A Boy Named "SuE"....RAN Super Etendard-DONE!

scooter · February 01, 2012, 08:10:09 PM

Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on February 01, 2012, 05:58:26 PM
I started out with US SAC Tan, but it was too dark so I went with Israeli Tan, which as you observe looks pink...not sure now how it's going to end up.

Mix the two and test on scrap until you get it just the right shade?

AeroplaneDriver · February 01, 2012, 08:17:35 PM

OK, camo take two! This time I went back to my old tried and true masking method using blu-tak or similar poster hanging goo. This time I used USN Intermediate Blue instead of the Israeli blue. The new blue is much darker and closer to what I had in mind.

All masked up:

Blue sprayed:

Then an hour's worth of masking comes off in seconds:

Next will be the tan...but I'm off to the Virgin Islands tomorrow for a few days so that'll have to wait until next week.

AeroplaneDriver · February 01, 2012, 08:20:38 PM

Quote from: scooter on February 01, 2012, 08:10:09 PM
Quote from: AeroplaneDriver on February 01, 2012, 05:58:26 PM
I started out with US SAC Tan, but it was too dark so I went with Israeli Tan, which as you observe looks pink...not sure now how it's going to end up.

Mix the two and test on scrap until you get it just the right shade?

I actually found the Dark Tan I used on my RAF Su25 a few years ago...that's the perfect shade I think.

Army of One · February 02, 2012, 07:09:16 AM

What a great inspirational build for me that was.....keep up the good work....!!!

AeroplaneDriver · February 16, 2012, 10:30:07 PM

Alright, time to get back to the SuE...After a week away from this build I finally accepted that the camo wasn't working for me, so time for a change of direction.

Instead of a 90's machine this one will be late 70s-early 80s, in one of my all time favorite schemes, classic USN Light Gull Gray over White.

The play is still to make it RAAN though there is a little temptation to make it a USN F-20A, embarked aboard one of the 50,000 ton Yorktown-class light carriers that entered service along side the larger Nimitz supercarriers in the 70s.

Thorvic · February 16, 2012, 11:55:24 PM

Yeap it does look good in USN colour scheme, but does need the RAN markings.

I do recall seeing a refence somewhere that the RAN did consider or wee possibly offered the Etendard in the 60's as an alternative to the Skyhawk, so a late 70's SuE would fit the bill.

MilitaryAircraft101 · February 17, 2012, 03:27:15 PM

I say keep it RAN! Yeah baby, this looks great!

AeroplaneDriver · February 17, 2012, 03:49:25 PM

OK, decaling is in progress so here's a subtle hint as to which markings I went with..

MilitaryAircraft101 · February 17, 2012, 04:36:19 PM

that is AMAZING! Very well done

AeroplaneDriver · February 17, 2012, 11:18:02 PM

Final update for the night. I've got a busy weekend ahead so I'm not sure if I'll get much more done before next week, but here she is so far. Decals are done...not many stencils on this one, mostly because the base kit, the Academy Super E didn't have many to start with. Weapons fit will be classic Super Etendard...a fuel tank on the right inner pylon, an Exocet on the left side, but with AIM-9Ds instead of Magics on the outers. This build will represent one of the first RAN Etendards to carry the Exocet operationally, in early 1980. I'm feeling that it needs a bit more color, so I may paint the rudder red, and am leaning strongly towards painting the external tank red.

Thorvic · February 17, 2012, 11:55:11 PM

Ni Nick

Looking rather tasty, as for more colour how about doing the nose radar in black leaving the bump above it white. and you could do the anti glare section. Of course the look will change with the canopy masking removed too to break up the grey

pyro-manic · February 18, 2012, 02:58:36 AM

Red on the rudder will look very sharp (Skyhawk-style chequerboard?) , and maybe a shark/crocodile mouth on the Exocet?

Weaver · February 18, 2012, 04:19:32 AM

A black or dark grey radome would be good - looking sharp anyway!

AeroplaneDriver · February 18, 2012, 08:03:03 AM

I went back and forth on the radome, and initially I liked the white, but now that it's nearing completion I was thinking black may add some nice contrast.

AeroplaneDriver · February 18, 2012, 10:20:42 PM

OK, ended up at home more than I expected today, so I got SuE pretty much finished. I still have to make a stand for it, but the model itself is done. I went with the black radome and red rudder, plus a red drop tank to add some color. The rudder was going to be a pain to mask after decals were on, so instead of painting the rudder was done with some red decal material from a Hase F-86 sheet.

So here is SuE, streaking low over the Pacific on a live fire exercise supporting the entry into service of the Aerospatiale Exocet ASM. This aircraft carries a unique marking; a 'zap'. On an overnight stay at the US Naval Base at Subic Bay a few days earlier this aircraft acquired a USN 'Stars & Bars" sticker on its left intake just forward of the 'Roo Roundel. Naval Aviator camaraderie in action!