Algernon Project

1/144 Boeing AV-8B Harrier Plus

Kit Number: APM-001 (2 aircraft)

Reviewed by  Jim Pearsall IPMS# 2209

MSRP: ¥1050 (~$11.95) Website: www.algernonproduct.co.jp Available from Hobbylink Japan: www.hlj.com When I got this kit to review, I thought it might be a "re-box" of Dragon’s 1/144 AV-8B or Harrier GR9. So I checked. No, it’s a very different mold, with pluses and minuses of its own. The next thing I did was go to the Algernon Project web site, which was very interesting, even if I don’t read Japanese. Interpreting from the pictures and my own experience, Algernon Project is a service for Japanese Air Self Defense Force enthusiasts. In my opinion, whatever Japanese are interested in, they go far deeper into it than we do. So there are patches from all of the JASDF groups/squadrons available for sale, as well as Zippo lighters with JASDF squadron emblems, cigarette cases, cameras and unit coins. They also have three 1/144 decal sheets, all for the AV-8B Harrier Plus. Additionally, they have the BigBird and JWings "Gashapon"* kits. Closer reading of the fine print at the bottom of one of Algernon’s web pages revealed that Algernon Project produces the kits and decals, and they are marketed by Café Reo. You can find the kits and decals under the Café Reo at the HobbyLink Japan website. INSIDE THE BOX The box is small, 6 ½ inches by 4 ¾ and 1 ½ deep. Everything is packed in plastic bags and neatly separated. I was surprised that they could get 2 kits, the decals and 2 sets of instructions in there, but it all fits. Tightly. The decal sheet exactly fits inside the box top, and that’s where I found it after the moment of panic; that I didn’t get decals with the kit. When I checked the major parts against a Dragon AV-8, it became immediately evident that it was NOT the same kit, as the Algernon kit has a single piece wing which incorporates the top of the fuselage. I consider this a plus, as wing/fuselage joints are just a pain for me to adjust and fill. ASSEMBLY There is an interior, seat/floor and the front of the Pegasus engine, which is quite visible through the intakes. The fuselage halves have really big pins and sockets for locating when assembling. The pin/socket is very reminiscent of a snap kit, and everything fits quite tightly. If you wanted to, you could probably assemble this entire model without using any glue. The gates which connect the parts to the sprue are pretty heavy, but they don’t impact assembly, as they enter the parts at points where it’s either hard to see, or easy to clean up with a sanding stick. After assembling the interior, fuselage and wing, I did have to use some putty to clean up the seams. One thing that made me like this kit is that I didn’t have to cut off the nose cone and add the Harrier Plus nose. It comes as a separate part, and fits as tightly as the others. The thing I didn’t like was that there are sawtooth edges on top of the horizontal stabilizers at the fuselage end which are too large, and they block the "Marines" marking. A few moments with a razor saw took care of this. PAINTING AND DECALS Painting instructions are all in Japanese, except for the FS numbers. I cross-referenced the numbers in black outline to Gunze Sangyo paints at IPMS Stockholm’s useful color cross-reference site. Then I used Testors Model Master ® paints. The painting directions don’t reference that the top color is FS 36118, Gunship Gray, but I have spent more than a few dollars on books and references for just this eventuality. The usual coat of Future to give a gloss coat, and I’m ready to move on to decals. When I finally opened the decals, which come in their own package and with their own instructions, I was impressed. The decals come with far better painting instructions than the kit, although they omit the color reference, they show the color demarcations better than the assembly page. Also, the decals themselves are impressive. For 2 models you get enough decals to do 6 different aircraft, 3 from VMA 211 "Avengers" and 3 from VMA 214 "Black Sheep". There are enough "common" decals to do 3 Harriers. So even for a double kit, the decals leave plenty for the spares box. One of each of the sets for each squadron is a "high visibility" aircraft; the Avengers harrier has red, white and blues US markings, plus red tail stripes. Although the instructions leave this out, the web page shows the Black Sheep AV-8 with a black tail and white markings. The decals came off the backing sheet nicely, respond nicely to a little solvent mixed with the drop of water I put down to allow movement. They decals went on flat, didn’t tear, deform, or stick too aggressively until I wicked the water off. Then they stuck where I put them. The problem with the decals is the printing process. The decals are printed using a half-tone process, which mixes black and white dots to produce the desired grays. Unfortunately the screen used for the decals has too few dots per inch, resulting in a slightly visible set of dots. This is only visible on the grays, as the black and white are solid colors. This being said, it’s pretty hard to actually see the dots on the model, but it’s not going to meet standards for a contest entry. Some judge with a penlight and magnifier is going to spot this. The decal in the picture is not even an inch long, so it’s really magnified here. At 6 inches, it’s gray. I put Future and flat finish over the decals, and from anywhere from 6 inches out, they look great. FINAL ASSEMBLY Usually the landing gear, underwing stores and canopy are finicky work. Not on this one. There are really big slots in the bottom of the wing, and the pylons fit tightly. Again, if you didn’t want to use glue, it’d stay for a long time. Time for a bit of advice from "the Voice of Experience": Put the pylons on the bottom of the wing, and then add the stores. The force required to get those tabs into the slots is pretty high, and you’re liable to bend the laser pod. I was smart enough to realize that the Sidewinders should be added later, and the bomb was still unpainted, so I only screwed up once. The landing gear went together just fine, but there’s no real adjustment to get the main gear on the ground and the outriggers to touch too. So my Harrier sits on 3 points. Once the canopy was installed, there’s one more decal, which I was just not going to touch until the very end. The AV-8 has a breakaway section in the top of the canopy. This is the first Harrier kit I’ve seen to have that. It’s a decal, and it works just fine. A lagniappe. OVERALL EVALUATION Recommended with a caveat. This kit goes together nicely, and has some great features and wonderful markings. I don’t know if the decal sheets Algernon sells through Café Reo are the same or better. If they’re the same, then this pair of Harriers is a great deal. Who can turn down free kits? The caveat is that this kit would be more difficult to build as a contest entry than other 1/144 Harriers on the market. On the other hand, ease of construction and decent fit is a definite plus for these AV-8s for the "recreational builder". The decals are OK and certainly interesting, but again, not contest grade. It’s a fun build, and if you keep a respectful distance, it’s a nice looking AV-8B *Gashapon are collector’s items sold from vending machines. The BigBird and JWings series are pre-painted 1/144 or smaller aircraft, with minimal assembly required. More at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gashapon