Per ardua ad astra - Through adversity to the stars – the next 100 years

[rickshaw]

Per ardua ad astra - Through adversity to the stars – the next 100 years

Formed in March 1921, the Royal Australian Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). It operates the majority of the ADF's fixed wing aircraft, although both the Australian Army and Royal Australian Navy also operate aircraft in various roles. It directly continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps (AFC), formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF provides support across a spectrum of operations such as air superiority, precision strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, air mobility, and humanitarian support.

The RAAF took part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts. During the early years of the Second World War a number of RAAF bomber, fighter, reconnaissance and other squadrons served in Britain, and with the Desert Air Force located in North Africa and the Mediterranean. From 1942, a large number of RAAF units were formed in Australia, and fought in the South West Pacific Area. Thousands of Australians also served with other Commonwealth air forces in Europe, including during the bomber offensive against Germany. By the time the war ended, a total of 216,900 men and women served in the RAAF, of whom 10,562 were killed in action.

Later the RAAF served in the Berlin Airlift, Korean War, Malayan Emergency, Indonesia–Malaysia Confrontation and Vietnam War. More recently, the RAAF has participated in operations in East Timor, the Iraq War, the War in Afghanistan, and the military intervention against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

It has been equipped with canvas and wire rigged aircraft, World War Two fighters and bombers, post WWII jet aircraft, supersonic fighters and today is poised to take on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.  However, what of the future after that?

I foresee the RAAF becoming equipped with advanced stealth aircraft, invisible to radar and other detection systems, equipped with advanced beyond-visual-range missiles.   This model represents one such vision.







The Model

The model is a modified 1/72 Testors F-19 Stealth Fighter.  It has had wings and enlarged canards attached and a new nose, allowing an advanced AESA radar to be fitted.  This has improve it's manoeuvrability and it's ability to detect it's targets without being detected.  It carries it's armaments internally, minising any possibility of them being detected by radar.  It is brushpainted and carries "low-viz" roundels printed by Mossie.

[McColm]

Great work and back story

[zenrat]

Noice.   

[PR19_Kit]

I like that very much, it does just what it says on the tin, looks mean and stealthy at the same time. 

[TomZ]

Looks good.

TomZ

[NARSES2]

Looks good.

TomZ

Does indeed 

[Rheged]

Per ardua ad astra-----------translated by one of my former pupils (now a squadron leader) as " After work we go to the cinema"

[PR19_Kit]

Per ardua ad astra-----------translated by one of my former pupils (now a squadron leader) as " After work we go to the cinema"

Hehehe, only those who've lived on RAF stations will get that one.