RAF 203 Sqn Sea Protector MRA.2

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice, I like the paint scheme a lot - reminds well of the late RAN A-4Gs. 

[zenrat]

I shall reserve full adulation until it is finished.
But I am thinking about another scaleorama - into 1/144 as an electric powered (lots of room on top off those wings for panels) low environmental cost airliner.
Victorian Environmental Green Airlines - VegAir...

[PR19_Kit]

VERY smart, and very wiiiiiide too. 

[Old Wombat]

Sweet!

[Wardukw]

Calling it the protector is a good name and fitting it with sensors and bouys is sweet as well but are ya thinking of giving it any offensive capabilities ?
Like fitting it with Hellfires for taking out small to medium sized craft or something similar.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Calling it the protector is a good name and fitting it with sensors and bouys is sweet as well but are ya thinking of giving it any offensive capabilities ?
Like fitting it with Hellfires for taking out small to medium sized craft or something similar.

Protector is the real world name of the RAF's MQ-9Bs that will be entering service in the next couple of years, so I figure if they do go with the option of a fleet of Maritime Sea Guardians they would name it Sea Protector.  The real Protector will carry Brimstone and LGBs I believe, and with a total of 21 Brimstones possible it's a heck of a lot better armed than the Reaper it replaces. 

As for this build, I'd love to put some weapons on it, but having trouble sourcing any.  The most sensible load if carrying sonobuoys would be a pair of Stingray torpedoes, but can't find any in 1/48.  I think they once came in a Resin Sea King set but it's hard to find and apparently the resin contains unicorn tears based on the prices I've seen.  Nothing on Shapeways either.  Other options would make it even more whiffy by having some kind of ASM.  The weight class that makes most sense here would be the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile.  Again, can't find any.  Another option might be SPEAR 3 which will have an anti-shipping function.  They ARE available on Shapeways but at an eye-watering price around $10 EACH.  Brimstones would be an option but honestly I'd prefer to make it a bit more whiffy.  First choice would be the sonobuoys and Stingrays, but we'll see. 

If anyone knows of a source for Stingrays or NSM I'd love to hear it!

[Wardukw]

21 Brimstones would ruin a whole lot of ppls weekends for damn sure but it does make me wonder what size LGBs these would carry..a couple of 500lb jobbies would probably be it as they grow quite large in size after that.
Im not surprised your having a problem finding very modern-day weapons as i dont anyone makes em and as ya said the ones you can find are gold plated chicken teeth..the only other option is scratch building em.

[Scotaidh]

<snip>

As for this build, I'd love to put some weapons on it, but having trouble sourcing any.  The most sensible load if carrying sonobuoys would be a pair of Stingray torpedoes, but can't find any in 1/48.  I think they once came in a Resin Sea King set but it's hard to find and apparently the resin contains unicorn tears based on the prices I've seen.  Nothing on Shapeways either.  Other options would make it even more whiffy by having some kind of ASM.  The weight class that makes most sense here would be the Norwegian Naval Strike Missile.  Again, can't find any.  Another option might be SPEAR 3 which will have an anti-shipping function.  They ARE available on Shapeways but at an eye-watering price around $10 EACH.  Brimstones would be an option but honestly I'd prefer to make it a bit more whiffy.  First choice would be the sonobuoys and Stingrays, but we'll see. 

If anyone knows of a source for Stingrays or NSM I'd love to hear it!

I don't have a source, but even my math skills show it to be 6.7mm dia x 54 mm long ... Get a couple of photos to get the shape right, and it shouldn't be too hard to bodge up a few.  If you know anyone who does molding, you could ask/pay them to make you some from your hand-carved master.   

Or you could shoot Shapeways a message asking him if he's planning to do them ... 

[Wardukw]

We forgot one other route for these weapons too..3D printed...sure theres one of us out there who can knock some of these up..sounds like a rather simple thing to make via 3D printing.

[AeroplaneDriver]

I was really surprised Shapeways didnt have them. They have so many 1/48 weapons so to have neither Stingrays, NSMs or the other option I considered, the Sea Venom missile was surprising.  Again, they do have SPEAR 3 but at $8 a pop its going to be expensive to arm since they will typically be carried like Brimstone on a 3-round launcher.

Scratchbuilding Stingrays is looking like the easiest option right now.

[flappydaffy]

  impressive 

[Captain Canada]

Very cool.