Mig-27 Shturmovik

[Archibald]

I like it!!!    

[cthulhu77]

That canopy is definitely russki in origin!  Sweet stuff.

[ysi_maniac]

Two declarations:

First

This is just an speculative History that is not intended to offend anyone.

Second

Mr Howling Mouse, besides being a top notch modeller, is a GENTLEMAN, which for me is much more important. And in following post you will see that he is a good writer too.

Has this anything to do with Falklands GB? ... Yes.

Some days ago, while I was writing the back history for my MiG-27Sh, I understood that it was too much for my knowledge of English language and I needed some help to make my text (bad English) understandable. I asked him to help me... Well, he excelled and gave to my text an emotion that I could hardly express in Spanish. I planned to post whole text on Monday but I cannot wait to share with you at least a half of this jewel of literature.

I honestly recommed you to read this JHM's small masterpiece.

[ysi_maniac]

ALTERNATIVE HISTORY

In April of 1982, Cuba offered military aid to Argentina in their pending war against the United Kingdom.

Argentina's Junta, after hesitating for some days, accepted Cuba's offer.  A joint commission agreed that this assistance was to materialize in the form of an elite anti-ship unit which was to be deployed from the San Julián Air Base, along with Daggers, Skyhawks and Tucaras (with "T", not a typo).  During the following three weeks, some 80 aircraft and almost 500 men were deployed to the base.

Not eager to be involved, the Soviet Union nevertheless agreed to share datafeeds from their spy satellites with the Cuban Air Force regarding the position of the British Task Force, although only twice a day and they were never visibly "connected" during actual combat operations.

ORIGINS OF THE AIRCRAFT

During the 1960s, just as Mikoyan Gurevich had been planning to launch their MiG-27 program, some of the more economically challenged countries within the Soviet sphere of influence expressed their desire for a more simple alternative without the complex and costly variable-geometry wing systems.  With these exports specifically in mind, the MiG-27Sh (from Shturmovik) was developed.  In the end, however, only Cuba and India took delivery of their respective (each distinct) versions of this aircraft.

The Cuban version was specialized for maritime anti-shipping role, with a small attack radar, vacuum tube technology, added and its cockpit moved aft.  Not being inclined to supply cruise missiles to arm these aircraft, the Soviet Union instead assisted Cuba to develop its own low-tech yet high-yield torpedoes.

Another requirement for this role was long range.  Cuba had discarded the idea of refueling from transport planes, preferring instead the buddy-to-buddy in-flight refueling scheme.   To this end, CUJAE (Instituto Superior Politécnico José Antonio Echeverría) from Havana developed a crude but functional buddy-refueling-pack (not shown in this thread). Some airframes were equipped with these buddy-packs and their crews were intensively trained in the requisite in-flight refueling maneuvers.

THE ELITE ANTI-SHIP UNIT OF THE SAN JULIÁN AIR BASE

The Special Unit had been equipped some six years earlier with the coveted MiG-27Sh fighter-bombers, of which Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria had received 120.

Since then, crews under the command of Comandante Juantorena had developed tactics specifically intended to sink aircraft carriers.  As the Cuban Air Force did not have access to high-tech resources, its tactics were based on the use of a massive surprise attack with torpedo-armed aircraft that would saturate and penetrate their enemy's fleet defenses for just a single spearhead strike.

THE FALKLANDS

From the start, relations between Argentinean and Cuban air forces were not good. Radio systems were not fully compatible, making effective joint operations next to impossible.  Nevertheless, one or two Cuban airplanes managed to participate in surveillance missions alongside Argentinean aircraft.

During one of those missions, a Cuban fighter was shot down by a Lima Sidewinder missile from a Sea Harrier. The event sparked protests in Havana with Castro "declaring war to the United Kingdom" in an infamous three-hour-long speech which caught the attention of the entire world.  British Intelligence, meanwhile, did not know the exact size of the Cuban deployment and underestimated its importance.

On midnight of June 14th, Argentinean troops surrendered.  Some four days later, on the afternoon of Friday the 18th, Castro made another lengthy and equally infamous speech, declaring that Cuban forces had not surrendered, and that they would never surrender.  However, with the earlier capitulation of the Argentinean forces, experts believed that this meant the end of the Junta.

At that time, a lone, high-ranking general within the Fuerza Aérea Revolucionaria (who later came to be known only as "GenX") began to speculate: "What if Castro was to be struck with the same fate?" and immediately began, in complete secrecy and isolation, to implement a daring alternative strategy. He knew the stakes were of the highest risk: failure would mean facing an execution squad while success could mean complete freedom for his country and a lifetime of glory for himself.

On Sunday, June 20th at 01:14 local time, 02:14 in San Julián Air Base, this infamous GenX arrived in the Communications Center in the FAR's HQ.  There, he instructed the NCO in charge to send a special message to the San Julián detachment.  A Simón Bolivar quote dating back some 150 years, the highly unorthodox message read: "El arte de vencer se aprende en las derrotas" ("The art of winning is learned in defeat").

Visibly worried, the NCO tried to contact someone else for approval but did not understand the message's meaning and GenX assured the NCO that he did not need any confirmation.  Being an early Sunday morning, no official Party members were present to contest the action.  Everything was sent under the appropriate high priority codes.

In the final days leading to that fateful Sunday morning, Comandante Juantorena had been making arrangements for the departure of his detachment from the base.  Upon transmission of the message from GenX, Juantorena was awoken from sleep and immediately understood the underlying meaning of the encoded message.  While the orders certainly surprised him, Juantorena nevertheless remained cold and professional, asking only to have the message resent in order to confirm its accuracy.  The message was repeated, proving the prior codes to be correct and Juantorena required no further confirmation.

In immediate response, Juantorena began issuing instructions to his men while giving no clues whatsoever to any of their Argentinean comrades.

Everyone knew their duties and the short Operations Room briefing which followed lacked the usual jostling, comments and smiles normally shared between the Cuban militiamen as all who were present knew that only a few of them (at best) were destined to return.

Everything had been assessed, reviewed and evaluated hundreds of times back in Cuba.   At this point, the Soviets had not yet ceased the flow of their information routine.  From the prior evening, the latest update on the Royal Navy fleet's position showed the enemy to be only a few nm NE of the Falklands; about 500 nm distant from the Air Base itself.

(more to come .......)

[Brian da Basher]

Wow what an incredible sotry! I can't wait to see part two. Talk about a cliff-hanger!!!

Brian da Basher

[Mossie]

Waiting with baited breath......  

[John Howling Mouse]

Just to be clear, Ysi_Maniac (aka Carlos) is being far too kind.  It was 100% Carlos' story; I just did some minor editing.  

I, too, await the photographic outcome with baited breath!  

This airplane rocks!!!    

[ysi_maniac]

A FATEFUL MISSION

Twenty-four aircraft were loaded with live torpedoes and RATO bottles which were to be jettisoned once empty.  Thirty-two more airplanes were equipped with buddy-pack in-flight refueling pods.  To reduce overall weight of the aircraft, cannon ammunition and the usual complement of AA missile ordnance were removed from every airplane, but they had no time to remove missile's rails----the aircraft and their flight-crews were to be defenseless.  The approach had to be performed in complete radio silence. Comandante Juantorena chose his best four pilots (the best among the selected four being one Capitán Cienfuegos), lead by himself to form a spearhead strike team entrusted with reconnoitering the incoming enemy fleet and, ultimately, attacking their well-protected carriers.

At 0700 hrs local time, the aircraft loaded with the buddy-pack refueling pods began taking off, with only two of them failing.  Without delay, the torpedo-armed aircraft then took off, their maximized weight from additional fuel tanks and a pair of torpedoes being overcome by RATO bottles.   Each torpedo pair was fitted with different guidance suites: inertial for one and sonar for the other.

[ysi_maniac]

The sudden, unplanned take-off maneuvers surprised the Argentinean personnel at the base, leaving them to speculate that the Cubans were simply beating a hasty retreat away from the doomed air base. "These communists are rather rude," and other such desultory comments were muttered among the Argentinean personnel in the early morning light.

Forty minutes into the mission, the initial refueling cycle was performed with each re-fueler having only a single "buddy" attack aircraft assigned.  Five of the refueling attempts failed, forcing those aircraft to return to base along with all of the refueling-equipped airplanes, leaving nineteen strike aircraft to press on with the mission.  Twenty-four aircraft which had remained at the Base then took off to be ready to refuel the surviving attack aircraft in the optimistic hope that any of them were able to return.  The torpedo-laden airplanes began their descent to a scant 15 meter altitude over the churning sea.

At 0756 hrs, flight conditions were favorable with visibility good to several kilometers.  Comandante Juantorena switched on his radar to see many echoes: the enemy fleet was close indeed.  At last, radio silence was finally broken as Juantorena gave final instructions.  Very few words were required----his pilots were extremely capable and knew how to pick out their targets for the tight approach runs to come.

[ysi_maniac]

With blinding speed low over the rough waters, the attack maneuvers began as Juantorena and his spearhead strike force swept toward the carriers in search of their prey.

While it became immediately apparent that the British Task Force had not expected such a bold frontal attack, their alert level was nevertheless adequate: Sea Cats, Sea Darts and Sea Wolves had already been cycled up to fire in defense of the fleet while Sea Harriers were also being scrambled to confront the incoming strike force.

Under even the most ideal conditions, delivering any form of torpedoes from a jet fighter is a rather difficult if not almost impossible task.  In this case, the somewhat crude torpedoes carried by the Cuban strike team had a braking device in their tails which meant that their delivery altitude had to be maintained within a very tight margin of 25 and 50 meters above the pitching ocean level.  Sonar-aimed torpedoes were to be delivered first with their inertial-targeted counterparts to be dropped a scant few seconds later.  In the face of heavy defensive barrages from the target vessels, each aircraft had to remain precisely on target during its entire attack run with precious little time to spare before over flying its target.

Rolling in toward the British fleet, Capitán Cienfuegos and Comandante Juantorena both located the same carrier target but, just as Cienfuegos was contemplating breaking away to select another carrier, he was shocked to see Juantorena's nearby aircraft suddenly engulfed in a horrendous orange fireball.

In the same flashing moment, Cienfuegos both realized that his superior had just been hit by a Sea Wolf and had already committed to attacking the carrier himself.  With cool resolve amidst a hail of incoming anti-aircraft fire, Cienfuegos launched his torpedoes in the pre-determined sequence.

[ysi_maniac]

Because his aircraft streaked overhead much faster than the ordnance he had just dropped, Cienfuegos swept past the target carrier without knowing the result of his delivery.

His attention suddenly snapped to the grating sound of cockpit alarms signaling that he had just been locked by an enemy Sidewinder missile.  Cienfuegos slammed on his afterburner, jettisoned his external tanks and began jinking hard to port then starboard in a desperate attempt to evade the incoming anti-aircraft missile now hot on his tail.

Fighting for his very life, Cienfuegos was too busy to look back ...

[Mossie]

What a model Carlos!  Although it's got a Soviet look to it, that paint job gives it a different look.  Torps on a jet too, not seen often for the reasons you give, but a believable background to their inclusion on your model.  Fantastic!      :salute:

And the back story, edge of the seat stuff!  What happens next, I wonder?!?!?

[Brian da Basher]

Aye carrumbaa ysi, this is one truly magnificent build! I'm just speechless with awe at your talent for building incredible models and writing such a breathless backstory! I can't wait for the finale!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Wow, if only I had seen these pics while working with you on your text!

While I could clearly see from the earlier progress pics that your model had a great shape and was a solid concept overall, I honestly had no idea your model would turn out this magnificent in the end.

What a paintjob, Carlos-------standing ovation from Alberta!!!

       

[BlackOps]

Carlos, this is a great build!  I really liked it before the paint, but now it is  even that much more awesome!  

Great job on the back story too.