Under New Ownership - Convair B-58 Hustler

[scooter]

Crossposted into Scooter's Randomness - The Art of Elven Blend:


Hi Rez: here

One of several Convair B-58 Hustlers purchased from the United States Air Force for the Lemurian Confederacy Air Service initially for high speed, long range reconnaissance of the Confederacy's 200 nautical mile EEZ, after the USAF retired the type in 1970.  All offensive weapons capability were initially removed from the avionics packages, and the weapons pod of the Two Component Pod (TCP) was converted into additional fuel tankage. 

During the 1981 SLEP (Service Life Extension Program), which saw the replacement of the GE J-79 afterburning turbojets with Volvo Aero RM12 afterburning turbofans, full nondestructive testing of all control and structural surfaces, and updated avionics; IAI engineers adapted the four fuselage stub hardpoints for Harpoon-series Air to Surface missiles, AGM-88 HARM, AGM-78 Standard ARM (STARM), and AIM-97 Seekbat weapons systems.  The IAI contract also included new defensive systems and electronics countermeasures suite, and developing the TCP to handle conventional munitions.

During the final SLEP during the late 1990's, included replacing the RM12s with new GE 414 afterburning turbofans, LITENING pod  integration, at the cost of one external hardpoint; updated navigation and bombing systems, improved avionics and PGM integration.

Until their retirement in 2003, Lemurian B-58s have participated in USAF Red and Green Flag exercises, SAC Bombing Competitions (until 1994), and RIMPAC.  HARM and STARM-equipped B-58s also conducted SEAD and high speed reconnaissance missions during the First Iraq War.

[DogfighterZen]

Very nice scheme!

[Captain Canada]

Oh yeah....looks great like that !

[Weaver]

That looks good! 

Thought: since they've only got one roundel on the upper wings and one on the lower wings, wouldn't they put the '5' buzz number opposite it? Use the contrasting cammo colour: pale grey on the underside, dark grey on the top.

[scooter]

Thought: since they've only got one roundel on the upper wings and one on the lower wings, wouldn't they put the '5' buzz number opposite it? Use the contrasting cammo colour: pale grey on the underside, dark grey on the top.

I'm honestly still figuring out their post-1945 marking scheme.  Heck, I haven't even figured out their World War 2 scheme yet, Jorel's work aside.

[NARSES2]

Looks good Scoot 

[Weaver]

Thought: since they've only got one roundel on the upper wings and one on the lower wings, wouldn't they put the '5' buzz number opposite it? Use the contrasting cammo colour: pale grey on the underside, dark grey on the top.

I'm honestly still figuring out their post-1945 marking scheme.  Heck, I haven't even figured out their World War 2 scheme yet, Jorel's work aside.

Don't make the mistake of beating yourself up trying to make it perfectly consistent and logical. Few things are like that in real life. In real life, things are messy and full of mistakes, exceptions, blind alleys and failed experiments, and events are as much influenced by chance, coincidence, personality and trivialities as they are by careful planning and huge historical forces. If you've got a marking scheme that you really want on something but it doesn't fit in to the greater narrative then fine: let it not fit in. Make it a short-lived experiment, the result of local personnel being given more leeway than is usual or an eccentric CinC who was ousted after only a few years.

[TheChronicOne]

Quite nice!

[Rick Lowe]

Don't make the mistake of beating yourself up trying to make it perfectly consistent and logical. Few things are like that in real life. In real life, things are messy and full of mistakes, exceptions, blind alleys and failed experiments, and events are as much influenced by chance, coincidence, personality and trivialities as they are by careful planning and huge historical forces. If you've got a marking scheme that you really want on something but it doesn't fit in to the greater narrative then fine: let it not fit in. Make it a short-lived experiment, the result of local personnel being given more leeway than is usual or an eccentric CinC who was ousted after only a few years.

I like the way you think - and express things. 

[TheChronicOne]

I concur.

I slapped WWII Spitfire markings on my 1960's RAF Hustler and just rolled with it. Who's to say that in this "alternate universe" that they didn't do markings and reggos different than IRL for whatever reason? etc.