Thinking Of Doing A Raf Scooter

[elmayerle]

At some step in the type's evolution, how about re-engining with a dry RB.199?  Perhaps even one Skyhawk used as an engine testbed for the RB.199?

[upnorth]

Hey, great idea Evan! I hadn't thought about that. Would it be able to go in a C airframe or would it need something more in the way of an M to make the combination work?

It would be perfect for the time frame I'm going for.

[Bryan H.]

An A-4C should work fine.  The Singapore A-4SU Super Skyhawks with the GE F404 engines were originally USN A-4C's before modernization.  So, a Whif RAF A-4 with an RB199 engine shouldn't be a problem.

Bryan  

[Jennings]

Does the RAF have an equivalent to TOP GUN?  You know, an Agressor squadron for training in disimilar aircraft combat.  Just a thought B)

Nope.  They come to Red Flag at Nellis.  It's far too expensive to do that for the likes of the RAF.  The Nellis ranges are the world's best place to do DACT.

J

[Geoff]

Does the RAF have an equivalent to TOP GUN?  You know, an Agressor squadron for training in disimilar aircraft combat.  Just a thought B)

Nope.  They come to Red Flag at Nellis.  It's far too expensive to do that for the likes of the RAF.  The Nellis ranges are the world's best place to do DACT.

J

A lot of European airforces use the ranges on Sardinia for weapons camps and some DACM IIRC. So although an RAF agressor might not be feasable a multinational/NATO unit would be as for the E-3's?  
So you might find A-4s in various national markings being piloted by any NATO nationality instructor. We had a similar set up with the TTTE on the Tonkas where German and Italian and Brit crews flew any available aircraft.

[SimonR]

Does the RAF have an equivalent to TOP GUN?  You know, an Agressor squadron for training in disimilar aircraft combat.  Just a thought B)

100 Squadron sometimes fill this role.

[upnorth]

Well, I picked up a MB Mk.9 bang seat from Pavla yesterday, quite nice too.

I was also looking at some RAF unit histories on the net and I think 16 is perfect for this:

They converted to Buccaneers from the Canberra in 1972 or so, I think that would tie in well to an alternate history where the FAA is converting to E/F Scooters and the RAF is scrambling to find something to replace the Harrier which was forced into early retirement by unforseen fatigue issues that proved extremely difficult to pinpoint a cause for and nearly impossibly to effectively remedy.

You could still have the Brick going into RAF service, but perhaps in the rush to fill the hole left by the Harrier, you could see a couple of the Former RAF Canberra units diverted to second hand FAA C model Scooters.

So in a Scooter equiped RAF, you'd see the known real world Harrier units with A-4s: 1,3,4 and 20 and maybe one or two of the former Canberra units, like 16, making up the RAF Scooter force.

[upnorth]

Just a small update:

I got my hands on Quickboost's 1/72 GR.5 Harrier nose correction set for the laser in my Scooter's nose and by all appearances I should be able to marry it up to the A-4 with minimum fuss.

Its a beautiful bit of resin too.