Thomas/Lomax To-24 Bogong. Finished Pics Pg.7.

[DogfighterZen]

Looking very good indeed.

[zenrat]

Ta-dah!

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 1 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Thomas/Lomax To-24 Bogong

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 2 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

From reports sent back by observers to the growing conflicts in Indochine in the early sixties PDRV military procurement committees identified a future need for a Counter Insurgency aircraft.  The resulting specification was issued in 1961 to the usual Victorian design bureaus.
The Souter and Gully bureaus presented a design each while Thomas and Lomax combined their talents.
zenrat industries built prototypes of each design for assessment by the Victorian armed forces.  The first examples being un-armed and clean of hardpoints in order to demonstrate flight characteristics.

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 21 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Thomas/Lomax entry, the To-24 Bogong was a mid-wing, twin engine monoplane of a conventional layout with the prototype being a single seater powered by a pair of Hanson Bettong T202 twin shaft turbo props.

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 10 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

At the time the design was drawn up Gregor Lomax was obsessed with Future Flexibility through Multiple Optionality (FFlyMO) – the theory that service life could be extended by predicting all future requirements which would then be catered for by including all required flexibility into the design.  In line with FFlyMO the Bogong was designed to be powered by turboprops, turbojets, turbofans, or piston engines; to be a single, two, or three seater; to have, in addition to multiple underwing hardpoints a bomb bay, gun pack, rocket pack, or cameras; and to be either land based, or carrier borne with folding wings, a hook, and strengthening for catapult launch.

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 7 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Unfortunately FFlyMO turned out to be the Bogongs downfall.  Being designed from the outset as a jack of all trades it lacked the focus of the Souter and Gully designs and was the first to be rejected.  It wasn't that it was a bad aircraft, just that it wasn't as good as it's competition.  Having this designed in flexibility did however save the prototype from being scrapped as it meant that it made an ideal testbed; a role it filled for zenrat industries on behalf of the Victorian aerospace and weapons industry for years to come.

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 8 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

The Model
Revell box scale (1/80?) Martin B-57 fuselage.
Monogram 1/48 Messerschmitt Me-262 wings and tail.
Revell 1/72 Handley Page Victor refuelling pods as undercarriage housings.
Italeri 1/72 MiG 37 canopy.
Gundam 1/144 Build Divers Support Pack tiltrotor engines and props.
1/72 undercarriage parts from MiG 29 and TSR2.
1/72 bang seat & pilot and assorted 1/72, 1/24 car, and 1/35 military parts from parts boxes.

Thomas-Lomax To-24 Bogong - 25 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

[PR19_Kit]

MARVELLOUS! 

The sort of model that could only be built by a dedicated Whiffer, as only we have such VASTLY varied spare parts boxes! 

[DogfighterZen]

Beauty of an airplane, great stuff, Fred!

[Rick Lowe]

 

[zenrat]

Thanks folks,

[rickshaw]

Well worth the wait!   

[Tophe]

Wonderful model!

[zenrat]

Thank you.

[NARSES2]

Tremendous piece of work mate 

[major]

Thats cracking! Just love it! 

[zenrat]

Thanks folks.

[Old Wombat]

Excellent, Fred! Looks ... odd, in some ways, but, mostly, very cool!

[Glenn Gilbertson]

What a splendid kitbash - I like it!

[zenrat]

Thanks guys.