Jump-Jet-Jag

sandiego89 · April 03, 2015, 03:14:14 PM

I'm in!

With the realization that the VTOL Mirage IIIV was never going to turn into a practical aircraft, and with too much pride to order the GR1 Harrier, France opted for a STOL Jaguar with a lift jet that would allow STOL operations from short, austere strips....

Jump-Jet-Jag

1/72

The old raspberry ripple T2 is being used for test measurements and dry fitting only.

Captain Canada · April 03, 2015, 10:03:14 PM

Various carriers, dreadnoughts and cruisers also for scale.

Looks like a neat idea.

sandiego89 · April 04, 2015, 10:45:52 AM

Quote from: Captain Canada on April 03, 2015, 10:03:14 PM
Various carriers, dreadnoughts and cruisers also for scale.

Ha, Captain a bit of fleet crept into the shot. Here is a family shot of a few of them:

1/700 scale USS Currituck and 1/700 Ashland class LPD. Both scratch-built with balsa, and updated as part of the US Navy Seaplane Striking Force, with a scratch built P6M Sea Master in the welldeck of the LPD, CONVAIR Sea Darts on the deck of the tender and a scratch Tradewind to keep the task force replenished. They all need a little loving care, and have lost masts etc from being in the danger zone on the workbench.

The carrier is a scratch stryrene 1/700 Melbourne. Have plans for a Bonaventure WHIF resurrection

sandiego89 · April 04, 2015, 10:56:34 AM

Back to the Jaguar:

Scratched up a Adour. An Adour (without afterburner) is 77 inches long. Will serve as a lift jet in place of the back seater. Just enough room to fit inside the Jaguar when mounted at a angle.

I though about going with a RB lift jet, but decided the SEPECAT/SNECMA design team opted for engine commonality with the two main engines.

Non- afterburning Adour from a 1/48 bomb casing and a 1/72 spitfire main wheel.

Test fit of the lift jet in the tub where the rear seat crew member would normally be in a twin stick Jaguar.

dry fit of the forward fuselage halves.

Getting ready for fuselage mating.

Weaver · April 05, 2015, 04:31:29 AM

Nice project, and ambitious for a 1-week GB.

The Jag was pretty good at STOL in standard configuration (at least at low weights), but you've got me thinking now: what about something with noriously bad runway performance, like a Thud? You could do this to an F-105F...

(I've got one, but it's for a different project).

sandiego89 · April 05, 2015, 02:47:28 PM

Installed a heat shield/engine bay bulkhead behind the lift engine.

Lift engine in. You can see how I had to angle it aft to clear the forward landing gear bay. I could have just made the top and bottom of the lift engine, but I wanted the challenge to see if I could slide it in.

Buttoned up. Gun pod, one side only, blank on the other side. Back story was that the gun space was needed to re-route some of the lines- real story is carpet monster got the other blank. Kit comes with two gun pods, or two blanks.

Test fit of the lift jet door. In the closed position here. Hawk enthusiasts might notice the shape and bumps.

sandiego89 · April 05, 2015, 04:06:10 PM

Installation of thrust deflectors, or as the crews referred to them "boules de sucre" (sugar scoops)

Could be deflected up to 32 degrees to boost STOL performance (in dry thrust)

Hobbes · April 06, 2015, 12:02:26 AM

I initially read the title as Jump Jet Lag so was expecting a Harrier

Cool project. Had the VTOL craze lasted a bit longer, they'd have come up with this for real.

ChernayaAkula · April 06, 2015, 02:01:23 AM

Nice!

Is the wing already glued on? If not, you could have a Crusader-style variable incidence wing which would also help with the take-off performance. I think someone on here did such a Jaguar before, but I don't recall who at the moment.

Captain Canada · April 06, 2015, 03:58:02 AM

Thanks for the update on the boats.....wow !

Love the engine config on the Jag. This is going to be awesome !

sandiego89 · April 06, 2015, 05:30:29 AM

Quote from: ChernayaAkula on April 06, 2015, 02:01:23 AM
Nice!

Is the wing already glued on? If not, you could have a Crusader-style variable incidence wing which would also help with the take-off performance.

Ohh, that would have been a good idea, but too far past it now as she is glued in pace (at least for a one week build). She does have a blown wing however, with bleed air from the lift jet.

Glenn Gilbertson · April 06, 2015, 11:11:27 AM

This is heroic!

KiwiZac · April 06, 2015, 04:22:30 PM

Ooh yes I'm liking this! Great work with the lift jet, and those thrustery bits are beautiful!

Weaver · April 07, 2015, 06:46:58 AM

Great progress!

So am I right in thinking that the Italeri Jag has the guns moulded as separate pieces, with alternative blanking plus then? If so, veeeery interesting.... <MODE = MR BURNS>

sandiego89 · April 07, 2015, 08:28:29 AM

Quote from: Weaver on April 07, 2015, 06:46:58 AM
Great progress!

So am I right in thinking that the Italeri Jag has the guns moulded as separate pieces, with alternative blanking plus then? If so, veeeery interesting.... <MODE = MR BURNS>

Exactly, the kit has a port and starboard gun, or alternatively a port and starboard "blank/no gun" so you choose what you want: guns or no guns (or even one gun, one blank) . All are crisply molded and go nicely into the rectangular cavities. This rectangualr cavity is easily seen in the photos below. The blanks have a very nice curve that matches the complex curves near the rear of the pod. The guns are also very niceley molded. The kit is very clever, and the gun pods act as reinforcement as they are half on the forward cockpit area, and half on the rear section of the jet. I believe the kit was designed to have the fuselage break just aft the second seat to maximize commality between single seater and the two seater kit. All the two seater parts (forward fusealege, second seat, guns, etc) are on a separate sprue.

A very nice kit.