Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

Israel Aerospace Industries 'Shavit' - 201 Squadron, Heyl Ha'Avir, 1977

The French Arms Embargo of 1967 spurred on the Israeli Government to become increasingly self-sufficient in all aspects of defence procurement and Israel Aerospace Industries certainly played it's part when it was jointly tasked with the development of the Mirage 5 (entering service as the 'Nesher' in 1971) and also dusting off an earlier indigenous design for the development of a twin-engined swept-wing supersonic attack jet called the 'Shavit' (Comet).

Whilst the Nesher programme progressed well the Shavit had a troubled early development history. Prior to the French Arms Embargo the aircraft was based around two of the forthcoming Rolls-Royce Turbomeca Adour two-shaft turbofans but after 1967 this option was denied forcing the Shavit designers to resort to using the less powerful General Electric J85 single-shaft turbojets with much lower installed thrust and higher specific fuel consumption. Early in 1968 the sophisticated nav/attack system planned for the original Shavit was ditched in favour of a simpler 'clear weather' system. Despite these constraints, Israel Aerospace Industries created a tough and dependable attack aircraft that entered service in the Spring of 1973 when 201 Squadron re-equipped with the type just in time for the Yom Kippur war. Ironically, a reversal of the French Arms Embargo saw the Shavits eventually re-enginned with the Adour Mk104 during the mid-1980's eventually serving until 1997 when the last aircraft was retired.

IDFQ-5CFANTAN01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFQ-5CFANTAN02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFQ-5CFANTAN03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFQ-5CFANTAN04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFQ-5CFANTAN05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · January 16, 2013, 12:12:22 PM

Dassault Mirage 5H - 330 Mira - Hellenic Air Force, 1981

HAFMIRAGE5H01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFMIRAGE5H02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFMIRAGE5H03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFMIRAGE5H04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFMIRAGE5H05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

One of my favourite Third Wire aircraft is the Mirage 5BA (available as a DLC add-on) to which I've simply added Greek markings to the standard Belgian skin. Simples!

SPINNERS · January 19, 2013, 09:18:55 AM

Republic F-105H Thunderchief - 341st Mira, Hellenic Air Force, 1974

HAFF-105HTHUNDERCHIEF01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFF-105HTHUNDERCHIEF02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFF-105HTHUNDERCHIEF03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFF-105HTHUNDERCHIEF04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFF-105HTHUNDERCHIEF05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Thud is one of my favourite aircraft and this is the stock F-105D (with this lovely sharkmouth option) to which I've added HAF markings including a raked fin flash, something not done in reality I believe.

SPINNERS · January 20, 2013, 08:57:53 AM

Sukhoi Su-7BMK - 'Red Lion' Fighter Regiment, Parani Air Force, 1968

PARANSU-7PFITTER02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This is the stock Soviet silver skin with new Parani decals by me including the 'Red Lion' crest and fin stripe marking.

SPINNERS · January 21, 2013, 12:17:50 PM

Sukhoi Su-7BMK - 'Red Lion' Fighter Regiment, Parani Air Force, 1970

PARANSU-7PFITTER07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

PARANSU-7PFITTER09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · January 26, 2013, 10:36:04 AM

General Dynamics F-16S - F21, Swedish Flygvapnet, 1985

FLYGVAPNETF-16SFALCON01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FLYGVAPNETF-16SFALCON02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FLYGVAPNETF-16SFALCON03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FLYGVAPNETF-16SFALCON04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FLYGVAPNETF-16SFALCON05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This one has taken a fair few hours as I've carefully cut out the stock IDF 'Netz' uppersurfaces and pasted the resultant lower surfaces and parts onto my patented 'splinter on a roll' with some lines from an available template and some weathering added to the new upper surfaces.

SPINNERS · January 27, 2013, 05:11:32 AM

General Dynamics F-16S - No.1 Squadron, Estonian Air Force, 2010

ESTONIAF-16SFALCON01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-16SFALCON02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-16SFALCON03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-16SFALCON04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-16SFALCON05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · January 30, 2013, 10:47:11 PM

Mikoyan MiG-29K Fulcrum FG.1 - 767 Naval Air Squadron, Royal Navy, 1996

RNMiG-29KFULCRUM01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RNMiG-29KFULCRUM02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RNMiG-29KFULCRUM03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RNMiG-29KFULCRUM04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RNMiG-29KFULCRUM05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The MiG-29A 3D model has been further polished into the MiG-29K, most notably by my fellow South Walian 'russouk2004'. The very dark blue of the Soviet Navy skin is close enough to the classic Fleet Air Arm EDSG to make a passable RN Fulcrum especially with 'metal chicken' markings.

SPINNERS · January 31, 2013, 11:32:11 AM

Canadair CF-5A - Estonian Air Force Aggressor Flight, 2007

ESTONIAF-5A01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-5A02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-5A03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ESTONIAF-5A04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SPINNERS · February 02, 2013, 10:20:08 PM

McDonnell Douglas Eagle FGR.3 - No.6 Squadron, Royal Air Force, Operation Granby, 1991

RAFEAGLEFGR301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR305 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR306 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This is the stock Third Wire F-15A (a lovely 3D model btw) given the 'Desert Pink' treatment and No.6 squadron would normally be my first choice for this scheme.

SPINNERS · February 03, 2013, 05:59:15 AM

Gloster Meteor F.8 - No.1 'Connacht' Squadron, Irish Air Corps, 1963

IACMETEORF801 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IACMETEORF802 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IACMETEORF804 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IACMETEORF805 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IACMETEORF806 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Third Wire Meteor F.8 is a stunner but it has a problem... unlike the real 'Meatbox' it's actually a great fighter! Anyway, this is the stock silver skin with some Irish Air Corps markings as a nod to Ireland's brilliant win in Cardiff yesterday. The Connacht patch decal is based on the Connacht flag but the fuselage bars are based on No. 611 (West Lancashire) Royal Auxiliary Air Force squadron but recoloured.

SPINNERS · February 03, 2013, 10:38:28 PM

McDonnell Douglas Eagle FGR.3 - 'Black Mike', No.111 Squadron, RAF 2007

RAFEAGLEFGR307 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR308 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR309 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFEAGLEFGR310 by Spinners1961, on Flickr