- The Airfix Tribute Forum -

thomasweir · Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 11:32 am Post subject: Italeri Sea Harrier

Has any one built the Italeri Sea Harrier ? I was thinking of purchasing one but informed sources say its the old ESCI mould.
I have been given a 1983 Esci Sea Harrier which uses the Fujimi moulds which fit badly. I know this because I'm building a 1985 Revell Sea Harrier which has the same parts as the Esci bar a complete canopy and an oversided weapon sprue. This is a terrible fit. I don't want to waste money on another Fujimi ill fitting mould

Redders · Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 11:46 am Post subject:

Is this any good to you............................

SEA HARRIER
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thomasweir · Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 12:16 pm Post subject:

Thanks Redders.

Reading it, it looks like everybody bar Matchbox boxed the Fujimi mould in the 80's.(Bar Hasegawa)

From the same source, professionals with a greater knowledge than I have stated that "The Esci kit is the the best FRS in 1/72 scale". And "The Fujimi Kit suffers from badly fitting parts and needs a lot of filler for completion"

Its the same blooming mould

Hasegawa for me from now on even if the FRS nose is too short

Richard Humm · Blue Star Joined: 22 Apr 2006 Posts: 759

The ESCI and Fujimi kits are not the same. although they are very similar in design (and a few other ESCI kits bear a resemblance to ones by other manufacturers). The layout of parts on the sprue is completely different, and the ESCI sprues wouldn't fit into a Fujimi box. It's a long time since I built an ESCI Harrier, but the only place I remember using filler was in the lower wing root (which of course is one of the most difficult places to fill on a Harrier).

feanor · Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 20:10 pm Post subject:

Ayup Thomas...

Yes i have. It's a pig!
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Sgt.Squarehead · Posted: Sat 05 Jul 2008 20:16 pm Post subject:

I'm fairly sure that a 'Sea-Harrier' is some type of modernish wingy-thing, so I have moved this thread to the Aircraft section of the forum.

Excalibur · Guest

I've built the ESCI Shar and had no problems whatsoever with fit. It looks good too.

Jonathan · Bronze Star Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 1629

thomasweir · Posted: Sun 06 Jul 2008 12:06 pm Post subject:

Thanks guys. I will treat the build with care.

When you put the instruction sheets side by side and some of the parts the similarity is huge - same build sequence , same shape and fitting of the rear undercarriage for example with the four locating holes for the U/C leg.

Thats my rant over I'll get on to building it and converting it into a FA2

Jonathan · Bronze Star Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 1629

There also some notable differences, like the way the Fujimi kit has part of the underside of the wing moulded to the uppersurface, leaving an awkward join on the underside that doesn't follow a natural panel break. The Esci kit just as upper and lower halves.
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feanor · Posted: Sun 06 Jul 2008 12:20 pm Post subject:

Ayup Thomas...

Be careful with the instrument panel- it can fall out.

I put some pva and shot behind it, and the darn thing came out and i couldn't replace it when the fuselage was closed.. rats!
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Airfix Member 022... Jolly Boy.

Remember: 'The Dude Abides'...

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Jonathan · Bronze Star Joined: 02 May 2006 Posts: 1629

A couple of things on the Italeri reissue - the "Sea Harrier FRS.1 801 Sqn HMS Invincible 1982" option is in fact the post-war Dark Sea Grey scheme with black squadron markings on the tail and the actual aircraft depicted, ZD608, didn't fly until late 1985.

The kit sheet has the red/blue roundels the wrong size for the post-war scheme (they should be 18 inch on all surfaces), but the right proportions - whereas they are the right size for the Falklands (24 and 30 inch) but the wrong proportions!

The 700A and Indian scheme have the upper surface colour as "flat" Dark Sea Grey (BS381 638), when it should be gloss Extra Dark Sea Grey (BS381 640). Also the red/white/blue and Indian roundels are the wrong proportions - but all beautifully printed.
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"In peace there's nothing so becomes a man as modest stillness and humility." (Shakespeare)

hunyock · Posted: Tue 22 Sep 2009 01:47 am Post subject:

Its an excellent build----

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kitnut617 · Posted: Tue 22 Sep 2009 14:10 pm Post subject:

I have the Esci one built too, Esci is now Italeri and the FRS.1 in the Airfix 'Falklands Collection' is the same kit. The first build was very good, no problems that I can recall, I haven't built the second one yet.

I don't know about the new Airfix FRS.1 or FA.2's origins though.
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lufbramatt · Black Star Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 43

tempestfan · Posted: Tue 06 Oct 2009 09:45 am Post subject:

lufbramatt · Black Star Joined: 17 Sep 2009 Posts: 43

all the new airfix tools are designed in 3D CAD. no CAD data exists for old (pre hornby) airfix models, so apart from the possibility of some engineering similarities, all the new tool kits are essentailly "clean sheet" designs.