That is a cracking build that reminds me of an F-105 in style. The 'dirty' wash effect works well.

Quote from: Devilfish on August 27, 2024, 01:36:44 PMThe P.1121 was a private venture by Hawker Aviation, for a Mach 2.5 strike fighter.  Unfortunately at the time (late 50's) there were two obstacles. 1) the RAF weren't interested in it, and 2) the 1957 Duncan Sandys White Paper, which effectively said that the defence of the British Isles would soon be entirely handles by SAMs...

Duncan Sandys was an ex-Army officer, who knew nothing about aviation or technology....

Worth pointing out that Sandys was an officer in the Royal Artillery, Anti-Aircraft in particular. I think he knew a fair bit about aircraft in that respect (explains his anti-RAF bias!) and planned on using technology to perfect the air defence of the UK at a time when missiles were becoming the likely threat instead of massed bomber fleets.
He was quite wrong in retrospect as he rather missed the need to intercept and observe incoming hostile recon flights and to project airpower in overseas situations where AA missile batteries could not be deployed immediately. He certainly overestimated the ability for technology to work!

Without the Sandys White Paper conscription might have dragged on for another decade - model builders of that generation may count themselves lucky in that respect.

Quote from: Nick on August 30, 2024, 02:54:35 AMWithout the Sandys White Paper conscription might have dragged on for another decade - model builders of that generation may count themselves lucky in that respect.

That'd be me and Chris then? 

They wouldn't let me join up anyway, and I tried three times!

Quote from: Nick on August 30, 2024, 02:54:35 AMWithout the Sandys White Paper conscription might have dragged on for another decade - model builders of that generation may count themselves lucky in that respect.

My eyesight would have got me a cushy job somewhere, probably    No I was 18 in 1970, so it's unlikely to have lasted that long regardless.

Seriously it's very unlikely it would have continued with or without the Hon Gentleman as Minister of Defence. The Forces didn't want it for various reasons, the RAF and RN because one year was no where near enough to train up people who didn't want to be there in the first place and then use them effectively. Whilst with the withdrawal from Empire the Army, who would of got the bulk of the conscripts, didn't have anywhere to send a lot of them, let alone use them. And that's without getting involved in the politics of conscription 

At no point during my time in the RAF (nor subsequently) I did meet a single forces member who would have welcomed the return of conscription.

Quote from: Nick on August 30, 2024, 02:54:35 AMThat is a cracking build that reminds me of an F-105 in style. The 'dirty' wash effect works well.

Quote from: Devilfish on August 27, 2024, 01:36:44 PMThe P.1121 was a private venture by Hawker Aviation, for a Mach 2.5 strike fighter.  Unfortunately at the time (late 50's) there were two obstacles. 1) the RAF weren't interested in it, and 2) the 1957 Duncan Sandys White Paper, which effectively said that the defence of the British Isles would soon be entirely handles by SAMs...

Duncan Sandys was an ex-Army officer, who knew nothing about aviation or technology....

Worth pointing out that Sandys was an officer in the Royal Artillery, Anti-Aircraft in particular. I think he knew a fair bit about aircraft in that respect (explains his anti-RAF bias!) and planned on using technology to perfect the air defence of the UK at a time when missiles were becoming the likely threat instead of massed bomber fleets.
He was quite wrong in retrospect as he rather missed the need to intercept and observe incoming hostile recon flights and to project airpower in overseas situations where AA missile batteries could not be deployed immediately. He certainly overestimated the ability for technology to work!

Without the Sandys White Paper conscription might have dragged on for another decade - model builders of that generation may count themselves lucky in that respect.

Having worked on the Bloodhound Mk2, and knowing it's shortfalls, the Mk1 (which is what came into service thanks to Mr Sandys) was an awful piece of kit.  Easily jammed, for starters. The technology wasn't there in the late 50's, it was more a case of "how do we save money", than "how do we best defend the UK and it's Empire"

Quote from: kitbasher on August 30, 2024, 07:00:48 AMAt no point during my time in the RAF (nor subsequently) I did meet a single forces member who would have welcomed the return of conscription.

Same here. I want people who WANT to be in the job, not those who are forced to be.

For me, the ideal would be to give all young people the discipline from boot camp and basic training, but not actually sending them to fight or guard anything.

The model looks great!

People always trot out this line about the P.1121 being the "British Phantom", but that was a reference to the time period and commercial success, not the design. Design-wise, it was always a "British Thud", and your model demonstrates that very nicely.