A little work in progress

[Gondor]

It says it in the text lol.


AEW Projects

Right.... I better get cracking with that Fairly Spearfish I have and my AEW DC-10 

Gondor

[Martin H]

My first post Scots Nationals build.



RAF Lockheed C-130A Hercules C mk-1. Of 98 squadron based at Lyneham in 1962.
Ordered as part of a joint RAAF/RAF C-130A purchase, The RAF acquired 15 of these early "Roman nose" A models (XN985-999). Lockheed was so keen to secure the order. They talked the USAF into delaying their own deliveries to allow the RAAF & RAF to get their birds early.

Operated by 98 sqn out of Lyneham, they spent most of the 1960's flying between the UK and Singapore, Hong Kong, Gan ect supporting UK forces east of Suez, a job they performed very well. How ever, it took the RAAF to show the Brits just how to use a Herk properly while operating their own A models in support of Commonwealth forces in Borneo.
This led to a larger RAF Order for what became the C-130K Hercules C Mk-2/3 for use as a tactical transport. The older Herks soldered on well into the 1980's and gave sterling support moving all sorts of cargo down to Wideawake for operation Corporate. The lack of in flight refueling prevented them heading any further south, apart from 2 aircraft that supported the covert transfer of 24 ex RAF TSR-2's to the SAAF as "payment" for South Africa's secret help during the punch up on the other side of the south Atlantic.
Post Falklands, 5 airframes were taken in hand for modification and received an extra pair of drop tanks between the engines to give them just about enough legs to make Port Stanley from Wideawake. Classed as C Mk-1A's the 5 modified aircraft were the last of their kind in front line RAF service, The remaining 10 C Mk-1's were transfered in 1983 to the RAuxAF and served with 620 (county of Northamptonshire) squadron out of RAF Polebrook untill replace by hand me down C Mk-2's in 1989. The 5 C Mk-1A's ended their days as crew trainers and finally bowed out in 1992.

The model, is the Italeri C-130E/H kit with the Oz Mods C-130A resin set and the Roman nose from Blackbird (its a direct rip off of the DB resins nose). Decals are from the Kit (national insignia) and rest from my decal box.
The serial number does not exist. It was taken from a block of unused numbers at the end of the XR range that suited the back story and the time frame for first deliveries. Why 98 sqn? simple, they were a Thor IRBM squadron from 1959 to 1963, and then Canberra's untill 1976, then disbandment. So it was easy to rewrite their history.

[JayBee]

Nice one Martin. 

[PR19_Kit]

Excellent  stuff OGL, and the backstory is the work of a master. 

So that's 1/72 scale then? About time we had a few larger models on the SIG stand......... 

[Martin H]

yeap gods own scale Kit. And dont you worry, ive done quite a few larger aircraft for the SIG over the years.

Red Arrows support C-130K
RAF B-52D in Antiflash and a Blue steel under each wing
SEAC Messerschmitt Giggant.
RAF C-97A Strato Freighter.
SAAF Victor B-1.
SAAF Nimrod MR-1.
USAF B-49C in the SEA night scheme.
operational Phase 6 Vulcan B-3. (as a black buck)

all in 72nd scale

in fact dating from 2008 heres the Stratofrieghter C Mk-1.

Meet one of  18sqn's Boeing Stratofrieghter C mk-1.  these came with the loaned Washington B-1's but were paid for out right to give the RAF some heavy lift assets. they served long and hard in RAF service with all but one being re engined with RR darts and converted into tankers. this one was the sole unmodified bird, named "the survivor" as a result and transfered from 18 sqn to 8 sqn at Lossimouth to serve as a trainer for Shackelton AEW 3 crews (yes i said AEW 3). She was returned to 18 sqn ownership when the shacks retired, and is now preserved out side the sqn HQ at odiham....Along side a slightly more better known and younger Boeing built Bravo November.............

[PR19_Kit]

Hm, odd, I've been to Odiham countless numbers of times but never noticed the Strat. I must have been looking in the wrong direction every time I passed it........ 

Perhaps a few more of the BIG ONES might appear on the stand now and then? We do seem to have majored on smaller models recently.

Yeah, yeah, I know, I'M the idiot who built the world's biggest 777..........

[NARSES2]

That's really, really good Martin and I'm glad to see you seem to have recovered from your attack of "rotoritis" 

I never even knew there was a "Roman Nose" version 

[Thorvic]

That's really, really good Martin and I'm glad to see you seem to have recovered from your attack of "rotoritis" 

I never even knew there was a "Roman Nose" version 

Yeap it looks a little odd without the readr nose, its as it its had it squished in a fight with a Beverley or taxied to close to a hanger and screaped off the tip of its nose  .

Nice looking model Martin, we'll have to do an alternative Transport Command if we can get Lee to ever finish his V-1000 !!! 

[Martin H]

For those who didnt know, I was volunteered for a few builds for the The project cancelled sig display for SMW 2013.
The Bristol 192 AEW was the first (and smallest) build of the three ive been lumbered with.

The following will is the largest.

This is  Lockheed Warningstar AEW Mk-1 XR965. Of 8 squadron, based at RAF Lossimouth in the late 1960's.

It would seem that when Dennis Healey went Stateside to beg/plead for Phantom's, F-111's and C-130's. He also had 12 EC-121's on his wish list. A number of which were sitting gathering dust at the Boneyard. However, Uncle Sam wasnt so keen to part with them so Healey went with out.
This is what they might have looked like had Healy got every thing on his wish list.

The kit is the Heller warning Star kit build out of the box, but with decals from the recently rereleased Shackelton decal sheets from Aeroclub.

The serial comes from a gap in batches of Folland Gnat T-1's. So as far as I know was never issued to any type.


This monster fought me every inch of the way. First off when I sealed the fuselage halves, it tuned out to be a tail sitter, even with over 200 grams of lead in the nose. So I resigned myself to it needing a tail stand. Then a few days later while taking it down stairs to do some work on it in the garden, I lost my grip on it and it went bouncing down the stairs. cracking it wide open and causing other damage. Thankfully no parts went missing, So I set about repairing it. and used the opportunity to increase the ballast in the nose. An extra 200 grams of lead went into this pain in the rear.
the paint job wasn't all plain sailing either. The Halfords Primer and the Xtracylic Dark Sea Grey didn't like each other that much. so there two whole bottles worth of Xtracylic DSG on this build!
And then the decals. Dunno were John Adams gets them printed, but they wernt to keen to stay in place even with the models having three coats of Klear before it went anywhere near the decals. A top coat of klear over the decals sorted out all bar the serial on the other side to the first photo. It went missing! I found it stuck fast to my thumb! And of course I dont have a replacement.................Yet.

And being a glutton for punishment, I started a Super Conni along side the Warningstar. althou thats on the back burner for now.

[PR19_Kit]

You  could be said to be a glutton for punishment OGL....... 

But it looks GREAT, well done indeed. 

[Thorvic]

What do you mean Lumbered !!!!    (i wouldn't do a thing like that now would i  )

Slight addition to the timeline to set the context the Warning Star was actually intended for the East of Suez role for use from the new mounting bases in the Indian Ocean that would have replaced our former Garrisons as they gained independence. They would have still been head quartered in the UK and would have acted as a stop gap (instead of the Shackletons) whilst a home grown solution was developed. That's why it has the white cabin roof as per the Shack MPA rather than the actual Shack AEW2 as those were no longer needed for use in hot climates.

Nice build and certainly looks the part  , and it certainly had its trials and tribulations for what was an OOB build !!!.

I take it the Super Connie is on the back burner whilst you try something a little more conservative in size and hopefully without the added stresses 

[NARSES2]

Nice one Martin  It is a big bugger

[Weaver]

Well it may have been a pig to build but it's a looker now it's done: nice one Martin! 

[Mossie]

Certainly looks good in those colours Martin.

[Dizzyfugu]

Pretty! Looks very good in this livery, well done!

Should have had Griffons...?