Firestreak training rounds

chrisonord · July 18, 2019, 01:48:54 PM

I have been looking for pictures of firestreak missiles as training/dummy rounds to sse if they are a different colour to the service weapons, I could have sworn I had seen them in a shade of blue but I can't find anything anywhere. They are going on a weapons training meteor.
Cheers,
Chris.

PR19_Kit · July 18, 2019, 02:08:46 PM

I too can recall blue Firestreaks Chris, but just like you I can't find a single pic to prove it. I also think they didn't have the wings fitted either, just the tail surfaces.

Rheged · July 18, 2019, 02:12:39 PM

I too can recall a pic ofmid- blue firestreak training rounds , but where it was I have no idea.

chrisonord · July 18, 2019, 02:16:37 PM

I thought I wasn't seeing things. Just this once

. I shall paint a couple up in medium blue, but will leave the fins on them, just for added wiffness of course.

Cheers guys

Chris.

Mossie · July 18, 2019, 11:51:55 PM

I believe some of the Blue Jay development rounds were blue. The Cyberhobby Sea Venom has one and the instructions suggest blue. There were red Red Tops too.
https://www.scalemates.com/kits/cyber-hobby-5108-havilland-sea-venom-faw21--164262

Operationalv training rounds were mostly white with a blue band, with or without fins.
https://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/artefact-month/firestreak-air-to-air-missile

chrisonord · July 19, 2019, 01:13:35 AM

Cheers Mossie,
I am really tempted to get either a sea venom or sea vixen to go with my current build theme.
Chris.

kitnut617 · July 19, 2019, 07:11:05 AM

Yet when I painted up my Lightning F.3 as the instructions said, the Red Tops were like this.

Mossie · July 19, 2019, 08:42:17 AM

Looks right for a Red Top, they differed widely.

rickshaw · July 19, 2019, 11:23:52 PM

I usually paint Red Tops green. Seems to be most common colouring that I've seen in pictures.

Mossie · July 20, 2019, 01:26:09 AM

From my sources, these seem to be the norms:

Firestreak, all over white earlier, all over green later. A cap often covers the seeker, usually red, sometimes white or other colours. The only picture I've ever found of Firestreak without wings is the one I posted above.

Red Top, metal centre bodies, white fins and wings early, green wings and fins late. Red caps are often in the seekers, red edge protectors on the fins and wings. Red Top regularly did not have the wings fitted, acquisition rounds for training purposes.

The later green colours only seem to apply to Lightning, probably because it was in service the longest.

chrisonord · July 20, 2019, 02:34:26 AM

Marvellous,
Thankyou for all the help , much appreciated

Chris

Gondor · July 20, 2019, 04:05:43 AM

The SR.53 had RED Firestreaks which just helps confuse things

Gondor

Mossie · July 20, 2019, 04:30:32 AM

Especially since it was probably still Blue Jay then.

I've got a pic of one in a book on a Lightning with roundels on the wings and tail. Seems to be a mock up, the seeker is painted.

PR19_Kit · July 20, 2019, 03:18:13 PM

Quote from: Mossie on July 20, 2019, 01:26:09 AM

The later green colours only seem to apply to Lightning, probably because it was in service the longest.

I suspect that was because 19 and 92 Sqdns flew those lovely all-over green F2As when they were the on QRA tasking in Germany, and their Firestreaks were green as well. When the Phantoms took over QRA the Lightnings all ended up at Binrbook, in umpteen different schemes, but the RAF didn't bother to repaint the missiles.

NARSES2 · July 21, 2019, 03:26:07 AM

Quote from: Mossie on July 20, 2019, 04:30:32 AM
Especially since it was probably still Blue Jay then.

I've got a pic of one in a book on a Lightning with roundels on the wings and tail. Seems to be a mock up, the seeker is painted.

I've seen a fair few pictures in magazines where RAF missiles have had roundels on the fins. From memory the missiles have always been white, no idea of types however as it's not my main period of interest.