Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas F-110E Phantom - 555th TFS, United States Air Force, 1975

The resounding success of the US Navy's F-4B in the competitive fly-off against the F-106 during 'Operation Highspeed' led to a more comprehensive evaluation of two loaned Navy F-4B's (designated as the F-110A) but McDonnell had already been planning a purpose-built tactical fighter version of the F-4 for the USAF with manual terrain-following radar and TF30 turbofan engines. Designated F-110B this aircraft promised to be an excellent partner to the F-111A (TFX) and quickly gained the support of Defense Secretary Robert McNamara who authorised production of the type in February 1962. The pre-production prototype first flew in November 1963 and the F-110B entered service during the following year before production switched to the improved F-110C for TAC and the F-110D interceptor for ADC. In 1969 the definitive F-110E started to roll off the St. Louis production line which matched the AN/APG-59 pulse doppler radar coupled with the AN/AWG-10 Fire Control System for look-down shoot-down capability. The F-110E also featured the substantially more powerful TF30-P-100 turbofan rated at 25,000 lbs thrust each and was far less prone to compressor stalls at high angles of attack than previous versions of the TF30. Initial production aircraft were delivered to USAFE in 1970 but soon began to replace F-105D's and F-110B's in Vietnam from 1971 onwards.

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF F-110E PHANTOM.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

'Wings Over Europe' includes the F-4M but only the later version with the Marconi ARI.18228 radar warning receiver fintop pod. The F-4D has a pretty shoddy 'Euro One' skin (I say that only because it's the same skin they have on the F-4E and therefore doesn't fit the short nose of the F-4D properly) so I've adapted the skin to fit and also added the Spey engines and the Marconi ARI.18228 RWR to the skin. I thought I could live with using Series One versions of the game but, apart from the terrain, it's hard work and just doesn't look as good on my ancient Pentium  .

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BAC Lightning F.56 - Grupo de Aviación No.7, Fuerza Aérea de Chile, 1986

When the Falkland Islands were invaded by Argentina in 1982 Chile was officially neutral during the conflict but is known to have provided the United Kingdom with intelligence information and operational support during the conflict. Whilst the alliance between the UK and Chile remained secret the Thatcher government quietly rewarded the Pinochet government with a cut price arms deal which included ex-RAF Canberra, Hunter and Lightning aircraft.

A total of 15 Lightning F.6 aircraft were transferred without refurbishment to Grupo de Aviación No.7 of the Fuerza Aérea de Chile in the Autumn of 1982 thus preventing the planned expansion of the RAF's Lightning force from two squadrons to three and forcing the RAF to acquire ex-USN Phantom F-4J's. Later given the designation Lightning F.56 the aircraft had a short service life and were retired in 1990.

FACH LIGHTING F56.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FACH LIGHTING F56.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FACH LIGHTING F56.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FACH LIGHTING F56.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FACH LIGHTING F56.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I love weaving some truth into a backstory!

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 "Flogger-D" - Mongolian Air Force, 1979

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This uses a grey Soviet skin from one of the stock MiG-23 fighters adapted to fit the MiG-27 and then given simple Mongolian Air Force markings. The real-world Mongolian MiG-21's are one of the few non what-if's I've released over at Combat Ace and the decals I made for them are re-used here.

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas Hornet FGR.3 - No.4 Squadron, Royal Air Force, 2002

RAF HORNET FGR3.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Forgive me for not calling this a Boeing aircraft - old habits die hard! This was, I think, one of my very first uploads to Combat Ace and the F/A-18F 3D model was created by a small team ('101tfs' and 'Erwin_hans') with a later and better attempt by 'EricJ' following on a few years later but, at the time, this was the only game in town. I've given it some fresh decals but it really needs some modern weapons to set it off.

[SPINNERS]

LTV Corsair GR.2 - No.41 Squadron, Royal Air Force Strike Command, 1977

RAF CORSAIR GR2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Excuse me whilst I take a trip down Nostalgia Road. This was my first ever attempt at skinning done way back in 2008 and was really only a partial attempt as I'd crudely overpainted a standard USN scheme with green camo and then added back in some way too dark panel lines (thinks: perhaps the Matchbox trench digger is in my family tree). Removing the intake warning was probably too much for my feeble skills back then.

At the moment, I'm looking through my old SF1 (Strike Fighters - Series One) uploads and giving them a modest makeover and re-upload whilst my XP computer is still running - it does actually 'chugg' and can clearly be heard downstairs! A repair and upgrade of my old PC is being planned and submitted to 'er indoors for approval but I'm in no rush now especially as I've tweaked my XP computer and got rid of a horrible graphics problem by playing with the settings.

[SPINNERS]

Republic Aviation FGA.1 - No.20 Squadron, Royal Air Force Middle East Command, 1956

The delay in both the Hawker Hunter and Supermarine Swift programmes saw an ailing RAF adopt the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak in several versions starting with the Sapphire powered Thunderstreak FGA.1 which served in Middle East Command from 1955, although with marginal thrust it was not really suited to the hot and dry conditions and was tied to runways of at least 7,000 foot length. Equipped with the ASSa.6 version of the Sapphire (rated at 8,300lbs thrust) the Thunderstreak also featured uprated outer wing weapon stations to carry standard 1,000lb bombs.

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Another very early upload that I did back in 2008 and featuring a lovely Desert Camo skin by 'whiteknight06604'. Adding weapons in Series One games is a right PITA so I've chosen to use the 450-gallon tanks of the later F-105 Thunderchief and reckon they look pretty cool.

[SPINNERS]

Republic Aviation Thunderstreak FGA.2 - No.31 Squadron, Royal Air Force, South East Asia Command, 1959

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Before the F-84F appeared in Strike Fighters there was a very good version of it produced by a group of modders called 'The Mirage Factory' and I've had a lot of fun with it over the Desert and over Vietnam but let's pretend the latter is Malaya so that it could take part in Operation Firedog! Anyway, this is a Greek SEA scheme by 'whiteknight06604' given the SEAC treatment with all new markings.

[SPINNERS]

Grumman F-14A Tomcat - Ala 12, Ejército del Aire, 1982

By the late 1970's the Phantom F-4C's of 12 Ala (12th Wing) were becoming increasingly long in the tooth and the Ejercito del Aire urgently sought a replacement. McDonnell Douglas appeared to have the upper hand with no less than three products on offer;

The F-4E Phantom (still in low-rate production).

The F-15C Eagle.

The F/A-18A Hornet.

However, during 1978 the situation in Iran was becoming increasingly unstable and by January 1979 the Shah of Iran had fled in exile. An immediate arms embargo to Iran soon followed and Grumman were left with a considerable number of undelivered and now undeliverable Iranian F-14A Tomcats. A formal approach to Spain was made by Grumman and agreement was soon reached for the supply of 30 F-14A's to replace the Phantom F-4C's of No.121 and No.122 Escuadrons with a small follow-on batch of 10 F-14R's to supplement and eventually replace the RF-4C's of No.123 Escuadron. The F-14A Tomcat gave good service to the Ejercito del Aire before being phased out during 2007 and 2008 and replaced by Boeing Hornet F/A-18F's.

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

New piccies but another one from 2008.

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Sukhoi Su-27i Espada - Esc113, Ala 12, Ejército del Aire, 1992

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I normally avoid using 'overcast' conditions (it's all selectable in this game) but it makes a nice change and looks pretty cool when you get above it. Another return visit to 2008 although I have done new decals for this.

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Vought F-8J Crusader - 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1982

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This was one of my first ever skins, again from 2008 and I was lucky enough to have been given a superb template by one of the team who made the 3D model (not the same as the Third Wire F-8 that is part of 'Wings Over Vietnam') and I've just used some slightly different decals.

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Boeing Stratofortress B.1 - No.9 Squadron, Royal Air Force, South East Asia Command, 1966

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The stock B-52D comes with this USAF SEA camo so I've decalled it up for service with RAF SEAC.

[SPINNERS]

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLX 'Flogger-K' - HävLLv31, Ilmavoimat, 1989

Whilst generally considered to be the ultimate fighter variant of the MiG-23 the MiG-23MLD "Flogger-K" was mainly a conversion programme of existing Soviet 'ML' and 'MLA' aircraft to 'MLD' standard for the VVS. However, an export version using new-build aircraft was produced with 16 aircraft for Bulgaria, 50 aircraft for Syria and finally an order for 60 'MLX' aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. Featuring the improved Sapfir-23MLA-II look-down/shoot-down radar and powered by an uprated Tumansky R-35 turbojet rated at 30,000lbs of thrust these were the final single-seat MiG-23's to produced with the last examples rolling off the production line in May 1985 and entering Ilmavoimat service with Fighter Squadron 31 in 1986.

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A top-notch MiG-23 skin was released recently by 'bazillius' and just seems to suit Ilmavoimat markings and especially Hävittäjälentolaivue 31 whose Lynx marking fills a broad fin nicely. I thought that a snowy terrain would set it off so downloaded this nice North Cape terrain.

[SPINNERS]

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23ML 'Flogger-G' - Vietnam People's Air Force, 1984

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've got a thing for the MiG-23 at the moment and this Romanian skin was perfect to make a North Vietnamese Flogger-G.

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Vought F-8E Crusader - 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1976

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Vought F-8E Crusader - 3da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1977

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I'm going to upload this one for the guys at Combat Ace so thought I'd add a second squadron - I love their squadron badge!