A little work in progress

[NARSES2]

I particularly like the one with folded wings Martin 

[TheChronicOne]

Cool Phantoms!!! I'm with Chris, the foldy wings and nose cone are awesome!  It's odd... as a builder, I don't like doing those features but I love seeing it when others do it... 

[Martin H]

And another 2 done...................

Bad guys (from a UK point of view) this time.


Mig 29 Fulcrum operated on behalve of the RAF by Hunter aviation from RAF Scampton, summer 2020.
Used as a high speed "bad guy" this is one of four Fulcrums the Uk aquired from the Ukrainian Air Force. (3 single seaters and a two seater)
The single seaters were amoung those that were caught on the ground at Belbeck airbase in the Crimea when the little green men appeared. The Russians stripped them down and shipped them back to their owners once the dust had settled as they were in storeage when the take over went down so were of no further use to the airbases new inhabitents.
The Ukraine had little use for them either, as they were working with just their Flankers and Frogfoot's. So they were considered as on the market.
The RAF had seen their pals across the pond using a small collection or Soviet/Russian hardware for DACT so enquired about the surplus Fulcrums. The Ukrainian airforce were more than happy to strike a deal. So with a full rebuild to airworthy condition, a repaint into a more Russian cammo job and some crew training the four airframes joined the RAF.

Hasegawa Fulcrum (Ukraine Airforce Boxing) built OOB with akah and Hataka used for the paint job. Decals from the kit and the decal stash.

Next one. Back to the 1982 punch up down south.



Argintine airforce Northrop F-5E Tiger of the 6th Fighter Group during the Falklands conflict.
In reality the 6th group used IAI Daggers and along with the rest of the airforce and Naval aviation combat units fought with a level of determination and courage that earned the respect of their conterparts.


Thanks to a 1970's vintage book called the Arsenal of Freedom I found out that the Argintines tried to buy F-5E's but for various reasons the sale didnt progress. This what they might have looked like had the deal gone ahead...............
Italeri F-5E/N kit with Hataka paints and Condor (of Argintina) Decals. The winders and mk-82's as well as the TER's they are sitting on are all from Hasegawa weapon sets.

[The Wooksta!]

Think they may well get blown up on the ground by Bricks from Eagle during Operation Garden Sprinkler...

[Martin H]

Think they may well get blown up on the ground by Bricks from Eagle during Operation Garden Sprinkler...

I had similar thoughts while doing the paint job. although the RN Scooters I did earlier figured in my version.

[Martin H]

Now for a break from fast jets.................And the Royal Navy!



Yes, back on helicopters for a short while.

First of the three.



Westland SeaKing HAS-2 of 42 sqn RAF. Based out of RAF St Mawgan in the mid 1980's.
Before being forced into the merger that created Strike Command, Coastal command started looking for a replacement for its fleet of Shorts Sea Mew's used in the inshore MPA/ASW roles.
Soon to enter service with the Navy, the Westland built Seaking seemed to fit the bill. But as is the way with their Airships the brass took an age to decide on placing an order. So long in fact that Coastal command had gone and the Mk-2 was just about to enter navy service.
So The HAS mk-2 joined the RAF.................in a combat role!

Now 42 sqn was due to get the new Nimrod MR-1 but much to their horror they were re tasked as a helicopter MR/ASW unit by the powers that be.
They were one of three ex Shackelton units to receive the Seaking. Head quartered at St Mawgan alongside the OCU the squadron had 4 detached flights based along side SAR helicopter flights covering the Irish sea up to the Scottish border, the Bristol channel and the western approaches to the English channel including the Channel Islands (for occasional visits). the other units covered the rest of the UK coastline. The airframes retained the ability to operate off the navy carriers, something that proved usefull in 1982.

42 carried on with the Seaking, swapping its mk-2's for mk-5's up until the seakings retirement. Expecting to get the Merlin in its place.........

Fujimi Kit built OOB with a RAF Dark Sea Grey paintjob. decals from the kit and the stash.

Number two.


Westland lynx HMA-8 of B flight 224sqn RAF operating from RAF Gibraltar circa 2006.
With the Seaking fullfilling the home based inshore MR/ASW role their airship also looked to cover the few remaining overseas bases that required close in MR/ASW cover. In some of these locations the Seaking might be considered over kill politically and practically. So a smaller platform was looked for. The Lynx was in Navy service and doing its job well, so it made sense to place and order for the basic HAS-2 variant. As with the seaking they remained fully navalized bar a few comms system changes. By the time they where ready for service only one squadron was deemed necessary. so seeing as one of the detached locations was going to be Gibraltar. The airstaff resurrected 224sqn who had last operated Shackleton's out of Gibraltar in October 1966!
The fleet was constantly upgraded to keep pace with the Navy's efforts ending up with the HMA-8 variant.
Head Quartered at RAF Akrotiri 224 maintained a watch on the waters around the Sovereign base areas on Cyprus and also maintained the RAF presence at Gibraltar, with the occasional deployment to Malta when requested/invited by the local government. The crews tended to remove the cabin door windows they claim for better ventilation in the hot climate they are based in. The squadrons maintainace flight has come up with removable mountings for GPMG's or LSW's to be deployed from the open windows.
The RAF mk-8s have out lasted their Navy sisters but it is expected that the Wildcat will replace them in time.

Now this was a shelf of doom resident. The longest term resident in fact. 16-18 years! The idea for the Airforce ASW lynx came about while I was putting the sea king together. so it got dusted off and finished.

Airfix kit build OOB (I think this was meant to be a real world build originally) decals robbed from other Lynx kits and decal sheets, with the squadron badges coming from a 1/144th Shackleton sheet from S&M decals.

Number three, was also going to be early Mk-2 sister for the Mk-8 above but some of the maritime parts were AWOL from the kit!


Westland Lynx HCC 3 of 32sqn RAF, based at RAF Nothholt in the early 1980's.
One of four VIP/Utility transport Lynx used by the Metropolitan Comms squadron (AKA 32sqn) based on the HT-3 trainer version used by the RAF, and among the earliest of the type to enter service.
Used when the Gazelle was to small and the Puma to big. These nippy little hotrods were a common sight around greater London and the home counties for years. Moving the great and the good all over the place, and even on occasion riding shotgun for the Wessex and later the S-61N's of the Queens flight when more luggauge carrying capacity was required. They very nearly wore the Queens flight livery when the QF and 32sqn were merged. But it was decided to keep them in their old colors. They were finally replaced by leased civilian Sikorsky S-76's in the early 2010's despite being among the Oldest members of the Lynx family in UK military service. They out lasted their slightly younger trainer cousins by a good 10 years!

Revell boxing of the old Matchbox kit. Although sold as a Naval lynx, the parts for the Army version remained in the kit. Hence why this one was re tasked as a VIP bird rather than a HAS-2 when parts were found to be missing.
Rattle can paint job. and decals from the spares stash.
This was a quick build, taking all of 2 days from box opening to last coat of varnish.

[PR19_Kit]

All VEEEERY interesting OGL, and wholly believable, in your usual fashion. 

I do like the idea of the RAF having a close inshore MR/ASW tasking, it makes much more sense than having a Nimrod cruising along the 12 mile limit line.

[zenrat]

White/Grey lynx looks very good.

[NARSES2]

Very nice Martin. My favourite is the HMA-8 

[chrisonord]

Very nice  egg beaters  Martin 
Chris

[Martin H]

Time for a more mixed bag of an update. Not a single UK build to be had this time around.

First up three Grumman cats.




Aeronaval Grumman Panther. no prises for guessing what campain shes operating in..........
You will note she isnt wearing the usual cockade that any self respecting Aeronaval aircraft would normaly wear. Im saying its had a new rudder fitted to replace a combat damaged one. And is waiting for a quiet moment for the paint crew to correct the omission.
Hasegawa kit built OOB. Decals robbed from various sheets from the stash. Vallejo for the midnight blue and rattle can RAF SAR yellow for the stripes.



Dutch Navy Grumman Cougar. A simple swap for the Hawker Seahawks they realy had.
Hasegawa kit again OOB. Decals from a Dutch decals Kon Marine set. Gunze for the paint job.



Grumman F-14J Tomcat. JASDF mid 1980's.
The Tomcat was in the running for the order that in the end went to the Eagle. This my take on what they may have looked like had the big cat won the contract.
Old Academy kit. Certainly not the best kit of the F14 out there. A bit clunky inplaces and the fit was so so. The paint job may look early F-14 but it was subtly tweaked. The light gull grey upper surfaces were done using the correct shade for an early air to air eagle Which is a tad darker.
Decals robbed from an old Hasegawa F-15J kit. Paint job was a mix of various paint firms.

Now a Mig


Mig 21SMT of the Chilian Airforce in the Mid - Late 1980's.
The Soviet union did try and sell the Fishbed to Chile in the 70's going so far as to offer them with a heavy discount. The military coup put paid to the deal going ahead.......
Fujimi kit built OOB with a paint job similar to the early PVO flankers. An Akan early flanker paint set was used on this bird. Decals from an FCM decals south american T-33 / P-80 sheet.

And last but certainly not least............


Lockheed CL282 "Proto U-2". A paper project that led to the U-2.
This one goes back a fair few years now. It was one of the many unfinished builds from the late Joe Cherrie Snr (TSRjoe's dad)
A good number of these unfinished projects were handed out around a small group of us who knew the old boy well. This sat gathering dust in a bag on my work bench for ages untill I felt i was upto doing it justice. Thankfully Joe snr had built and painted the launch trolly saving me that job. Ive no idea what the base kit was, possibly the old ESCI/Italeri F-104 kit. With wings robbed from an airfix U-2.
Origianly this would have been finished in Joes old "wooden" display model style with painted on control surfaces and canopy. I decided to remove the solid canopy and replace it with a clear only. a Bang seat was shoe horned in as well. Paint job is Halford Audi Aluminium and decals from various sources via the stash. Its marked as the third test example of the program.

[PR19_Kit]

All excellent work OGL, but I bet you can predict my fave. 

The CL282 looks a DREAM! 

[NARSES2]

Excellent work all round Martin 

My favourite is the Cougar I must admit, but the Tomcat has a special appeal as well. Looks very neat in that quite "simple" scheme.

Well done mate 

[McColm]

Wow very impressive especially the Mig-21

[Rick Lowe]

Nice work, and a nice tribute to Joe Snr in getting his project completed. 
It's a good feeling when you can accomplish something like that.