Um, suggestions requested

Mr.Creak · May 17, 2011, 02:22:34 PM

A while ago I read Cold War, Hot Science and one sentence struck me: a British aircraft designer apparently said "We could have built an F-104 if only the government had asked" - which I took to mean "a competitor/ equivalent" to the Starfighter rather than licence build them. And it got me thinking...

So I came up with this:

Using (of course) the F-104 as a basis and, for good measure, its contemporary the MiG-21: you should be able to see them both in it. Forward fuselage and outer wing F-104, rear fuselage and inner wing MiG (reshaped fin), typically 50s/ 60s British-style intakes and canards.
My problem (apart from being cack-handed at putting the thing together) is that, for convenience, I took to referring to it as, wait for it, the FishFighter (Fishbed/ Starfighter, geddit?). And it's not exactly a name that one would want for the RAF's latest sooper-dooper serious flying machine.

Any suggestions guys? Something in-keeping with RAF tradition please.

And yes, the weapons mix is strange. Port side is illustrative of the initial version (Red Hebe/ Red Top and fuel tank) and Starboard is the updated later version, with RWR/ RHAWS and LRMTS ('winder, Brimstones and LGB). (Two 30 mm ADEN cannon also shown).

Er, oh yeah: Hi guys, newb here.
Thanks.

Thiel · May 17, 2011, 02:30:29 PM

Trust me, on these boards there's no such thing as strange. Mad, crazy and downright cloud-cuckoo landish yes, strange no.
A simple asymmetric loadout won't even cause people to bat an eyelid. (Check out some of Tophes works for true asymmetric madness)

Taiidantomcat · May 17, 2011, 02:36:03 PM

That is really fantastic looking. I can tell you really thought it through. I love it. I see the Starfighter, and fishbed in it and yet it still looks like something out of the British Secret Projects book. Sweet design and welcome aboard!

...Hoping someone turns this into plastic soon

I suppose my suggestion would be that you keep up the good work! And maybe release the line drawing so other profilers can do a bunch of cool color profiles.

Also just a note, A moderator will probably move this to the Profiles and CGI section, (I know how they think, I studied them in the wild) Here is the link for that section:

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/board,39.0.html

Thiel · May 17, 2011, 02:56:02 PM

Out of interest, is it a full 3D drawing or "just" 2D? If it's the former you could get it printed in 3D and make a model out of it.

Mr.Creak · May 17, 2011, 04:01:25 PM

Quote from: Thiel on May 17, 2011, 02:56:02 PM
Out of interest, is it a full 3D drawing or "just" 2D? If it's the former you could get it printed in 3D and make a model out of it.

It's a 2D drawing - I despise AutoCAD as a CAD package for serious draughting, but it's handy for knocking up 3-views - I can convert scanned raster drawings to vector and then load them as .dxf before cleaning them up and checking dimensions.
I use Solid Works for 3D - but couldn't afford to have this sterolithographed.
It's in progress as a model, but I'm not in the "mood" for kit building/ bashing at the moment (only got the two fuselage pieces together) and currently stick to drawing them and then dreaming.

Re colour profiles; what format would you (or whoever) want them in? AutoCAD is reasonably flexible in output, and there's always the screen cap option. Of course, the beast is drawn at full size

- any scaling is done before printing.

If anyone's interested I'm (slowly) going through BSP: Hypersonics and Missiles, scanning, vectorising (interesting looking/ wargames-relevant ones first) and then doing the missiles in 3D - which, on request could be printed out to any required scale as 3-views. (Although they aren't 100% accurate - i.e. the rear end is just a blank).

Currently in the works are:
Blue Jay Mk. 5 Blue Dolphin
CF.299
CW Red Top
IR Red Top
GD Westinghouse AIM-152
Hughes Raytheon AIM-152
Red Hebe
OR.346 and
Stooge (not exactly air-to-air this one - I need it for a wargames campaign as naval defence).

sotoolslinger · May 17, 2011, 04:10:39 PM

Welcome to ya and neato

Maverick · May 17, 2011, 10:53:25 PM

Certainly got the 50s UK feel to it! Welcome aboard.

Regards,

Mav

Devilfish · May 17, 2011, 11:37:31 PM

How about "Thunderbird" as it has a ring of Gerry Anderson about it. Also, he based a lot of his "future" fighter aircraft on the Starfighter too....

Cobra · May 17, 2011, 11:43:56 PM

That or call it 'Silver Cobra'! that has a Ring to it as well. Dan

Brian da Basher · May 19, 2011, 07:48:32 AM

That looks like a great idea and I encourage your madness!

I've got a Starfighter in the stash. Plans are to make it a tri-motor.

Brian da Basher

ysi_maniac · May 19, 2011, 11:17:15 AM

Hi, your design looks brilliant

tigercat · May 19, 2011, 11:31:27 PM

what about the Rapier

Devilfish · May 19, 2011, 11:35:17 PM

Rapier was the name given to the F-108 (?) Mach 3 fighter developed along side the B-70. I think it was also given to the F-103, funnily enough also (iirc) a Mach 3 fighter.....

....so it would be in good company, as long as it can get to Mach 3

tc2324 · May 20, 2011, 10:57:00 AM

I always thought the EE Lightning was the british answer to the F-104...

Anyways, looking forward to seeing how this pans out. Go for it...

pyro-manic · May 23, 2011, 02:34:22 PM

Ditto on the Lightning.

Nice design, though a little too close to the F-104 for my taste (I can't stand the thing!). Perhaps a few alterations could be made, such as Hawker curved tips on the flying surfaces, or Supermarine style intakes, or something? Also I think the needle-nose of the Starfighter is too obvious, if that makes sense? I hope this is taken in the spirit it's intended, and not seen as simply bashing your work - it's a really interesting design.