Now that I've explained my engine concept, I should now explain how I got to where the model is now. As I have previously said, I was going to use the F-15 air intakes, and because I want to keep a Harrier connection, my plan was to use a Harrier forward fuselage/cockpit area. I also want to use Harrier fins/rudders.
With that determined I measured across the intakes and fuselage and got about 37mm, I then needed to sort out what the u/c would look like. First off, as this was to be a much enhanced Harrier, I had to figure out what would be needed for such an aircraft, I've noticed that the carriers that the USMC uses don't utilise the 'ski ramp' that the RN used, which to me must limit what the Harrier could take-off with. So I determined that for this project it would have to be Catapult Launch capable, and/or vertical landing recovery. And McD have a very good proven front u/c leg to do that -- from the F-18, so that's what I'm going to use there. For the main u/c gear though it wasn't so simple at first, I've studied the F-35 and I like the wide wheel track it has and I wanted something like that for this project, but I didn't want the u/c leg attaching to the wings, or have them folding up into the wing root, I wanted them on, and in, the fuselage.
The engine concept though eliminates the bicycle u/c system of the Harrier, which meant a more traditional tricycle style but I couldn't find anything that would fit into what I had in mind. The F-15 u/c wouldn't fit to where I wanted it to go plus it didn't have a wide enough track, and the F-18 u/c which had a wide track, folded away in the wrong direction plus it wouldn't fit there either. But while rumaging through the spares box I came across the left over bits from a Panavia Tornado, and measuring across the front end of the forward center of the fuselage found it practically matched the dimension I had for the F-15 intakes and Harrier fuselage. Perfect I thought --- plus the u/c as it extends gets wider than the fuselage which gives it quite a wide track.