Hawker Harpy F.1A; aircraft ‘XL196/J' of 43 Sqdr., Royal Air Force, Leuchars

[GeorgeC]

British squadrons are always named like that, be it "One Squadron, RAF" or "Eight Nine Nine Naval Air Squadron" or whatever. No "rd", "th" etc. That's how the Americans do it.

...and just to add to the peculiarity, it is spoken as 'one' 'forty three' etc up to 'one hundred' then 'one oh one' and 'one twenty' after that, apart from the hundreds (six hundred) and the 'trebles' - 'treble one' 'treble two' etc.  Hope that's clear...

[buzzbomb]

Terrific job there, the paint finish is first class

[Dizzyfugu]

Terrific job there, the paint finish is first class

Thanks a lot, but just do not look too closely... Photos make it look better than in plain sight 

[Dizzyfugu]

.. and yet again I'm amazed at the speed you work at. I didn't finish anything last year, though I started probably four or five builds at least. Got more than twenty unfinished ones on the (rather dusty) bench now....

Thanks a lot - I just work on one project at a time. When I have and start an idea, I'd rather focus on it and push it through, as long as "the fire is burning". I am not a fan of half-hearted beginnings, also because I tend to work messily and have just working space for one thing after the next. And I am patient. I might have an idea, but it can take years until I start or have all parts together. But WHEN I am commited, things go straightforward, so that a project can be finished in one (if it's small and simple) or up to three weeks (most whifs, from parts to pictures).
In rare cases things might take longer, e. g. when there are massive conversions, delicate/complex paintwork (e. g. on large-scale character figures, which I build occassionally, too) or even bases/dioramas involved. IMHO it just appears "fast", it's juts the way I work 

[springheel jack]

Great idea and great execution. I was so taken in I never even recognized it as a Finback. It reminds me of the Hawker P1154

[Army of One]

Great work.......absolutely great.........

[TME3]

Totally believable "what if"...!   And beautiful job... I hope you'll be ok if someone else needs one in their collection (I mean me of course)...!  I already acquired the Shenyang kit...   

[Weaver]

This is an excellent job and very credible - well done.

Like many others, I've looked at the F-8 (and the JH-7) with the thought of making it a British 1960s design. My thought for the F-8 (and I've got one) is to give it a big delta wing and attribute it to Fairey. They proposed several delta designs that were bigger than the FD.II but smaller than the FD.III/F.155T. None were exactly like a tailless F-8, but then many of them had features that may well have been changed had they been put into full scale development.

Not sure where the wing would come from. Ideally it would need a reduced sweep outboard section (only about 25% of the span) like the relevent Fairey designs, with a Red Top rail on each wingtip.

[The Rat]

Can't believe I'm just finding this now. INCREDIBLE! It was for models like this that the term 'whiffgasm' was invented. 

[albeback]

I have a pair of Trumpeter Xian FBC-1 kits which I hope one day to put to similar purpose - 1 for a long range interceptor & the other for the strike version. The fact that it was powered by the Spey 202 ( well, a Chinese copy of it!!) does lend a bit of legitimacy!!


Allan

[Dizzyfugu]

Yeah, the FBC-1 also has a LOT of potential.  In RAF service, it could be a worthy successor to the Buccaneer or an alternative to the Jaguar, or even the Tornado?
I have one in the stash, too (as well as another Finback...), and already plans for a major conversion - she'll receive different wings and propably end up in German Luftwaffe or Marineflieger service, potentially a successor to the Tornado!

I am actually inclined to build my other Finback as a Harpy, too, with a RAF low-viz camouflage. This should look interesting on this big aircraft... 

[albeback]

Yeah, the FBC-1 also has a LOT of potential.  In RAF service, it could be a worthy successor to the Buccaneer or an alternative to the Jaguar, or even the Tornado?
I have one in the stash, too (as well as another Finback...), and already plans for a major conversion - she'll receive different wings and propably end up in German Luftwaffe or Marineflieger service, potentially a successor to the Tornado!

I am actually inclined to build my other Finback as a Harpy, too, with a RAF low-viz camouflage. This should look interesting on this big aircraft... 

Both of my Finbacks are the 1/48 kits. That's a seriously BIG aeroplane I'd personally prefer the FBC-1 in 1/48 but, I don't know if Trumpeter did one in this scale.

[kitbasher]

Gorgeous. 

Absolute stunner.   

Congratulations, sir.   

The only thing I'd have done differently were it my build would have been to have had it a two-seater, but that's personal preference not a criticism.

Just rediscovered this build when contemplating a Flagon/Phantom mash-up (Phlagon?).  Still think a two-seater would be the basis my build (were I to do one), RAF Phantom (or even Belgian CF-100) markings as the basis.  Definitely going to do one.  Just need a cheapo PM Su-15.

[Dizzyfugu]

That kit is ugly, but great for conversions. I already "abused" it three time, e. g. for my Su-19 or Su-21.

Go for it!

[Army of One]

Yet again a superb all round package.......great build, paint an photos with an utterly believable backstory........