REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by MUDHEN336 » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:01 pm

Ok. Time to eat a little crow. I caved and bought the harrier. The thought of waiting 3 years for nothing was too much. I went to Legends Hobbies and picked it up (and a few other things). Overall the model is fantastic. The detail really is incredible. Even the crooked "Marines" isn't too noticeable (even though it seems that should be the first thing you notice). The only issues I noticed have been discussed already (canopy, ability to fit a pilot, tail markings). When viewed as a whole, the model really is worth it. Expensive, but worth it. To give merit credit, I didn't realize that the manufacturer had so much say in the process. But I guess if they are fronting all the costs, then they get the final say. I hope they release another version. I will grab that one too. The only question I have is, is the rear main gear supposed to have any suspension like the nose gear and two wing hear? It seems to have the parts to make it work but is stuck in the fully compressed position. When I fully extend all the gear and put the model on the ground, the rear main doesn't touch the ground. Is that normal? Did they do that to make it easier to extend and retract the gear?
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by tmanthegreat » Wed Sep 16, 2015 9:54 am

Mudhen, I have the same issue with my plane. The springs are very good on the wing gear struts, holding the rear main gear off the ground slightly. Gently pressing down when the plane is sitting on a flat surface collapses the wing gear struts a little more and the first lane sits fine on all wheels.
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Beeavision » Wed Sep 16, 2015 12:26 pm

Just received mine in the mail today. The harrier looks simply amazing in person. My canopy unfortunately is completely glued shut so I wont be able to take it off without using an exacto knife along the sides. You can see the glue throughout the seams. No dabs here. So I guess it varies quite a bit for everyone.

As for the main rear center gear on mine it does come in contact with the ground but I had to make sure the outrigger struts were collapsed in at the piston assembly first as noted by tmanthegreat.

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by supersonicfifi » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:13 am

this canopy cutting seems dangerous ...

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1/18 mirage 2000 & RAFALE should i say more ?

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Coreyeagle48 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 12:33 pm

Greetings:

I got my Harrier yesterday and assembled it. I did manage to get the canopy off, but had to use an exacto knife around the edges first because there was significant glue on mine. Mixed feelings about the airplane but overall I like it.

Pros:

Nice detail and opening features.
Landing gear much better than the F-14.
Assembly was straightforward and easy.
Packing keeps everything nice.
The plane looks like a Harrier with the correct stance.
Nice size for a display piece

Cons

I do not like the way the wing stores attach. Those two small pegs for each part are just screaming to break. One of mine did break while assembling the plane so I glued the weapon in place on the wing. Attachment part should be better designed and stronger.

Cockpit very tight to put a figure in.

Color errors already have been discussed.

My biggest complaint is the fit of the wing to the fuselage. Anyone else have a plane with a significant gap on the one side (usually the left). I do not know if assembly was rushed or the parts are that tight and do not fit well. This is the worst issue with this plane. I got mine to fit a bit better by cutting the tabs off in that area but there is still a visible gap. I have a feeling that Harrier parts fit tight like the Dauntless did and if that's the case, assembly should have been left to us for the wing so we could trim it if needed to fit. Not really a deal breaker as its hard to see because its under the wing but still for $250...not really what you'd expect either. And word is from others I talked to this has happened on every plane.
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by dcway » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:58 pm

We really need to bring mfg. back to the USA !!!!!!!
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by granch » Thu Sep 17, 2015 3:02 pm

What kind of glue has been used for the canopy? Hard resin cement, or something that would melt with steam?

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by tmanthegreat » Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:17 pm

I have the same gap on both the planes I got; it's along the forward part of the wing root, between the wing and the intake. Figured it was just a flaw with my first example, but then found it on the second (replacement) plane I got and now Corey is noting it on his, so I know it's something that likely occurred production-wide.

As for the canopy glue, it appeared to be some type of CA glue, or whatever manufacturers typically use. I think each Harrier will have a differing amount as well. On my first plane, I cracked off part of the canopy due to heavy gluing whereas on my second one, I had better luck. Seemed that on both, the left side had more glue than the right.

The Harrier is a great plane overall, not perfect, but certainly one of the best in the scale. My "perfect" rating still goes to the Merit SBD Dauntless :wink:
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Aviatornut.com » Thu Sep 17, 2015 7:58 pm

 "I do not like the way the wing stores attach. Those two small pegs for each part are just screaming to break. One of mine did break while assembling the plane so I glued the weapon in place on the wing. Attachment part should be better designed and stronger."
Corey, I understand that the attachment point were designed this way , so that it will be interchangeable with the F14 weapons and also for future weapon packs.

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Black_Dragon_One » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:26 pm

Aviatornut.com wrote: "I do not like the way the wing stores attach. Those two small pegs for each part are just screaming to break. One of mine did break while assembling the plane so I glued the weapon in place on the wing. Attachment part should be better designed and stronger."
Corey, I understand that the attachment point were designed this way , so that it will be interchangeable with the F14 weapons and also for future weapon packs.
I hear weapon pack yes
whats up doc....

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by tmanthegreat » Thu Sep 17, 2015 11:41 pm

Just found that the turbofan blades (visible through the intake) spins 8) Not sure if anyone had mentioned that yet. On mine, they spin quite well. Squirted some canned air in there to make them spin fast. Looked neat!
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Beeavision » Fri Sep 18, 2015 10:59 am

I haven't been able to remove the canopy yet but still working on it. The discussion regarding the gap between the wing and main fuselage is true for me as well. I'll fix it later.


I've put together a list of items I've discovered so far. I did not include reference photos as I would prefer to leave that up to the discretion of the readers. With that said if you do not want to hear about these items I've found please do not read on. As I've said before, what is seen, cannot be unseen. In no way is this directly against Merit/JSI. Just stating what I've found.

List:

1) Wing flaps are a bit stiff. The larger flaps closest to the main fuselage are supposed to drop down further but I cannot seem to do this without risking a break. May not be a problem for others. Despite the lack of movement I'm not too concerned as I usually always keep the flaps flush with the rest of the wings.

2) The underside profile of the nose leading back to the intakes does not quite match up when comparing with real photos of the jet. With that said I do prefer the profile on the model better as it looks more even.

3) The outer wall inside the intake just behind where the pilot sits should curve in revealing more of the turbo fan prop inside.

4) The pilot's ejection seat is too close to the dash. Needs to be in line with the outer rim of the intake. This may explain why those are having difficulty fitting a pilot into the cockpit.

**Issues 3 & 4 may have been put in place to ensure the nose gear & wheel would fit when contracting in.

5) Intake inlets do not move but are glued into a fixed position. Again, not a big deal as it looks good enough.

6) All four exhaust nozzles do not pivot down 90 degrees. More like 45 degrees seems to be the limit of their motion. Not exactly sure why this is. Maybe just a problem with mine or I'm not forcing it enough.

7) Outrigger leg doors do not close but are in a fixed open position instead.

8 ) Refueling probe is missing its extension bar that raises and lowers the probe.

9) NAVFLIR lens is missing. Maybe its just missing off mine.

10) The rear main gear was fitted with functioning upper & lower torsion links (scissors) and a inner cylinder piston which seem to be glued/stuck in a compressed position. Again, maybe its just on mine.

11) Nose gear does not turn. No big deal really.

12) The cockpit instrument panel is not really accurate but looks good enough. Would have been nice if it was painted with visual gauges.

13) Marines on tail is slightly crooked. Doesn't really look that bad to me.

14) Canopy glued on rather than slide on a track to open. By far this is the biggest concern I've seen on this model. With some careful effort you maybe able to remove it off yourself.


Overall despite these flaws the Harrier model looks terrific and certainly worth getting if it means having one in this scale without paying $3366.54 to have HpH put one together for you. I give a lot of credit to Merit for getting this done. Especially with recent developments regarding the communications between Merit and the manufacturer(s). Now, even though the Harrier is much smaller compared to some other jets made over the years it certainly makes up for it in complexity. More moving parts, bubble canopy, and overall shape.

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Coreyeagle48 » Fri Sep 18, 2015 11:31 am

Greetings:

I think that my biggest gripe with the entire jet is the gap between the intake and the wing root. To me, that is just inexcusable on a $250 model. The gap isn't even partially closed off, I mean what in the world were they thinking.

It is great Merit got this done and it is great they want to apparently offer weapons packs, but try caring about the product you put out on the shelves. I sell the photos I take in frames and I would never sell a framed photo in a damaged frame or a frame that had scratched glass. That to me is how the gap is, there is no way they didn't notice it, yet they didn't want to take the time to fix it...it seems like there was very much the "get this out now" mentality. It is also bothersome these are highly noticeable gaffs taking place (F-14 spots, Harrier gap, etc). Again, to me, it should be inexcusable. Honestly if the factory is doing this to them, man up, and get another factory. I would rather pay $20 more if it meant this plane came totally right.

I am just amazed but also not surprised given the track record they left the planes get assembled with that size of a parts gap.... :/

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Beeavision » Fri Sep 18, 2015 2:07 pm

No with the negative out of the way here is a list of the positives I've found with the jet.

1) Landing gears seem well made and are quite strong enough to hold up to the weight of the model. With that said they are still plastic and may break if handled inappropriately. Landing gears retract up and down rather easily. Wheels are rubber too.

2) As pointed out by tmanthegreat the turbo fan does spin.

3) All doors/hatches open & close nicely. May vary with purchase.

4) Despite the exhausts lack of motion they do move which I'd rather have vs them in a fixed position. So in this case the glass is half full.

5) The horizontal & vertical stabilizers in the tail section move very well.

6) Tail light lights up. No batteries included unfortunately.

7) Mk-82 bombs with fully functioning retard tail fin systems.

8 ) Model overall dimensions seem very close to the actual. Same goes for armament & drop tanks. No real complaints here.

9) Despite the canopy being glued in place. The bubble shape size of the canopy looks pretty accurate.

10) Despite the flaps lack of motion they do move some for a more realistic look.

11) Paint scheme maybe off but no spots here. The weathering done throughout the model looks good to me. There are parts of the model that are lighter then others but again not a big issue for me.

9) Good attention to fixed external details such as anti-collision lights, IFF aerial transponders, air conditioning intake scoops, sensors, and so on.

10) Ventral airbrake opens and closes.

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Beeavision » Fri Sep 18, 2015 2:10 pm

Oh and one more thing to add. It looks like they are starting to sell out.

https://legendshobbies.com/?dest=products&prod_id=4858

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by tmanthegreat » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:10 pm

Good points, Beeavision! I'm personally sort of mixed on the model. There are a ton of positives about it, but then little things that detract from it, and some relatively minor QC issues that never should have been on a $280 model. Was the Harrier as good as it could have been? No. Was it as much of a disaster as, say, the F-14? Thankfully, no. Is it still overall a great model of a modern aircraft? Yes :D
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by cnq » Fri Sep 18, 2015 3:19 pm

Beeavision wrote:Oh and one more thing to add. It looks like they are starting to sell out.

https://legendshobbies.com/?dest=products&prod_id=4858
Good. I hope they're all sold out quickly so they can get to make the 2nd version with all the mistakes of the 1st one fixed :D

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Axis Nightmare » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:01 pm

cnq wrote:
Beeavision wrote:Oh and one more thing to add. It looks like they are starting to sell out.

https://legendshobbies.com/?dest=products&prod_id=4858
Good. I hope they're all sold out quickly so they can get to make the 2nd version with all the mistakes of the 1st one fixed :D
...or get the FW-190 ready!

Glad to see the interest to keep 1/18 alive. :)
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by slogan » Sat Sep 19, 2015 1:08 pm

Sounds like a Pizzaguy 'hover' acrylic stand is needed.
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by Studly » Sat Sep 19, 2015 3:55 pm

I am glad i didn't rush in and get one , as i said i will wait for their Fw190 :D

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by pickelhaube » Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:09 pm

All right guys although I do not have one this is what we want .

Image

This is how we open it

Image

This is how we achieve it .

It looks simple to me guys . Get some styrene channel, glue it on as a track and glue some nubs inside of the canopy for it to slide .

Done

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by pickelhaube » Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:18 pm

Do you see were his left hand is ?

There is were the channel should be .

You would have to cut off the slide that is there and replace it with a styrene channel .

Or simply glue the channel on top of that slide .

Then glue in some nubs inside the canopy to slide on the new track


photobucket.com/albums/i253/aviatornut/nnn.jpg[/img][/url]
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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by pickelhaube » Sat Sep 19, 2015 7:20 pm

Or easier yet just glue a cap strip on that slider . Kind of giving it a T or L top.

Then make your nubs for the canopy .

You guys can do this mod in less than 30 mins .

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by cnq » Sun Sep 20, 2015 6:17 am

I'm in no hurry to get one as it's not my most favorite jet, if it were the F15 that would be a different story :D. If they make the 2nd Harrier version with most of the mentioned issues fixed I'll buy it.

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Re: REVIEW OF THE 1/18 scale Harrier AV-8B

Post by supersonicfifi » Sun Sep 20, 2015 7:18 am

considering the market' state and the delays I will pick one harrier ASAP. because as it was said before maybe in 10 years you will kick yourself of not buying one in 2015 !

:)

I remember in 2005 to hesitate for the Blue angel F-18 becuase it was 79$ ! (instead of 40-50 $ for all the other models !) I should have bought 10 of theses !!!!
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