Raaf Could-have-been's

[Spellbinder99]

Well wooksta, as I understand it and you can confirm, the 1081 was pretty much developed for the RAAF as a Hawker private venture, so it is one dear to our heart.

The Sea Hornet actually got an A number, A83.

Cheers

Tony

[GTX]

I understand it and you can confirm, the 1081 was pretty much developed for the RAAF as a Hawker private venture, so it is one dear to our heart.

That's what I always understood.  In fact, I believe it was to be produced as the Commonwealth Aircraft Corp CA-24 though this is unconfirmed.

Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

I'm planning to do a 1/48 P.1081 in the future as well.  I'm thinking of having it fitted with an AVON engine and mounting between 2 and 4 sidewinders.  Paint scheme will probably be similar to the following AVON Sabre of  76 Sqn RAAF "Black Panthers" :



Regards,

Greg

[GTX]

Hi folks,

Have checked up my references.  Wrt to the Mirage F1 proposal, apparently Dassault offered around 1971 for Australia to join in a co-production agreement whereby Australian Industry would manufacture components for the world market regardless of whether or not the RAAF ordered the type.  During 1972, it looked as though the offer was going to be taken up but eventually, the DoD recommended against it.

Regards,

Greg

[Ocean]

Jet Provost was another Jet Trainer option and i think it too had an RAAF Serial assigned - A99.

On the bombers front you have the B-29 Washington as a couple of the RAF ones were used in Australia on trials and were assigned RAAF codes. So could be used as an interim Lincoln replacement till the Canberras came on stream.

[GTX]

Hi folks,

Wrt to the F/A-18A alternatives, the list at one time included:

• SAAB Viggen
• McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
• Northup P.530 Cobra
• Kockheed CL-200 Lancer
• Grumman F-14 Tomcat
• Dassault Mirage F1, and
• Panavia Tornado.

This was apparently the list during the early - mid '70s.

Later on the YF-17 was also looked at as well as the Sepecat Jaguar, A-10, Mirage 2000 were all mentioned.

The eventual list considered during the late '70s was:

• McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle
• Northop F-18L
• McDonnel Douglas F-18A
• Dassault Mirage 2000, and
• Panavia Tornado.

Regards,

Greg

[Archibald]

Don't forget the CA-31 - replace the RB-172 by a RB-199 on the single seat variant and you have a nice LWF to complete Mirage IIIs.   Or F-18A...

[Archangel]

I seem to remember years ago a submission to Fine Scale Modeler Magazine of am F-16 painted in a Blue Grey color with a sharkmouth like on an F-4 on the intake and a few Aim -9 sidewinders. It had small full color RAAF markings

[Howard of Effingham]

The RAAF also wanted Vulcans but the RAF said no and offered Valiants instead.

err!

the RAAF were also looking at the HP Victor.

i know they were because i have seen the HP tender documents at hendon.

somewhere at home i have a photocopy.....  ^_^

trevor

[PolluxDeltaSeven]

i just asked myself a question: in the process that lead the RAAF to "chose" the F-35, was there any other contender?

I mean, I suppose that the chose of F-35 was made by politicians and industrials first, and later by RAAF, but did the RAAF wanted to opposed the F-35 to any other aircraft?
Were the Typhoon, Super Hornet, Rafale, F-15E, Gripen or F-22 eventually in the race? (I mean for real, not for Carlo Kopp!     )

If any of this aircraft was considered, it could be very cool for modeling purpose!  



And on another hand, I thought about other aircrafts than fighters. I'm not sure about that, but I heard rumors of RAAF...:
-E-2C Hawkeye (was it instead of Wedgetail, or before that?)
-AH-64D Apache Longbow (instead of Tigre)
-AH-1W (or Z, can't remember) instead of Tiger, but I don't know if it was a contender
-KC-767 instead of KC-330
-A400M instead of C-17? Or do I confuse myself with Canada??

I read those idea in the non-specialised press and on english and French forums, so i'm not sure about the credibility. Someone can confirm or not any of those?

[mgp]

Here's a link to an article I wrote a couple of years ago about a What-If RAAF/RAN.

Plus this snippet as well has some more info as well.
From memory the RAAF was offered B-47s as a fill in bomber while the F-111 was delayed. Post-Mirage, Dassault was never a strong contender for the RAAF again. I can't cite specifics because I haven't been told them but a few things I've heard from ex-RAAFies leaves the impression that Dassault were "difficult".  

[Shasper]

PD, Both the Longbow Apache and the AH-1Z were involved in the new attack helo comp that saw the Tigre win (At the time the Zulu Cobra wasnt avalible for trials, so a borrowed Whiskey was used instead.)

Considering the way the A400M has been progressing, I'm not at all surprised that Oz went for the C-17.

I do fancy a beagle or a 2-seat Tiffy w/CFTs as a Pig replacement.


Shas B)

[blue520]

One of the other aircraft that RAAF looked at as a replacement for the Saber was the Northrop N-156 (F-5 Freedom Fighter).  

If the RAAF went with the F-5A, how much interest would have there been in the F-20 (or F-5G) Tigershark as a replacement? or would the interest be stronger in the F-18L or F-18A?

[Spellbinder99]

Yep GTX, that F-16 is done as I remember the promotional picture, so well done there.
A nce resin or limited 1081 would open up some good WIF RAAF possibilities...

Thanks for the links MGP, I remember reading your articles before as an ex SAPMA member...

Cheers

Tony

[Spellbinder99]

PD7, the JSF decision was made solely by the Government before a true evaluation was made, but we will leave that out of here. I do believe many of the others were in the running and companies like BAe lost a lot of mony they wasted on submissions that were summarily dumped.

The lower list from Hawkeye on were all contenders for various programmes except perhaps the A400M. Despite anything you hear, the C-17s were primarily linked to the Abrams buy and the ability to transport them around the country.

Cheers

Tony