TC`s build thread.

[tc2324]

So onwards and upwards with my new project, a `what if` Flanker. My avatar may provide a clue as to the end product...

[royabulgaf]

It's going to be flown by a 10 foot tall blue guy?

[trekaddict]

RAF Flanker?

[tc2324]

Not sure about the 10 foot tall blue guy, but an RAF Flanker it is. Story will be along the lines of a small RAF `aggressor` Sqn being created.

[lancer]

Not sure about the 10 foot tall blue guy, but an RAF Flanker it is. Story will be along the lines of a small RAF `aggressor` Sqn being created.

Nice one. I built a RAF flanker a few years back. Put it 56SQN colour scheme. Got the remnants around here somewhere as well. Must get 'round to building another one sometime.

[tc2324]

Not sure about the 10 foot tall blue guy, but an RAF Flanker it is. Story will be along the lines of a small RAF `aggressor` Sqn being created.

Nice one. I built a RAF flanker a few years back. Put it 56SQN colour scheme. Got the remnants around here somewhere as well. Must get 'round to building another one sometime.

I`m pretty sure you can work out which Sqn I`m going to do...

One idea I was playing with was to do both the tails in the Orange/Black slanted design, or should I just stick to an all black tail??

[B777LR]

It's going to be flown by a 10 foot tall blue guy?

A smurf? Smurfs join the AF? That would be a nice GB

[tc2324]

So the build starts........,

Cut and trimmed the main airframe section, (you may have noticed the mess, the wife did!), and drilled the holes in the lower section for the airframe for the racks. Also put the engine sections together.



Put the cockpit together. Will prime tomorrow then add a bit of detail with a brush. May even put the cockpit decals on as well...??



Now this is where I can`t make my mind up. Drawing below shows two paint scheme options for the tail. An all black tail on their fighters has always been part of 74 Sqn`s recent history and this would be an reasonable assumption if they returned to service. However, in my `what if`, 74 return as an aggressor unit so might they jazz up their aircraft and make them more colourful..??



What do you lot think?? (and yes, I know, it is a `what if`and if I wanted I could paint them all bright pink, but I`m after a realistic kind of `what if`)

[pyro-manic]

What about putting the squadron zigzag stripes on the spine, and full black tails with the tigers head badge?

Oh, and a green radome.



(image from Thunder and Lightnings)

[tc2324]

What a time to start running low on primer...! Just a quick photo update, the black tails are only placed in position to give you an idea of the finished product. I went against the colourful tail for two reasons, 1, if 74 were to come back for real, a black tail is a more realistic option and 2, a stripy tail is more of a `tiger meet` thing and that not what I`m after.



Primed a few bits as well tonight including the u/c, weapons rails, the TACTS pod and Aim 9 Lima which will be painted as an inert round.



Now wait for it all to dry and get on the blower for some more primer......

[tc2324]

Another update.  Primed the main airframe today..



Cocked up the tail section and will have to redo it...  (I just can`t paint in a straight line....)



Completed the u/c, TACTS pod and inert AIM 9 round..... (although the AIM9 round close up looks a bit pants so may redo that as well.. )



Anyhoo..., got three schemes in mind, didn`t want to go for an all grey scheme, got too many of them schemes for real.:LOL:  So it`s down to these....,

1. All over Aluminium, a bit like the old style Soviet type
2. All over polished Aluminium, a bit like how 74 had their Lightnings
3. Grey/Green camo, just like a Spitfire scheme late in the war

What say you?

[Slerski]

Grey/green camo... Just because Spitfire rules !!

[tc2324]

Ok, think I`m going to go for the grey/green scheme as it is meant to be an `aggressor` unit after all. If anyone has has a real problem with that, you have approx 2 hours to change my mind....

[hurricanemk1c]

Nice builds so far, looking forward to the Flanker in grey/green!

[GTX]

Did you realise this almost became real - around the time the Eurofighter 2000 (before it was called the Typhoon) was going through a lot of ups and downs in the late '80s/early '90s -  there was talk of a single engined version as well as talk of countries pulling out altogether.  Into this environment Mikhail Simonov  suggested that Sukhoi could offer a westernised Su-27 or even Su-35.  Once again this would probably have involved western engines, avionics and weapons being fitted.  The 'green' airframes would be delivered to the UK and fitted out there.

Regards,

Greg