1/192 Invincible class "Harrier Carrier", need help please.

[Aidan]

Hi guys, I have two 1/192 scale "Invincible's", R05 Falklands era, and R07 present day (I think) both were bought as completed models, I've given up trying to search the web for fitting's, diagrams etc, loads of photo's available, but nothing on the prop/rudder layout ( both my models have different layouts, so one of them has to be wrong), any idea's where to look?. Also, I'm trying to find 1/192 Harriers and Sea Kings, there are some plastic one's on the models, so someone must make them, but I've drawn a complete blank trying to find some, even tried model aircraft forum's but no joy. The same story with trying to find fittings, particularly the rear Gatling gun platform which I lost off one of the models, any help would be really appreciated, thanks, Aidan.

[Neptune]

Hi Aidan,
I saw your call at the calling all ship fans section too. I have some pictures of the Invincibles (two or three of them) when they participated in the Trafalgar200 Celebrations. If you want I can send some pictures over.
I guess you'll have to scratchbuild that gun platform yourself, since 1/192 is an odd scale...

[Aidan]

Hi Neptune, got your other post, thanks. 1/192 is odd from a plastic point of view, but is quite common in scratch built and semi-kits, I think mine are both semi-kits, they both have fibre glass hulls, various resin fittings such as the funnels, Bridge/Flight Control assembly, boat launching platform, and the rear gatling gun platform (the rest is obviously scratch built, wood, plasti-card etc) so I know someone makes (or used to make) them, just cant find anything at all on the web, or on any of the semi-kit manufacture's sites, rather strange, same with the Harriers, really well produced plastic injection models, very accurate and detailed, decent clear canopy's, correct weapons fit, very good decals, with the correct markings, even the winged fist artwork on the tail fin, but again, cant find a thing about them anywhere, very odd. I'd certainly like to see your photo's, thanks. I've got some more photo's that I took of Illustrious if you fancy a look, I'll post them on the "Calling All Ship Fans" section, cheers, Aidan.

[FrancisMcN]

Aidan,

The picture is of Ark Royal's Starboard prop in dry dock from Navy News in July 2006. It is rare for RN underwater fittings to be published so I don't have any others. Sorry it is in B&W but my scanner's colour reproduction is on the way out. Hope that helps.

Francis Macnaughton

[Aidan]

Hi Francis, that photo is great, thank you very much, thats solved the prop problem for me, both my models have 3 blade props, so now I know what one's to get, ( was going to replace them anyway, they did seem to be too big, and your photo has confirmed that, so thats great) no problem over the black and white bit, and thanks for your effort, much appreciated, cheers, Aidan.

[Steve Sobieralski]

Aidan,

It is possible your Invicible models were built using semi-kits from Midway Models in Leicester, England. In the early 1990's, along with their WWII kits, they advertised a range of 1/192 modern ships including Ark Royal. Their kits typically consisted of fiberglas hulls with cast resin and/or vacuform superstructure components and a potpouri of fittings fom various sources. Apparently the shop is still there:

http://philsworkbench.blogspot.com/2007 ... odels.html

and they may be able to supply any missing fittings or answer other questions you may have about the kits.

[Aidan]

Hi Steve, Midway Models, I remember them now, I used to get the Marine Modelling Magazine and I do recall adverts for 1/192 semi-kits, so I'll give them a call, thanks for the tip, cheers, Aidan.

[Steve Sobieralski]

If you do contact them could you ask if they still sell any of the 1/192 kits or hulls?

[Aidan]

Hi Steve, no problem, was there any hulls/kits in particular that you want to know about ? If they have them I'll get the prices and availability for you, and shiping costs.

[Steve Sobieralski]

Anything in 1/192 from WWII, Aidan. I already have Rodney and Dorsetshire, but the last ad I have from them, dating from 1994, also lists Hood, KGV and a City Class cruiser. Any of those would be of interest.

[Aidan]

No worries, I'll hopefully get a chance to contact them this week and I'll keep you posted on what they have.