The USNAVY Harrier AV-8A or Sea Harrier?

[McColm]

 What if the USNavy had chosen the Harrier jump jet, would they have opted for the AV-8A as flown by the USMarines or the Sea Harrier flown by the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm and Indian Navy?
Although wikipedia does state that the USNavy operates two Squadrons of the AV-8B,  I haven't been able to verify this.
The Spanish and Italian navy also flew the AV-8A, then bought the AV-8B.
It seems that a combination of the Sea HarrierII and the AV-8B would be a suitable compromise .
Cutting off the cockpit nose section of the 1/72 Airfix BAe Sea Harrier Ii and adding it to the GR.5/7/9, then gluing on the lumps & bumps plus the USNavy decals.
Or alternatively just stick to the AV-8B and add USNavy decals . A USArmy version would be a great project,  then again what if the Russian Navy had bought the retired Indian Navy Sea Harriers, more whiffery!

[Weaver]

The Italians didn't use the AV-8A: by the time they'd got their law changed to allow the navy to use fixed-wing aircraft, the AV-8B was the current thing.

Re the USN, it depends what you see them doing with it. If it's a light-attack role like the USMC, then AV-8A. If it's a fighter for use from the Sea Control Ships (Harrier Carriers) mooted but not built in the 1970s, then the SHAR is the obvious choice, replaced by the AV-8B-IIplus later.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Like this?   

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=47920.0

[Martin H]

Like this?   

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=47920.0

I'd forgotten that one. But she does look the part............

[McColm]

 

[ChernayaAkula]

USN SHARs would look great.  Either in hi-viz gull-gray-over-white (as in AeroplaneDriver's wonderful AV-8A  ) or in a later lo-viz TPS scheme, all grimy, weathered and beat-up. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

USN SHARs would look great.  Either in hi-viz gull-gray-over-white (as in AeroplaneDriver's wonderful AV-8A  ) or in a later lo-viz TPS scheme, all grimy, weathered and beat-up. 

Agreed. I have an eventual plan for a SHAR in a late 80s low viz scheme.

[Nick]

I did a 1/144 Harrier many years ago in the light grey and Sharkmouth markings for the USN VF-111 Sundowners squadron. I think I used the Academy FRS.1 Sea Harrier kit and it turned out nice.

[PR19_Kit]

I think I used the Academy FRS.1 Sea Harrier kit and it turned out nice.

I don't think there is another one in that scale. If there is, they all come from the same mould, as does the Crown GR3.