My winter project

[B777LR]

Start with one of these

[B777LR]

I'm mulling over various ideas to make the rear cockpit more interesting. What do you guys think?

First, the canopy from a U-2, with some bumbs and lumps, but hardly any windows.



Second, the rear canopy is from an Su-25. It fits almost perfectly onto the fuselage, and would give the rear seater a good view.



Third version, rear seater is raised into a higher cockpit, like the two seat U-2. A two-seat F-16 canopy looks a bit like a vigi canopy.



Final idea, same as the previous, but with a shorter spine. Also some ideas for weapons...



Comments?

[chrisonord]

Vigilante!! YUM YUM 
I quite like the SU-25 canopy that would look good, but, if you are wanting a more modern sort of look maybe the F-16 double bubble??
If you have a spare F-16 cockpit bath, see if it will go in also just to make it that bit more modern.
Is the plane going to be US Navy still or belong to someone else?
Just wondering as if it is staying US Navy, perhaps some Harpoons or Penguins to replace the missiles, and the JDAM's perhaps in a opened up bomb bay or  on under fuselage racks?
I will be watching this one very closely as I have another Vigilante in the stash that will be modernised to within an inch of its life
Whatever you do I am sure it will look pretty cool
Cheers
Chris

[PR19_Kit]

....and the JDAM's perhaps in a opened up bomb bay or  on under fuselage racks?

What bomb bay? Presumably a more conventional one than the RW Vigi had, which was about as bizarre as you could get!

I guess they could use the forward fuse for a weapons bay, and put the displaced fuel back in the old linear bomb bay, the Vigi could carry ejectable fuel tanks there.

[B777LR]

Vigilante!! YUM YUM 
I quite like the SU-25 canopy that would look good, but, if you are wanting a more modern sort of look maybe the F-16 double bubble??
If you have a spare F-16 cockpit bath, see if it will go in also just to make it that bit more modern.

No, but a can always scratch a new tub, which i think i will do anyway. This model needs details I think i'm going for the Su-25 canopy though, it's just more easy due to it's good fit.

Is the plane going to be US Navy still or belong to someone else?

Not sure yet. Any ideas? I'm thinking a dark-greyish F-15E or F-22 scheme with light grey markings. Maybe USAF? Saudi Arabia? South Korea?

Just wondering as if it is staying US Navy, perhaps some Harpoons or Penguins to replace the missiles, and the JDAM's perhaps in a opened up bomb bay or  on under fuselage racks?

The missiles are 2 Sea Eagles and 2 RBS-15s. I was thinking 2 missiles on the inner pylons, with some kind of ECM pods on the outer pylons. Possibly the ECM pods from a Tornado. I also have a pair of ALARMs and some LGBs, and a RAPTOR pod.  Ideas? The english selection of weapons makes me think of the Saudi AF.

What bomb bay? Presumably a more conventional one than the RW Vigi had, which was about as bizarre as you could get!

I guess they could use the forward fuse for a weapons bay, and put the displaced fuel back in the old linear bomb bay, the Vigi could carry ejectable fuel tanks there.

I'm not about to build a bomb bay. Besides, the recon pod will probably stay for increased capabilities.

[Taiidantomcat]

I really like this. Also the F-16 canopy on top makes me think of the Russian made trainers with the separate student cockpit up front