Lanard HarrierHawk, leftover Skystriker labels, Tamiya matte black paint, panel lining pen

I think it's pretty obvious by now that I really love jets, particularly the F-14 Tomcat.

I've been a big fan of Lanard for a long time now, and was very happy when they first introduced their FlashHawk mold. But when they came out with the very Skystriker-like colors of the HarrierHawk, I was over the moon.

The custom itself is fairly straightforward - the jet needs to be taken apart to remove the tailfins for painting, and the nose masked off. Then it is a simple application of leftover stickers in a fashion similar to the Skystriker.

The idea of a light combat aircraft was something I'd been thinking about for the old Air Superiority project, with the thought of putting a couple of these together was one of my original ideas. It would have led to the creation of a playset as well...

'The expense of larger jets through programs like the Advanced Tactical Fighter and the Joint Strike Fighter programs left a need for cheaper aircraft to be developed for light strike and attach missions, reconnaissance and interdiction roles, particularly where close air support is required.

Enter the LightStriker - modeled on the Textron AirLand Scorpion, but with design enhancements from the original Skystriker, the LightStriker is a carrier-based light combat aircraft designed for air policing and close air support missions, playing a crucial role in containing Cobra activities!'