1/72 Hasegawa AV-8B

Harrier II Plus

by Angel Mesa

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This model represents a AV-8B Harrier II Plus from the 9th Squadron of the Spanish Army shipped in the "Principe de Asturias" Aircraft Carrier based in Rota (Cadiz). In this model I used the Eduard photoetched number 73236, mostly for the cockpit and landing gear.

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The model is painted with Gunze acrylics. The upper part is painted with H-308 and the lower part with H-338. Landing Gear is painted whith H-21. I used the decals of "Series Españolas" and part of the original decals from the Hasegawa model.

The base represents a piece of the "Principe de Asturias" Aicraft Carrier flight deck. I made the base in a piece of sandpaper. First of all I painted all the base with Tamiya XF-63, after that i painted the black parts with XF-1, the white parts with XF-2, the yellow parts with XF-3 and the red parts with XF-7 Tamiya acrylics, all done with airbrush, when it was dry I airbrushed all the base with Marabu Satin Matt barnish. The next step was to paint all the base with Tamiya Buff XF-57 and brush, this was made with the paint very watered in 95% of dissolvent, to dirty and smooth the colours of the base. When this was done i used Mig Pigments to continue making dirty, and to create different tones. The second to last thing I did, was to airbrush the base with Marabu Matt Barnsih to fix de pigments to the base. The last step was to simulate spots of fluid lost, it was made with Humbrol H-33 very diluted.
Angel

Photos and text © by Angel Mesa