Recce and Surveillance GB - Finished Builds

[Dizzyfugu]

An exotic entry, a 1:100 Regult Tactical Scout pod of the Zentraedi invasion forces from the original Macross anime TV series:








More here: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49595.msg932491#msg932491

[sandiego89]

RSM-62 Snark

1/48 Lindberg

by Sandiego89

Strategic Reconnaissance version of the Snark missile. Testing at White Sands, New Mexico late 1960. Believed to have made several flights deep into Soviet airspace after the dowing of the U-2 piloted by Gary Powers, but perhaps best remembered for overflights of Cuba during the Cuban Missile Crisis, with four known launches, with two deemed successful upon recovery at the skid strip at Cape Canaveral, one returned with no useful photos, and one that was last seen headed south but was never heard from again.

build thread: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49457.0

[TomZ]

Hughes Watcher PR Mk-I



In 1945 the RAF was looking for a reconnaissance aircraft for use in the continued war against Japan in the far east. After looking at various British designs, the choice fell on the Hughes F-11A which had just made it first flight in June 1945.



The British named the aircraft Watcher. The first Watcher PR Mk-I was delivered to the RAF in September 1946. In all 176 Watchers were delivered to the RAF. The type was very successful, flying faster and higher than the opposing Japanese fighters.





Model: Anigrand 1/72

TomZ

[TomZ]

Westland F-16A Welkin



In 1943 the USAAF was looking for a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft which was able to operate over Germany in relative safety. A US committee visiting the UK was rather impressed with the Westland Welkin fighter which first flew in November 1942.



The USAAF ordered special reconnaissance variant of the aircraft which received the designation Westland F-16A Welkin. In all 213 Welkins were delivered to the USAAF. The company also tried to interest the RAF for the reconnaissance variant of the Welkin, but they decided to stick to the reconnaissance versions of the Mosquito.





Model CMK 1/72

TomZ

[scooter]

Londthyrian Confederacy Morgi-class SSK


Morgi-class SSK

Built off of the German Type XXI plans, the Morgi (Shark) class SSK serves as the Londthyrian Confederacy Navy as a blue\green water attack submarine.  First launched in 1947, the class of 50 boats has been involved in multiple SEATO and RIMPAC exercises, including the simulated sinking of USS Nimitz during RIMPAC 80, and leased to the US Navy for several PACFLEETEX problems.  Rumors, stridently denied by the Admiralty, persist of the class being involved in intelligence gathering missions off (REDACTED) and in (REDACTED).

Flaws in the original design were fixed during construction with improved diesel engines, hydraulic systems relocated within the pressure hull, and improved snorkel design.  Refits to the class through their lifetime include new turbodiesel engines and electric motors, improved battery technology, sensors, etc.  The latest SLEP refits move the class into 21st Century with air-independent propulsion, fiber optics, improved sensor processing technology, adaptive propulsor technology, and adaptive acoustic suppression technology.

The class is currently armed with Spearfish torpedoes (18) and UGM-84 Harpoon ASMs (.

[rickshaw]

The Canberra PR.29 in RAAF Service

You will have read (and hopefully remember) the tale of the Meteor PR.29 in RAAF service.  Developed in an effort to keep tabs on Indonesia tensions in the mid-1950s, it was lost on a training mission over Borneo with all it's crew.  Believed to have been shot down by an Indonesian MiG-21 on a ballistic trajectory it's loss was not that great to the RAAF.   The RAAF had already began to develop it's successor, the Canberra PR.29.  The Meteor, while a high flyer lacked the necessary range to keep tabs over most of the Indonesian archipelago.  It could cover only half the archipelago, either from Darwin or from Butterworth in Malaya.   The RAAF needed an aircraft with the range to cover the entire length of the archipelago.

Having heard rumours about the RAF and the USAF's efforts to develop a high flying version of the Canberra from emigrant ex-RAF migrants, they decided to copy the USAF's efforts and developed their own version of the B-57D, by extending the wing span of it's own Canberras.  So, the GAF (Government Aircraft Factory) set to.  Using Red Gum timber they extended the wings to approximately 106 ft 0 in (32.3 m) as against the standard 64 yft 0 in (19.51 m),  this conferred an operational ceiling of approximately 70,000 ft (21,300 m) approximately.  Coupled with the uprated Avon Engines it was equipped with Avon Mk.26 rated at 7,500 lbf (33.36 kN) as against the normal RA.7 Avon's 7,350 lbf (32.69 kN).  It's range was over 1,700 miles.  Equipped with Cameras it was able to photograph long swathes of the islands.

The RAF, just as in the case of the Meteor were alerted to the presence of this long winged Canberra when one landed at Butterworth.  Alarmed that their own high flying Canberra, the PR.9 had been revealed prematurely, they dispatched their Air Attache officer from Kaula Lumpa to Butterworth.  The Canberra PR.29 was the RAAF's top secret, their "ace in the pocket" and they were reluctant to reveal it's presence to the RAF.  However under some gentle persuading the secret was revealed.  The RAF was shown the long winged bird.  They were impressed.   

The Canberra PR.29 served with the RAAF for approximately 10 years.  It was retired because of White Ants infesting the wing main spar.  One was lost in flight because of this problem.  Australia is notorious for White Ants.   It served over Indonesia during Konfrontasi and so Indonesian intentions were closely watched.  It also served briefly in South Vietnam but it was found to be unnecessary with the massive US involvement there.











The Model

The model is built from a High Planes B-57D kit with the addition of a Aeroclub nose to replace it's tandem seats.  The interior was scratchbuilt.  It was painted with a hair stick with Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics.  The decals came from the sparesbox.

[rickshaw]

The Westland Scio

The Westland Scio  was a successor to the Whirlwind.  "Scio" is Saxon for "Sky".  The Scio was designed between the Whirlwind and the Welkin.  It was intended to be a photo reconnaissance   aircraft.

Equipped with twin Rolls Royce Griffin engines, extended wings and two photographic cameras it was meant to soar high above the earth, taking photos of the ground far beneath.   It was designed to cruise for extended range at over 40,000 feet.  It carried sufficient film to photograph 150 miles in a swath 10 miles wide.  It was meant to elude all potential enemy interceptors by it's high altitude and its high speed of over 390 mph at 40,000.

The  Scio was developed in 1942 as a successor to the Whirlwind which was tested as a Photo-Recce aircraft in 1940.  In competition against the Spitfire, the Spitfire winning primarily because of the amount of support available to it, rather than necessarily because it was the better aircraft.  The Whirlwind was found to have a ceiling of over 35,000 feet and a speed of approximately 300 mph.   The decision was taken to build a better Whirlwind and so the  Scio resulted.  It was a Whirlwind with six feet longer wings and twin Griffin engines able to cruise at 40,000 feet.

Three prototypes were built and used experimentally by RAE to prove it's capabilities.  The model depicts the first prototype intended to prove the aerodynamics of the aircraft.  It was not adopted by the RAF and instead the Spitfire and Mosquito fulfilled it's role.  The Scio was the link between the Whirlwind and the Welkin.











The Model

The model is an Airfix one, with extended wings from plasticard and resin engine cowls from 63cpe,  The propellers from an Airfix Spitfire Mk.22 kit.  The decals are from the Whirlwind kit and Kit's Decals.  The paint is from Vallejo and applied with a hairy stick.

[Dizzyfugu]

An 1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Anak Singa/Kfir" RC.7 of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF, Tentera Udara Diraja Malaysia/TUDM; تنترا اودارا دراج مليسيا) No. 17 Sq. 'Bats'; Kuantan AB (Malaysia), 1997








More here: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49648.msg933546#msg933546

[scooter]

Lleiddiad-class SSG\SSA

[zenrat]

Focke-Wulf Fw 389E Sturmtaucher

Focke Wulf Fw 389 Sturmtaucher - 6 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Focke Wulf Fw 389 Sturmtaucher - 7 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

Focke Wulf Fw 389 Sturmtaucher - 12 by Fred Maillardet, on Flickr

https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49445.105

[scooter]

Elven Blend - Recce to contact

Hi Def here


Republic of Cascadia
State of Oregon
Julian date 20xx.175

For the "independent contractor" crew of Bravo 30, their reconnaissance along the trails around Clear Lake had been, for the most part, uneventful.  Even their vehicle was running well.  The SPARTECH contractors had been contracted to act as the eyes and ears for a column of Federal troops spearheading along US26 towards Mt Hood and the Cascadian and Cascadian-aligned foreign powers dug in there.

There was a spang of ricochet as a bullet hit the glacis before disintegrating.  "Screw this," the driver growled over the intercom, "I'm buttoning up."

"Contact front!  Just off 12 o'clock," the TC called, still looking through her glasses.

As her gunner was dumping his cigarette overboard, the next shot caught him in the forehead, just below his CVC.  He crumpled to the turret floor, dead.  The TC dropped to the floor of the turret, pulling her hatch closed, as an antitank missile slammed into the turret ring.

[Tophe]

P-38 w. two prone observers
See https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49440.0

[Tophe]

Long-range Recce B-17 & 29
   See https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49532.0

[Tophe]

Bell Recocuda
See https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49546.0

[Tophe]

Focke-Wulf Fw-389s (many 200+189)
See https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=49448.0