Avro Vulcan

[Archibald]

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/forum//index...showtopic=12729

In January 1985, things take a twist in Chad. Khadafi troops started to build a huge airfield in Ouadidoum.  Protected by a dozen of SA-6 SAMs sites, and plenty of  AAA, and flat face radars, fighters and ground attack aircrafts were based there.
MiG-21, MiG-23, Mirage F1A, SF-260, Su-22 made daily missions against Habré troops, the Goranes (without diminishing much their resistance).

Situation become even more tense when Tu-22 blinders were send there, directly threatening french troops. In the end, Tu-22s lauched  attacks over N'Djamena airfield. Even if the Hawk SAMs managed to shot down one of the Tupolev, the two others dropped bombs on the runway and parkings destroying a Transall and a Jaguar.
The runway was devastated, and the aircrafts blocked there with their servants.
The AdA had to retaliate, but Djibouti and Libreville were far, far away for a Jaguar or a IIIE... fortunately, France had Vulcans based in Mont de Marsan.

four aircrafts were hastily painted in a vanilla-chocolate camo similar to the Jaguar, and prepared for the strike.

The threat of the SA-6 and Lybian interceptors was serious, so Barax ECM pods and Magic AAM were mounted on outer pylons.
On the left pylon was a MARTEL, on the right a CT-52 recon pod (it was the pod developed for the defunct Mirage IV). The bomb bay was occuped by a fuel tank.

The attack was to be launched from Ambouli airfield in Djibouti. One flight refueling was planned on return...

First pics

[Archibald]

Paiont in progress... I plan to use the superb roundels you send me, Brian!!  

[SimonR]

Nice cammo! I like it. Now it needs a nom Français...

[Davey B]

LOVE it!    

[Archibald]

painting the aircraft, I got this hilarious sentence from Jennings in my head (some days ago in another topic)
   

*FRENCH* TSR.2!?!? Sacre bleu! What eez ze world, she coming to? Mon dieu...

What next, a British Mirage? Is nothing sacred? Next thing you know the Brits and the French will start liking each other, then it's all down hill!

[GeorgeC]

'Vulcain' perhaps

[Mossie]

Bloody hell, they'll building a bridge across the channel next, let alone a Tunnel!  Can't have that!!!  

Nice work Archie, if there's an aircraft that'll look good in any scheme, it's the Vulcan!

Got to work out how I'll do my Vulcan, the one I've got'll probably be a real world ( :zzz:   ) delta lady, but if the whole worlds stock hasn't gone I'll probably do something different on another.

[Archibald]

In my alternate history, the AdA manage to have  bombers (Halifax Lincoln Canberra Vautour Vulcan Bombcorde) simply because the french nuclear deterrent is based on the Vautour and Vulcan as interim bombers, waiting for the nuclear submarines in early 70's. No Albion land-based missiles, no Mirages IV.

Most important thing: the AdA had to fell in love with the heavy bomber (the Vulcan) in order to have Bombcorde later.
To finance the latter, no Mirages prototypes in the late 60's (F2/F3/G/G4/G8/ACF). Just modernise the Vautour into the Tsiklon, and add Mirage F1 as interceptor. Modernise the Mirage III in all their variants... Bombcordes, Vulcans and nuclear subs are sufficient...

[Archibald]

Bloody hell, they'll building a bridge across the channel next, let alone a Tunnel!  Can't have that!!!  

Nice work Archie, if there's an aircraft that'll look good in any scheme, it's the Vulcan!

Got to work out how I'll do my Vulcan, the one I've got'll probably be a real world ( :zzz:   ) delta lady, but if the whole worlds stock hasn't gone I'll probably do something different on another.

Hope to see your Vulcans soon, Mossie.  

[Mossie]

The rate I build it'll be years befor the Vulcans come along.  I really must find a way to build quicker!

[lancer]

Damm, she looks good in that colour scheme Archi3e Nice work

[nev]

She looks great Archie, though I'm not sure about them still flying in '85.  Reading Vulcan 607 atm, which really makes you realise how hard it was to keep them servicable at the end of their service.

[Archibald]

 You've just broken my heart, Nev!!!

but of course, we can keep the production line of the Vulcan open longer  
If vulcans are produced until 1970 or so, they can even see GW1

This rise an interesting question : how can the B-52H last so long ? After all, they were produced at the same era (1959-1962) and the buffs are still in service until 2040 or so ??!!!  

Thanks for the cheer comment guys! I painted the wheels, weapon bay (naughty airfix, it's empty   !!) and the like. Paintwork finished in just one afternoon... Now it just miss it's french roundels, unit marking.

Tell me : no ejector seats on the vulcan, so no need for "red triangles "      

[GTX]

Tell me : no ejector seats on the vulcan, so no need for "red triangles "

The pilot and copilot had Martin-Baker Mark 3KS ejection seats, with the seats "handed" and not interchangeable, but the crew in the rear had to bail out manually, though the seats could swivel and had what was described as an "assistor cushion" to help get out.

And as this pic shows, there is at least 1 "red triangle":



Regards,

Greg

[Archibald]

Thank you very much for this precious information GTX! I was convinced that the whole crew had to bail out manually