Project 'Rifle Green', English Electric Tornado

[benskipper]

After the war of expansion between the Confederate of Texas (CT) and the Hispanic Fedration (HF) in the late 60's and early 70's the short comings of the Canberra as a strike attack a/c were noted by English Electric, this combined with the RAF's Lightning fleet become weary from continual use in interception of Holy Romam Empire (HRE) recce aircraft, lead to the EE design Team to propose a merger of the Lightning's speed and the Canberra's role.

The Chief oF Air Staff, ACM Sir Michael Armitage, was interested in this new thinking, and admitted while the Canberra was doing sterling recce work in India and South East Asia monitoring the Mongul Empire, it's front line use in Homeland defense was now defunct and it was merely equipping a couple of OCU's and a handful of RAuxAF Sqn's, due to Hawker's Eagle (TSR 2) being in full operational service.

He also agreed that the Lightning was now needing a replacment. Following consultation with the Air Ministry, OR 397 was issued and English Electric had their motivation to develop something revolutionary.

In short the a/c was to be able to operate in all weathers, carry an equal to or greater payload than the Canberra, be able to defend itself in the air, and operate from makeshift runways. The last caveat was as a result of the Eagles purpensity to rip up PSP runways, and the substantial support required for an a/c. Whilst this was seen as a short coming the Air Ministry liked the fact that the RAF had something which could strike at the heart of the HRE at a moments notice and the psychological edge that brought with it.

English Electric, after purchasing much of the development work of Barnes Wallis after Vickers merged with de Havilland to concentrate on transport a/c, went with a swing wing a/c. It was to be able to touch mach 2 in a shallow dive, be cheap to produce and buy (EE had their eye on the lucrative export market), and easy to fly.

After much development, under the name 'Rifle Green' (find the connection), the first prototype flew in 1977. To make spy shots harder to take all 4 prototype a/c were given identical Razzle Dazzle camofladge...

[The Rat]

That's certainly an eye-catcher! Big thumbs up on the paint job! One wee correction: there's no 'e' in Lightning, don't know about others but my mind does a hiccup every time it encounters one.

...a merger of the Lightneing's speed and the Canberra's role

Whew, for a split second there I thought you had done something I've had rolling around in my mind for a while, guess I'm still good to go.

[benskipper]

Cheers for the spell check chap...glad I've not pinched your idea.

[PR19_Kit]

Now that's what I CALL dazzle camouflage!  

That's not the original Airfix MRCA kit, is it?

[Weaver]

Splendid dazzle job and a good backstory too! 

[The Wooksta!]

Hope the pilot was a Newcastle supporter...

[benskipper]

Now that's what I CALL dazzle camouflage!  

That's not the original Airfix MRCA kit, is it?

This is the Italeri Kit No124 if that means anything. Judging the moldings etc I woud say this is the 'original' what if oob kit 

[Pablo1965]

Very nice scheme, Really I like, I will go to see it in the yale soon. 

[McColm]

Great work,
I wonder if that would work on my Nimrod AEW/Tanker project 'Nimmet'? Was it a pain to mask out?

[benskipper]

It was a begger to mask. Took just under 4 hours...never again. 

Th eproblem is remembering where your alternate colour is going to go and working out the pattern from that.

[NARSES2]

Th eproblem is remembering where your alternate colour is going to go and working out the pattern from that.

Been there with 3 colour splinter 

Well worth the effort though