A-47F Naval Low Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft

[Desertpilot]

Hello all!

I'm Scott, a frequent reader, not so frequent poster... I've had one of the 1/72 X-47C's in my model cabinet staring at me for quite some time, BEGGING to be Whiff'd, so here goes!

Some backstory before the pic's...

In late 2020, with the delay in the IOC of F-35 series JSF fighters lingering into it's 4rth year, the US Navy & Marine Corps approached industry with an RFP for a Navalised, Low Cost Battlefield Attack Aircraft. This NLCBAA was to supplement the F/A-18C,E&F fighters on board the Navy's aircraft carriers and USMC Amphibious Assault Ships. Not wanting another tech-heavy electric albatross hanging around it's neck, the Dept. of the Navy decided to focus on a low cost, simple, single engine day / night attack aircraft with limited LO for First Day of War only. This single seat aircraft was to be based on an existing airframe that was already carrier qualified and much to the consternation of the USMC, was NOT to have STOVL capability. This meant it had to have a VERY low over the deck speed and not require a catapult for launch. To accomplish this, the aircraft was to be equipped with the Pratt & Whitney Canada SCJT15D-6B, a sub-compact, turbofan engine with Plenum Chamber Burning, which produces 18,000 lbs of thrust.

Upon publication of the RFQ, the big players, Lockheed & Boeing decided that they were not interested in offering a solicitation, which left Northrop-Gruman as the sole design. Taking a cue from the Rutan Ares LCBAA contender, NG decided to heavily modify & shrink it's very successful AQ-47D design and offer a manned version to the Dept. of the Navy. This would offer a more streamlined logistics train and ease the design & training aspect of the design.

The subsequent aircraft was designated the A-47F Sandcat. It's main armament was the recently developed GAU-32/A, three barrel 25MM rotary cannon designed by General Dynamics, with 4500 rounds of APDUT ammunition. The aircraft was to be equipped with three wet hard points on each wing, giving the ability to utilize the F-35 Multiple Missile Launch Racks. For maximum capability at minimum cost, the Thales Visionix Scorpion Helmet Mounted Display system was incorporated and tied to the Thales front-sector electro-optical system known as the OSF, which afforded the A-47F a completely passive attack capability. To enhance the "first day of war" stealth capability, the A-47F incorporates active linear electro-magnetic plane generators to mask the canopy & gun barrels from prying radar waves.

With the carefree handling and aerodynamic nimble-ness that the A-47F demonstrated, coupled with the unparalleled visibility from the cockpit, pilots quickly fell in love with the Sandcat. The fusion of sensor & HMD and robustness of the off-the-shelf avionics combined to provide the USN & USMC with one of the most combat effect attack aircraft the services had ever operated.

Enjoy!!!!

The "Start"




Initial fit...




Getting faired on...




Getting cleaned up...




And now the good stuff...




Asymmetrical intake & cannon placement...




From the front...

[PR19_Kit]

Veeeeeery interesting.......... 

[Old Wombat]

Veeeeeery interesting.......... 

Agree!

[Dizzyfugu]

Sound like something similar I have on the project list, too, even though the twist is not a manned drone, rather a scale-o-rama conversion. Looking forward to see proof of this one! 

[JayBee]

I take it we are talking about the X-47B UAV.
In which case just where are you going to put the cockpit? That intake is right in the way.

[Desertpilot]

Jaybee, think "Ares" for the intake layout...   

[JayBee]

Ah! Much is explained.
I LIKE IT!

Jim

[PR19_Kit]

Even better with the pics. 

Where did the canopy come from?

[Dizzyfugu]

VERY nice!   

[McColm]

Interesting

[lancer]

Interesting

Most definately....A space to watch I think.

[Spey_Phantom]

i like the way you're thinking  
but it seems a bit small to fit a man inside it, perhaps with a suitable 1/48 model, you can scale-o-rama it to a 1/72 A-12 rival  

im looking forward to more progress on this build  

[Desertpilot]

It's pretty small for a 1:48 scale, but I'm liking it. Like I said, think Rutan Ares size, it's a midget fighter.

The canopy & cockpit came from a Monogram AV-8B that I had collecting dust.

I'm going to modify the hot exhausts from the same AV-8B kit for use as the PCB exhaust unit on this.

More tonight....

[NARSES2]

Now I've seen manned aircraft become drones but not the other way around. Very interesting and impressive work 

[pyro-manic]

Very interesting. That's going to be one very odd shaped inlet duct, though...