Aeronavale capers

[retro_seventies]

Right.

zoo business is out of the way for a few weeks and i'm itching to draw and build things.  Deino's super info on the twin engined a-7f, and the corsair, skyhawk, and crusader sitting on my shelf are making my palms itch.

its 1960's and the aeronavale are in need of an attack aircraft.

(this is going to need some explaining - i'll need to work on this after a beer or two)

They buy small numbers of A-4e(N) Skyhawks (i have a doodled french skyhawk somwhere on my laptop - i'll post it later) with radar (and later aam capability is added in the 70's refit).  :ar:

Impressed with the performance of the F-8(N) Crusader (and honestly, who wouldn't be, eh?) and disenchanted with the etendard, the aeronavale sees sense and orders the twin engined A-7f(N).  :ar:

yummy.

now, all i need to do is buy some nice aeronavale blues and greys, and some transfers.

i'm excited about it.

not "excited" excited (ahem), but i must admit i do have a bit of a tingle.    

[nev]

Gotta remember that the French are just about the most nationalist nation on Earth.  They are even less likely to buy foreign than the yanks.  I still can't believe they bought the Crusader

As such, I would suggest adapting a current French design.  Say a navalised Mirage - I know it would need a *lot* of work to make it carrier suitable.  Or that VG Mirage....

[Swamphen]

That was the Mirage G I believe...

[Leigh]

Still wondering why the French would need Attack aircraft, wouldn't that suggest at least some willingness to participate in some kind of conflict?

[retro_seventies]

Still wondering why the French would need Attack aircraft, wouldn't that suggest at least some willingness to participate in some kind of conflict?

ba-da-bing!      

I know it's a bit of a longshot and all that, but seeing as they LOVED the crusader, they might be a LITTLE tempted to look into the A-7f, particularly if offered good terms and a possible licence built deal (i'm imagineering in a really spiffy crusader update programme with new engines/avionics/fbw etc etc into this, not to mention recce birds - if they are in bed with LTV they might as well stay there a while!).

*shrugs*

bit far fetched i know, but the etendard/super etendard is just so fecking dull, and i DO like aeronavale colours on my crusaders  

as far as the skyhawk, that's really pushing it too far i think...maybe she can be built for some other likely candidate....how about denmark? or maybe finland? japan? i quite fancy portugal - they could have flown them instead of their gerbilly looking old G91's.

right.

french updated crusader and french a-7f corsair then, with a little danish/japanese/portuguese skyhawk it is then.

hurrah.

i might actually build this one, eh? (even though i have to work thru my weekend at the zoo again, despite my hopes otherwise - when will we hire new staff??? argh)  

[Swamphen]

Finnish Skyhawks? Sounds cool, but the Russkies wouldna' liked it. Denmark, on the other hand, might work...

[nev]

Remember the Fins are limited to a maximum of 60 combat aircraft by the treaty they signed with the Ruskies at the end of WW2 (they got totally shafted in that treaty btw)

[Swamphen]

they got totally shafted in that treaty btw

Would you expect anything less from the Man of Steel?    

[Radish]

The French evaluated the A-4 as the A-4T, but a nice A-4N epainted French Navy would be nice.
A-7N would be cool too.
As for funny A-4s....lots planned based on the A-4N or A-4N(Nato):
Italy
Danish
Portuguese
Dutch (actually evaluated/offerdd)
Canadian (done a CA-4B, but a later one is necessary as well)
Royal auxilliary AF, Gulf War 1991?
 

[Joe C-P]

I think a deck load of F-8s and A-7s would have been an interesting sight. I can't wait to see how they look side-by-side. ^_^

Perhaps a more grateful French nation would have been more likely to buy American.

I'm still deciding between A-7s, A-4s, or both for a Japanese supercarrier, but that's for another thread.

JoeP

[Radish]

An F-8 with a raised wing, alonside a modified A-7 with a raised wing would look good, and raise a few eyebrows too.
Considering the raised wing option on the Revell/Hasegawa 1/48th A-7. (modelzone, £9, and I DIDN'T but one, or two etc., 'cause I was overloaded with F-8s at £6 each).
 

[Swamphen]

Perhaps a more grateful French nation would have been more likely to buy American.

I'm still deciding between A-7s, A-4s, or both for a Japanese supercarrier, but that's for another thread.

Ah yes. Did you know that the Jeep Liberty, which replaced the Cherokee on this side of the pond, is called the Cherokee on The Continent as "Liberty" would be considered offensive?  

BTW I want to see that carrier. Will it be the [size=8](insert-Japanese-ship-prefix-here)[/size] Nippon?    

[Joe C-P]

BTW I want to see that carrier. Will it be the [size=8](insert-Japanese-ship-prefix-here)[/size] Nippon?  

It'll be a Forrestal class reworked and "re-planed", but I haven't even bought the model yet. And before I start I have several others to build. I did choose the name "Honshu" and write up a potted history.