Pollux's first entry

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Here my first entry, a naval SEAD F-117 I started (and stopped) a year ago!!  

Herre ar the pictures of the beast when I interrupted the build... A lot of work to do in the next weeks, don't you think?  






Here is the initial thread with it...


Hope this GB will help me in finishing it... I'm already afraid when I think about the paint job I'll have to do on it!!    

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Allready in pics progress!!!

While the second grey coat of paint was drying on my little OA-37F, I try do do something interresting with my EF-117. And here is the result:







A lot of sanding and moreover I change the tail of the thing from  \_/  to  /_\
I think the plane is much cooler like that, it don't have its "rabbit look" anymore!!



Next step will be rebuilding the front landing-gear bay, in order to receive a Tomcat derivate gear...  
Lot of work to do, but this is possible, thanks to JHM's styrene sheets and Archie's cardboard stuff!!


(In parallel, I have a F-24 Tornado, a Brasilian Super Etandard and two Rafale reborn from their ashes... But sadly, as I never post pictures of them in this forum, they won't be part of the GB...
But doesn't matter, a second contender will be here soon!! Another SEAD aircaft!!)

[Damian2]

That looks WICKED!

[Archibald]

French attack the F-117 these days!!! I changed mine into a F-117C (RAF variant) with an A-10 bubble canopy... but I have difficulties to finish it...  
Fantastic job Pollux!  

[John Howling Mouse]

I remember this!  Nice to see it making a great comeback.   ^_^  

[Captain Canada]

You bet...can't wait to see it with big, meaty legs ! I do agree about the tails...much better !

 

[The Rat]

I change the tail of the thing from  \_/  to  /_\

Like the original 'Have Blue' aircraft. Nice job!    

[cthulhu77]

OOOOHHHH...are you going to do the pink and blue camo? HaveBlue looked too cool...

[AeroplaneDriver]

Looks great!  Plus the inward canted vertical stabs will have the added benefit of shielding the IR signature from above!

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thanks for the comments!

I don't know yet what kind of camo it will have...
It is a US Navy plane, so a grey scheme could sounds logical... But after all, USN A-7s wear desert scheme during Desert Storm, right?
So, a special scheme is possible for this one too...

Maybe I'll try a splinter camo, I don't know... I'm still using only hand paint jobs, but maybe this Group Build could be the opportunity to try some spray can paint, why not?



And for the /_\ tail, I admit that I wasn't sure for a long time... After all, this solution is better for the stealth abilities (particulary IR), but quite bad for carrier operations... But well, I add bigger canards than initially thought and maybe a semi-vectoring trust








And for the plane and the backstory, as always, I will have plenty of thing to say about!!
For the moment, I stay with the idea of a F-117N chose by the US Navy in 1991 in order to replace the cancelled A-12 in the stealth subsonic role, as an interim solution until a common STOVL Stealth plane with USMC could replace it...
The F-117N had to complete the future F/A-18E/F in the US Navy...

But just like its big brother A-12, the F-117N was near to be cancelled during the following decade...
Delays in the conception and construction, problems with the engines (F414 with modulate light after-burner), budget costs etc. Moreover, due to the internationnal context, the US Navy prefered having more multi-purpose Super Hornet than some penetration F-117N...
But Lockheed influences play against the US Navy wills...

The first F-117N demonstrator flew in February 1995 and the tests finally showed that the concept was still viable... A test squadron of F-117N replay in simulation most of the last decade battles where the US Navy fighted: Gulf War, Panama, Libya, Yugolsavia etc.
And all the tests prove that the F-117 was much more adapted, efficient, safe and usefull than the Hornet/Super Hornet in the first week of fight, and for a similar cost (less aircrafts able to do a better job)...

But here happened a strange fact: just when the Navy began to enjoy the program that was imposed by some political issues, it appears that the US Navy had to fight to keep the program alive!!

Indeed, the administration decided that the F-117N orders could be limited to the first 62 aircrafts, instead of the 424 initially wanted... In exchange, more Super Hornet will be buy and, moreover, some money wil be spend in a join tactical program: the JSF...


Finally, after years of negociations and discussions, and using the fact that the EA-6B had to be replace soon, the US Navy succeeded in saving the F-117N program. When it was time, in 2002, to design a winner to the JSF, the US Navy just decide to be out of the deal, and the most expensive F-35C variant were cancelled, along with the EA-18G Growler program...

More than 250 F-117N will be produced for the USA, including 175 EF-117 replacing the Prowler in both US Navy (90 aircrafts EF-117N) and the USAF (68 carrier capable EF-117L). The USMC even received 17 EF-117M...


Well, those are just few ideas... If you want to complete or if you have totally different ideas for the backstory, please just tell me!!

[cthulhu77]

Love it !  I would think a mixture of greys and blues would be fantastic...you have probably already seen this page:

http://www.f-117a.com/Have.html

[Rafael]

My feelings exactly, blue/grey is sexy!!!

[Mossie]

There's several versions for the Have Blue on Don Color:

Don Colors opinion:
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/haveblue1.jpg

Squadron/Signall
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/haveblue1a.jpg

Pegasus
http://www.jpsmodell.de/dc/draw/haveblue.jpg

He thinks the last one is far from the original, but something similar may look good for a desert scheme?