The 1/72 Harrier GR.1 and 1/48 Sea Fury by Airfix have both been re-released, each having fresh markings.
Two of Airfix’s most popular toolings in recent years are now back on the market and each has been afforded new decal sheets. Anyone who hasn’t yet treated themselves to the Harrier has the perfect excuse here. Offered as kit A04057A, it now provides decals for XV795/K, the pioneering 1 Squadron airframe that conducted carrier trials aboard HMS Ark Royal in May 1971. Its standard scheme of Dark Sea Grey, Dark Green and Light Aircraft Grey gained an anomaly, in that it sported a white stripe along its air intake and forward jet nozzle. The alternative livery has real pizazz though, being a US Marine Corps AV-8A (153702/00/CG) of VMA-231 ‘Ace of Spades’, in winter camouflage.
Airfix’s Harrier comes with alternative seats (Mk.9 for RAF and Stencel S-III-S for USMC), while the weaponry comprises ADEN gun pods, AIM-9D/G Sidewinder missiles, plus SNEB and LAU-10 rocket pods.
Above: Royal Air Force and US Marine Corps schemes come with the Harrier GR.1/AV-8A.
Even more impressive variety is provided with the 1/48 Sea Fury FB.11 (A06105A). As you’d expect, a British Fleet Air Arm scheme is present, but the standard Extra Dark Sea Grey over Sky is enlivened by red and yellow fuselage and wing bands – and a yellow spinner stripe – on airframe VW242/105/ST, a machine on strength with 1831 Naval Air Squadron, usually residing at Royal Naval Air Station Stretton (HMS Blackcap), Cheshire, in 1953. The extra colour bands denote participation in that year’s Exercise Momentum.
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Above: The warbird owned by the late Spencer Flack is just one of the options in the new Sea Fury boxing.
A Royal Australian Navy livery is also supplied, WH558/114/NW of 724 Squadron, in 1961-62, sporting overall Gloss Midnight Blue. However, arguably the real showstopper is the late Spencer Flack’s privately owned Sea Fury, mainly in red but with a fuselage cheatline, wing bands and G-FURY codes in blue and white, as seen during the 1981 air show season. If you want to depict one of the military airframes, this parts-packed kit supplies rocket projectiles, bombs, fuel tanks, a camera pod and rocket-assisted take-off bottles.
The Harrier costs £23.99, while the Sea Fury’s price tag is £33.99, and both are available direct from Airfix and its official stockists.
