FD Scale Scottish Aviation Sgian-Dubh Profile

nighthunter · March 03, 2018, 01:33:48 AM

This concept is several years old, but, this group build has revitalized it.

Originally designed for an alternate universe (AU) country based on Atlantis and the mythical Avalon called Nua Avalon.

The Sgian-Dubh was a combined effort between a friend of mine and he came up with a Mirage III/Kfir derivative, while I developed the Sgian-Dubh from an F-106, F-4 and several other aircraft I can't remember.

The Sgian-Dubh was the first indigenous jet fighter developed by Scotland, who had gained their independence from Great Britain, shortly after Ireland gained it's independence. Scotland and Ireland joined the Allies during WWII, but that's another story. So, after Dassault developed the Mirage III, the Royal Scottish Air Force decided it needed a new interceptor to replace their aging Hunter fleet. Scottish Aviation Ltd. developed the Sgian-Dubh from paper to prototype in record time and had a flying prototype in 3 months. The prototype astounded both the RSAF officers but also the RAF and IAC liaisons who attended the test flights. Orders and licence agreements were signed at the end of that week. And the first deliveries happened a month later. 40 F.1 fighters we're delivered to the RSAF, for 2 home defense squadrons and 1 expeditionary squadron in West Germany. The IAC received 15 for their home defense squadron. The RAF got a BAC license and produced it as the Dagger F.1. From this, spawned the T.2, FA.3, and PR.4 variants.

PR19_Kit · March 03, 2018, 01:39:11 AM

What's 'FD Scale'?

nighthunter · March 03, 2018, 01:54:00 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on March 03, 2018, 01:39:11 AM
What's 'FD Scale'?

It's a scale we use on Shipbucket.com, 22.093 pixels = 1 meter. It originated on an Italian forum.

PR19_Kit · March 03, 2018, 02:18:52 AM

OK, thanks.

Not something I've heard of before.

Captain Canada · March 03, 2018, 05:05:34 AM

Nice work. I like the 2seat version better. I think.

JayBee · March 03, 2018, 06:05:09 AM

I did a Skean Dhu FGA1 (note, English spelling, not Gaelic) for the one week group build back in 2009.
Here is the link to the build thread, sadly all the photos have BotoPhucked, but I am also including one of the finished shots.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,25161.0.html

Please could someone provide a proper notation for FD scale, not some reference to Pixies per metre. That is as daft as asking how many Angels can dance on the head of a pin.

The answer to that is of course "As many as want to"

PR19_Kit · March 03, 2018, 06:30:17 AM

That pic's about twice life size as I recall, a MAGIC model.

Weaver · March 03, 2018, 07:56:40 AM

Quote from: JayBee on March 03, 2018, 06:05:09 AM

Please could someone provide a proper notation for FD scale, not some reference to Pixies per metre. That is as daft as asking how many Angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Not really to be honest. Shipbucket is based on the idea of making profiles of ships (and later aircraft, AFVs and guns) using very simple draw-each-pixel graphics programs like MS Paint. The most relevant consideration therefore is proportion, not scale. Standard Shipbucket profiles work to a scale of 2 pixels = 1 foot, but this makes for very small aircraft and helicopters. The FD (from Forum Defensia: an Italian website) scale was therefore invented to allow larger, stand alone drawings of smaller things. It works out to 22.093 pixels = 1 meter : I've no idea what the logic behind that choice was.

The only way to relate an SB or FD scale drawing to real life is to relate the size of a pixel to real life. How big is a pixel? However big you want it to be...

In practice, what you'd have to do is download the drawing and count the pixels. Note that there is a scale bar at the top of all SB and FD drawings.

nighthunter · March 03, 2018, 08:51:59 AM

Back story now included.

Weaver, thanks for the elaboration, I posted what little I could remember, regarding the term "FD".

Doug K · March 03, 2018, 10:29:00 AM

A back story similar to mine 😉
I was in 2 minds about Kfir or regular Mirages, I like this very much, I may have to build one.

scooter · March 09, 2018, 02:53:13 AM

Quote from: Weaver on March 03, 2018, 07:56:40 AM
Quote from: JayBee on March 03, 2018, 06:05:09 AM

Please could someone provide a proper notation for FD scale, not some reference to Pixies per metre. That is as daft as asking how many Angels can dance on the head of a pin.

Not really to be honest. Shipbucket is based on the idea of making profiles of ships (and later aircraft, AFVs and guns) using very simple draw-each-pixel graphics programs like MS Paint. The most relevant consideration therefore is proportion, not scale. Standard Shipbucket profiles work to a scale of 2 pixels = 1 foot, but this makes for very small aircraft and helicopters. The FD (from Forum Defensia: an Italian website) scale was therefore invented to allow larger, stand alone drawings of smaller things. It works out to 22.093 pixels = 1 meter : I've no idea what the logic behind that choice was.

The only way to relate an SB or FD scale drawing to real life is to relate the size of a pixel to real life. How big is a pixel? However big you want it to be...

In practice, what you'd have to do is download the drawing and count the pixels. Note that there is a scale bar at the top of all SB and FD drawings.

Nice reference on the size of pixels:

From: http://tiporama.com/tools/pixels_inches.html

Weaver · March 09, 2018, 03:38:13 AM

Quote from: Doug K on March 03, 2018, 10:29:00 AM
A back story similar to mine 😉
I was in 2 minds about Kfir or regular Mirages, I like this very much, I may have to build one.

When we had a Scottish Independence GB (can't recall if it was on here or on BTS) I gave them surplus F-16A's and B's pulled out of Davis Monthan and partially financed by the US. If Scotland was staying in NATO, it seemed the most likely outcome to me. never finished the build because the paint screwed up and I lost the mojo...