OA-37F Dragonlady - Delta Force support

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thank you Archie, I will!

I chose the asymetric way because on  the other side, there will be the FLIR/laser designator system and there already is the gun...
But I tryied a central axe radar, with the Mil Mi-28 one, but the plane just look less... warrior with it, do you see?

For the moment, I think the little radar will be an AESA able to produce high-definition visuals for navigations but also for target designation (for unguided bombs, GPS-guided bombs, rockets, guns etc...)...
The second purpose of the  AESA radar is to be the main front-sector ECM system, used as a RWR and a jammer...
It will also have some basic abilities in air-to-air modes, particulray as a self defense system against helicopters and low level flying aircrafts...
Neverthless, it will not be able to guide radar guided air-air missiles, but it will be coupled with the Helmet Mounted Display system for IR-guided missiles such as AIM-9X and Stinger-ER (Extanted Range)

[Ollie]

Woo, vraiment bien Yannick!

J'ai hâte de voir la suite!

^_^      

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Ne t'inquiète pas, j'ai bien l'intention de le finir celui là!!

[ysi_maniac]

I like what I see      

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Thanks Ysi...

I have few times this morning to check the position of the FLIR turret and I was thinking that it coulb a little too small to be a laser designator turret of the 1990's...

That's why I think that I will chose a 2010's backstory instead of the Iraki Freedom operation I initially thought...
Probably a Yemen or even a North Korea scenario... It will be more accurate due to the weapons I plan to put on her.

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Back with my little baby!!

Well, no other pictures for the moment, but I just wanted to say that I will soon be back with her!!
I have no time to work on the model, but a lot of time in the tram and train to think about...

My new idea is about the need for self defense missiles but without diminish the air-ground capacities...
Initially, I thought about 2X2 Stingers missiles on the wings, like on the Jaguar and Lightning... I knew that it was a bad solution (for the aerodynamics performances) and not a very realistic one (even if it could have been possible however)...
But well, it was fun to do and I found that it could have look nice!!

But now I have still a better idea!!!
I thought about building racks able to carry 2 Hellfire/Brimstones and a single Stinger/Mistral like missile, just like the internal rack on the RAH-66!!

What do you think about that? The rail for the Stinger could be integrated in few minutes on the Hellfire double-rack, in order to put a small air-to-air ability of this little plane when the situation request it!!

[AeroplaneDriver]

I went with the same basic concept for this missile configuration for my Fokker F.27 gunship.  You would need something a bit more compact for an A-37, but then again the Stinger is a much smaller missile than the Sidewinder.

[Sisko]

Me Likey  

[Phnx28]

Indeed. B) Better overall than the overwing pylons, since a third or even fourth Hellfire/Brimstone could be added easily for missions in non-contested airspace. In retrospect, however, on further consideration I agree the overwings would've had that "warrior" look as you said; the plane getting the distinct improvised, bandit-like appearance SOF units specialize in. Keep up, this project's starting to pay off very well.

[Captain Canada]

Wow...is she ever starting to look the part now ! I just love aeroplanes that are all lumpy and bumpy.....

 

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

I went with the same basic concept for this missile configuration for my Fokker F.27 gunship. You would need something a bit more compact for an A-37, but then again the Stinger is a much smaller missile than the Sidewinder.

In fact, I thought about something more "modular" for the OA-37F...

Indeed, the bird will be operated by the Delta Force, and we all know their skills for improvisation, crash programs and even their ability to operate unconventionnal (including non-US) materials...

In french, we name that "le système D" ("D" as nothing to do with Delta, of course!!)  

The system I imagine for the OA-37F is a classic dual Hellfire launcher (in fact it came from a Apache AH-64 kit) in classic crisis time...

But during their last intervention (in Yemen), Delta Force had to face some air-air threat, and then improvised 2 solutions to increase air-air self defense abilities of the Dragonlady:
-2 overwings pylons for Stinger missiles (just like Phnx said, that could be very "bandit-like"!!): mainly use for recce and FARC missions, because it diminish the evasive abilities of the plane at low altitude...
-a single Stinger rail beeing adapted on the dual Hellfire launcher!!

The adaptation of the Stinger rail on the Hellfire/Brimstone launcher could be done in less than 15 min by two men only...



Of course, such a modification will be structuraly quite bad, particulary for the external hard piont of the plane (where this system is always fitted) and, of course, for the Hellfire launcher...
But in a real dangerous war, a plane and its two pilots are far most important than the maintain cost of the fleet!!


Here is a fast done drawing to show you the system. That's a front view of a classic dual Hellfire launcher on the left, and a modified Hellfire + Stinger launcher:

[Matt_S]

What other weapons are you going to put on this?


Matt B)  

[Matt_S]

Any updates?


Matt B)  

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

Hi!

Updates are comming soon!!
I'm currently painting the little bird! I'm not very satisfied with the underal grey, but well, I'm not strong enough to redone the whole thing!!

As for the camo! Thanks to JHM, I have now some Tamyia masking tape, so I could be tempted to use it in order to do a kind of splinter camo in kaki/sand colors, what do you think?


As for the weapons, the plane will be equiped with a mix of external tanks for fuel, Brimstone/Stinger launchers, roquet pods and/or Maverick missiles or even some 250kg laser guided bombs!!
Nothing sure for the moment

[Rafael]

Congrats, Pollux!!!, that's a little big, bad, malísimo Hijo de p....!!! i love the MegaTweet you are building, i kind of like feel in the sudden urge of taking mine apart.

I like the modular approach, check my gannet, nothing like a do-it-all airplane!!!

And BTW, i showed that instrument panel to my brushes and their hairs stood on end!!