Canadair CL-415 - Royal Navy SAR

[Knightflyer]

Hi All

And here's the second one. Only started this yesterday, will 13 days be enough is the question?

Also it's a bit more questionable whether this one qualifies. It's used by both military and civilian agencies, but not by the airforce I'm putting it in (the RAF of course) and not for the use I'm putting it in (as far as I know!)

[eatthis]

storch?

[Captain Canada]

Heller Yeller' 

Question is radial or turbine ?

[Knightflyer]

Heller Yeller' 

Question is radial or turbine ?

Now somehow I'd expect you to know Captain C!  Turbine 

[Captain Canada]

lol an awesome aeroplane and I can't wait to see where you go with her. I've always wanted a green RAF one, with new prop blades and an IFR probe.....the new kits are so bloody expensive tho !

[Knightflyer]

lol an awesome aeroplane and I can't wait to see where you go with her. I've always wanted a green RAF one, 

Well this is where the inspiration will be coming from! 

[Captain Canada]

Gorgeous. I love that scheme. It will suit the 415 to a T ! I had done somat similar, but not quite, and I never really got it right anyway.....but I tried it again on the Merlin, and then somewhere on here I did it again on an Osprey. Probably do it again too 

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,17742.0.html

[Knightflyer]

I'll say one thing Captain C, I didn't realise until I started getting the sprues out of the box.....how big a plane the CL-415 is!

(mind you, working on two relatively smallish 1/144 civilian airliners at the same time doesn't help!)

[Captain Canada]

Yes they are rather large ! And the way the whip about the sky sure doesn't help one's image of their actual size ! I guess working on 144th scale first wouldn't help either. Maybe we need a 144th scale CL-415 kit ?

[Mossie]

I recently acquired this kit and it's a beauty for it's age. 

Mods hat on, this qualifies fine as it's primary role is civil.

[Captain Canada]

I'd say so. I think there is only one actual air arm that uses them for SAR ?

[KiwiZac]

Oooooh cool! An RAF-operated 415 in that Sea King scheme will look brilliant!

[Mossie]

I'd say so. I think there is only one actual air arm that uses them for SAR ?

Thai Navy, CL-215 and CL-215T.  Several air forces operate them but in the firefighting role.

Thread hijack, am I right in thinking the Heller kit actually represents the CL-215T in having two drop doors and not the four of the CL-415? That's the only external difference I know of between the two turbine types.

[Captain Canada]

You're probably right as both kits are almost identical !

[Knightflyer]

Okay - so I've changed the thread title as the model has been identified

Mossie - thanks for answering the question I hadn't gotten around to asking. When I had the idea / started the model I didn't realise that there was a MR (Multi-Role) version of the CL-415 available for use in a paramilitary search and rescue role and as a utility transport, when I found out I thought the fact that it already existed would disqualify it from this build.

The creation of this model would alter the time-line somewhat. An entry into service with the Royal Navy in the early '70s suits me, but I could see a push to develop a turboprop version earlier than 1987 ?

Captain Canada - what's in a name? Liking my alliterations as I do, I was looking for a Canadian seaport or Island beginning with 'C', to match the naming conventions for RAF flying boats / seaplanes, but they appear to be a bit thin on the ground! It could be the Canadair Calgary, but that is inland so doesn't really suit. I think it will be the Canadair Cormorant, which I think sounds pretty good, and in this universe it predates the CH-149 by about 30 years ...I'm claiming it! :-)

Rough sketch of finished idea



Not sure how much of the fin / rudder should be red ?