HobbyBoss TA-7C - Operation Granby FINISHED!

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Simon
The only pylon mounted 'designator' I've seen on A-7's isn't a designator at all, it's the big FLIR pod carried on the stbd inner wing pylon (only on updated USN E's), this could be balanced by a 300 gallon tank on the port inner. you could go with two 1000lb LGB's on the mid stations with an AGM-45  Shrike & US jamming pod on the outers OR, another 1000lb balanced by a jamming pod from a Tornado (hevier/larger y'see, keeps the visual balance), OR an old 'Pave Spike' designator and a US jamming pod.

Back to you.

Ian

[Mossie]

Thanks guys!

Ed, I've seen your reply to my PM & that really helps, I'll need to revise the positions of certain stores as I've got the tanks on the centre pylons.  Probably means I'll go with a symetical load out.

Ian, don't worry, I'd realised the pods in the kit are FLIR & it's a Pave Spike I've got.  That's balanced on the outer pylon with an AN/ALQ-101 ECM pod.  It's basically the same load out as the Buccs, although symetrical as I've got more options with the pylons.  That means I can carry two Sidewinders on the fusleage with the gas bags on the inner pylons, Paveways on the centres & ECM & Pave Spike on the outers.

Apart from revising the load out & replacing one of the 'hats' on a Paveway that has been knocked off & kept the Carpet Monster sated, it's done.  Photos tomorrow.

[Taiidantomcat]

The Rocky pic made me smile  I really can't wait to see this one, we all know the time and effort you have put into it 

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Wont see the result of all this monumental effort until next week-end as in the morning, the entire Hunter-Gatherer tribe are temporarily relocating to the Lincolnshire Wolds, just a goat-track away from our Nev. I've get an alert when a new post arrives, so wont miss it.

Well done, Simon. Deserves a WHIFFIE for sheer stick-with-it-ness 

Ian

[Mossie]

Ling Temco Vought Corsair SR.1A Royal Air Force Operation Granby, January 1991

The LTV Corsair served an illustrious career with the Royal Navy & Royal Air Force although it's entry into service was shrouded in the political controversy that surrounded many aviation & military projects in the 1960's.

The Corsair was initially intended to replace the Blackburn Buccaneer in Royal Navy Service.  The Buccaneer S.1 was thought to be a good aircraft, although it was underpowered with a pair of De Havilland Gyron Junior turbojets.  Already as the S.1 first entered service, development of S.2 variant was well underway with more powerful & efficient Rolls-Royce Spey engines & first flew in 1963.  However in 1964, in a raft of cutbacks in the early 60's that included the Fairey Rotodyne & TSR.2, the Buccaneer S.2 was cancelled.

This left the Royal Navy with the underpowered Buccaneer S.1 & they were very strong in their condemnation of the decision.  They would especially need an effective strike aircraft for their forthcoming CVA-01 carrier. The government insisted that they buy American.  The LTV A-7 Corsair II was well under development & would be ordered for the Royal Navy.  However, the A-7 was a single seat aircraft & the RN insisted on two seats, also the politicians insisted on a British powerplant.  LTV responded that they had a trainer variant planned & that could be used for as strike version & the Spey could power the aircraft with some development.

In 1966 CVA-01 was cancelled as part of the disease that to infected the 1960's.  A decision was needed to be made on the A-7 & was held off for some time, but with development taking longer than expected an attempt was made to cancel the Corsair too in 1967.  This proved difficult, reading the situation well, LTV & the US Government had put some very punative cancellation clauses in the contract.  It was decided that the Corsair would equip the remaining carriers until their retirement & the RAF would take on the remainder.

The Royal Navy did not quite see the point of taking an aircraft only to retire it in relatively a short period.  The RAF resited this plan heavilly as they thought this might lead to a reduction in the amount of Phamtoms & Jaguars on order.  They also considered the Corsair a naval aircraft that had no part in their plans, despite the USAF ordering a version.  Eventually, it entered service in 1969 with the Royal Navy, with the first RAF aircraft arriving a year later.

Both services were lukewarm at first, with the RN winding down the carrier fleet & the RAF taking an aircraft that was forced upon it.  In time, both services came to respect the aircrafts abilites, although it only served with the RN until 1978 when HMS Ark Royal was retired.  The RAF took all remaining airframes, by which time they were starting to apprectiate the Corsair for what it was.

The Corsair fleet was never really upgraded & from the early 1980's was continually slated for retirement.  This was put back again when Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990.  The old girl finally got a chance to prove itself in anger alongside it's American single seat cousins.  It's role was initially to support Tornadoes by providing laser designation for them, but perfomed very well in the strike role itself with no aircraft lost to enemy fire.

The Corsair continued in RAF service before finally being retired in 1998.  Although the Corsairs introduction into British service was fraught with controvosy, it served well & is fondly remembered by enthuiasts.

[Taiidantomcat]

Let me be the first to say OUTSTANDING! Well worth the wait and that tarp looks very real, Its easy to make that look over scale but its perfectly done here.

[Mossie]

Thanks!  The tarp was done using Parafilm M, you can stretch it to the thickness you want.  I was surprised how well it took paint took a few goes to get it right.  Firstly, I stretched it, placed it on the model & cut it to shape with a scalpel.  I realised then I'd need to mask it, so I started again, & painted it before putting it on the model, although I found the paint cracked when it stretched.

Finally, I placed a large piece on the model, pulled it tight so it matched the contours, painted it, then cut it.  I pulled the back up very carefully, then put some paper underneath to mask it & painted the bottom. I then added a few folds & drybrushed them to bring them out.  Used a bit of decorators tape to create the straps, looking at the photos I think I'll add some buckles with aluminium paint.  I did pretty much the same with the intake cover although it was a little more fiddly under the nose.

[Weasel]

Absolutely cracking! A really inspiring build, will have to try some more advanced weathering after seeing that master class!

[GTX]

 

[Mossie]

Thanks guys!

Weasel, the weathering wasn't an advanced technique, I simply applied Pro Modellers washes.  They take a little experimenting, but they're pretty easy to use.  You apply it with a brush, let it dry & rub off as much you want.  I found that the base coat only made so much difference as the wash tends to tint a matt surface.

Duncan, I think I was fighting myself mostly!  The horizontal tail surfaces are very thin & only have a tiny locating pin so are prone to breaking off, for some reason the fuselage seam tended crack open but apart from that it's a very good kit, nearly shake & bake.  Accuracy wise it's good enough for me, the intake shape gets mentioned on the net & I found they'd missed the pitots just in front of the cockpit but it's got to be a hell of a lot worse than that to put me off.

[srkirad]

Great job Simon, weathering looks pretty realistic, representing one dusty bird

Tarp is detail I really like as it adds something special to the model... if you make diorama like base stand it would look even more appropriate

What's next cooking in your modelling kitchen?

Cheers 
Srdjan

[Ed S]

Superb.  Looks like a well used war veteran. 

Ed

[NARSES2]

Really nice build Simon. That tarp makes her look even more agressive, even piratical, if thats possible 

[hurricanemk1c]

Heart-stoppingly beautiful!

[Mossie]

Thanks again guys!

Srdjan, I think your right, a diorama base would look good although I don't have the time to do one at the moment.  I going to be very busy in the coming months so I'm not sure what I'll get done, I wanted to do an advanced Hunter for Ed's Test & Experimental GB but I think the Fokker D.XIII for the Freightdog display at the nationals is going to have to take priority if I have any chance of getting it done.

Ed, thank you, that's what I set out to represent & I think I've pulled it off.

Chris, yeah, from the right hand side it does look like a pirate!!!  I realised his when I'd painted the tarp, it was unintentional, but it ties in with the 'Sky Pirates' title given to 12 Sqn in the Gulf War & is emblazoned on the left.

Hurri, thank you!  Wow, that's praise indeed!  I need the 'embarrassed' smilie from the old forum...