Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

SPINNERS · February 19, 2009, 06:16:39 AM

McDonnell Douglas Phantom F.1 - RAF Fighter Command, 1967

Cancellation of the Hawker P.1154 in 1964 led to the urgent adoption of the F-8E(RN) Crusader by the Royal Navy who had been shopping for a Sea Vixen replacement for a number of years. With the last F-8E coming off the line and only a handful of French F-8E(FN)'s on the order book LTV offered a superb deal on the F-8E(RN) which was essentially similar to the French F-8E(FN) and including the high-lift wings with blown droops and flaps to permit the safe operation from the smaller Royal Navy carriers (HMS Ark Royal and HMS Eagle).

This left the path clear for the RAF to adopt their preferred choice of the J79 powered Phantom as their long-awaited Hunter replacement. However, politics intervened and the UK Government insisted that the RAF version would use the new Bristol Siddeley / Snecma Sequanna turbofan engine then under development for the proposed Mirage IVB and next-generation Mirage III's. This advanced turbofan fitted the Phantom like a glove and whilst not as powerful as the Rolls Royce Spey it still gave 18,000lbs of thrust with reheat whilst being lighter, slimmer and without needing any redesign of the Phantom's inlet and rear fuselage.

The initial RAF order was for 50 Phantom F.1 interceptors and 100 Phantom FG.2 fighter-bombers broadly based on the baseline F-4C model of 1964 although later FG.2's would also incorporate some features of the F-4D. The F.1 interceptors would enable the last of Fighter Commands Hunters to be retired and also supplement the short-range Lightnings. Initially delivered to No.43 squadron at Leuchars in Scotland in early 1966 the Phantom F.1's served until 1985 when they were replaced by two-seat Eagle F.2's.

RAFPhantomF105-1 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFPhantomF106-1 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFPhantomF107-1 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · March 12, 2009, 01:25:16 PM

Hawker Hunter FGA.9C - No.26 Squadron, RAF Near East Air Force, 1974

RAFHunterFGA9c01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHunterFGA9c02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHunterFGA9c03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A Rhodesian Hunter was added today by 'ndicki' and it's a great little mod of the stock Hunter FGA.9 and a lot of work has gone into giving it a new skin and adding two new weapon stations - the latter way beyond my abilities. It comes with a nicely weathered Rhodesian skin and, of course, no markings! I've simply added my No.26 squadron markings to make a mid-1970's Hunter FGA.9c.

SPINNERS · March 29, 2009, 09:21:55 AM

Grumman F-14A Tomcat - Royal Dhimari Air Force, 1980

In 1980 a major diplomatic incident occurred when a Dhimari F-14A Tomcat shot down a Soviet Tu-16 Badger over the Straits of Dhimar. This controversial act was undoubtedly made worse by the fact that the US Navy were engaged in a training exercise with the Royal Dhimari Air Force and the decision to fire allegedly came from the commander of the USS Enterprise. Diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union were already at a low-point and would not improve until the mid-1990's.

DhimariF-14ATomcat01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

DhimariF-14ATomcat02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

DhimariF-14ATomcat03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

DhimariF-14ATomcat04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · April 04, 2009, 01:38:52 PM

Folland Firecrown FGA.2 - No.112 Squadron, RAF Near East Air Force, 1971

RAFG91Y01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFG91Y02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Fiat G91Y add-on comes with a superb Italian 'sharkmouth' skin which just screams out for 112 squadron markings!

SPINNERS · April 13, 2009, 01:52:50 AM

North American Vigilante SR.1 - No.543 Squadron, Royal Air Force, 1967

The sudden grounding of the Valiant force in late 1964 left the RAF short of bombers, tankers and strategic reconnaissance assets. Whilst Victors and Vulcans could be moved around to cover some of the gaps it was decided to make an urgent off-the-shelf purchase of the new North American Vigilante RA-5C's to re-equip No.543 squadron at RAF Wyton in Cambridgeshire who took delivery of the first Vigilante SR.1 in late 1966.

RAFVigilanteSR301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFVigilanteSR302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFVigilanteSR303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFVigilanteSR304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Pedants will note that this is a late Block 10 aircraft but are reminded that this is a 'what-if' site!

SPINNERS · April 23, 2009, 01:19:27 PM

PZL/BAe Scorpion GR1

Seeing the export potential in the innovative PZL-230 Skorpion project BAe teamed up with PZL in 1991 to market the Skorpion as a cost-effective and easy to maintain ground-attack aircraft for smaller nations and to help launch the project the UK Government ordered 60 for the strike and CAS roles. Entering service as the Scorpion GR.1 the aircraft was initially openly criticised by RAF officials but during deployments to South-East Asia and Afghanistan the aircraft proved its worth and enjoyed a long service life.

RAFSEACScorpionGR101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSEACScorpionGR102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSEACScorpionGR103 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A cracking new add-on this and this 'jungle' scheme seems to suit SEAC markings.

SPINNERS · April 23, 2009, 01:59:59 PM

PZL/BAe Scorpion GR.1

RAFScorpionGR101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFScorpionGR102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFScorpionGR103 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Scorpion add-on also comes with this superb Desert scheme - perfect for a what-if RAF machine operating in and out of the Helmand Valley.

SPINNERS · April 26, 2009, 06:04:40 AM

RAFLansenFGA101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFLansenFGA102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Another recent release over at CombatACE. It's a fine addition but appears to be a hybrid between the 'A' and 'B' versions having the belly radome and the afterburner. I've got the Heller kit stashed away somewhere .

Edit: Oooh. I'm confused. Is it a belly tank or a belly radar? Bill Gunston's excellent book 'Fighters Of the Fifties' makes reference to the 'B' version having a "flat radarless belly".

SPINNERS · April 26, 2009, 06:07:50 AM

Saab Lansen - Finnish Ilmavoimat

FinnishLansen01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishLansen02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishLansen03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishLansen04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishLansen05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · May 03, 2009, 04:40:32 AM

Northrop/BAe Tiger T.2's - No.56 and No.74 Squadrons, Royal Air Force, 1976.

RAFTigerT203 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTigerT202 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTigerT204 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTigerT205 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTigerT206 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · May 10, 2009, 07:28:59 AM

Dassault Mirage FG.3 - No.58 Squadron, RAF Middle East Command, 1975

RAFMirageFG301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFMirageFG302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

One of the add-on Mirages is the Argentinian IIIEA so I've added some RAF tactical roundels and markings for No.58 squadron.

SPINNERS · May 10, 2009, 11:04:15 AM

Dassault Mirage FGA.3 - No.45 Squadron, RAF South East Asia Command, 1975

RAFMirageFG303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I'm not sure why Belgium chose this 'Vietnam' style scheme for their 5BA's but it's perfect for an RAF SEAC Mirage!

N.B. Scheme has been applied to the IIIEA.

SPINNERS · May 10, 2009, 01:45:31 PM

Dassault Mirage IIICF - HävLLv 31, Ilmavoimat, 1970

FinnishMirage3C01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishMirage3C02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FinnishMirage3C04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

One of the Mirage IIIE skins has been oversprayed to lose the rudder tricolour and red intakes and has formed the basis of a plain silver skin for an Ilmavoimat Mirage IIICF. I do like Finnish markings

SPINNERS · May 18, 2009, 05:20:55 AM

Myasishchev M-3 'Breadbin' - Soviet Air Force, 1960

SovietStratojetski01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SovietStratojetski02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SovietStratojetski03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SovietStratojetski04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SovietStratojetski05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Just as the Soviets copied the Boeing B-29 'what If'^TM they'd copied the Boeing B-47 Stratojet? This is the standard SAC scheme with Soviet markings and it just looks more 'Myasishchev' than 'Tupolev' IMHO!

SPINNERS · May 18, 2009, 10:48:47 AM

Rockwell Corella FG.2 - No.805 Squadron, Royal Australian Navy, 1984

Rockwell's XFV-12 technology demonstrator was of enormous interest to those nations with existing (or proposed) small carriers and led to a privately funded prototype popularly dubbed 'Mustang II' by Rockwell employees but formally known as the Advanced Shipborne Strike Fighter (ASSF). Rockwell pitched the ASSF directly against the Harrier & Sea Harrier but only secured sales to Argentina (almost immediately cancelled in the aftermath of the Falklands Conflict), Australia plus mediocre home sales to the USN and USMC with the former operating the type off several modified destroyers. Australia's purchase led to the adoption the name Corella (an Australian bird) by all three users and low-rate production continued until 1991 when the types success in the first Gulf War led to further production orders of an advanced version (Super Corella).

RANXFV-1201 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RANXFV-1202 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RANXFV-1203 by Spinners1961, on Flickr