need a bit of advice

[markmarples]

im thinking of making a typhoon frg8 or 9

basically, thinking of adding conformal fuel tanks, like the f-16, and uprated engine, engines the easy bit, but how would i go about sourcing tanks, in 1/48

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-71FVLrz5ETQ/TkrqCYEKbDI/AAAAAAAAAdY/B-OnL-67Gf4/s1600/eurofighter-2020.jpg

[Radish]

A very good question......

don't know the answer, but a good question indeed.

[markmarples]

thanks mate thats really really helpful

[Dork the kit slayer]

My six pen'arth.

Decide in your own mind what sort of shape your tanks need to be,compare the shape to all the drop/conformal tanks included in other kits and on other aircraft.. See who has said tanks going spare or buy the kit.
Most drop tanks come in two halves so you only need one tank and you have two chances of getting it right.
Second choice; make the tank shape out of "Milliput "and smash form out of  plastic card.

[rickshaw]

I'd suggest with conformal tanks that it might be easier to make them out of milliput, directly on the model as they are usually well, "conformal" and directly attached to the fuselage. 

[Radish]

It depends on the shapew of the aircraft....I'll check out a 1/72nd Tiffie (also got a 1/48th one) and I'll check out some appropriate fuel tanks. With a bit of fettling and filling (White Glue??) on the seams, a conformal tank could be quite possible....or not.

I must admit there's a strong possibility of an Arab () Tiffie soon with conformal tanks.....how about Zimbabwe though

[kitnut617]

I dunno Mark, that thing is sure getting smacked with an 'ugly-stick'

[Mossie]

Here's a more recent design for the conformal tanks:
http://livefist.blogspot.com/2011/02/aero-india-naval-eurofighter-typhoon.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

For that earlier style, what about 1/72 B-58 weapons pods?  They're big, should be around 24cm if in scale and rougly the shape you need with a bit of trimming for the length.  Getting hold of two of them might be slightly problematic, but if you call out in the swap shop you might get a pair.

[markmarples]

thanks chaps, all ideas written down and the planning has started

[Radish]

Talking to the man from Bae on Sunday, he said the current plan was for Tranche 3  Typhoons to be fitted with conformal tanks like the one shown in recent Omani Air Force illustrations....more like F-16 ones than anything else.
Mind you....we're in what if land so 

[markmarples]

think ive got my conformal tanks sorted (f-16 esk) and i have the under cart from a f-14 ans a tail hook, what else can i add?

[perttime]

The worst thing people seem to be saying about the EF is that it doesn't have the STEALTH look. Maybe the tanks could be made more angular to help with that.

[Mossie]

think ive got my conformal tanks sorted (f-16 esk) and i have the under cart from a f-14 ans a tail hook, what else can i add?

Thrust vectoring always seems to be mentioned with a naval variant, so maybe pose the engines at an angle?

There's a good thread on Secret Projects:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,11947.0.html

[pyro-manic]

The Tiffie already has a very good thrust-to-weight ratio, so I don't know that uprated engines are really needed - thrust-vectoring would be a good idea though. My long-stalled bomber-variant Typhoon has a stealth-ified intake, similar to the ones seen on the J-10B and the F-16 used to test the F-35 intake design. The boxy intake is possibly my least favourite part of the Tiffie anyway, so a sleeker one will be a plus. I'm also looking at a big spine like some F-16 variants, perhaps for fuel, perhaps for extra avionics or, ahem, other equipment....

Another thing to look at would be a "stealthy" weapons pod, similar to the one being developed for the Super Hornet. Fuel and a weapons bay in one big pod to go on the centreline. The Typhoon could have fuel on the centre pylon, and a weapons pod on each of the "heavy" wing pylons to clean it up a bit. Also angular wingtip DASS pods?

[markmarples]

cracking ideas guys

i like the new intake one especially