My non whiffy year so far....

[tc2324]

Took advantage of of the Hobbycraft sale last year and bought the Revell 1/32 scale Phantom F-4G only to discover you can also make an F-4E. (If I`d known that, I would of bought more...).

Anyways, always looking to do something away from the norm, I choose an inflight diorama involving a QF-4E.
It`s not perfect by any means but I think it captures the look of many QF-4`s that met their fate hight above the missile ranges.

[NARSES2]

Neat sir 

[Old Wombat]

 

[su27rules]

 

[tc2324]

Latest in-flight diorama of the production line depicting the last Lightning loss in service with the RAF.

Flt Lt. Dick Coleman, an RAAF exchange pilot, ejected safely from Lightning F.6 XR769 into the North Sea on 11th April 1988 after an in-flight engine fire. The whole incident was captured in photos by Ian Black and is covered in his book Last of the Lightnings. (Thanks to Ian also for his assistance helping me out with this). Dick was picked up in good order and in good health.

For those who love coincidences, it in interesting to note that Lightning F.6 XR769 entered service with 74 `Tiger` Squadron based at Tengah, Singapore and was lost on a day when it was it was carrying out practice intercepts against two Phantom F-4J(UK)s from 74. Ian who was on the sortie and took the aforementioned photos is the son of George Black who flew Lightnings with 74 in the 1960`s. It can be a funny old world.

This is an Airfix 1/48 scale kit and built for fun to show a unique moment in time for both the EE Lightning and no doubt for Dick Coleman.








Thanks for looking.

[PR19_Kit]

MAGIC stuff TC! 

You can almost hear the 'BANG' in that last shot!

[TomZ]

Wonderful!!!

TomZ

[NARSES2]

Oh that IS nice 

[Old Wombat]

As per the above!

[zenrat]

Good job.  You really are pretty good at these.

[DogfighterZen]

Great work indeed!

[Glenn Gilbertson]

Magnificent work!

[TheChronicOne]

Massively impressed! That is very cool and I love the materials usage to make the visual effects.  I've got to try something like this some day...

[tc2324]

Next build off the production line has me reverting back to a 74 `Tiger` Squadron in flight diorama in the shape of a Spitfire Mk IX firing a pair of rockets during a ground support mission.

Now for the history bit.

Another unique claim to fame for 74 is that during it`s time with the 2nd Tactical Air Force in Europe, after D-Day they were the only Spitfire squadron to have their aircraft modified to carry a pair of rocket projectiles, one under each wing. One of the two cannon in each wing was removed to accommodate this modification and a 500lbs bomb could also be carried on the belly hard point. Squadron records show that the pilots did not like using the rockets as they were unpredictable when aimed at a target and tended to short out and launch in flight while the squadron was in formation flying to the combat area! The squadron soon reverted back to using bombs rather then the RP`s.

This is the Revell 1/32 kit in the markings of the Tiger`s CO at the time Sqn Leader Hayter. Prop blur is Flickr editing.







Thank for looking.

[NARSES2]

Well you learn something new everyday if only you are prepared to 

Thanks for that history lesson, very neat model as well