U.S.M.C OA-11a Mongoose, CAS/COIN aircraft.

[chrisonord]

Here is my finished(yes with decals as well ) OA-11a Mongoose. This aircraft is the successful competitor to the joint forces lightweight COIN aircraft requirement. The aircraft is compact lightweight, and able to carry a varied array of ordnance, and carry mission specific, gun and or camera/targeting equipment, that can swapped over in the field within 30 minutes. The aircraft is also a turbo prop and a pusher design, so as to be able to utilise 2 fixed 20 mm cannon in the nose, and make the propeller less vulnerable to ground fire and shrapnel. The engine intake is on the upper fuselage behind the cockpit so as to prevent the ingestion of FOD, whilst operating from un prepared landing strips.
Unlike other COIN aircraft that were usually converted trainers, this aircraft is a single seater by design, thus keeping weight and overall size down.
The aircraft has an excellent combat load out for its size due to its composite construction, and it also has exceptional agility at all altitudes.
The engine, which is buried into the fuselage has been sound and I.R suppressed, and the purpose designed propeller is 47% quieter than its nearest rival.
The aircraft will be sent out to Iraq and Afganistan, for evaluation by the US Marine corps, and, if proved successful, the US Army, and air force will also be ordering for the time being 10 each of the aircraft. The OA-11a was also designed from the outset to be an export aircraft, with interest from the newly formed Iraqi airforce, South Africa, The British Army and Airforce, Honduras, Columbia, Argentina and South Korea.
The aircraft in the pictures is equipped to carry out an armoured infantry convoy strike, with both wing root "sockets" fitted with a 25 mm cannon and a minigun, the under wing hard points are carrying 2 cluster bombs, 2 rocket pods and 2 mavericks. The centre line pylon with is plumbed for a fuel tank is carrying a LANTIRN pod.






   

[thedarkmaster]

So Very nice, you've beat me on this one, got something very similar on the bench as a New Commonwealth light fighter 

Love it   

[Stargazer]

Very nice! What aircraft company is this supposed to be a project from?

Also, when you take pictures like these, make sure to get the camera's focus on the model, NOT the table cloth! I'm looking forward to much better pics...

[batmancustoms]

very cool

[General Melchet]

Nice job , purposeful , deadly and recyclable ....perfect!!

[chrisonord]

Very nice! What aircraft company is this supposed to be a project from?

Also, when you take pictures like these, make sure to get the camera's focus on the model, NOT the table cloth! I'm looking forward to much better pics...

The answer to your first question Stargazer is.....mine!!  
The back ground in the picture is the top of my recycling bin, and my camera is very hit and miss when it comes to pictures, as it is only a very cheap one
The model that donated itself to the cause is the Revell Flitzer, which I traded with deathjester, I have been wanting to do this to one of these kits for a while now, and it has been a pretty painless build so far.
Chris.

[Weaver]

Very nice - that colour looks good too.

Did you know that there really was a proposal for a turbo-prop Flitzer, although it had a tractor prop?

On photography, self-focussing cameras look for the edges between contrasting colours, so why not put a plain sheet of some sort over the top of the bin, so that the camera can ONLY pick up on the plane?

[Sauragnmon]

Nicely done on the Flitzer conversion, Chris - she turned out quite a beauty indeed.

[JayBee]

Nice one Chris. I realy like.

JimB

[Green Dragon]

Very nice Chris.  Like it a lot.

Paul Harrison

[Sisko]

I shoot against a blue back drop all the time.

I think the problem is the fact that the camera is focusing on your council name stenciled into the lid. The white against the blue is contrast enough for the auto focus to hone in on.

Try taking some shots were there is no logo it might be alright.

I love the model by the way! 

The conversion would make a nice luft 56 model, operated by a Nazi puppet Gov somewhere.

[Sisko]

On photography, self-focussing cameras look for the edges between contrasting colours, so why not put a plain sheet of some sort over the top of the bin, so that the camera can ONLY pick up on the plane?

What he said!

[Joe C-P]

Zoom!
A fine adaptation of the kit, and well thought out story. I can see one of these launching from the deck of a Wasp LHD.

[chrisonord]

Hya Joe.
This aircraft will be part of my U.S. Marine task force to Honduras, and along with several Broncos, Av-8's and Mv-22 will be operating from a Amphibious assault ship. I would like to build a few more of these,one of which could be a Honduras aircraft.
Cheers for all the comments guys, much appreciated.
Coming next...........
AT-28 Enforcer 

[ChernayaAkula]

Very awesome project!  The Flitzer lends itself well to a prop job. It looks so very right.