Rockwell/Panavia F-24 Tornado "Wild Weasel" COMPLETED

[AeroplaneDriver]

I think I've decided on my first build of 2019, and after a year that mostly featured RW builds I'm starting out with a Whif. 

The Tornado was considered by the USAF twice, first with Grumman as the US partner in the competition that led to the F-15E,  and then later it was offered, and seriously considered as an F-4G Wild Weasel replacement, with Rockwell as the US partner.  Final assembly would be at Rockwell's Palmdale plant to keep the production line going after the B-1 run.  The ECR was going to be the platform the F-24 (several sources state this would be the US designation).  Other sources I have found note that a fuselage extension for added fuel carriage would have been a feature. 

My build is going to start with the Revell 1/48 F.3 as the base model, given its longer fuselage, and lets be honest, it just looks much better.  The F.3s EW suite was reportedly and excellent basis for a SEAD platform (before the budget and infighting interfered the RAF briefly operated modified ALARM carrying EF.3s in the SEAD role).

The Rockwell proposal included a fairing on top of the fin for some kind of EW wizardry, and my plan is to sculpt that from Milliput.  I'm also toying with the idea of reworking the intakes along the lines of the Tornado 2000 proposal that made the intakes more stealthy.  I have a partially started Italeri F.3 in the stash, so I may experiment with that to see how it looks before doing any major work on the nice Revell kit.  Time will tell whether it ends up being an early F-24A or a MLU F-24C with stealthy intakes. 

The planned weapons fit is two AGM-88s on IDS pylons under the fuselage and two more on IDS outer pylons.  Fuel on the inboard pylons and the twin AAM arrangement on the inner pylons will probably have Sidewinders on one pylon and some sort of ECM/Countermeasures on the other. 

Pics to come as the build gets going...today has been a lazy day doing a little researching and sorting out ideas.  Hopefully plastic starts getting cut and painted by the weekend.

Until then...a little something from Flight International in July 1989...

https://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1989/1989%20-%202321.PDF

[McColm]

Sounds like a good plan

[Old Wombat]

Nice idea that may find its way into my build sequence as an Aust Army Aviation Corps or RAAF bird (probably the former).

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Looking forward to this one... Always enjoyed your builds, matey.



Ian.

[AeroplaneDriver]

It's a long time since I had two models going at one time, but tonight I went ahead and started on this project while the primer coat was drying on my Airfix P-40B.

Not much to show so far, but there is one fairly noticeable change to the cockpit...the Martin-Baker Mk10 seats have been replaced with ACES II seats for commonality with other USAF equipment (after all the "C" in ACES stands for "Common"). 

Overall Dark Gull Gray sprayed so far. Detailing next.  The seats are from a Kinetic F-16, and arent the best ever.   Detail is OK, but the six pieces don't exactly fall together.  I'll see how they look when painting is finished and some harnesses made.  If I'm not happy I may order some resin replacements. 

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

 







Ian.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Not much whiffery to show yet, but the cockpit is done and along with the other internal bits all assembled on the base plate that makes up the bottom of the fuselage. 

The 'pit


The kit decals make a nicely detailed cockpit an easy affair.  Unfortunately I managed to screw up the rear panel and get the decal out of alignment.  I was sure it was lined up nicely when I left it to dry, but as you can see the decal sits a little too high.  I'm not going to lose sleep over it since it will be hard to notice in the completed model.  Seats obviously not installed yet.  I wasn't happy with the Kinetic F-16 ACES seats I was going to use so I ordered resin replacements. 

The internal stuff attached to the floor of the fuselage.  Cockpit, gear bays, and ducting for the Allison TF44 engines (license build RB.199s).  The supports for the ducting fit over the main gear bays to form the forward and aft gear bay walls.  It all sort of snaps together almost without glue. 


Time to get ready for a late shift at work, then a double tomorrow, but off all weekend and most of next week to make some progress. 

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

Very nice indeed, neat work, sir.



Ian.

[kitnut617]

I don't know if you've seen this AD, found over on the Secret Projects Forum, it was published in Flug-Revue, Febuary1989

[AeroplaneDriver]

Thanks!  Have not seen that specific pic but quite a few like it. That's the configuration I'm going for but with the F.3 as the base instead of the IDS.

[AeroplaneDriver]

With a little dry-fitting she looks distinctly Tornadic. 

[AeroplaneDriver]

A nice Saturday of modeling for me...This is the first Tornado I've built since my 1/72 fixed-wing version over 10 years ago. While this kit is nicely detailed my early fears of over engineering seem to be warranted.  A lot of the sub assemblies rely on perfect fitting for other parts to fit correctly.  Apparently the assembly with the intake trunking was ever so slightly out of alignment when attached which is making for a bit of a headache with the upper fuselage plate and intakes.  It'll work out I think but taking more sanding and fitting than a kit this new and expensive should.  The ridiculous amount of flash makes for a LOT of cleanup too, again frustrating for a kit this new.

Anyhoo...

The finally some whiffery taking place as I've spent some time this evening watching Memphis Belle and building up the rough shape of the fin-top ECM fairing.

[AeroplaneDriver]

The tail fairing getting sanded to shape...

[flappydaffy]

  nice job on the cockpit

[kerick]

Just what a Tornado needs, a bigger fin!
Looking great, can't wait to see more.