Defenders of the Great Lakes

[anthonyp]

Ok, so not all of them are aggressors in this one, but the majority are.

First up are the aggressors of the 171st Fighter Squadron, 191st Fighter Group, from Selfridge ANGB.  Aggressor #1 is painted up in one of the light Ferris schemes.  It's the one I did for the 1 week GB, which is an ancient Hasegawa 1/72 F-15C with a pre-painted canopy.

Backstory will be the same for all 171st FS Aggressors.

Backstory:

F-15C 171st Fighter Squadron, 191st Fighter Group, Selfridge ANGB Aggressors

Similar to their neighbor unit at Selfridge, the 171st is also involved with Aggressor training over Michigan's Thumb.  To that end, they also have some F-15C's painted up in non-standard schemes.  These include the dark and light Ferris F-15 schemes, one similar to the F-16N scheme the USN used to use, one similar to an old A-4 scheme, and a Mod Eagle scheme on one of their fighters.  

Two of their F-15's used to fly in schemes similar to the ones used by the Nellis AFB Aggressor squadrons, but they were difficult to keep in pristine condition, being the only two painted as such at Selfridge.

For hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Aggressor 2 is painted in the darkest of the Ferris schemes.  This one is a 1/72 Hasegawa F-15C (modern mold).

For hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Aggressor 3 is a mod Eagle schemed 1/72 Academy F-15C.

For hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Aggressor #4, an Italeri 1/72 F-15C done up in an older Navy A-4 Aggressor scheme, same with one of the F/A-18's from VFA-209 below.

For hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Aggressor #5, a 1/72 Testor's/Italeri F-15C, done up in the lightest Ferris scheme.

For hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Below are the members of USNR VFA-209, which flies F/A-18A+'s out of NAF Detroit in my little world.  This particular model is the one I did for the 1-week GB.  It's a 1/72 Fujimi F/A-18C, minus some things to make it look like an A-model.

Backstory:

VFA-209 F/A-18A+ Aggressors NAF Detroit

In addition to the standard camouflage that F/A-18's wear, reserve squadrons have a part time aggressor role where they are outfit with all manner of paint schemes.  VFA-209's fighters are no different, with half the squadron wearing a dizzying array of varying patterns, in addition to the retro scheme applied to the squadron commander's plane, and the five standard camo fighters.  

These include a variation of the Ferris 1 scheme once applied to F-4S's, a three tone grey scheme similar to the one NSAWC uses, one similar to the old F-16N scheme, a scheme of Gunship grey and duck egg blue that an F-5 used out at Nellis, a scheme similar to the Mod Eagle one F-15's use in the South Pacific, and a scheme similar to the one worn by A-4's that used to fly for the Top Gun school at NAS Miramar.  

A few of their planes (#'s 06, 07, and 09) have rotating schemes, with them being painted sometimes in schemes similar to the Hill 1 scheme worn by USANG F-4's, one similar to the old tactical F-4 scheme for the navy, a scheme similar to the one Cuban fighters are seen in, an overall dark sea grey scheme similar to the RN or Indian Navy's Sea Harriers, a scheme similar to the light Ferris F-15 scheme, and a scheme similar to the USAF's Compass Ghost scheme.  

Desert schemes are not effective over the Michigan landscape underneath the Air Combat Cordon over Michigan's Thumb and are therefore not applied to any aircraft at NAF Detroit.

For hi-res pics of this plane, click here.

For the 1-week Group Build thread, click here.

[anthonyp]

Here's another of VFA-209's planes.  Air Baron 11 is a 1/72 Fujimi CF-188 done up in a camo similar to the one applied to the F-15 above.

For Hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Air Baron 02 is a 1/72 Italeri F/A-18A.  It's done up in the standard tactical camo.

For Hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

Here's Air Baron 00, which isn't a new build, just detailed (I forgot to paint the anti-glare panel and gunport, as well as place some decals).

For Hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

And finally, here's a new one.  It's a 1/72 Academy F-15E done up as an EW/Wild Weasel variant.  I'd had a few ideas, bounced them off Evan, then refined what I had in my mind into this.  The weapons came from a variety of kits, including an old Hasegawa/Minicraft EA-6B donating it's ALQ-99's, and two AIM-9X's from the new Hasegawa F/A-18F.

Michigan had another ANG squadron that needed updating out in Battle Creek, so they logically got this one  

Background:

F-15G Wild Eagle 110th FW, 172nd FS, Battle Creek ANGB

The F-15G Wild Eagle defense suppression fighter is a development of the F-15E Strike Eagle.  It replaces the F-16CJ in the Wild Weasel mission, which, while capable, required too many assets to be effective.  The F-15G takes a proven airframe, and adds avionics needed for the Wild Weasel mission.  

The F-15G sacrifices certain air-to-ground capabilities, but gains anti-radar and jamming equipment.  The starboard tail tip has the same housing as that found on the F-4G, carrying sensing equipment needed for targeting.  The LANTIRN target designator pod is removed and replaced with a mount for an airborne jammer (either an ALQ-131 or ALQ-199).  The hardpoints under both wings, fuselage, and center point can all carry the ALQ-99 jammer usually carried by Navy EA-6B's.  HARM capabilities are also added.  

A typical mission load would include a center drop tank, two ALQ-99's, an ALQ-199, two AMRAAMS, two Sidewinders, and up to four HARM's on fuselage hardpoints and under the outer wing pylons.  

Battle Creek converted from the A-10/OA-10 configuration to the F-15G in 2005 when its mission was changed by the assignment of the first Wild Eagle to the Air National Guard.  The A-10's are now part of a new squadron, based at the Alpena County Regional Airport's ANG Station, providing support for the nearby Camp Grayling training grounds.

The below example is equipped with the standard loadout.  The 172nd FS is also the first ANG squadron to recieve the AIM-9X Advanced Sidewinder, this plane being shown with two.

For Hi-res pics, click here.

[anthonyp]

There, cleaned up the above posts.  I thought I'd take our dial-up members into account and go down on the pics.

Here's the group shots!

First up are the Ferris schemed F-15's from the 171st:



Next are all the planes I've got for the 171st:



For hi-res pics of the 171st's aggressors, click here.

Here's the planes from VFA-209:





As always, click here for hi-res pics of VFA-209.

And with that ends another installment of my "Defenders of the Great Lakes" series.

Part one was the C-29B Sky SUV for the Airfix GB.
Part two were the Michigan Eagles thread.
And Part three was the F-23A for the 87th FS.
Part four was the big Defenders of the Great Lakes post from a month ago.

Honestly, these builds were stress relievers.  With all the personal happenings the last month, the way I relieve stress is go for walks, golfing, playing with my dog, and building models.  I went for a lot of walks, played with Shepard alot, and built a lot of models.  Golf not so much.

And here ends my model building for a while as well.  Remember I've been alluding to my building coming to an end, and I wanted to get as much built as possible before that time?  Well, that time is here.

I move next Thursday, and the bench will be migrating into "caretaker" status tomorrow, and the projects I do not finish tonight will be placed into storage, for a couple of weeks at least.

I'll still be around here, just going through withdrawl due to my not being able to build.

This was fun!

 

[Brian da Basher]

Anthony that is a wonderfully impressive body of work! Any modeller would be proud to have completed builds of such quality in a year let alone in the two-and-a-half days you did them in!

These are some fantastic models with really eye-catching camo schemes to boot! I think the skies of Michigan are now safe from encroaching Canadians or Pennsylvanians for that matter.

I'm bummed to hear your building will be in stasis for a couple of weeks, but I hope that you're moving to a house with a better modelling room. I think you had to get a bigger place to have space for your fleet of models. Some of us were hoping you'd simply build an addition on your current residence.

Best of luck with the move! I look forward to when you are again posting pics of your work and amazing us with your incredible talent, skill and productivity.

Brian da Basher

[elmayerle]

Truly an impressive body of work, Anthony.  And batting ideas back and forth with you has helped me refine my Wild Eagle (EF-15E per my designation scheme) concepts.  Yeah, plural, I may end up doing one each in both 1/72 and 1/48

[anthonyp]

It's ALIVE!!!!!

Finished another VFA-209 plane!

Below is another example of VFA-209's aggressor role planes out of NAF Detroit.  This is Air Baron 08.

(The model is a Fujimi F/A-18C model, done up with custom decals)



For more pics, click here

[cthulhu77]

Damn skippy !  What an air arm! Those canucks better watch out...