British Aerospace Tempest GR.1

[CammNut]

Thanks folks, it was a fun build.

I assume the model is based on the P.1214 three-view line drawing that is out there and, yes, the horizontal tail is too big. But in conceptual design tail sizing is a black art, an educated guess. Aircraft evolve during development and tails quite often get bigger - look at the Harrier's tailpane versus the P.1127's. With heavy weapon loads under a forward-swept wing I can easy see the need arising for a bigger tail, or so I tell myself.

And the boom shaping is pretty generic, and a bit odd in places. I see the P.1216 would have had interchangeable weapons packs that bolted on to the fronts of the booms, which is cool.

I debated where to attach the weapons. Wingtip missiles on a forward-swept wing disturb the aerodynamicist in me as I am not sure they would provide the drag benefit that they do on an aft-swept wing, because the flow at the tips is going inward, not outward. Hanging them under the wing meant putting the stores fairly close together, but I used the plyon spacing from the Harrier GR.5 to quel the rebel nit-picking "realist" in me.

[Old Wombat]

OK, I'm an ignoramus, I can see it being a STOL aircraft but where is the VTOL element in the P.1214?

However, I love the design & you've done it serious justice, CammNut!



Guy

[Procopius]

This is amazing. I'd been wondering about the WHIF potential of this kit.

[Tophe]

Beautiful! Congratulations!

[Thorvic]

OK, I'm an ignoramus, I can see it being a STOL aircraft but where is the VTOL element in the P.1214?

However, I love the design & you've done it serious justice, CammNut!



Guy

Well the three engine nozzles rotate through 90 degrees to generate vertical thrust and vents on the booms and wing tips add control much like the Harriers

[Old Wombat]

OK, I'm an ignoramus, I can see it being a STOL aircraft but where is the VTOL element in the P.1214?

However, I love the design & you've done it serious justice, CammNut!



Guy

Well the three engine nozzles rotate through 90 degrees to generate vertical thrust and vents on the booms and wing tips add control much like the Harriers

Cool!

Thanks for that, now I know!



Guy

[Army of One]

I do like that......loads......great finish and load out......

[comrade harps]

Oh wow 

If really built it would be an actual X plane.

Beautiful.

[McColm]

Well done 

[kitbasher]

Great build sir. 

Don't take this the wrong way though, but it's a such an ugly machine!

But not as bad as the Boeing X-32.

[PR19_Kit]

But not as bad as the Boeing X-32.

NOTHING'S as bad as an X-32! 

[Thorvic]

But not as bad as the Boeing X-32.

NOTHING'S as bad as an X-32! 

erm some of the P139 Gannet AEW replacement proposals in Admiralty & AEW perhaps ?

[Weaver]

Nice build, and looks good in the pink!

I've heard a story to the effect that there was a particular individual "pushing" FSW to aerospace companies around the world in the early '80s. Most examined and then discarded it, BAe included, but they then put the P.1214 artwork out into the world as a disinformation exercise to divert attention away from the still secret and much more credible P.1216.

[CammNut]

Thanks for all the great comments, folks.


The X-32 gets a bad rap, but the original Boeing AVX-70 concept from which was derived looked pretty cool, I think.

http://www.jsf.mil/images/gallery/ce/ce_001.jpg


Interestingly the X-32 used the same translating-cowl inlet concept intended for the P.1214/1216, while the X-35/F-35 uses the three-bearing swivel nozzle that would have been used for the vectoring rear nozzle in both "three-poster" designs.


And if you are interested in the P.1216, seems the 1/72 resin model was produced by Martin Higgs - looks quite a bit different.

http://ipmsuk.proboards.com/thread/9587

[PR19_Kit]

And if you are interested in the P.1216, seems the 1/72 resin model was produced by Martin Higgs - looks quite a bit different.

http://ipmsuk.proboards.com/thread/9587

That's almost an 'in house' model. 

The builder was Martin_H and the masters were done by Thorvic, both fine upstanding members here.