Revell 1/48 Rafale...Swiss Air Force, c.2025 COMPLETED

sandiego89 · June 16, 2020, 02:39:22 PM

Looking good!

Tell me more about the liquid gravity weights. Does it stay together? I have pictures of dozens of little balls going everywhere.

PR19_Kit · June 16, 2020, 02:45:16 PM

Quote from: sandiego89 on June 16, 2020, 02:39:22 PM

Looking good!

Tell me more about the liquid gravity weights. Does it stay together? I have pictures of dozens of little balls going everywhere.

No, they DO go all over the place if you don't do something about them.

I pour them into a convenient hole, usually at the front end of the aeroplane

and follow them up with a pint or three of PVA glue, or superglue sometimes. Stand the model on its nose and wait for the glue to dry and the jobs a good 'un.

perttime · June 16, 2020, 10:21:49 PM

It does look good. I had doubts about the blunt nose, but it is looking good too.

Does it say what the "Liquid Gravity" is actually? Lead shot is the traditional thing for balancing flying model aircraft but I doubt it is that.

AeroplaneDriver · June 16, 2020, 10:46:43 PM

I think the liquid gravity is just simple tiny iron balls. It claims "non-toxic" and even looking on their website it doesn't actually say what it is. I'm guessing either iron or some exotic material that fell from space. The balls are maybe .5mm so yes they will roll around. The bottle has a spout like a CA bottle where you can cut it where you want to control the flow. I cut it far enough up so I have to actually squeeze and shake to get them out. Takes a bit more effort, but makes them controllable. Only one model done with it so far (and ironically I decided to make it an inflight display so it wasn't really needed), but so far I'm impressed with it. I'm one of those people who always is stuggling to find something appropriate when I need to weight a model so this may end up being a favorite modeling product for me.

Anyhoo...enough about the mystery balls....Switzerland's new generation of air defence is close to finished. All I really need to do is finish the drop tank, weather and add the burners, unmask the clear bits, add a couple of fiddly bits, get it on the stand, and see how much surgery the poor pilot will need to fit inside the 'pit. Should be ready for the 'finished' page tomorrow afternoon. For commonality with the F-18 fleet the Swiss Rafale's carry AIM-9X and AIM-120 missiles, with integration of the Meteor AAM planned as future upgrade.

Caveman · June 16, 2020, 11:53:08 PM

Wow! Great finish on that. It looks natural!

Old Wombat · June 17, 2020, 01:54:25 AM

Looking good!

Dizzyfugu · June 17, 2020, 02:31:02 AM

Pretty!

AeroplaneDriver · June 17, 2020, 07:36:11 PM

In August 2020 Switzerland concluded a competition to select a replacement aircraft for its fleet of aging F-5Es. As with the earlier cancelled replacement project the Dassault Rafale won the competition, this time competing against the Eurofighter Typhoon, SAAB Grippen, Boeing F-18E, and Lockheed F-35. Unlke the earlier program the decision was made to proceed with the purchase of 36 Rafale S aircraft, as well as a new ground-based air defence system based on the Eurosam/Aster 30 system. The Rafale S was a hybrid between the latest version of the Rafale C F4 and M aircraft. To facilitate long term operations from improvised airstrips and roadways the S retained some of the strengthened structure and strengthened main landing gear of the M, as well as the arrestor hook, but without the need for catapult launches the C nosegear was utilized and all other maritime modifications were eliminated. the S was also configured to carry AIM-9X and AIM-120 AAMs to retain a common weapons store with the F-18 fleet. Integration of the MBDA Meteor was also included though Meteor missiles were not ordered by Switzerland until 2027.

The first Swiss Rafales were delivered in late 2023, entering front line service with the 11th Fighter Squadron at Bern in 2024. The F-18s from the 11th Fighter Squadron were transferred to the 8th Fighter Squadron, a reserve unit operating F-5s. Over the next two years the 17th Fighter Squadron and the Patrouille de Suisse also converted to Rafales allowing more F-5s to be retired and F-18s to transfer to reserve militia units. A follow on order in 2029 for an additional 34 Rafales allowed the F-5E to be completely retired by its 2030 target date and for all F-18s to transfer to reserve units.

This model shows a Rafale of the 11th Fighter Squadron in 2026 operating in the QRA role, carrying two AMRAAM and two AIM-9X AAMs as well as a centerline fuel tank. Common for the QRA mission the centerline tank is painted high visibility red with the international aviation emergency frequency in large white letters to assist in interceptions of stray aircraft.

NARSES2 · June 18, 2020, 12:50:34 AM

Terrific

Old Wombat · June 18, 2020, 01:19:23 AM

Sweet!

AndrewF · June 18, 2020, 01:45:22 AM

Excellent work, really nice.

Dizzyfugu · June 18, 2020, 02:04:33 AM

Very nice!

zenrat · June 18, 2020, 05:09:15 AM

Good job.

PR19_Kit · June 18, 2020, 06:47:30 AM

A very neat job there.

An interesting idea with the 121.5 frequency painted on the tank. Do they do that in the RW?

AeroplaneDriver · June 18, 2020, 08:30:10 AM

Quote from: PR19_Kit on June 18, 2020, 06:47:30 AM
A very neat job there.

An interesting idea with the 121.5 frequency painted on the tank. Do they do that in the RW?

Apparently so...I found several F-18 pics like this. making the tank higher visibility was my own addition for some more color to break up the "modern gray jet" trope.

https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-fa-18-from-the-swiss-air-force-taxiing-at-meiringen-air-base-switzerland-176791929.html