Beagle B.206 Turbo Terrier II -- Finished

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

That is freakin superb

Yup that pretty much covers it.

Ian

[Brian da Basher]

I'm just bowled over by that incredibly imaginative camo scheme, kitnut! You somehow always manage to take it to the next level with each update.

Brian da Basher

[kitnut617]

Chatting offline with Jim (JayBee) I've found out there was actually a real Beagle Terrier (found out that Auster became Beagle thanks to Jim too which I didn't know either) so I think I'm going to re-name this one.  I quite like what apophenia called it, Turbo-Terrier, but I think it will be Turbo Terrier II.  I'm PMing the Moderator to get the title changed.  Thanks guys for the inspiration.

The model is finished, just sorting out the final clear coat now but hit a snag, I've decided to go with a clear satin finish on top (wet grass and tops of leaves are shiny) and clear flat on the bottom but the brand new pot of Humbrol clear satin has turned out more shiny than the Humbrol Clear gloss I put on earlier.  Can't figure out why that is so I'm looking for some other brand to finish this off.

[Mossie]

Robert, just edit the title of your first post & that should change the title for all later posts.

[kitnut617]

Robert, just edit the title of your first post & that should change the title for all later posts.

D'oh!!    That easy huh!!

Thanks Simon 

[kitnut617]

Okay, I'm done with this.  I'll take some more photos tomorrow outside, we're supposed to be having a nice sunny day.

[kitnut617]

Some more:

[kitnut617]

And now to finalize my backstory so I can post it in the 'Finished' thread:

[Ed S]

Looks pretty darned good!!!   

I like the "hide in the grass" camo.

Ed

[sotoolslinger]

SWEEEET

[kitnut617]

Thanks guys, here's the backstory:

The Turbo Terrier II came about after the RAF had decided that using their fast jet assets in minor conflicts, border skirmishes and civil unrest just wasn't productive and cost effective.  They had studied the USAF' use of small trainers and old WW.II type aircraft in Vietnam and realized that this would make an ideal platform for airpower in these types of missions that the RAF was beginning to be tasked with. Their problem was that they had nothing suitable along these lines as their trainers were mostly jets (although these had been built as strike aircraft for use in smaller countries air forces) but also because these aircraft couldn't be spared as they had just the minimum for the training role as it is.

A committee was set up to study various options for acquiring suitable aircraft for this new role that the RAF was getting involved in, one type looked at was the Pilatus PC-7 and another was the still new Embraer Tucano, and while both would have been ideal the Ministry at the time hadn't the funds to purchase new build aircraft.

About that time as cost cutting measures, the RAF were retiring a number of their older types and one that came up on the list was the fleet of Beagle Basset CC.1s, these though still had useful lives left in them so were listed as 'surplus to requirements' and were to be sold off.  One member of the committee suggested that something along the lines of the Basset would work quite well for what they were looking for, but another said that it would need to have quite a bit of work done to it, like some more powerful engines, suitable hard points for ordnance and such. 

More power would definitely have to be studied as the areas the aircraft were expected to operate in, were in mostly 'hot & high' locations around the world, and the RR Continentals would be taxed to the max' just getting a basic Basset into the air let alone loaded with some weapons but the more they looked at it the more it became obvious that the Basset would be ideal for the task in hand.  The committee then had to convince the 'powers that be' that this was about the best option that they could offer, and a thorough survey was done of the fleet and all were carefully inspected to sort out the best airframes and six were selected as suitable for upgrade.  The committee then put together an upgrade program to add more powerful engines, and wings that had to be strengthened for the expected ordnance load which would include RP pods and small bombs, perhaps a gun pod too and extra fuel for the loiter capability.  It was envisioned that these would probably work singlely or in pairs and have to operate out of very rough landing fields, so good navigational equipment and radios would also have to be installed.  It was realized that all this equipment would seriously overload the aircraft in it's present form but fortunately it was found on the surplus to requirement list a number of engines complete with nacelles, propellers and other equipment, some Astazou's from the Jetstream fleet being shown too.

The Astazou's, which had well over twice the power of the RR Continentals, had the added attraction of using the same fuel as helicopters which were also expected to be used in the same areas, plus some commonality with spares, so the plan became to de-rate the engine and convert the wings for installation of these engines.  The planned schedule was to take two of the six selected aircraft at a time, remove the wing and re-manufacture them to except the different engine and add two fixed pylons under the outer wing with the inboard ones being plumbed for fuel tanks. Also to install an Aden 20mm in a pod under the fuselage with the ammunition carried in an ammo box inside the cabin along side a communications and navigation bank.  With the schedule set up and presented to the 'powers that be' it was hoped that this would be accepted and for the most part it was, but a suggestion to make the fuel tanks a permanent feature fitted to the wing tips.  This was agreed but the inner pylons were to be left with plumbing so that a ferry capability could be added. 

The end result was a powerful little aircraft with enough clout to get anyone's attention so it was thought that a different name should be selected instead of Basset.  It was decided to use the same name as a previously named Beagle aircraft (actually a renamed Auster AOP-6) which was called a Terrier, this name conjuring up a more 'aggressive' stance and to differentiate between the two aircraft, Turbo Terrier II was eventually chosen.

Flight testing revealed a lack of directional stability at certain engine settings so a pair of small strakes were temporary attached to the underside of the rear fuselage, which cured the problem so well it was made a permanent feature, also to free up a pylon the multi-mode radar was moved to the forward end of the starboard wing tank.  Operationally it proved to be a rugged aircraft, well adapted to the nomadic life of moving constantly from one small airfield to another, and was used for quite a number of years, sometimes on some very clandestine missions in conjunction with SAS members 'in-country', the cabin size being very useful for transportation.

[kitnut617]

some more pics:

[frank2056]

Wow! It really looks the part and the backstory is great! The outdoor pics should look fantastic.

[kitnut617]

Thanks Frank --- but --- erm! --cough! cough!  I know my photography isn't that great but those last six pics were taken outside     Anyway here's a few without my backdrop.  You'll have to excuse the yard at the moment though, we're having a big melt down at the moment and it's turned into a mud pit and although it's nice and sunny with blue skies, it's blowing a gale now and the model keeps spinning around on it's stand 

[sotoolslinger]