Third build ! - F/A-18. A little progress

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

'Blinder' Down

The (Alternative) History:
Following the all encompassing bribery and corruption scandal, that brought down not one but two successive French UMP Governments in their entirety in the late 1970's and early 1980's, the 'Dassault Scandal' had a number of far reaching effects, on French government in general and French defence procurement in particular.

The extreme left wing coalition Government that finally took office as a reaction to the 'Scandal' in 1984 immediately cancelled all contracts with Avions Marcel Dassault (AMD), in an effort to divorce themselves entirely from the aftermath, unfortunately that left the Air Force with only two thirds of the Mirage 2000B's & C's they had agreed to purchase and none of D's & N's.

This reaction also left the French Navy severely affected. The much anticipated Rafale programme was cancelled even before the first airframe had taken to the air.

In 1987, after just three years and following a series of massive strikes and protests, the 'New Socialist Revolution of France' collapsed, and once again a new Government was sought. The French people elected a centre-left coalition that not only threw-away, overturned or annulled the most radical and extreme policies and laws of the previous Government, but also rejected and expelled those civil servants and 'officials' that still clung to the positions they had jealously guarded since the 'Dassault Scandal'.

In October 1987, 'La Monde' commented: "The French people have at last elected a Government that they can trust and that represents the this nation at its' best, however it may take twenty years to repair the damage that has been inflicted upon our society by the corruption and radical self-interest of the last nine years"

Amongst many competing priorities, the new French coalition needed to address the now dire requirement to modernise the navies' air arm. The Rafale programme was immediately re-instated, but, despite AMD working on it as a private venture, was now at least three years behind schedule. An 'off-the-shelf' replacement for the remaining Crusader's and Super Etendards was urgently sought.

British Sea Harriers were seriously considered but rejected because of their limited range and high maintenance costs, the more advanced McDonnell Douglas AV-8B's were also rejected because of their limited all-weather & air-to-air capabilities and lack of radar (subsequently addressed in the Harrier II Plus).

At that time, the US Navy and Marine Corps were upgrading their F/A-18A's & B's to C & D standard. (The French Navy had been offered the F/A-18 in the late 1970's as an alternative to the Rafale); With the promise of near immediate delivery and priority training for their pilots' and ground crews', the choice of the F/A-18A Hornet as an interim, until the arrival of the delayed Rafale was relatively painless. The first aircraft arriving at Landivisiau in late 1988. In 1990, the surviving 34 airframes were upgraded to (virtually), F/A-18C standard and equipped to carry the AS-30L AGM and Matra Super R530D AAM missile.

'Blinder' Shoot-down:
As part of the UN response to Iraq's annexation of Kuwait in 1990, the French Navy sent a flotilla centred on the aircraft carrier Foch to the Gulf primarily to provide air cover close in to the Kuwait/Iraq border area.

On January 13th 1991, Iraq's four remaining Tu-22 'Blinder' bombers were launched on an anti-shipping mission from their H-3 air-base. Flying at extremely low level , they were undetected until they 'popped-up' to acquire their targets just after crossing the coastline. Three patrolling French F/A-18's were vectored to intercept. Two 'Blinders' were brought-down by R530 hits, a third lost control whilst manoeuvring to avoid the incoming missiles and crashed just short of the shoreline just inside the Iraqi border – the crew though all injured, miraculously survived. The fourth Tu-22 managed to launch its' AS-4 missile which malfunctioned and crashed into the sea just 2km from the British RFA Diligence.

[Mossie]

Nice backstory.  Now back to work!

[ChernayaAkula]

Sounds good! Can't wait to see Super 530Ds on a Hornet! 

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Just the requisite box-shot for now:





Hopefully will get to cut plastic after the weekend.

AFN

Ian

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Some progress here too. The wheel weels and all the gear parts are sprayed Tamiya white, the cockpit bits are all sprayed an appropriate grey, wont take too long once the cockpit panels are sprayed and dry-brushed. There's very little to the construction of the old Monogram 'Bug'

Pics once the cockpit is painted/installed.

Ian

[Slerski]

Tell me more, Sir... But on the box... It's A-18 ? 

[Taiidantomcat]

Tell me more, Sir... But on the box... It's A-18 ? 

The kit is so old it was before the F/A-18 designation we are all used to seeing 

[Slerski]

Ah okay. Maybe I'm a little bit too young