BAe AV-8B Harrier II Plus – VMA-214 Black Sheep, USMC, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan 2009

Hobby Master 1/72 scale HA2629: BAe AV-8B Harrier II Plus WE01 of VMA-214 Black Sheep, USMC, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, November 2009. Production run of 800 models.

Length 7.75 inches Wingspan 5 inches

Marine Squadron 214 was commissioned in 1942 as the “Swashbucklers”. On September 7, 1943 VMF-214 was formed under the guidance of Major “Pappy” Boyington and given the name “Black Sheep”. Back then the squadron was equipped with Corsairs. In 1957 the VMF was changed to VMA-214. In 2000, using the wings and tail from AV-8B 162731 as well as a new fuselage and engine they created AV-8B Harrier II+ 165421. In 2009 the “Black Sheep” were deployed to Kandahar from May until November.

Designed to meet a NATO specification for a light tactical support fighter that was also capable of Vertical/Short Takeoff and Landing (V/STOL), the Harrier first flew in 1960. This unique aircraft has the distinction of being the only successful V/STOL design out of the many that were put forth during the 1960s. There are four different versions of the Harrier, which uses thrust vectoring to achieve V/STOL: the first generation Hawker Siddeley Harrier, the Naval strike/air defence BAE Sea Harrier, the US AV-8B Harrier II variant and the British BAE Harrier II. The Harrier was produced between 1969 and 2003.