BAe/Kawasaki Impulse, multirole joint venture

[chrisonord]

During talks about the dissapointing performance of the F-35, both Japan and the UK had talks regarding a further joint venture along with the one they already had to build the Tempest 5th generation fighter jet. The aircraft would also be 5th gen and be a STOL aircraft for 2 future collosus class aircraft carriers. During these talks a deal was made between Kawasaki, one of the Japanese companies involved, and  BAe, to jointly build and market the Impulse advanced trainer. The aircraft had a lit of scope for modification for multi mission use and could be fitted with different avionics and radar suites. Plus if the Impulse was constructed in the U.K, it would avoid any treaty violations. Upgraded engines and electronics were fitted and the ability to carry a varied areay of self defence and offencive ordnance. One loadout being Brimstone missiles, which were tested on a test aircraft on a live firing range, and the results were more than satisfactory.
The kit is the Hobbyboss Kawasaki Impulse with 3 extra pylins fitted, a chaf/flare dispenser and an ECM pod. A centreline fueltank was sourced from the bits boxes, as it doesn't have the pylon, which it should have. The main under wing pylons have 6 Brimstone missiles fitted. The decals were from.an Airfix tornado, and are terrible, seriously so. They will get taken off and replaced whrn I can find something similar.

[HarryPhishnuts]

That's cool. 

[kerick]

Nice job!

[Captain Canada]

Looks good !

[Devilfish]

Cool looking build. I've never heard of this aircraft, but it looks like the love child between a Hawk and an Alpha Jet.

[PR19_Kit]

EXACTLY what I was thinking too. 

[Dizzyfugu]

Nice, even though I think the RAF would rather stick to the Hawk? But T-4s have SO much potential! I abused them to create the Saab Sk 90 trainer, and there are already four models of it in my collection (a Swedish, Austrian, Hungarian and even Scottish aircraft)...