1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, ‘(119)618’ of CAF No. 417 Squadron, 2002

Dizzyfugu · September 04, 2015, 11:23:26 AM

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Canadair CT-114 Tutor (company model CL-41) was the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and later Canadian Forces, standard jet trainer, between the early 1960s and 2000.

The CL-41 design was the product of the Canadair Preliminary Design department. The design incorporated a turbojet-powered, low-wing aircraft with a tricycle undercarriage and a T-type tail assembly. The flying controls are manual with spring tabs. The cabin, fitted with a rear-hinged canopy for both crew members, can be pressurized to a differential of 3 psi (20 kPa), the equivalent of about 2,000 m of altitude. It was designed to be a side-by-side trainer for providing elementary jet flight training and other training to an advanced level. The prototype first flew on 13 January 1960 and the type was officially ordered in September 1961.

One critical area of design was the positioning of the vertical stabilizer (fin). The CL-41 was intended to demonstrate spin recovery. If the fin is too far forward, a spin cannot be initiated, but if it is too far aft, recovery becomes impossible. Model tests were done to find the optimum position. The original Tutor wind-tunnel model had a cruciform tail, which was revised to the T-tail design by removing the portion above the horizontal stabilizer.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Tutor served for over thirty years as a primary trainer. In 1976, the Canadian Forces modified 113 remaining aircraft with upgraded avionics and provisions for two belly-mounted 41 US gal (155 l) external fuel tanks. Canadair also developed an armament training and light attack variant, the CL-41G, with an uprated engine and underwing hard points to allow the carriage of external stores (up to 4,000 lb (1.814 kg) of weapons) and drop tanks. The only export customer for this type was Malaysia in 1966.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Late in its career some CAF CT-114s were modified to carry out weapons training, designated CL-41A ('armed'). These received the CL-41G's uprated engines as well as reinforced wing spars in order to carry a total of four extra hardpoints. Outwardly, they differed from any other CL-41 version through wing tip tanks. This was a compensation for the loss of a fuselage fuel tank, due to the additional avionics for the weapon installments. Only ten of these aircraft were converted, though, and they received the CAF designation CT-114B.

The Tutor served as the Canadian Forces primary jet trainer until it was replaced in this role by the CT-155 Hawk and CT-156 Harvard II in 2000. The Tutor is currently still used by the Snowbirds aerobatics team, though, as well as a small number of CT-114 and CT-114B that serve in second line roles like target tugging or radar calibration.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: two
Length: 32 ft 0 in (9.75 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 10 in (11.85 m) with wingtip tanks
Height: 9 ft 4.5 in (2.86 m)
Wing area: 220 sq ft (20.44 sq m)
Empty weight: 4,840 lb (2,195 kg)
Loaded weight: 7,348 lb (3,333 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 11,000 lb (5,000 kg)

Powerplant:
1× Orenda J85-J4 turbojet, 2,950 lbf (13.3 kN)

Performance:
Maximum speed: 486 mph (782 km/h)
Range: 944 miles (1,520 km)
Service ceiling: 44,500 ft (13,560 m)
Rate of climb: 4,220 ft/min (21.4 m/s)

Armament:
Six external hardpoints for a total of 4.000lb (1.814 kg) of ordnance

The kit and its assembly:
This little whif project is the combination of various real world things, welded into one. Basic impulse were the late CAF CT-33 trainers which received, after carrying NMF with bright trim for years, a grey low-viz livery like the Canadian CF-18 Hornets. That scheme looks a bit odd on the old birds – and I wondered if any CT-114 Tutor had been painted in a similar fashion?

AFAIK and could find out, this was never the case – and the availability of an aftermarket decal sheet for grey CAF CT-33s from Leading Edge Decals created the idea of a low-viz Tutor.

The basis was the Hobby Craft kit – the only IP available, AFAIK. It is very basic, though, even some Matchbox kits are better. Fit is rather poor, too, e. g. when the fuselage halves have to be glued together, or the cockpit into the fuselage. The landing gear is rather clumsy, too, and the air intakes needed some attention - I added some ducts inside and sanded the outer edge into a more defined, sharper shape.

I tried to improve the cockpit a little with side consoles and paper tissue that covers the worst gaps, e. g. in front of the (nice) dashboard. I also tried to add pilots to the cockpit, but it is so undersized that even HO scale pygmies in 1:87 cannot be fitted with the (thick) canopy closed!

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

An additional pair of hardpoints was added under the wings (from a Tornado, modified), the fuselage pylons lost their small drop tanks. As ordnance, a pair of SUU-20 pods (from a Hasegawa air-to-air weapons set) was mounted – suitable for an armed trainer and a nice contrast to the all-grey aircraft.

The front wheel was completely replaced by a transplant from a Matchbox Mirage III, hydraulic hoses along the landing gear struts were added, too, made from thin wire. Some antennae and bumps were added around the fuselage, including a small thimble radome above the taxiing light in the nose – inspired by similar additions to some late CT-33s.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Painting and markings:
Semi-fictional, real CT-33s were the benchmark, two greys were used: Humbrol 145 (FS 35237) and 127 (FS 36375). Both received some light shading with brushes in order to create some structural effect, but not serious weathering. A black ink wash emphasized the few recessed panel lines, later some more were painted with a soft pencil.
The cockpit interior was painted in medium grey, according to real world pictures, and consequently the seat cushions became bright red, what looks very cool in contrast to the low-viz rest of the exterior! The langing gear was painted in Aluminum, while the inside of the covers became red, too.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) - WiP by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

All decals and markings are taken from the superb Leading Edge CT-33 sheet – very thin, perfect register, easy to apply and drying up well. Finally, everything was sealed under matt acrylic varnish.

1:72 Canadair CT-114B Tutor, aircraft '(119)618' of Canadian Air Force No. 417 Combat Support Squadron; Cold Lake CFB, summer 2002 (Whif/Hobby Craft kit conversion) by dizzyfugu, on Flickr

A simple project, realized in just five days. Not spectacular, but I must say that the grey livery suits the CT-114 well, a shame that this had never happened in reality?

PR19_Kit · September 04, 2015, 12:03:01 PM

Our Canuck contingent is going to LOVE this Thomas.

At one stage I wondered if you'd cross-kitted a Tutor with an A-37, as I don't know the Tutor very well, but it's as near an OOB model as you come to.

Dizzyfugu · September 04, 2015, 01:16:19 PM

Thanks a lot, Kit. On FlickR, there's also a Canadian crowd of enthusiasts, and I hope this little bird pleases them.

It's the wing tip tanks! I never expected that these change the look of the CT-114 so much. At times I was also strongly reminded of the BAC Strikemaster. The small radome also reminds a lot of the AT-37's refuelling probe - both similarities were unintended, I just wanted to set my whif a bit apart from the unarmed Canadian trainers, as well as from the Tebuan. A modernized Malaysian machine had also been an option (also in a grey low-viz scheme), but I found the Tutor's Canadian heritage more subtle. And the grey Hornet-style livery suits it IMHO well?

Captain Canada · September 04, 2015, 07:38:59 PM

That's a real beauty and a great little read ! It sure would have been nice if they had used the Tutor in such a role.

I built one many moons ago as well. Great minds think alike !

sandiego89 · September 05, 2015, 12:25:35 AM

Looks great (both of them!) The tip tanks do help.

Dizzyfugu · September 05, 2015, 02:53:10 AM

Quote from: Captain Canada on September 04, 2015, 07:38:59 PM
That's a real beauty and a great little read ! It sure would have been nice if they had used the Tutor in such a role.

I built one many moons ago as well. Great minds think alike !

Oh, that's cool! Was not aware of this one - but the idea seems to bear potential? Funny thing: I also considered bigger tip tanks, and actually scratched a pair from Matchbox 1.000 lb bombs - but found that these would make the Tutor look much too A-37-ish, so I ended up with my smaller solution (actually streamlined 1.000 lb bombs, also from Matchbox). Yours looks more purposeful.

Captain Canada · September 05, 2015, 06:48:26 AM

I just stole the tanks and other bits from the A-37....as can be seen from the AAR probe

I do like the way the smaller 1000lb tanks look tho ! Maybe I can build another

The Big Gimper · September 05, 2015, 03:59:50 PM

Awesome built Thomas!!! And yours as well Todd.

I guess I really need to think long and hard on how I can make something new with my Two-door now that you two have set the bar waaaaaaay to high.

Note Malaysia bought 20 CL-41G Tebuans A/C for ground-attack.

Glenn Gilbertson · September 06, 2015, 12:54:15 AM

What beautiful models!

They look very convincing, and I think the grey scheme looks so right on the Tutor.