Moments of Zen

[PR19_Kit]

Won't you need to build the carrier first? 

[Rheged]

It'll be finished as a Portuguese Navy bird, flying out of the first aircraft carrier in Portuguese service...

Didn't the Portuguese navy buy a light fleet carrier, possibly HMS Leviathan,  and tow her to Lisbon to re-engine and fit out?   This is after all Whiffworld, where reality is infinitely mutable  (and possibly even optional)

[DogfighterZen]

Now that does sound interesting 

Won't you need to build the carrier first? 

Yes, as a matter of fact, i'd like to build a carrier but haven't bought one so far...

Didn't the Portuguese navy buy a light fleet carrier, possibly HMS Leviathan,  and tow her to Lisbon to re-engine and fit out?   This is after all Whiffworld, where reality is infinitely mutable  (and possibly even optional)

Yup, right on the money! 
I've already used this idea with my F-18D Hornet and the F8F Bearcat, which were based on Portuguese carriers. In my alternative reality, the Bearcat was the first fighter used by the Portuguese Navy, based on the 2 American Essex class carriers that were to be cancelled by the end of the war. The Portuguese government began negotiations to buy both, which, after finished and delivered to the PoN, became the NRP Camões and the NRP Glorioso...

Bearcat based on the NRP "Glorioso" in 1947


Hornet in 1989, based on one of the 3 Portuguese carriers, built during the Cold War, the NRP "Infante D. Henrique"


I still have the Monogram F7F Tigercat to be built as one of the first PoN birds, but i don't want to build that now, i wanna build the Banshee first as the first jet flying off Portuguese carriers. 
There are quite a few other kits in my stash for this purpose, the F7F Tigercat is one, then there's the FJ-4B Fury, F4D Skyray, F9F Cougar, F11F Tiger... Maybe i'll buy a Navy Phantom for this project too... And these are only the ones i already have in the stash cause there are a few other fighters and attack aircraft that i also want to finish as Portuguese birds.. then there are all the modern jets to be based on the modern Portuguese built carriers... 
I think it's safe to say that Portuguese armed forces are fertile grounds for whiffing. 

After all this talk, i've settled on the PoN Banshee, along with the PoAF Phantom so, as soon as i finish the F-16 and F-22, these 2 will jump right onto my bench.

Re the F-16 and -22, i'm going to the cave right now to finish those suckers, been taking up space for too long so i should have something to show by the end of the night.

[DogfighterZen]

Oh yeah, the Viper is ready to bite!
Finished it just a few minutes ago, with the pitot tube... I know that this is blowing my own trumpet but i love it!!
Came out just like i wanted, i'm a very happy guy right now! I love a dark Viper and this one has lots of bells and whistles so, mission accomplished!!



It's late so i'm going to bed, tomorrow i'll take some pics outdoors with good light and try to write up the story to post it in the Current/finished projects section.

[TheChronicOne]

Damn, dude!!   

I love it... it looks great, and has verisimilitude!

I made a rhyme!! 

I can't get over them wings and intake.. . .

[Old Wombat]

Fantastic job on the F-16, DfZ! Brilliant!

[NARSES2]

Fantastic job on the F-16, DfZ! Brilliant!

I really do have to agree with Mr Wombat's sentiments 

As far as a Portuguese carrier is concerned, it sounds perfectly logical to me. With the foundation of NATO I can see the Portuguese navy either being offered an old Royal Navy one (after all you are "our" oldest ally  ) or more likely an ex. USN one. I think it's Portugal's geographical position that just makes the acquisition of a carrier appear so natural to me ?

[DogfighterZen]

Thank you, gentlemen, glad you like it! More pics for you later this evening.

I can't get over them wings and intake.. . .

The wings and intake are the main changes and i think they really make a difference. Those less familiar with the F-16's variants probably won't notice them at first glance and may think it's a normal Viper.
I wanted to do this since i first saw the Mitsubishi F-2A, there's something about it that just doesn't look right to my eyes, maybe the canopy and longer fuselage...

As far as a Portuguese carrier is concerned, it sounds perfectly logical to me. With the foundation of NATO I can see the Portuguese navy either being offered an old Royal Navy one (after all you are "our" oldest ally  ) or more likely an ex. USN one. I think it's Portugal's geographical position that just makes the acquisition of a carrier appear so natural to me ?

Chris, i agree. Portugal's geographical position and the fact we had colonies at the time NATO was founded, would make carriers logic and valuable assets for the Portuguese navy but we never had the money to buy one or capable shipyards to build them.
We were a country of sailors for so long and now, our small navy is very limited. 
I thought about the idea of Portugal buying used carriers from Britain and the US and i agree that it would probably be from Britain cause, like you said, we have the oldest standing military alliance in the world and because of the fact that relations between Portugal and the US weren't the best at that time. I've read that Salazar didn't like Americans very much so it makes sense that he'd prefer to do business with the English.
You know, that is one of the whif scenarios for other planes i want to build. Portugal buying exclusively from Britain. The Hunter, Mosquito and Spitfire Mk.22 are already in the stash but i want to buy a few more, including the gorgeous Sea Fury.
Then there are the French fighters...

[NARSES2]

We were a country of sailors for so long and now, our small navy is very limited. 

Exactly the same as Great Britain 

In my alternative world the US manages to come to an "arrangement" with Salazar because of Portugal's strategic importance and thus they are gifted a couple of "spare" carrier's in the early days of NATO.

[DogfighterZen]

We were a country of sailors for so long and now, our small navy is very limited. 

Exactly the same as Great Britain 

In my alternative world the US manages to come to an "arrangement" with Salazar because of Portugal's strategic importance and thus they are gifted a couple of "spare" carrier's in the early days of NATO.

Yup, nothing like it used to be... and the Portuguese navy is getting weaker everyday, my girlfriend's brother finished his commission in the PoN just a few months ago and says that there's a lack of staff to man all available ships. He got out because he wanted to settle down with his new girlfriend so i guess that it just wasn't for him, although he did serve for 10 years.

I thought about the idea of having the US offer the stuff to Portugal but all the deals they've made so far were more like discounts on the price tags, just look at the Peace Atlantis programs, for example. We bought the F-16s but there was a special price for the new airframes of Peace Atlantis I, and the same happened with PAII with the used airframes of the second batch.
That's why i chose to have Portugal buying new carriers that the US didn't want and then, use those two as examples for future Portuguese built ships.

I didn't get the thread for the F-16 done yet cause after trying to come up with a story, i decided nothing i could think of was making sense so i decided to just keep it simple and explain why i wanted to build it like that. I'll do that shortly but it's time to look at my new projects, the PoAF's Phantom and PoN's Banshee...

[DogfighterZen]

Ok, modern fighters finished, time to start the new couple on the sofa...



Ok, they're on the sofa cause the bench really needs to be cleaned up and reorganized.
The Banshee looks like it's going to be a simple build, as i've read good reviews on the kit and first look at fuselage fit reveals no problemas at all. The Phantom should be a simple build too, but with, at least, twice as many parts as the Banshee...
With the Hi-decal line decal sheet i got last last week, i should have everything i need to go ahead with the Phantom but i still have to look through my options for the Banshee. Might have to end up printing something cause i don't think i'll find all i want already in decal sheet form.

As these two will be simple OOB builds, i think i can start looking for something else to do, might mean there's another Viper on the way...

[TheChronicOne]

Ol' Banshee there looks like she sat in the Hobby Shop window for a decade or more. 

[DogfighterZen]

Ol' Banshee there looks like she sat in the Hobby Shop window for a decade or more. 

I bought like that, it was cheap. Around 5€ with shipping, IIRC. It is the first boxing of this kit, 1980 vintage.
I love the raised detail on this kit, really good stuff. I want to preserve it as much as possible so i'll try to keep PSR to a minimum. It looks like a simple and fun build.

[TheChronicOne]

I love it, choice subject matter. Them early 50's jets are so damn cool.  I agree with keeping in the spirit of the kit! I love Phantoms, but I have to say I'm looking forward to the Banshee more.

[DogfighterZen]

I love it, choice subject matter. Them early 50's jets are so damn cool.  I agree with keeping in the spirit of the kit! I love Phantoms, but I have to say I'm looking forward to the Banshee more.

Me too, 50's jets have a charm of their own. I've just noticed something, my last couple of builds, besides being both modern jets, are Lockheed Martin products, these two are McDonnell Douglas birds...