Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

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Gloster Meteor F.4 - 'Dragoes', Aeronautica Militar, 1951

PoAF METEOR F4.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PoAF METEOR F4.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PoAF METEOR F4.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PoAF METEOR F4.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PoAF METEOR F4.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've been meaning to do a Portuguese Meteor for a few weeks now and this is the new Meteor F.4 that came out quite recently - a lovely 3D model and I've been given a blank silver skin and a blank camo skin to play with. The real Dragoes flight demonstration team didn't come into existence until 1956 by which time the Aeronautica Militar had become the modern day Portuguese Air Force (Forca Aerea Portuguesa).

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Gloster P-74B Meteor - 374th Fighter Squadron, 361st Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force, 1944

USAAF METEOR F4.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF METEOR F4.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Meteor is one of my absolute all-time favourites and the recent Mk.4 is an absolute corker. The silver skin makes a good canvas for a USAAF Meteor and I decided to go for full invasion stripes which I can also use on an RAF camo version in the future with the option of having full or partial stripes. I just ran out of time to include some nose art or even a name but will revisit this theme in the future.

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Boeing F-112J Thunderstrike - VF-1 'Wolfpack', United States Navy, 1980








Tuesday's are getting a bit busy for me now (ironic, as I retired last Autumn) so I needed to do something quite quick for TSR Tuesday in between a social bike ride, shopping and preparing our evening meal (well, it's only fair as Mrs. Spinners is still working). I've added the 'Airfix' F-14A Tomcat VF-1 nose stripe and fin to a grey TSR.2 and included a gap in the nose for the three digit USN Fighter Number (a stock decal). Actually the nose stripe took some trial and error in scaling and angling it down plus reversing it for the other side but I'm happy with the result. However,  I'm kicking myself for using the wrong version of sundowner's advanced TSR.2's and should have used the one with the Tomcat style TISEO under the nose.

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Bell P-59B Airacomet - Various Schemes

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A 'what if' P-59B was released recently by the DAT group of modders and I thought I'd put up a set of piccies showing the three superb skins that came with it; WW2 Olive Drab & Grey, WW2 NMF and post-war NMF (by which I mean post-1947). No input from me except to take the screenshots and, rest assured, I will try to come back to this at some point.

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Gloster Meteor F.Mk.IV - No.3 Squadron, 150 Wing, RAF Second Tactical Air Force, June 1944

In the Spring of 1944 Acting Wing Commander Roland Beamont was asked to form the first Hawker Tempest Wing in time for the invasion of Europe. However, industrial action at the Hawker factory meant that insufficient numbers of Tempest aircraft were available to equip the planned three-squadron wing so the Gloster Meteor F.Mk.IV was chosen to serve alongside the Spitfire LF.IX's of No.56 and No.486 squadrons within the newly formed 150 Wing under the operational control of the Second Tactical Air Force. No.3 Squadron were declared operational on May 30th, 1944 flying the new version of the Gloster Meteor and were in action on D-day when Beamont's Wing encountered Bf109's over the invasion beaches shooting down three of them without loss. The two remaining Spitfire squadrons were replaced by Meteor's during June and July. 150 Wing were also downing V-1 flying bombs over Kent and by August Beamont's Meteor Wing had accounted for 638 V-1's.

RAF METEOR F4.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF METEOR F4.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Obviously, accelerated development of the Gloster Meteor would have been required to get the Mk.IV in service ready for D-day but, thankfully, we're in a 'what if' sanctuary zone here! Incredibly, the bit about the strike at Hawker's is absolutely true - much to Beamont's understandable anger!!

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Bell P-59B Airacomet - 380th Fighter Squadron, 363rd Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force, 1944

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.13 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.14 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.15 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I had another look at the recent DAT P-59B Airacomet today and thought that some D-Day invasion stripes would look good but decided to do them undersides only which was normal for July 1944 onwards until they were deemed not needed at all. As an affectionate nod towards the very old Airfix Series One P-51D I've made this as Fool's Paradise V but really should have added a splash of blue to the nose. I loved that simple little kit - just 19p in 1974!!

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

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Bell P-59B Airacobra - 363rd Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group, United States Army Air Force, June 1944

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.16 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.17 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.18 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.20 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAF P-59B AIRACOMET.19 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

As I had my stripes out I thought I'd apply full invasion stripes to the P-59B and used the Olive Drab and grey scheme that comes with it (a lovely skin this btw) and I also added a bit of dirt to the stripes and starbars. I've used 'Thumper' several times now and he's become my 'go to' nose art. I'll probably dream about Zebras tonight... or rabbits!

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BAC Thunderstrike GR.2A - No.19 and No.92 Squadrons, RAF Germany, 1976

Under the "Peace Rhine" program, the West German Government purchased 175 McDonnell Douglas Phantom F-4F's for the fighter and fighter-bomber roles and the first F-4F's entered Luftwaffe service on August 31st, 1973. NATO commanders decreed that the immediate priority was to replace the Lightning F.2A's of the RAF's No. 19 Squadron and No. 92 Squadron which had operated in the low-level air defence role but lacked a modern radar and endurance. Both units disbanded on December 31st, 1974 at RAF Gütersloh in West Germany which became the new home of the first two Luftwaffe F-4F squadrons. A new No.19 Squadron was formed at RAF Wildenrath in April 1975 operating the Thunderstrike GR.2A and this was soon followed by a new No. 92 Squadron with both squadrons operating the type until March 1991 when they disbanded as part of the so-called 'Options For Change' review and subsequent restructuring of the British Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War.







This is another 'sundowner' skin with No.19 and No.92 Squadron markings added by me plus some new serial numbers. The original skin was for 'Shiny Two' and I've got a fairly neat way of overpainting the markings and either adding my own directly onto the skin bitmap and/or using my preferred method of using decals. I quite like the last piccie (tastefully stretched!) which looks like it's come straight off a 1970's RAF Yearbook.

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British Aerospace Hawk F.2 - No.5 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1988

RAF HAWK F2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HAWK F2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HAWK F2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HAWK F2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I haven't visited the Hawk 200 for quite a while now and gave it a spin yesterday. Joy of joys the download has a nicetemplate included so knocking up this RAF version was quite easy and even the decals were all previously made and ready to go although I might redo the finflash to better match the fin. I like doing RAF 'sister squadrons' so will get a No.11 Squadron machine posted at some time tomorrow.

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British Aerospace Hawk F.2 - No.11 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1988

RAF HAWK F2.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr


RAF HAWK F2.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HAWK F2.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HAWK F2.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Lovely little bird this but a bit low on thrust!

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Grumman Tomcat FRS.1 - 899 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, 1986

RN TOMCAT FRS1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN TOMCAT FRS1.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN TOMCAT FRS1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN TOMCAT FRS1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN TOMCAT FRS1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN TOMCAT FRS1.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I was looking through the stock F-14A skins and noted this lovely VF-111 sharkmouth and thought it would look good in RN markings (most aircraft do). Given a bit more time I'd have overpainted the hideous red 'engine line' but I can live with it. CVN-68 is the USS Nimitz but the 'T' on my Kitty's rudders does, obviously, signify that their home ship is the HMS Margaret Hilda Thatcher...

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British Aerospace Thunderstrike GR.6 - No.54 Squadron, RAF South East Asia Command, 1989

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTRIKE GR6.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've previously mentioned that 'sundowner' has envisaged a whole family of developed TSR.2's and this is the GR.6 - almost the ultimate development (one rung down from the canard equipped GR.7). I've overlooked some of the later developments as I like the original TSR.2 but must admit that this one is growing on me. I've simply added SEAC roundels and No.54 squadron nosebars to a lovely USAF skin and just to be different I've repeated the aircraft letter on the fuselage side. The JP233's look lost on the huge underside of this beast!

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AMX International A-11H - Staffel 17, Swiss Air Force, 1996

SWISS AMX.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SWISS AMX.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SWISS AMX.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SWISS AMX.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SWISS AMX.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This lovely Brazilian skin for the AMX already has the sharkmouth and I thought it would look good with Swiss markings although I really should have removed the bolt-on probe. I'd forgotten that the AMX was Spey powered and is known as the A-1 in Brazilian service and A-11 Ghibli in Italian service. It really is so conventional in design that it could have been an Anglo-French project from the 1960's.

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British Aerospace Sea Hawk FRS.1 - 807 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, 1979

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA HAWK FRS1.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've quite enjoyed doing this Sea Hawk using the Hawk 200. A bit like the AMX, technology wise, it could have been a much earlier project than the Hawk 200's real first flight of 1986 but it does require a different RN carrier history! Export to India is another scenario.

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Panavia Sea Tornado FRS.2 - 899 Naval Air Squadron, 1979

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RN SEA TORNADO FRS2.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The revised Tornado IDS 3D model has been out for a few months now and it's right out of the top drawer - especially as it comes with a fantastic template. A Royal Navy Tonka is a given and I'll come back and do 1982 and 1991 versions as well. Putting the Tornado in RN service in 1979 requires a faster development instead of the slow down that happened to the real programme to save money (sic). A good few pages back I did an all-British Tornado (the BAC Panther) and that's another avenue to an earlier RN Tonka.