A variety of What Ifs

[tigercat2]

Here is a Buc in USAF Service; probably would have been designated the A-8, 9 or 10 (Assuming it came into service after Sept 62)


Wes

[JayBee]

Here are some more shots of the Interceptor Vigi.   You are correct in that the F-4, when first proposed for use by the USAF was called the F-110.  At the time, there were separate designations for the Navy and USAF; the F-4 was the F4J-1 in the Navy.

Actually the F-4 was the F4H-1. H being the desgnator for Mcdonnell, J was North American.

[McGreig]

Wonderful collection Is that a Soviet P-51A lurking in the bottom right of the F-106 photo?

And all amazingly dust-free - how do you manage that ?!!

[tigercat2]

Thanks for the complement - every six months or so I remove them from the shelves and dust them and the shelves.  I actually have more models in "flyable storage" in boxes in the garage, so I rotate the display every six months or so.  I have a very understanding wife, so keeping them as dust free as possible is part of the deal.

That is indeed a Soviet P-51A (Academy kit) lurking there, along with a "Flying Tigers" P-51A in China Markings (in my world the AVG upgraded from P-40s) along with other Mustangs and Jugs.  Jug photo to follow.


Wes W.

[tigercat2]

A shelf-full of Jugs; everybody needs one.  Some markings totally spurious, but its a What if World!!

The lighting could have been better; will try another shot soon, along with a batch of F-104s and a CL-1200 Lancer (probably would have been the F-16 or F-17 if it had won in the LWF competition in the mid-70s)  in operational markings.


Wes W.

[tigercat2]

One more for today; how many What ifs can you count?  In this world, any airplane, any paint scheme and any markings are OK - after all, if there are an infinite number of alternate realities, anything is possible.


Wes W.

[Logan Hartke]

Those are great tigercat.  I've seen some Helldivers lurking in the background of a few photos.  Any chance of a lineup of those at some point?

Thanks,

Logan Hartke

[tigercat2]

I have two Helldivers in What if markings, and a TBF.  Will be glad to line them up.  I believe they are Airfix kits, but sometimes I lose track.

Also, coming from the Skunk Works down here in Sunny Florida, is a Lockheed F-16 Lancer.  Stay tuned!!


Wes W.

[Logan Hartke]

I have two Helldivers in What if markings, and a TBF.  Will be glad to line them up.  I believe they are Airfix kits, but sometimes I lose track.

Also, coming from the Skunk Works down here in Sunny Florida, is a Lockheed F-16 Lancer.  Stay tuned!!

Great.  I look forward to getting a better look at them, but no hurry.  The Lancers sound neat as well (the only F-104 that I really liked the looks of too much).

Where in FL are you?  I'm in the Jacksonville area, but have been about everywhere from about Tampa north.

Cheers,

Logan

[tigercat2]

Here is the only SB2C I could find; I know I have another one in What if markings, but it is presently in deep storage in the Garage.

There are a few other interesting aircraft in this line-up, however.


Wes W.

[Logan Hartke]

Thanks.  The 234 with props is neat.  Those engines are mounted like an An-32.

The Mexican Helldiver is in deep storage?

Logan

[tigercat2]

Yes, that photo with the Mexican Helldiver was taken several months ago; some of the models have been rotated in/out of deep storage.

The AR 234 was a follow on to the WWII design, using early turboprops high-mounted on the wing.  The USAF was impressed with its short field performance, and arranged for a number to be built under license.  Came in handy in Korea.

Here is a shot of the TBF, don't recall what markings they are; from Zotz Decals Roundels of the World, IIRC.  Also a shot of the Lancer.  More to follow on that.


Wes W.

[Ed S]

That is one fabulous collection of models.  And great WHIFF's.

Ed

[Logan Hartke]

Here is a shot of the TBF, don't recall what markings they are; from Zotz Decals Roundels of the World, IIRC.  Also a shot of the Lancer.  More to follow on that.

Looks to be Venezuelan.  That Lancer is beautiful.

Logan

[tigercat2]

The Lancer was actually built by a friend at work; he has been on this forum and is planning a photo documentation of how the Lancer was created.   I gave him an Italeri 1/72 F-104, he used a Tornado horizontal stab for the vertical fin, re-located the '104s own horizontal stabs to the lower fuselage, built the wing center section out of sheet styrene, and used the '104s own wings as the outer portions of the Lancer's wings.

This was the prototype, we plan on several more; perhaps one in NMF, one in ADC grey, one in SEA cammo, and he is presently working on the NMF bird that Lockheed used as the full size mockup.

I just ordered eight (!!) 1/72 F-104s from Dean's Hobby Stop (an excellent place for kits, BTW; a typical F-104 is about $6, in the original sealed box), so we will be able to make a production line for operational Lancers.  We have a bunch of current F-16 decals which can be used, so we will see what we can come up with.  In this alternate world, the Lancer won the Lightweight Fighter Contest of the mid-70s, and became what the F-16 has been for the last 30 years.


Wes W.