Part
1 - Sea Harriers
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Skip this and go to Part 2 - Prototype andSecond Generation Harriers (GR1/3, GR5/7/9 and AV8B/AV8B+)
Real Sea Harriers (at sea) Follow this link
Sea Harriers - FA2, FRS1, FRS51 and T8N
FA2 - 800 Naval Air Sqn, HMS ARK ROYAL, Royal Navy. 2001.
Italeri with Model Alliance resin conversion, Italeri AMRAAMS & decals.
FA2 - 801 Naval Air Sqn, HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, Royal Navy. 2006.
Hasegawa with Heritage resin conversion, Airfix AMRAAMS, scratch drop tanks & modified Model Alliance decals.
801 were the final SHAR squadron, reluctantly and prematurely decommissioning in April 2006. To reflect their role as the final RN SHAR operators, for their last commission, embarked onboard HMS ILLUSTRIOUS, they added an Omega symbol to the traditional 801 trident & wings tail marking, in much the same way as 892 had done with their Phantoms 30 years earlier.
FA2 - 899 Naval Air Sqn, RNAS Yeovilton, Royal Navy. 2004.
Hasegawa with Heritage resin conversion, scratch drop tanks, Airwaves etched ladder & Model Alliance decals.
899 were the headquarters, reserve & training squadron for the SHAR fleet, based ashore at RNAS Yeovilton.
FRS1 - 899 Naval Air Sqn, RNAS Yeovilton 1982.
ESCI out the box, with Hasegawa refuelling probe.
The Medium Sea Grey topsides/Barley Grey undersides Air Superiority colour scheme for the FRS1 was short lived, and was only applied to 809 & 899 Sqn aircraft during the Falklands conflict. Ten years later, an all-over MSG scheme would return as standard for the SHAR FA2.
.... and the real thing: 899 Squadron SHAR
FRS1 - 801 Naval Air Sqn, HMS INVINCIBLE, Royal Navy. 1982.
ESCI with Modeldecal decals.
These markings reflect the immediate post Falklands period, when 801 re-applied simple squadron markings. Note the unusual side number of this aircraft, "000" and the standard low visibility roundels.
FRS1 - 800/899 Naval Air Sqn, HMS HERMES Royal Navy. 1982.
Hasegawa with scratch windscreen and twin pylon.
Although originally an 899 Sqn aircraft, this one was integrated with the INVINCIBLE Air Group under 801 Sqn. Note the double sidewinder rails (not a success and discontinued after the war), kill markings and the white parts of the peacetime roundels overpainted in blue.
FRS 51 - Indian Navy, INS VIRAAT 1997.
Fujimi with scratch canopy, Italeri Magics & Italeri decals.
The Indian Navy is the only other operator of the SHAR, flying them from the (ex RN HMS HERMES) INS VIRAAT. Instead of Sidewinders, the French Matra R550 Magic missile is carried. This is the BAe delivery scheme; the english language "Navy" titles were subsequently repainted in Indian script on the port tail and the cougar symbol moved to the nose. Indian SHARs were later repainted in an all-over low-viz medium grey scheme and are currently (2007) undergoing an upgrade programme (similar to the FA2) providing a new Israeli sourced radar and BVR missile.
T8N - 899 Naval Air Sqn, RNAS Yeovilton, Royal Navy. 2002.
Modified Heller Bobkit (putty nose & reprofiled wing tips/tail/boom with Model Alliance decals.
899 Sqn operated a small fleet of 2-seat Harrier T4s for training purposes. These were subsequently upgraded with FA2-style cockpits to become the T8N. Originally painted in Dark Sea Grey (with a dummy black nose radar) the T8Ns adopted the standard UK high-viz Training scheme of overall gloss black.
.... and the real thing - Yeovilton 2003
Many more to come - watch this space !
Go to Part 2 - Lesser types of Harrier (GR5/7/9 and AV8B/AV8B+)