Irish Air Corps

[Weaver]

Heads up:

AZ's "Foreign Users" edition of their 1/72nd Chipmunk kit includes Irish markings, along with Danish, Iraqi and Egyptian ones.
You could buy it to nick the Irish decals for a what-if and still have a perfectly buildable real-world Chippy.

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/AZM7557?result-token=MELFt


In similar vein, one Special Hobby boxing  of their 1/72nd SF-260 includes Irish, Belgian and Italian markings:

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/SH72418?result-token=gnsVp


Lastly, if you want some REALLY small IAC markings, Miniwings' 1/114th Magister comes in an Irish boxing:

https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/MINI354?result-token=gnsVp

[Dizzyfugu]

I like the idea of an L-159, though, could be a modern day successor for the Jet provost? There's a nice KP kit...

I am amazed to find out that the Irish Air Corps actually evaluated the L-159 - and was offered three old L-39s for free on top if they would buy six L-159s...

[Weaver]

Decals:

Printscale's 1/48th Gladiator set includes an IAC option which has the older 2-colour roundels:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/PSL48011?result-token=gnsVp

Printscale's 1/72nd Fairey Battle set includes an IAC option which has 2-colour fuselage roundels on white squares and wing stripes:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/PSL72141?result-token=gnsVp

Wingman's 1/48th Magister set includes an IAC option:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/PSL72141?result-token=gnsVp

Xtradecal's 1/48th Supermarine Walrus set includes an IAC option, however the wing and rudder stripes are NOT included, so it's really just some serial numbers:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48233?result-token=gnsVp

Xtradecal's 1/48th Avro Anson set includes an IAC option and the wing and rudder stripes ARE included:
https://www.hannants.co.uk/product/X48233?result-token=gnsVp

[Geoff]

I like the idea of an L-159, though, could be a modern day successor for the Jet provost? There's a nice KP kit...

I am amazed to find out that the Irish Air Corps actually evaluated the L-159 - and was offered three old L-39s for free on top if they would buy six L-159s...

L-39 now those I have - were they Cs or ZAs??

(Edit they were L-159A single seaters and the L-39s were the armed ZAs)

Weaver - The Airfix 1/48 Walrus has an IAC option as well

[jcf]

Then again, low-vis schemes are really only relevent in a dogfight. If air-policing Ireland  ("Eire-Policing?"  )  against Bear-Ds is the ONLY thing the AMRAAM-armed fighters will be doing, then they don't really need low-vis, indeed hi-vis might be a positive advantage in making it clear to the Bear crew who exactly's telling them to "persist off". A variation on the PC-9 scheme with a gloss light grey base colour (easy to clean & good for corrosion prevention) with hi-vis orange panels and big, colourful national markings might be just the thing.

But not on aircraft operated by the United People's Republic of Ireland. 

[Weaver]

Then again, low-vis schemes are really only relevent in a dogfight. If air-policing Ireland  ("Eire-Policing?"  )  against Bear-Ds is the ONLY thing the AMRAAM-armed fighters will be doing, then they don't really need low-vis, indeed hi-vis might be a positive advantage in making it clear to the Bear crew who exactly's telling them to "persist off". A variation on the PC-9 scheme with a gloss light grey base colour (easy to clean & good for corrosion prevention) with hi-vis orange panels and big, colourful national markings might be just the thing.

But not on aircraft operated by the United People's Republic of Ireland. 

Okay, International-And-Locally-Non-Political Red then...

[Weaver]

Weaver - The Airfix 1/48 Walrus has an IAC option as well

True - didn't see it 'cos Hannants havn't got any.

Glad I went away and did a bit of research before replying: I nearly asked if it was out yet. It came out in 2017...

[Weaver]

A list of current and former IAC aircraft, so that you can see what might be replaced with whiff alternatives.
I've gleaned this info from multiple different pages on Wikipedia, some of which contradict each other, so take it as an indication, not gospel.


Current Irish military aircraft:

1 x Learjet 45 - VIP / Air ambulance    
2 x CASA CN-235-MPA100  - maritime patrol (2 x C295 MPAs more on order)
4 x Pilatus PC-12NG  - ISTAR / utlity    
1 x Britten-Norman Defender 4000 - Police air support (flown for the Garda Air Support Unit (GASU)
2 x Eurocopter EC135-P2 - utility
2 x Eurocopter EC135-T2 - utility (flown for the GASU)
6 x AgustaWestland AW139 - utility    
8 x Pilatus PC-9M - trainer / light attack



Retired Irish military aircraft:

Fighters:

8 x Bristol F.2B Fighter - 1922-1935
8 x Bristol F.2B Fighter Mk II - 1925-1935
4 x Martinsyde F.4 Buzzard - 1922-1929
1 x RAE S.E.5a - fighter, 1922
4 x Gloster Gladiator I - 1938-1944 (8 more ordered but not delivered)
12 x Hawker Hurricane I - 1940-1946 (1× RAF crash-landed in Ireland 1940 and repaired, 11× delivered 1943)
1 x Hawker Hurricane IIa - 1941-1943 (RAF force-landed in Ireland)
1 x Hawker Hurricane IIb - 1941-1943 (RAF crash-landed in Ireland)
6 x Hawker Hurricane IIc - 1945-1947
12 x Supermarine Seafire LF.III - 1947-1955


Bombers:

6 x De Havilland DH.9
1 x Fairey Battle TT.1
1? x Hawker Hind
1? x Hawker Hind Trainer
1 x Lockheed Hudson I (also used for maritime patrol)
13 x Hawker Hector


Reconnaissance and patrol aircraft:

8 x  Cessna FR172H (5 remained in service until 2019)
1 x  Cessna FR172K
1 x Fairey IIIF Mk II
3 x Supermarine Walrus I - from 1939


Transport and liaison aircraft:

9 x Avro 652A Anson I - 1937-1947
3 x Avro Anson C19 - 1946-1962
4 x Avro 626 Prefect (also served as a navigation trainer)
1? x Hawker Siddeley HS.125-600B
1 x Hawker Siddeley HS.125-700B
3 x Beechcraft Super King Air 200T
1? x De Havilland DH.84 Dragon 2
1 x De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 4
1 x De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 5
1 x De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 7
1 x De Havilland DH.104 Dove Mk 8A
1 x Grumman Gulfstream III (leased)
1 x Grumman Gulfstream IV
1 x Martinsyde Type A Mk II
4 x Vickers Type 193 Vespa IV
4 x Vickers Type 208 Vespa V
6 x Westland Lysander II


Trainer aircraft:

6 x Avro 504K - 1922-1932
3 x Avro 621 Tutor
7 x Avro 631 Cadet (also used for coastal patrol duties)
4 x Avro 636
1? x De Havilland DH.60 Cirrus Moth
1 x De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.20
2 x De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk T.22/T.22A(?)
6 x De Havilland DH.115 Vampire T.55 - 1956-1976
6 x Fouga CM-170-2 Super Magister - 1975-1999 (also capable of light attack)
4 x Hunting Percival Provost T.51
6 x Hunting Percival Provost T.53 (also capable of light attack)
27 x Miles M.14A Magister - 1939-1952
2 x Miles M.25 Martinet TT.I
14 x Miles M.9A Master I
12 x Miles M.19 Master II
10 x SIAI-Marchetti SF-260D and SF-260WE Warrior (also capable of light attack)
6 x Supermarine Spitfire T.9 - 1951-1961


Helicopters:

>7 x Aérospatiale Alouette III - 1963-2007
1? x Aérospatiale SA330J Puma - leased from Aerospatiale for 2 years during the early 1980s
1? x Aérospatiale SA342L Gazelle - retired December 2005.
5 x Aérospatiale SA365Fi Dauphin II - 1986-2006(?)
1 x Sikorsky S-61N - Previously leased and operated by IAC for Search & Rescue/Coast Guard. Subsequently returned to CHC Ireland who operated it in a similar capacity for the IRCG.
1 x Eurocopter Twin Squirrel AS355N - Operated by IAC for GASU until 2008.

[AeroplaneDriver]

The 2 CASAs on order (I think one delivered now) are 295s not 235s so a bit of a capability upgrade. 

[Weaver]

The 2 CASAs on order (I think one delivered now) are 295s not 235s so a bit of a capability upgrade. 

Okay, thanks - fixed it.

[Weaver]

More random thoughts:

KAI TA-50/F-50 Golden Eagles for the IAC? Cheaper than "proper" fighters, but still capable of Mach 1.5 carrying a El-2032 radar and AAMs: should be fine for Bear chasing.

In the late 1990s, the Germans had a lot of spare Alpha Jets for sale at fire-sale prices: even DERA in the UK bought some. They'd have made a fine successor to the Magisters, maybe with some turbo-prop trainers to act as a step-up to them in training. 

[Weaver]

My IAC Pucara:



Backstory on the thread: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=41578.msg712428#msg712428

TLDR:
1980: Irish government turns against the IRA. IRA responds with bombs & bullets.
1982: Argentina sends more Pucaras to the Falklands than in real life, and more of them survive to be captured.
Late 1982: IAC officer on exchange posting with Boscombe Down proposes giving the spare Pucaras to the IAC.

[kitbasher]

Ooh, nice Pucara 👍

[Weaver]

Prop-job alternatives:

Boulton-Paul Baliols in place of the Percival Provosts.
It would make sense if they'd bought Hurricanes & Seafires for the same reason it did for the RAF: they'd have Merlin logistics in situ.
The nice Special Hobby kits are still available.


Eire seems to have bought almost exclusively British aircraft prior to the late 1960s, then avoided them thereafter. The reasons are probably to do with internal politics and optics, but whatever, what-if they were different? Suppose the antipathy towards buying British was there right from the start?

Pre-war US fighters instead of the Gladiators and/or Hurricanes.
Seversky P-35s - Special Hobby kits available.
Curtiss P-36/H-75 Hawks - Various kits of various versions available.
Grumman FF1/FF2 - Special Hobby kit available.

Pre-war US single-engined bombers as replacements for the DH-9s.
Various Northrop/Consolidated/Vultee types available, mostly from Special Hobby.

Pre-war French fighters in place of the Gladiators.
Dewoitine D.500/D510 - Loads of different kits.
Caudron C.714 - Heller & RS kits.
Morane-Saulnier MS.406 - Loads of kits.

Polish PZL P.11b/P.24 in place of Gladiators. (Must be Gnome-Rhone-engined because the Polish-built Mercury couldn't be exported)
Loads of kits of P.11s, P.24 kits available from Azur & IBG.

[Geoff]

In the late 1930's Ireland evaluated all current twin-engined German aircraft. They wanted a MP aircraft that could also act as a troop carrier. But ended up with the Anson 1. I thought a He-111 might be a better option. Or one dropped out of the sky when "The RAF from Ulster shot one down. Yes, the RAF from Ulster shot one down! Sos 
N Ireland footy fans singing to the Germans on Utube