1:144 BAe Harrier T.2/TAV-8A/TAV-8S 'Tall Fin'

BAe Harrier T.2/TAV-8A/TAV-8S Tall Fin (1:144, Mark I)

This injection-molded plastic kit in 1:144 scale from the Czech maker Mark I covers the two-seat trainer versions of the first-generation vertical takeoff Harrier with its characteristic raised vertical tail, the Tall Fin. One boxing covers several users at once: the British RAF (T.2), the United States Marine Corps (TAV-8A) and the Spanish Navy (TAV-8S). The kit is a typical short-run product from Mark I with finely engraved surfaces, new fuselage parts and several variants of the vertical tail (with and without a radar warning receiver). Clear cockpit parts and external stores are usually included - gun pods, AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles, bombs and drop tanks with pylons.

The real subject

The Harrier was the first combat aircraft capable of vertical and short takeoff and landing (V/STOL), thanks to the vectored thrust of its Pegasus engine. The two-seat trainer versions had a lengthened fuselage and, because of the changed stability, were given a noticeably taller vertical tail. They served not only for training pilots but were fully combat-capable. The TAV-8A flew with the United States Marine Corps, the TAV-8S with the Spanish Navy and the two-seat T versions with the British RAF.

Building and painting tips

Clean the small 1:144 parts up carefully and glue them with thin cement in small drops. Dry-fit the new vertical tail to check how it sits. Apply a primer and paint with an airbrush - in this scale fine transitions stand out. Fit the external stores right at the end. Mask the canopy and glue it in once the painting is done.

Who the model is for

• For collectors of modern jet aviation in 1:144 scale.
• For admirers of the vertical takeoff Harrier.
• For modelers with experience of small short-run kits.
• For builders who appreciate several users in one package.

The model is supplied unassembled and unpainted. Glue, paints and accessories are not included in the package, unless stated otherwise.