Airfix 1/72 Harrrer GR.3 ZD668 November 1992

[KiwiZac]

​Hi all,
In November 1992 a large airshow was held at Auckland International Airport here in New Zealand called Air Expo 92. It featured the typical fare like a mock WW1 dogfight, warbirds of various stripes strutting their stuff, as well as various civil and military flying displays (watch out for the Wanganui Aero Work team - a company both my Dad and I worked for)...all programmed to accommodate scheduled passenger services! I know several people who attended this wonderful weekend but I was only five and didn't get to go, however an official VHS was produced and a trimmed-down version was broadcast on TV (keep an eye out for the terrific RNZAF recruitment advert at 41:27):
https://youtu.be/1BBuTXcfsV0

My Mum recorded the show and as a kid it was one of several videos on high rotation in our house, and did much to inform my love of certain aircraft. The dynamic dogfight between Ray Hanna in a Tora! Tora! Tora! Zero and son Mark in a P-40K, both owned by Tim (later Sir Tim) Wallis' Alpine Fighter Collection, was a revelation to this young warbird fan. Rest in peace to both these gentleman legends of aviation.

Several overseas aircraft were stars of the show: a Bede BD-5J imported from the USA, a Beriev A-40 Albatross/Mermaid, and an Ilyushin Il-76...which arrived carrying RAF Harrier GR.3 ZD668, the display of which was for many was the big highlight of the event. Photos taken by Phillip Treweek are available on his website Kiwi Aircraft images, here's one showing a pilot's name under the canopy rail (more on this later):
ZD668 Auckland International 1192 Phillip Treweek by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Flown by Sqn Ldr Ashley Stevenson, many people maintain to this day it's the noisiest single-engined aircraft to ever appear at a New Zealand airshow! For those who keep track of such things this aircraft is now on static display at the Yanks Air Museum at Chino. As you may have learned from the video, Sqn Ldr Stevenson had quite an eventful time on Harriers:
Ashley Stevenson 01 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Ashley Stevenson 02 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Ashley Stevenson 03 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Understandably the story behind the pilot and aeroplane fascinated young Zac, and I decided should I ever build a GR.3 it would be this one. Last year I acquired the lovely new-tool Airfix 1/72 kit from a couple of years back and imagine my surprise when I discovered Xtradecals sheet X72186 contained decals for ZD668 in 1993! The only thing missing to make a replica of her as seen during her Kiwi sojurn was Sqn Ldr IA MacDonald's name, which was kindly printed by a friend.
Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR.3 ZD668 Air Expo 92 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR.3 ZD668 Air Expo 92 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR.3 ZD668 Air Expo 92 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR.3 ZD668 Air Expo 92 by Zac Yates, on Flickr
Airfix 1/72 Harrier GR.3 ZD668 Air Expo 92 by Zac Yates, on Flickr

So although I wasn't there this was a very formative airshow for me and one of the first times I saw a Harrier in action, so nearly 30yr on it's wonderful to have ZD668 on display!

[lcarroll]

Very nicely done Zac, and it's always a great "touch" when your model has a "story"! Wonderful article.
Cheers,
Lance

[WD]

Nicely rendered, and thanks for the background.

WD

[macsporran]

Nice model Zac - you just need a pair of very large loudspeakers behind it, blasting out the engine roar!

I was fortunate to attend the annual Battle of Britain air display every September at RAF Leuchars in Fife from childhood (Javelins, Mosquito target tugs etc!) through until it became an Army base a few years ago. A highlight was often the Harrier doing its famous hover and nodding to the crowd, amid cacaphonous noise.
Mind you even that was drowned out when they did 111Sqdn scrambles with Lightnings. Twin engine of course, but there is nothing to compare with the noise of a 'Frightening' going vertical!
Great days - your model reminds me of the glory days of British aircraft production.
Sandy

[KiwiZac]

Thank you for your kind words folks!

Nice model Zac - you just need a pair of very large loudspeakers behind it, blasting out the engine roar![...] A highlight was often the Harrier doing its famous hover and nodding to the crowd, amid cacaphonous noise.

I have a Sea Harrier waiting for - again - one last custom decal to represent an aircraft from another airshow video I watched a lot as a kid and a Frog Skybase so it can be displayed bowing, as my wife is a big fan of "polite aircraft"! Perhaps they can be displayed alongside each other with the speakers...
xz494-richmond-1088-screengrab_49611508263_o by Zac Yates, on Flickr

Mind you even that was drowned out when they did 111Sqdn scrambles with Lightnings. Twin engine of course, but there is nothing to compare with the noise of a 'Frightening' going vertical!

I can only imagine!!!