Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

[SPINNERS]

Sukhoi/IAI Su-22MX - 119 Squadron, Heyl Ha'Avir, 1982

IDFSu-22M4FITTER01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFSu-22M4FITTER02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFSu-22M4FITTER03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFSu-22M4FITTER04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

IDFSu-22M4FITTER05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A skin pack for the Su-22M4 was released released and the Angolan skin simply has IDF written all over it.

[SPINNERS]

Northrop F-18L - 555th Tactical Fighter Wing, Vietnam, 1978

USAFF-18LHORNET01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFF-18LHORNET02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This base skin was recently released by 'EricJ' (someone with a passion for the Hornet - legacy and Superbug) and I've knocked up some 'Triple Nickel' markings for it. Yes, I know that for the F-18L to be in service in 1978 means that someone at Northrop needs to get a wiggle on but a lengthened Vietnam war is good for 'what if' scenarios.

[SPINNERS]

Northrop F-5E 'Skoshi Tiger II' - 469th TFS, 388th TFW, USAF, 1975

The success of the USAF's 'Skoshi Tiger' evaluation of the Northrop F-5C led to the adoption of the F-5C as a lower cost alternative to the more expensive F-4 Phantom in an early introduction of the 'Hi-Lo mix' then in favour with Pentagon whizzkids. This in turn led to strong USAF interest in Northrop's proposed follow-on F-5E Tiger II and an accelerated testing and production program. Entering service in 1971 the first USAF squadron to equip with the type was the 469th Tactical Fighter Squadron who operated the aircraft in an operational evaluation program predictably designated 'Skoshi Tiger II'.

USAFF-5ESKOSHITIGER01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFF-5ESKOSHITIGER02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFF-5ESKOSHITIGER03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFF-5ESKOSHITIGER04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFF-5ESKOSHITIGER05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This is the FAB (in both ways!) skin with the 'JV' tailcodes seen on the F-4E featured on Pages 42 and 43 of the World Air Power Phantom book but with a slightly later financial year (and without the outrageously loud Luftwaffe kill markings and shark mouth nose!

[SPINNERS]

Sukhoi Su-50 (T-50 'PAK-FA') - Ukrainian Air Force, 2016

UKRAINESu-50PAK-FA01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

UKRAINESu-50PAK-FA02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

UKRAINESu-50PAK-FA03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

UKRAINESu-50PAK-FA04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

UKRAINESu-50PAK-FA05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The third-party PAK-FA for Strike Fighters comes with this Russian skin to which I've added Ukrainian markings. I'm not too sure I like the looks of the PAK-FA or the F-22/F-35 come to think of it.

[SPINNERS]

Republic P-47N SeaBolt Mk.II - 1841 Naval Air Squadron, Fleet Air Arm, Pacific Fleet, 1946

RNP-47NSEABOLT01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RNP-47NSEABOLT02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Highly unlikely me thinks but I quite like the look of a FAA 'SeaBolt' even with a photoshopped tail hook on the lower picture. By putting 'sea bolt' into the forum search box I can see that the same idea has been thought of before and I've just found this as well.

http://www.airwar1946.nl/whif/L46-seabolt.htm

[SPINNERS]

Republic B-59C Raven - United States Air Force, 1960

From combat experience gained during the opening months of the Korean War the USAF issued a requirement for a night intruder/bomber to replace the A-26 Invader with the English Electric Canberra being declared the winner despite the presence of the futuristic-looking Martin XB-51. Fortunately for the Martin company they were selected to licence-build the British aircraft as the B-57 Canberra but, such was the pace of military aviation in the 1950's, even before the ink had dried on the B-57 contract the USAF were already drafting a requirement for a larger supersonic replacement. Martin proposed both a scaled-up B-51 and also an enlarged swept wing version of the B-57 but ultimately lost out to Republic's proposal for a sharply swept-wing aircraft with low drag promising excellent transonic performance and a supersonic dash capability with a much larger payload than any other competing design.

The Republic Raven was duly selected for production as the B-59 in December 1953 but soon hit powerplant problems when the planned Westinghouse J50 turbojet was cancelled as a fallout from the J40 fiasco. Pratt & Whitney were drafted in to produce the twin-spool, axial flow J59 derived from their outstanding J57 but the delay cost the program dearly and delayed the prototype YB-59 taking to the air by almost two years. By the time that production B-59A's started to roll off the Farmingdale production line in 1957 the USAF's total order had been cut to just one-third of the planned 600 Ravens and the type was retired from service in 1964 playing no part in the Vietnam War.

USAFB-59CRAVEN01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFB-59CRAVEN02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFB-59CRAVEN03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAFB-59CRAVEN04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Just a quick conversion of the stock silver Tu-22 'Blinder' skin with some B-57 style 'night intruder' markings.

[SPINNERS]

BAC Lightning F.3A - Peoples' Republic of Wales Air Force, Aerobatic Display Aircraft, 1973

CYMRULIGHTNINGF302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

CYMRULIGHTNINGF304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

CYMRULIGHTNINGF305 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

CYMRULIGHTNINGF301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

LOL I quite enjoyed creating this one!

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell RF-101C Voodoo - 348 MTA, Hellenic Air Force, 1973

HAFRF-101CVOODOO01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFRF-101CVOODOO02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFRF-101CVOODOO03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFRF-101CVOODOO04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFRF-101CVOODOO06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

HAFRF-101CVOODOO05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The 3D model of the Voodoo by 'erikgen' is right out of the top drawer and covers most versions of the One-O-Wonder too. The RF-101C version comes with this SEA Camo to which I've added some simple HAF decals.

[SPINNERS]

WW2 ETO Air Battle Scene 1

WW2AIRBATTLE01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

WW2AIRBATTLE02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

WW2AIRBATTLE03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

WW2AIRBATTLE04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

WW2AIRBATTLE05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Komet has basic generic Luftwaffe markings whilst the B-28C Lincoln bombers are from the 468th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force escorted by the Spitfires of the 380th Fighter Squadron including 'Fools Paradise' as a nod towards the original 1/72 scale Airfix P-51D.

[SPINNERS]

De Havilland P-49B Hornet - 56th Fighter Group, 1945

USAAFHORNET01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAFHORNET02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAFHORNET03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAFHORNET04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAAFHORNET05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

USAAFB-24JLIBERATOR01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A bit short of time tonight so I've just paired up my previously shown P-48C Corsair with a Liberator (that shows I've not got the correct shade of green).

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.1 - No.43 and No.111 Squadrons of the Republic of Scotland Air Defence Force, 1978

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG103 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG104 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG105 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG106 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDPHANTOMFG107 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

First off, and very importantly, this is just a bit of fun so let's keep the politics out it please! 

Anyway, Wales play Scotland at Murrayfield today and both sides seem to be on the way back and a close game is expected. For my first of two Scottish aircraft today I've gone for an aircraft long associated with Scotland - the Phantom FG1 flown out of RAF Leuchars for many years especially by No.43 'The Fighting Cocks'. The modern Scottish flag has too light a shade of blue for my liking but I've used the blue and white from it along with the yellow backed 'Lion Rampant' from the Royal Standard. I might do a thistle based roundel for the next Scottish 'what if'.

[SPINNERS]

Scottish Electric Lightning F.3 - No.1 'Thistle' Squadron, Scottish Air Force, 1972

SCOTLANDLIGHTNINGF301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDLIGHTNINGF302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDLIGHTNINGF303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDLIGHTNINGF304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDLIGHTNINGF305 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I think I much prefer the 'thistle' roundel and quite like the small Scottish flag on the fin too. The tartan nose bars use the tartan of the Black Watch and I am definitely going to use these markings again at some time!

[SPINNERS]

Grumman E-2C Hawkeye - AEW Flight, Scottish Air Force, 1994

SCOTLANDE-2CHAWKEYE03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDE-2CHAWKEYE02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDE-2CHAWKEYE01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I don't think I've ever shown the E-2C before but it's a stock non-flyable (or A.I.) in Strike Fighters 2:North Atlantic. Like all non-flyables it can be made flyable with simple text edits to give it the default A-4B Skyhawk cockpit.

[SPINNERS]

Mikoyan MiG-23P - No.2 Air Defense Regiment, Peoples' Republic of Scotland Air Force, 1993

SCOTLANDMiG-23PFLOGGER01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDMiG-23PFLOGGER02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDMiG-23PFLOGGER03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDMiG-23PFLOGGER04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

SCOTLANDMiG-23PFLOGGER05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Lo-Viz thistle roundels, flag and generic green tartan fin strip!