Hawker P.1154
"Supersonic Harrier"

Silver Cloud, 1/72 scale

Reviewed by Brett Green

HyperScale is proudly sponsored by Squadron.com
 

The Hawker P.1154 was a larger V/STOL (Vertical / Short Take Off and Landing) design developed from the earier P.1127. The new aircraft was planned to be supersonic and to have a greater flexibilty in terms of weapons fit.

A number of pre-productions airframes were at an advanced stage of construction for the Royal Air Force when the project was cancelled.

Silver Cloud has followed up its debut offering with another "What If" release. Their 1/72 scale Hawker P.1154 "Supersonic Harrier" represents a single-seater aircraft that might have entered RAF service from 1969 had the project not been cancelled.

Silver Cloud's 1/72 scale P.1154 comprises just 26 parts in cream-coloured resin, one part in clear resin and two strips of white plastic.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Thumbnail panels:

The small parts count will ensure a quick, easy build. Surface detail is crisp and restrained. It shouldlook great under either camouflage paint or a natural metal finish.

Nozzles are provided as separate parts, so they may be positioned to taste. Cockpit detail is limited to a nicely rendered ejection seat, but you'll have to add your own instrument panel and side consoles if you think it will be justified in the small, black front office.

The canopy is a one-piece, clear resin affair. It looks a bit rough when enlarged to about six times its actual size in the photo, but actually looks very good in real life.

The wings and horizontal tail planes are cast with locating pins, but three of my eight pins had broken off in transit. I will replace these with brass rod before construction.

Casting quality is generally very good, but there is damage to the instrument coaming on each fuselage half on my sample as a result of air bubbles in the resin. This damage should be filled with Milliput or a similar epoxy putty.

Instructions are supplied in text form only, but this should not be a problem as the kit is very simple.

Diagrams of two "what if" schemes are supplied, along with nice quality decals printed by Fantasy Printshop.

Silver Cloud's 1/72 scale P.1154 is a high quality product that will be suitable as a first resin kit.