USAF F-99C, Vietnam CAS, 1966-COMPLETED

[AeroplaneDriver]

As has been well documented elsewhere, developmental difficulties with the North American F-100 Super Sabre led the USAF to order 122 Hawker Hunter F.6 aircraft directly from the UK government in 1954.  Initial deliveries began in 1956 and the aircraft entered service as the F-99A in November of that year.  Soon after the F-100 development issues were resolved and it followed with its entry into service in late 1957. 

In spite of the F-100's introduction, the F-99 was a popular platform in USAF service, and it remained in service with multiple upgrades until 1969.  This model will be an F-99C, upgraded in tandem with the RAF's FGA.9, but with additional wing hardpoints and inflight refueling capability. 

Over 80 F-99Cs were deployed to South Vietnam in 1964 as US involvement grew.  This model will depict an F-99C awaiting a CAS mission in 1966, at the height of Hunter combat ops in Southeast Asia.

[Captain Canada]

Hey Stranger ! All's I'm seeing is a black X

[AeroplaneDriver]

Well dammit.  The pic shows up fine in mine.  It's just a pic of the Academy 1/48 Hunter F.6/FGA.9 box and a set of Xtradecal F-100 markings. 

I actually started it last night and thanks to a lazy Sunday of modeling will have some progress pics this evening, so hopefully I can get them to post OK. 

[PR19_Kit]

When you click on the '3 bars' on the Imageshack pic, you need to then click on the 'direct' link that shows up, and do a 'Ctrl-C'. Then 'Ctrl-V' the link back on the SIG Forum thread, that should do it.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Ahhh...thanks.  Did that fix it?

[Weaver]

I can see the pic fine.

Nice idea this one. A stickler could point out that the Yanks could just take back the Canadair Sabres that they paid for us to have while we were waiting for the Hunter, but then you can fix that with timeline/backstory adjustments...

Are you going to Americanize it beyond the paint scheme? I doubt whether they'd try to change the guns (too much redesign) and anyway, there's a precedent for the US using 30mm ADENs in the USMCs Harriers. However they'd certainly clear it for standard 2.75" rocket pods and Mk.80 series bombs. Probably Sidewinders too.

You can get a lot more pylonage on a Hunter than the RAF ever bothered with. Sidewinder/rocket pylons can be added in between the main pylons, and in front of the undercarriage bays, and an ingenious centreline rack for two 500lb bombs was developed, which worked by having a TER bolted directly to the belly (with suitable local strengthening, of course) with no pylon as such.

[PR19_Kit]

Yes, the pic's visible now. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

This is mostly going to be a paint and decal Whif.  The backstory reveals that the 4 x Aden fit was a popular one compared to the 2 x 20mm guns on many US CAS types of the era.  I'm adding pylons, and as of right now the planned fit is the standard inboard drop tanks, with two outer pylons carrying BLU27 napalm bombs and probably LAU10 Zuni rocket pods.  I'm also planning Sidewinder pylons on the belly similar to the AMRAAM pylons I out on a 1/72 RAF Hunter F.15 I build many moons ago. 

I looked at a radar nose, but since I'm fairly newly returned to the hobby my stash really doesn't have anything suitable. 

As for retaining F-86s in place or ordering a stop gap...back in the 50s fighter development moved at a lightning pace (no pun intended).  A design could go from blueprint to service to retirement in a decade.  Amazing when you look at today's development timetables.  By 54-55 the F-86 would have been considered severely obsolete.  I've always loved the idea of USAF Hunters so that's my story and I'm sticking to it!   

[AeroplaneDriver]

Not a whole lot of excitement to see so far, but major construction is about done and almost ready to move into the paint phase.  Since I'm doing the standards USAF SEA scheme I'm going to wait until I paint the gray underside before attaching the wings since it is a seamless join.  Makes life a bit easier around the intakes. 

Since this pic was taken I masked the intakes and attached the canopy and windscreen, painted the frame black for the interior color, then primed the whole thing with Tamiya gray primer.  Ive even gotten adventurous and persuaded the wings and H-stab.  I think I'm done for the night though so the rest can wait for tomorrow (don't work until 2 and off Tuesday!)

Gotta say, after my first thee kits since jumping back in being fairly 'shake n bake' kits (Tamiya F4U, F-16, Hase A-4), the Academy Hunter is taking a bit more effort.  I've built one before as a Japanese one, and don't remember it was this much work with the fit.  Maybe the molds are getting old, or more likely it's my rusty skills.  Anyway, it's a good kit to get the real modeling skills going again! 

Also pictured is part of the load out...2 standard Hunter tanks and a pair of BLU27 Napalm bombs.  Outer pylons will likely be rocket pods, but still considering Mk82 Snakeyes with fuse extenders.  Always thought they looked kinda cool. 

[Old Wombat]

A good reason for the popularity of the Adens would be reliability, the Colts used on many US aircraft had atrocious jamming issues.

Going to be watching this build, I have a 1/48 Meteor I intend doing in Australian Army Aviation Corps SEAC colours for Vietnam op's.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Good to know Wombat!   That will definitely make it into the backstory. Thanks!   

A SEA Meteor would be pretty interesting!  Sandy role would be pretty cool.   

[Weaver]

This is mostly going to be a paint and decal Whif.  The backstory reveals that the 4 x Aden fit was a popular one compared to the 2 x 20mm guns on many US CAS types of the era.  I'm adding pylons, and as of right now the planned fit is the standard inboard drop tanks, with two outer pylons carrying BLU27 napalm bombs and probably LAU10 Zuni rocket pods.  I'm also planning Sidewinder pylons on the belly similar to the AMRAAM pylons I out on a 1/72 RAF Hunter F.15 I build many moons ago. 

Wow - is there ground clearance for those Sidewinders? Lots of other options if there isn't:

Singaporean Hunter with extra inboard Sidewinder pylon and belly bomb rack:


Swiss Hunter model by Thomas Muggli, showing 20x 80mm rockets on external rails plus two TABO napalm(?) bombs:


Rhodesian Hunter with extra Sidewinder pylon in between the two standard ones:

As for retaining F-86s in place or ordering a stop gap...back in the 50s fighter development moved at a lightning pace (no pun intended).  A design could go from blueprint to service to retirement in a decade.  Amazing when you look at today's development timetables.  By 54-55 the F-86 would have been considered severely obsolete.  I've always loved the idea of USAF Hunters so that's my story and I'm sticking to it!   

And yet performance-wise, the Sabre and the Hunter were very close. I know some RAF pilots who converted from the Sabre to the early Hunter didn't think it was a step up. Also, the USAF was only just starting to take deliveries of F-86H fighter-bombers in late 1954, and FJ-4 Fury deliveries to the USN didn't begin until the year after, so it wasn't that out of date. Basically, the Hunter was a good plane, a few years too late: it's flawed early versions were just entering service at the same time as the last, highly developed models of the equivalent Sabre.

Anyway, I'm not trying to spoil your whiff. There are other reasons why air forces buy things other than that they're the latest and bestest thing: maybe the USAF taking the Hunters was part of a some kind of political quid-pro-quo deal with the UK? Or maybe, since a substantial quantity of the Hunters bought by other allied export customers were actually paid for by the US, a batch couldn't be delivered for some reason and the USAF was forced to take them, then found out that they liked them?

[AeroplaneDriver]

Managed to get a little done over the past week or so.  Clearly my camo skills need a little polishing and there is still a little touch up to do, but I'm sure it'll look better marked up and weathered.  But for now, freshly painted F-99C in SEAC

Since coming back to modeling I've discovered Vallejo Model Air, and really like the paints, but this is painted with the SEA Scheme color set and to my eye there is almost no variation between the Dark Green and Forest Green. 







I built the Academy 1/48 Hunter years ago as a Japanese version, and don't remember the fit of the wings to fuselage being quite as challenging as this one.  It's probably just my rusty skills, but the right wing took a lot of sanding and trimming, and still isn't a perfect fit.  For ease of masking I just attached the wings temporarily for the painting.  Now they are permanently glued on, and it will need a little filling and toughing up. 

[Rick Lowe]

Looking good - and yes, the greens blend together for me, too.

[NARSES2]

but this is painted with the SEA Scheme color set and to my eye there is almost no variation between the Dark Green and Forest Green. 

Yup I really had to look before I noticed the difference. If I hadn't of known before hand that it should be two different greens then I doubt if I'd have noticed