Canadair CF-177A

[upnorth]

Well, trainer is the main line I'm looking at with some light strike capability; nothing that needs radar just guns, rocket pods and iron bombs.

That'd work, then.  Though if you did add the RF-5B nose, you'd have an option to do a FAC version with a laser designator replacing the camera.

I haven't ruled out something like a Pave Spike pod on the centre line pylon for the laser designator. Could still happen.

[upnorth]

I've got a kit bash happening right now involving the old Hasegawa X-29. I've grafted the forward fuselage of Revell Germany's F-5B onto it for a two seater.

Sounds good ! But those German Revll Bs are just soooo sweet ! It must've been hard to chop it up !

Yeah, the German Revell B is a nice kit, but I didn't do any chopping on it as the forward fuselage was seperate from the rear half. I just found the equivalent panel line on the X-29 just aft of its cockpit and did the hacking there. The two seat nose fit quite nicely with no doctoring once the cutting on the X-29 was done.

[Patrick H]

Excellent job Todd, Another one for the home defense forces  



Patrick

[Ollie]

Well, hey!

Here's Toad's Freedom Falcon, the CF-166A:



And here's my CF-166E Maple Falcon:





   

[Tophe]

And here's my Maple Falcon

I don't love weapons nor Maple Syrup very much, but I love your one, with hotcakes maybe...

[Captain Canada]

Is it just me, or is this one tough looking bird ?

Looks like it could knock just about any USANG F-16 out of the sky !

[upnorth]

The biggest challenge seems to be keeping those main gear doors from interfering with the back end of the centre line tank.

I was thinking about splitting the main gear doors into three sections. The main section could be at the back and stay hinged at the centre line. The forward two sections could be split into a smaller door hinged at the centre line small enough not to interfere with the tank or gear rotation and the larger section hinged on the outside edge of the gear bay. Sounds complex I know, but I've already modified the centre line pylon's back end to make room for that strange lump just ahead of the main gear bay.

I'm more likely just to write a note in the plane's technical manual that stores over a certain size are forbidden on the centre line. That would rule out the tank but still give me latitude for a practice bomb pallate, Spike pod, a TER with iron bombs or a four shot CRV-7 rocket pod.

Just my thoughts though, you've got a good looking bird there. What made you put the horizontal stabilizers on the back end though?

[Captain Canada]

We have installed stoppers in the door actuators that prevent them from clanging off the centreline tank.

That goofy little hump was removed, so the pylon is in the same position as the F-5.

And the stabs are there for maneuverability. We used information gleaned from the Sukhoi design bereau during Berkut testing.

 

[elmayerle]

Hmm, I think I'd reserve the centerline for stores that wouldn't interfere, but that's just my take on it.  I can definitely see an operational variant adding rear surfaces, too.  There seems to be a growing consensus that they do definitely help.

[upnorth]

We have installed stoppers in the door actuators that prevent them from clanging off the centreline tank.

That goofy little hump was removed, so the pylon is in the same position as the F-5.

And the stabs are there for maneuverability. We used information gleaned from the Sukhoi design bereau during Berkut testing.

Intresting solutions to the problems.

I was thinking about removing the lump, but decided to keep it as a point of intrest on the airframe, I'll say its avionics of some description. My centreline pylon is also in the same spot as on a normal F-5, I just chopped the back upper corner down a bit to accomodate the bump.

I was thinking about putting strakes on the underside of the fuselage just aft of the wings, but I'm not committed to it.

I've stuck the F-5 flare and chaff boxes onto the upper fuselage near the vertical stabilizer and they look pretty good there, I'll also be sticking the F-5's arrestor hook under her later on.

I'm going to take the tip of the F-5 nose of and graft the X-29 nose tip on minus the big instrument boom so I can have those nifty little nose strakes. I like the look of them, but I don't know why

As for the nationality of my TF-29, I've done some more thinking and I think I still have some home made decals kicking around back home for a failed Scottish Air Force "What if" project I was doing a couple of years back. I was trying to get an operational F-17 out of an F/A-18 kit. (going to try that project again one day) I think the TF-29 will look good with the low vis St. Andrews Cross roundels I came up with.  

[elmayerle]

Take a look at pictures of the nose of the last F-20 or the mod'd noses on Swiss and other F-5E/F's - a change in planform to improve manueverability.  Worth picking up.

[John Howling Mouse]

Just jumping in (late, sorry):

Looks GREAT, Todd!  Keep it up.    

How much noseweight does it take to keep that high-perf baby from tail-sitting?

On my t-tails, I had predicted advancements in engine technology resulting in shorter/lighter engines for more thrust so I moved all my main-gear wheel wells aft (not fun!).
Kinda dumb idea, I know, but even a regular F-16 looks very precarious to me with its tricycle gear so far forward.