British Aerospace Tempest GR.1

[CammNut]

In whifworld, the UK's 1970s Air Staff Target 403 for a supersonic STOVL replacement for both the RAF's Jaguars and Harriers did not fall apart and result in the purchase of AV-8Bs as Harrier GR.5s and eventual development of the Eurofighter Typhoons. Instead it led to the successful development of Hawker's P.1214 supersonic STOVL design, with its forward-swept wing and vectored-thrust engine with plenum-chamber burning.

Hawker Siddeley Aviation was merged into British Aircraft Corporation in 1977, and development of the P.1214 passed to the resulting British Aerospace. Hawker had considered resurrecting the Kestrel name for the Harrier's supersonic successor, but when the aircraft entered service at the end of the 1980s, the RAF chose the name Tempest to honour a classic fighter from the era of Sir Sydney Camm's Hawker Aircraft.



The model is Fantastic Plastic's 1/72 resin model of the P.1214, finished in the Desert Pink scheme applied to RAF Jaguars involved in Operation Granby during the 1991 Gulf War. Most of the markings come from a couple of RAF Desert Storm decal sheets - one from Xtradecal while the "Diplomatic Service" nose art is from a decal sheet by Kits-World - plus a few extras to make a basically bland scheme more interesting.



The few changes I made were to round off the tops of the vertical fins to give them Camm's signature "Hawker tail" look - and seeing the finished model, I am really glad I did. I also added pylons and weapons that do not come with the kit: a TIALD targeting pod on the centerline, Paveway II laser-guided bombs on the boom stations, ALQ-101 jammer and Phimat chaff/flare pods on the inboard wing stations and AIM-9Ls on the outboard stations.



The kit is well-moulded, with a smooth finish, nice panel-line detail and virtually no pin-holes (in my example). It is a pretty simple kit, with robust locating pins so the major parts almost clip together. The cockpit needs a bit of detailing (the resin canopy is  reasonably clear - clear enough for me, and pleasantly robust) and you need to take some care assembling the inlet and attaching the outer wing sections.





This was my first brush-painted model in decades. I used Humbrol 250 Desert Pink enamel and it went on well (unthinned, multiple coats). In operation, the scheme weathered quickly. I don't do weathering - to me, models should look like models - but I found a pic of a Jag fresh out of painting, with the Diplomatic Service nose art, so that was good enough for me. I did leave off the mission tally marking as a gesture to being "realistic".



I worked on advanced STOVL designs in Hawker's projects office in 1977-78, but left before they came up with the P.1214 and P.1216 (which got as far as a full-scale mockup). The configuration "breakthrough" was going to a twin-boom, three-nozzle layout and getting rid of the rear fuselage, which in the Harrier suffers from acoustic fatigue caused by impingement of the jet exhausts.



Soon after starting this kit, I bought Michael Pryce's excellent book on the P.1216. I was amazed to find out how much work was done on that series of designs, which had the chin intake, twin booms, three nozzles, four tails, but more-conventional aft-swept wing. I have a 1/72 resin P.1216 model somewhere, but it will be nowhere near as easy to build as this one was. Hats off to Fantastic Plastic.

[Captain Canada]

Great job on that one ! Love the weapons fit....and Hawkerizing the fins was a nice touch !

[CSMO]

That is an X-wing fighter of a different color. It looks like it would be right at home based on Babylon 5. It has that look about it. You have made a beautifully executed model. Well done, sir! Adios, Larry.

[Thorvic]

Looks rather tasty a nice build and a mush better armament than the one supplied in the kit.

Seeing photos of a built example has finally scratched that itch that was bugging me with the Anigrand produced kit for FP, I could already see the Booms are moulded oddly as the pylon should blend into the boom and not have a kink at the rear, but there was something else that didn't appear to match the drawings. Finally worked it out the tail planes are about twice the size that they should !!!!

[Hobbes]

Very nice 

[PR19_Kit]

What superb looking model, and original aircraft too! 

I like the weirdness of the P.1214 more than I do that of the P.1216, but even that's off-the-wall too! SUCH a pity they didn't build it and we ended up with a second choice aircraft, capable though it was.

[Mossie]

Looks great, nice to see a 'factory fresh' desert pink finish.

[Dizzyfugu]

Ah, lovely!   

[PR19_Kit]

Could one of those kits be converted into a P.1216?

[Thorvic]

Could one of those kits be converted into a P.1216?

Not really no, its easier to start from scratch as virtually everything is different. The only possibility is the P1214-4 in the Appendix in Harrier's book.

[kitnut617]

Could one of those kits be converted into a P.1216?

You might ask OGL if he has another of his kits Kit, it's a good base to start with.  Now I've got one of those FP P.1214's too, I can see what to do with the P.1216

BTW    Very nice build CammNut   

[inkworm]

Lovely job and a nice scheme too.

[NARSES2]

That's a great build

[Gondor]

Lovely build 

Gondor

[Steel Penguin]

   ohh that's nice.