RNZAF 75th Anniversary A-1B+ Kārearea (Falcon), 2012 COMPLETED

[AeroplaneDriver]

I had hoped to get this done for the One Week GB, but vacation and a few days felling under the weather left it unopened.  So I figured a nice quiet Saturday night at home was a good time to get cracking. 

Backstory will involve enough backlash over the 2001 F-16 cancellation that the NZ government looked for a cheaper, yet respectably capable tactical aircraft.  Embraer, eager to expand their Oceania market saw an opportunity for their AMX...



Thinking about a blue/gray scheme with an anti-shipping/maritime strike loadout...as always though it's early days and other ideas are percolating. 

[Tophe]

I found explanations there
http://hobbyboss.com/index.php?g=home&m=product&a=show&id=1330&l=en
and
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMX_International_AMX
The new-zealand one will be interesting, thanks!

[comrade harps]

Nice idea!

[AeroplaneDriver]

Finally time for an update.  It's been a slow month for modeling, but major construction is almost done.  I'm down to the point where I need to start thinking about the scheme.  I'm thinking two different options with different load outs.

1.  Maritime Strike
Loadout would be 2 x AGM-119 Penguin ASMs and either Sidewinders or AMRAAMs on the wingtips (the RNZAF AMXs were fitted with the AN/APG-66 radars scavenged from the Kahu Skyhawks, allowing for radar guided weapons).

For the maritime role I'm leaning towards a blue/gray camo scheme.  I'm leaning towards making this a slightly more colorful machine with a colorful tail and red/white/blue roundels. 

2.  Red Flag
Loadout would probably be either AGM-65s or LGBs with wingtip AAMs
For its first Red Flag deployment the RNZAF would paint 4 AMXs in a desert scheme with black national markings. 

Progress so far:

[AeroplaneDriver]

Coat of Tamiya gray primer on.  This may stay as the lower surface color.  Back to work tomorrow, but off Sunday so hopefully more progress then. 

[AS.12]

Looking forward to seeing this, seems like a perfect fit for NZ.

Not sure about AMRAAM though; they cost about $500,000 a piece which is a lot of money for a small force.  Perhaps Sidewinder would be better, at < $80,000.

[AeroplaneDriver]

So after going back and forth between blue/gray or desert scheme I ended up going with a gray/green scheme.  Strange how that works out sometimes. 



Anyway...I'm fairly happy with the scheme but torn on what to do with the vertical stab.  I kind of like it gray, but I'm also thinking of painting it all over red with a yellow diamond as in the RNZAF 75 Sqn insignia to show a specially painted 75 Sqn machine in 2012 for the squadron's 75th anniversary. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

I'm done for the night.  Starting a busy week at work tomorrow so there wont be much progress for a while.  Just like with the overall scheme, the tail ended up being neither of the main options I was thinking of.  I went with  US Dark Green to match the upper surface.  I'm still planning special markings for the 75 Sqn 75th Anniversary, but more subdued.  The RWR is red and will have a yellow diamond in it, as in the squadron insignia (Fin top will be black as on real AMXs as it's an antenna). 

I think somewhere I have some special decals from an RAF 75th something or other with a large "75" decal that will fit on the tail nicely.  Hopefully I can find it.  I'm leaning towards full color red/white/blue roundels and fin flash for the anniversary scheme just to give it some more color.  The radome is painted US Aggressor gray. Like a moron I forgot to mask the leading edge slat areas before paining the gray, so I removed most of the acrylic green with alcohol and will go back over it with a coat of white.

[silverwindblade]

Following this one, because the world needs more AMX's

[buzzbomb]

Choice Bro !

[NARSES2]

Interesting, and nice, choice of scheme 

[AeroplaneDriver]

First decals on...


Going with full color markings for the 75 Sqn 75th Anniversary. 

[PR19_Kit]

Oooooooh, that's looking VERY smart already. 

[Old Wombat]

Really nice scheme!

[ysi_maniac]

Oooooooh, that's looking VERY smart already. 

Oh yes! That is just perfect!