Dragon Models Ltd

1/144 RAF Harriers GR7+ and GR9

Kit Number: 4603

Reviewed by  Jim Pearsall, IPMS# 2209

MSRP: $10.95 Website: www.dragonmodelsusa.com Thanks to Dragon Models USA for providing the review kit. The Aircraft McDonnell-Douglas and Hawker-Siddeley began development of the second-generation Harrier in the 1980s. Much of the development was based on British experience in the Falklands. Due to funding problems, H-S dropped out of the program, but the U.S. Marines were still interested in a newer version, and the AV-8B was developed. In the meantime, Hawker-Siddeley was merged into British Aerospace (BAe), and BAe and the RAF were convinced that the new generation Harrier answered several needs. These were built by BAe as the Harrier GR5. The Marines were convinced that the Harrier should be a more formidable air-to-air machine, and added a radar nose to better use the AIM-120 AMRAAM. The RAF didn't do this, but did use the upgraded avionics package for the AV-8B+, calling it the Harrier GR7. The GR7+ has an upgraded engine, but is externally the same aircraft. The GR9 is the same basic airframe, but with GPS navigation and the ability to deliver laser guided munitions and can carry the Sniper targeting pod. The biggest external difference between a USMC AV-8B or B+ and the Harrier GR5, 7, or 9 is the nose, which has FLIR, laser target seeker and the Zeus ECM system. The Kit You get two sets of everything in this kit. Since the GR7+ and 9 share the same nose, and are externally identical, you get 2 aircraft which differ only in the markings. The GR7+ is ZD406 from 4 Sq, RAF.

The GR9 is ZG478 from 41 Sq. The markings for ZG478 are the squadron anniversary markings which were displayed at air shows, as the squadron was established in 1916, and 2006 was their 90th(!) anniversary. I didn't notice much attention given to the 94th Squadron at Langley on their 90th anniversary in 2007. Building the Kit The kit is the original AV-8B Harrier kit, with added weapons and a new nose. In fact it's the same basic kit which Dragon used for the AV-8B+. Which is not to say it's a bad kit, far from it, I just have the same problem with the Harrier GR9 as I did with the AV-8B+. The fuselage has the AV-8B nose, and you have to cut it off somewhere forward of the windscreen and add the new nose part. And just as I did on the other kit, I cut off too much, and had to add a piece of sheet styrene to bring the contour out to the correct shape. The good news here is that you get two kits in the box, so next time I do one of these, I'll try making a cut a LOT closer to the front, then use a file to cut it back until the nose fits right. Of course that's what I said when I did the AV-8B+, too. I also noticed that the pilot figure was not up to Dragon's current standards. But I have to say he's pretty darned good, and I'm becoming spoiled by the great figures they produced for their carrier deck set. Here are comparative photos of the Harrier pilot and a tractor driver from the carrier deck.

The underwing tanks go together with little fuss, and they come up round. There's a seam there, but I needed no filler to clean up the little bump. I didn't put any bombs or rockets on this aircraft, as it's painted for the airshow circuit, and I doubt if it carried anything more lethal than practice bombs while wearing that white tail. The canopy is very thin it's fragile. I'd suggest putting some Blu-Tak, modeling clay, or similar support while masking and painting the canopy. The canopy also fits quite nicely to the fuselage. Paint and Decals

The paint scheme suggested for both the GR7+ and the GR9 are not supported by any photographs I could find anywhere. And none of my sources show a 3-tone scheme for the GR7 or 9. Which doesn't mean Dragon's scheme is WRONG, I just couldn't find any corroboration. On the other hand, here are excerpts of two photos of the ZG478, one of which definitely shows a grey tail. Except it's a lighting fluke, the tail was the same, the photo just came out differently.

So I painted it Dark Sea Grey and Camouflage Grey. The dark grey isn't as dark as the USMC Harrier, but the lighter one is definitely darker. Spray it with Future and you're ready for markings. The decals were state-of-the-art. Nicely done, easy to put on and printed by Cartograf. But those roundels on the fuselage side are tiny. I lost one somewhere on the kitchen floor. Fortunately, Dragon thinks of klutzes like me, and they send an extra pair of fuselage roundels on the sheet. Overall Assessment Highly recommended. Dragon is staying with the Harrier's continuing development by releasing an update on their 1/144 AV-8B. This keeps the cost down, as what they've done is updated the nose and added some newer weapons, all on separate sprues. If you couldn't find a 1/144 AV-8B, this kit could be built that way straight from the box.

Thanks again to Dragon and IPMS/USA for this review item. Bibliography Aeroguide #12, Harrier, 1986 Aeroguide #16, AV-8B, 1987 Linewrights Publishing, Chipping Ongar, Essex, England Air International V72, #2 February 2007, Key Publishing, London Scale Aircraft Modeling V21 #4, June 1999 V23 #11, January 2002 V26 #1, March 2004 Guideline Publications, Luton, Bedfordshire, England World Airpower Journal Vol 32, Spring 1998, Aerospace Publishing Ltd, London

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