USMC/USN Sea Harrier

Spino · March 05, 2023, 12:44:52 PM

I feel like someone has probably already done this, but I wanted to see what a USMC upgraded variant of the Sea Harrier would look like. So here goes! I'm building at 1/48th scale with a Tamiya Sea Harrier as a base. I'm going to add at least two, possibly 4 extra wing pylons on the extended wings, and a centerline pylon as well.

I know my paintwork isn't great, but I don't have a spray gun and it doesn't help that there's a workshop close by that churns out lots of sawdust!

Gondor · March 05, 2023, 01:23:04 PM

A sort of AV-8B+ befor the AV-8B came along. Looks like a great idea and Kit will love the longer wings

Gondor

PR19_Kit · March 05, 2023, 02:04:45 PM

Neither spray guns nor airbrushes are essential for a good paint job, hairy sticks can do just as well.................

Spino · March 05, 2023, 04:07:13 PM

I have added two pylons with GBU-38s, and the centerline pylon now has a LANTIRN pod on it. I still need to finish the outer wing panels, they were made from a leftover print raft from a 3D print and are not smooth like they should be. The rails will carry either AIM-9s or AIM-120s, and the rest of the pylons I'm not sure about yet. I plan on adding two more right in front of the landing gear mounts, like the Harrier GR.7 and GR.9. Not sure what those will carry yet, my supply of GBUs is limited and so is my AAM stock. Not even sure I could reasonably fit something as long as an AMRAAM there anyway. May just end up making APKWS pods for those.

I'm considering adding a longer/larger radaome for an APG-73/79 radar. Thoughts on that?

sandiego89 · March 05, 2023, 05:35:26 PM

Quote from: Spino on March 05, 2023, 04:07:13 PMI'm considering adding a longer/larger radaome for an APG-73/79 radar. Thoughts on that?

Nice idea. Love all things Harrier/Sea Harrier! My advice on the load out is not to overdue it, either go with an air-to ground load out (a pair of sidewinder for self-defense is fine) or an air-to-air, with sidewinders and AIM 120's (or even AIM-7 sparrows depending on the timeframe). A heavy load of air to ground and air-to-air at the same time is not very realistic.

The Lantirn pod is best on the wing. It would get destroyed on the centerline with debris, and the centerline is needed for a little extra lift upon landing. Perhaps Lantirn pod on the stub pylon with the outrigger?

The small radar looks better than the larger one fitted to the later FRS2 Sea Harrier. The USMC would primarily be in the air-to-ground roles, so perhaps stick to the smaller radar.

Keep it up.

Gondor · March 06, 2023, 03:36:50 AM

The rails that were mounted in front of the outrigger wheels on the GR.7 & 9 usually carried sidewinders and the launch rails had BOZ chaff cutters fitted in the rear of them as well. But that was RAF aircraft, these are your models and you intend it to be a USMC aircraft so perhaps it is fitted with something else?

Gondor

Spino · March 06, 2023, 06:05:39 AM

I'll have to do some research. I know the USMC Harriers only had 6 pylons, the GR.7 and GR.9 had 8. It appears from this photo that the support gear may have been moved inward on the later Harriers, the launch rail appears to be second from innermost. I don't have a lot to work with here, so I may just move the rail launchers on my model in front of the wing gear, and scratch-build two more to go outboard of those. I'm already kind of committed with the GBU-38s, so I'll probably do an air to ground loadout with 2 AIM-9s and either some more smart bombs or APKWS rockets, maybe a pair of fuel tanks.
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I wonder about modifying the nose with an IR sensor. Given that I have already mounted a LANTIRN pod, I probably will just leave it as-is or maybe scab a sensor or two on top/sides like this GR.9. It appears that it has a Sniper XR pod where the ammunition pod for the GAU-25 would go, which to me is rather interesting. I was thinking I would go for a gun pod setup, but after seeing this I'm a little tempted to remove the LANTIRN and put a Sniper pod on the port side scab pod/replace the pod with it.

Gondor · March 06, 2023, 06:47:58 AM

On the bottom of the nose the GR7/9 had a pair of ECM aerials. I'm not sure of what was on the top of the nose, maybe an IR sensor. The glass nose is some kind of bombing sensor similar to the angle rate bombing sensor used in the US. On the centre line the aircraft in the photo has a recon pod. The RAF aircraft did not carry the GAU-25, I think it was a 30mm cannon in each pod.

If I have anything wrong I am sure someone will correct me which I am not worried about as this info is off the top of my head.

Gondor

Spino · March 06, 2023, 07:03:55 AM

So it turns out the guns in the GR.9 are 25mm ADENs instead of the 25mm GAU-12 that the USMC Harriers used. I may move the LANTIRN out to the starboard wing and either leave the centerline empty or add an ECM pod. Will have to 3D print the LAU-68 pod for the APKWS if I decide to go that route. In any case, I won't be able to swap the port gun pod for LANTIRN/Sniper if I want to keep the gun, since the GAU-25 stored its ammunition in one pod and the gun was housed in the other.

AeroplaneDriver · March 06, 2023, 07:51:19 AM

RAF Harrier IIs never carried a gun. The Aden 25 ran into significant problems and was cancelled.

Spino · March 06, 2023, 08:17:36 AM

Oh, well that would explain why they decided to use those stations for other things I guess.

AeroplaneDriver · March 06, 2023, 09:25:37 AM

Quote from: Spino on March 06, 2023, 08:17:36 AMOh, well that would explain why they decided to use those stations for other things I guess.

But of course the SEA Harrier carried the 30mm Adens so guns would be right at home here. Or of course in Whif-World perhaps the Aden 25 was a success! Not sure how the bigger GAU-25 pods would work on a first gen Harrier bit might be interesting too.

Spino · March 07, 2023, 11:04:26 AM

Current configuration. Sidewinder rails are farthest outboard. I plan to fit some sort of small PGM to each gear pylon (either APKWS or AGM-179, whichever 3D prints better). Not sure what I'll do with the inner pylons yet, maybe more JDAMs or something. I don't have any TERs so I can only put one bomb on each pylon unless I use the British double bomb racks that came with the Harrier.

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Captain Canada · March 07, 2023, 06:06:00 PM

Nice one ! I like the way she looks.

kerick · March 11, 2023, 08:03:05 AM

That's an interesting build. I like the extended wings.
If the wood working shop next door is producing dust just place a clean box or plastic container over your model as it dries to keep dust off. Leave a small gap at the edge of the box to allow a little air in to help the paint dry.