1:72 BAe Sea Harrier FRS.1/FA.2 exhaust nozzles

Sea Harrier FRS.1 and FA.2, exhaust nozzles 1:72 (Aires)

This resin set replaces the nozzles of the powerplant on a Sea Harrier model in 1:72 scale. It is not a kit of the aircraft but an accessory for a plastic model you already own. Aires is among the brands that build on resin castings precisely because they allow thin walls and sharp edges that cannot be injection molded in plastic.

The real subject

The Sea Harrier was a carrier aircraft with vertical and short takeoff, and its characteristic feature is the four vectoring nozzles on the sides of the fuselage. The front pair carries cold air from the fan and the rear pair the hot gases, and swiveling the nozzles steers the direction of thrust during takeoff, hovering and landing. The FRS.1 was the original version, while the FA.2 is the later upgraded variant of the aircraft. The nozzles are exactly the kind of exposed spot that is looked at closely on a model, and the transition between their wall and the fuselage is usually simplified in kits.

Building and painting tips

First wash the castings in warm water with detergent to remove the mold release agent, otherwise the paint will not hold. Cut the casting blocks off with a saw or a cutting disc, and never break them off. Sand wet and with respiratory protection, as resin dust must not be inhaled. Glue the parts with cyanoacrylate, because ordinary plastic cement does not work on resin. Dry-fit them before installation and adjust the plastic around the opening in the fuselage as needed, since resin accessories usually call for some preparation. It pays to spray the inside of the nozzles in a burnt metal shade and to bring it out with soot and a dark wash, while the outer surface stays in the airframe color, so mask carefully.

Who the set is for

• Builders of the Sea Harrier in 1:72 scale
• Modelers who are bothered by the simplified nozzles from the kit
• More experienced builders used to working with resin and cyanoacrylate
• Those who finish a model for the display case and concentrate on the exposed spots

The set is an accessory to a plastic model. The model, paints and glue are not included in the package.