1/72 Matchbox Sea Harrier FRS.1

[Maverick231]

I have been a lover of the Harrier my whole life and I have 4 sitting in the stash and with the GB thats going on at the moment on another forum I decided to have a go at building at least one.
So my first victim is the 1/72 Matchbox Sea Harrier FRS.1.
I'm going to be building this one out of the box but painting her into the Grey and White 800 NAS Royal Navy livery with the Red Arrow on the tail using tail decals and ordinance from the stash.

Here is an overview of the kit:

The fuselage and other first bits are off the sprew and sanded down:

The very basic seat and Engine fan now painted up ready to go inside the fuselage:

I've painted the cockpit interior a light grey, glued in the nose weights, painted the inside of the fuselage black that's visible through the air intakes and glued in the seat and engine fan.

I tried something I've seen and been very inspired by when other modellers do it.
I have never tried this before so please go easy on my result.
I have looked into various photos of FRS.1 Ejector Seats and I have done my best on getting the seat belts and buckles right so here are the results:

I closed the fuselage up, put a layer of primer on and sorted out the paint work too.

The next step is to sand and fill then touch up the paint work.
I decided to go back to my old way of building just for one kit.
I have been thinking about what configuration and loadout I should have her in since I started this build.
I have settled on having a refueling probe as I won't be using it on any other future harrier build.

I have sanded down the fuselage joins, added the tail boom, nose cone, nose antenna and refueling probe.
I've also made a start painting the wings and landing gear.

Then I got the wings, horizontal stabilizers and landing gear on and along with the tail boom, nose pitot tube and refueling probe all painted too.
I also added a borrowed set of gun pods from the Airfix FA.2 kit, they're borrowed as I am being sent a set which I'll return to the FA.2 when they arrive.
I know they are about 4mm too short as it seems but atleast they're from another Sea Harrier.

Here are a couple of pics of her sat next to a 4 Squadron GR.3.
I think painting the engine fan silver was a really good idea as its really visible through the intake and I'm still very impressed with the Ejector Seat:

Since the last pic I have finished the grey paint work, strengthened the wing joins and touched up the little bits.
C&c welcome.

[paddyboy]

Nice work there, Mav

Keep us updated on the progress

Best regards and well done on that bang seat

Patrick

[Maverick231]

Thanky Paddy .

Last night I applied a coat of Klear in preparation for decals.
The decals have been batting in sun light for a couple of days to try and deyellow them.
Also If anyone has any info on any weapons the FRS.1 carried please feel free to either post in this thread or pm me as I want to learn anything I can in order to get an accurate ordinance load out.
That includes adaptors for missiles and things.

[GhostFlight91]

like it

[PaulN]

Thanky Paddy .

Last night I applied a coat of Klear in preparation for decals.
The decals have been batting in sun light for a couple of days to try and deyellow them.
Also If anyone has any info on any weapons the FRS.1 carried please feel free to either post in this thread or pm me as I want to learn anything I can in order to get an accurate ordinance load out.
That includes adaptors for missiles and things.

Hi

A quick search of the internet will help you greatly here is just but one example
http://www.primeportal.net/hangar/howar ... rier_frs1/
There are also a myriad of books on the Sea Harrier , many of which you can pick up cheaply at fairs or on ebay etc
I also suggest you try to obtain the Italeri or Hasegawa Sea Harrier FRS1s as they are much better representations of the A/C with more accurate weapons pylons.weapons etc
Good work on a poor kit
HTH
Paul

[Maverick231]

Thanks for the help folks.

Ok last night I got onto decaling.
I can't believe how nice these decals are to work with!
Obviously I have a lot more to do decal wise but here is a shot of the belly so far:

I also managed to get a half decent result on the red top surface decals:

I was happy until the wing joins started to get to me so in order to not mess up the decals I've decided to make my own brush on putty, its going to take 24 hours to be usable so the wing joins won't be filled till tomorrow.

C&c welcome.

[paddyboy]

Hi Mav

Keep it going, buddy

Best regards

Patrick

[Maverick231]

I've done a little work on the stores today.
I have decided to go with a "out of the ordinary" load out.
So on the inner pilons will sit two Sea Eagles.
I found these in the stash and added the air intakes from spares left over from other kits.
On the outer pilons I have decided to go against my better judgment and have the double mounted Sidewinders taken from the Airfix FA.2 kit.
And finally on the center pilon I found a TIALD Jamming pod in the stash left over of a Tornado GR,1 kit.
Here is a quick pic of the ordinance and pilons:

And here is the ordinance with the SHAR:

I realize that the FR.1 would never have carried these stores so if anyone has a problem with this then I will leave them off for the GB and add them after to keep everybody happy.
I also put the nose decals on, I'm going to start getting the rest of the decals on to get her finished tonight.

[paddyboy]

Hi Mav

One question: would she have ever got off the deck with that little load

Great update

Keep 'em comin'

Patrick

[Maverick231]

Haha probably not Paddyboy and if so shed only get about 50 miles before running out of fuel!
I've decided to go with duel mounted ASRAAM's as I've read that they were being tested back in the 70's so its the Royal Navy's test bed and the TIALD has instead been fitted out to carry recording equipment.

[Maverick231]

Ok so one of my last updates before this beauty is finished.
Decals are on now, I tried to use the Matchbox intake roundels but they were too big and didn't react well to being cut so instead I have used a spare set from the Airfix Hawk T.1 which were good for cutting and about the right size judging by the photo my Dad bought for me when I was a child, I've painted all the fine details, dipped the canopy in Klear and painted the Camera TAILD Pod.
Here she is at the moment:

C&c welcome as always.

[Maverick231]

Ok I'm Calling the FRS.1 herself done!
Here is a "Walk Round" of the model:






Just for kicks heres one through the glass:

C&c welcome as always.

[Stroudy]

Very good little kit that, well done.

Reminds me of my 1:48 Airfix FRS.1 I made when I was a kid and won loads of ATC modelling competitions with.. and then had a 'teenage rebellion' and pulled the wheels off, checked if it could fly and then chucked it in the...BIN! Doh.

As a grown up, if only I could go back and get it...

[paddyboy]

Hi Mav

Great work and result, mate

Well done you

Best regards

Patrick

[Maverick231]

Thanks again Paddyboy .
Ok folks here she is.

[paddyboy]

N-I-c-e

Best regards

Patrick

[John flightpath]

I built one of these many moons ago, (same kit) similar Colour scheme. still all in one piece, in the loft. Along with other Harriers. I didn't go into so much detail back in those days. It was one of the best kits ever made, and you have certainly done the kit credit with an excellent result. Very well done indeed. Sadly I don't have the patience these days and seldomly build anything these days, hence the back log of unbuilt, bought on a whym, kits in the cupboard. lol.

Best Regards
John 'flightpath'.

[Maverick231]

Thanks again Paddyboy!

Thank you John!
I love the Matchbox kits and Harrier kits!

[Maverick231]

I take it yours is at Bruntingthorpe?
Would love to see that as I've not been since she came from Dunsfold.