please do! Nic Piero, Landrotten Highlander, LSP_Kevin and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 On 12/30/2019 at 12:51 PM, Nic C.D. said: I made a hole on top of the wing where the water tank filler cap is located; another small detail that is added. Water tank? (asking because I don't know) What is the water for? Richard Nic C.D. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic C.D. Posted January 19, 2020 Author Share Posted January 19, 2020 Hi Richard, The pilot can cool the engine with water during take off or landing, allowing the turbine speed to get higher and get more thrust. There is a reservoir of +/- 250 liters that is usually filled with distilled water. It is quite consuming to cool the engine this way though, at a rate of 4 liters per second, the pilot only has about 1 minute of cooling available. Nic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLWP Posted January 19, 2020 Share Posted January 19, 2020 Thank you, that's interesting. As an apprentice I came across water-methanol injection, that was usually on much older engines than the one in the AV-8B So much to learn... Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LSP_Kevin Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 Fantastic detailing work, Nic! Kev Nic C.D. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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