Rastobar

[AeroplaneDriver]

I had hoped to get some pics posted today, but just got a call to go into work, so progress is porbably halted for a few days.  

anyway....

In late 1977 there were concerns within the British government that the Royal Navy's loss of a conventional aircraft carrier would become a liability in years to come.  While the Invincible class operating Sea Harriers looked pormising there was a certain amount of unease at the prospect of such a limited airborne capability.

Studies ensued to look at other aircraft carrier options, and in late 1979 the go-ahead was given for a new class of 2 30,000 ton carriers.  These carriers would feature a 4 degree ski-jump, similar to, but shallower than the ones fitted to the Incincible class.  In addition to this ski-jump the aircraft on this carrier would use a rocket-assist system which would activate whan the aircraft hit the ski-jump.  Studies had shown that a number of current, land based aircraft could use this system to operate from the carrier deck.  

For recovery a cable/tailhook system would be used, but with a new design to allow less stressful landings.  With this arrestor system the studies showed that relatively light fighter/bomber aircraft such as the Jaguar, Mirage F.1, and F-16 could be operated with minimal strenghtening of structure and landing gear.

For a time in 1979 the porject was under threat due to cost overruns, but a resurgent interest in carrier operations from Canada and Australia led to these two countries entering the program with a requrement for one vessel each.  France also contributed to development costs as to the program as a potential replacement for Clemenceau and Foch, and even the USMC contributed as insurance against the failure of the AV-8B Super Harrier.

By 1983 orders had been placed for 6 Commonwealth class carriers, 2 for the RN, 1 each for Canada and Australia, 1 for France, and 1 for India.  The first of the class, HMS Commonwealth entered service in 1985, followed in 1986 by HMCS Bonaventure.  While the RN operated Jaguars and later Grippens from their two carriers, and hte French used Jaguars and Mirage F.1s, all other operators used F-16s initially.  Reeling from the loss of several major export orders to the F-20 Tigershark, GD were all to happy to modify the F-16A to operated from the Commonwealth ships.  The resulting F-16N had strengthened fuselage sections and landing gear as well as a probe/drogue refueling probe in the right fuselage opposite the cannon (resulting in a smaller ammunition drum), but was otherwise outwardly identical to the F-16A.


****

I've been having a bit of a renewed love affair with the F-16 lately.  I have very fond memories of building a Monogram 1/72 F-16 shortly after we moved to the US (probably built around 1981 when I was 11).  Back then I still had 20/20 vision and dreamed of flying the F-16 someday.

The kit is the ESCI 1/48 'NATO F-16A' with the ground support set.  It's not a bad kit really-seems to fit pretty well, and is fiarly detailed, though it has raised panels.  I couldnt bring myself to do a gray F-16, so this will end up as a relatively colorful Canadian machine flying from HMCS Bonaventure in the late 80s.

[Rafael]

Bravo, A-D!!!

That's my all-time favorite airplane!!

I hope you come back soon to show us how you work your magic.

Rafa

[Archibald]

This backstory rocks!! Very interesting... I wait your naval F-16 impatiently...