Whati if a Rafale?

[diegoepoimaria]

As the tile says, what if i am doing a Rafale but i didn't really know how to do it?  

I have build a 1/144 rafale M converted with resin kit in a Rafale C, and then i've added some little modifications, as a satlink dome behind the canopy, and some ECM antennas near the engine exaust.
Plus, i've added a litening II pod on the right air intake, 3 2000L external tank ( from the box ) 2 mid wing pylons ( taken from a Tornado kit ) and 2 outboard pylons, made from the original mid wing pylons.
The model has been painted like a mirage 2000 ( blue/light blue/almost white ), and almost fully wheatered.

Here's the photos:



Note: only one of the three tanks has been wheatered correctly, the other two are still in progess.

And here's the weapons it will be carrying: two storm shadows ( the third one is for another Rafale, but since i was painting them ... ).

Now, here's the questions:
- Weapons loadout: I will use for sure 2 Storm Shadows, 2 Meteor and 2 mica IR , but i'm still dubious about the outboard wing pylons. Another 2 mica RF or 2 BAE Alarm?
- Litening II : I've seen that no aircraft carrying storm shadows carry at the same time a laser pod, so i was thinking about removing it ( and repaint the fuselage panel to wich it is attached ), but i'm not sure.
- Markings: India ( that is thinking about buyig Rafale ), UAE or Grece? All these three options has the advantage of using a similar paint scheme on their Mirage 2000, but UAE has expressed the desite to have a better electronic equipment on the rafale, and they're using another type of laser designator pod at the moment ( a new one that is not available in 1/144 ).
Grece could be a nice solution, as it would be India ...



EDIT:
I'm sorry for my english and for the photos, tomorrow i'll try to do some better lightnened photos

[pyro-manic]

That's a very heavy load - three huge drop tanks plus two cruise missiles. A couple of AA missiles for self-defence would be enough I think. Maybe an ECM pod?

I think that if there's a Litening pod, then it needs some laser-guided bombs for it to guide. Maybe a couple of 250kg bombs, or a single bigger one, instead of one of the fuel tanks?

I really like the colour scheme - Greece would work very well.

[TallEng]

Greece sounds good to me too
Although it does seem to be carrying a lot of fuel tanks, I would have thought two
Would do.
And your English is fine

Regards
Keith

[McColm]

Most fighters carry two tanks one under each wing or just the center line tank.

[Hobbes]

That's very nice.
If you want a realistic loadout, move the Litening pod to another project, and use the Micas on the outer pylons.
Maybe build a second Rafale with the Litening pod, some laser-guided bombs and ALARMs for SEAD?

[diegoepoimaria]

@Hobbes:
Ok, Litening pod removed, and only a minor scar on the model, that will be fixed tomorrow with the external tank painting.

@McColm and TallEng:
For the loadout, the Armee de l'air usually flew Rafales with two or even three 2000L external tanks, plus two storm shadows and two/four Micas , and it's now experimenting the "heavy" configuration with 3 tanks, 2 storm shadows and 6 Micas, and i think that this will be my configuration.

It will be a heavy loaded Rafale for a interdiction mission in a quite hostile environment.

The photos of lightly loaded rafales are usually navy ones, since they can't bring back mutch load ( i don't think it's a catapult problem but rather a bring back/trap weight problem ). They usually carry 2 2000L external tank and 1 ventral mounted storm shadow ( or a huge recon pod ), plus 6 micas, or 2 2000L external tanks and 4 mk82 with laser nose ( can't remember the correct designation ... GBU 16? GBU 28 ? ) or 4 hammer plus 4 Micas.
Only ground based one usually carry 3 2000L tanks.

Plus, there's the 1200 supersonic ( pointy ) tanks, wich is lighter, but wich also is not included in the box ...


Since i have some issue with anxiety, i have bought more than one Rafale ( they were VERY cheap, something like 3 euros each, and very good models too! ) ...
So, another one will be a JASDF Rafale with 2 2000L tanks, a scratch build external tank and 4 missiles ( already builded ).
Another one will be an Aeronaval ( navy ) Rafale with 6 Micas, 2 2000L external tanks and a single storm shadow ( already builded ).
Another one will be a Canadian / Australian / something with ASRAAM/IRIS-T  with HARM missile, for SEAD mission ( already builded ).
Another one will be the new moulded Rafale, with 3 supersonic tanks ( already builded ).
And another one will be something i haven't figured out yet. Maybe a Royal Navy Rafale with alarms...

Plus, as soon as there will be a Rafale B ( twin seat ) , there will be an ECM Rafale!

@pyro-manic : ECM pod would be redundant, since the Rafales comes with the Spectra internal ECM system. Plus, i don't like mixing stand-off weapons like the Storm Shadows with the short ranged LGB, it seems kinda unrealistic.


Many thanks for the advices, they helped me a lot, more than you think 

[NARSES2]

That's a nice build  And your English is fine 

[diegoepoimaria]

New photos, i'll add up later some description, sorry









EDIT:

Ok, here's the Storm Shadow mounted. One has the yellow stripe, the other one is still to do. I opted to avoid the 4 white stripes on the nose because not all the Storm Shadow wore them ( it's like far west for the Storm Shadow markings ), and because they were ... difficult for me to reproduce ...
Plus there's the Meteors too.

I had some troubles with the external tank,and they ended up very "grainy" ... well, lesson learned for the nex time. Still, i'm enough satisfied.

The photos are unforgiving ... but to the naked eye the model looks just better ... sigh ...


The litening II pod was dismounted, and to haide the "scar" i opted to paint the area where the pylon is to be mounted , with 2 little white dots to represent the mountings. The aircraft looks indeed better, thanks

Now there's left only the 4 Micas ( 2 ir and 2 rf ), decals and some touch ups.


Many thanks for all the comments and the suggestion