Lockheed Cormorant MR.1

[McColm]

The Air Ministry decided that they would have their own Lockheed P-3A Orion version built underlicence by Shorts of Belfast to replace the Avro Shackleton MR.3.
The initial change was the weapons bay, to increase the space they would use the one from the Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic and the same engines would be an option for would-be customers. The ECM pod on the vertical tail fin was also fitted to the Cormorant. The avionics from the Avro Shackleton MR.3 were fitted to the first twenty aircraft with improvements during the 1970s earning the designation MR1.A with the new ESM wingtip pods and permanently fitted in-flight refuelling probe on the upper fuselage.
Twelve of tthem first batch of Cormorants were converted into AEW aircraft for 11 Group Air Defence  The remaining eight became training aircraft although two were seen  carring SLAR pods underneath the fuselage. The Cormorant could also be used as a light bomber with iron bombs later switching to laser guided bombs.
Lessons learnt from the Falklands War were introduced to the Cormorant MR.3 which had a 20 foot fuselage stretch, digital avionics replacing some of the older avionics and the Searchwater radar fitted to the nose, chaff dispensers and a rear cargo door on the port side. Engine options included the AE2100H with six bladed propellers. The glass cockpit would be phased in during the 1990s with the MR.3A. This changed again to the Cormorant MRA.4 undergoing a major overhaul and introducing carbon fibre materials in the wings and fuselage areas exposed to sea salt. FLIR fitted under the nose although this had been an option item depending on the mission up until the MR.3s entered service with 25 examples being built virtually new aircraft. The MR.2As were bought by Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway,  Turkey and Malaysia.
The USNAVY would begin to replace their Lockheed P-3C Orions with the Boeing P-8 Poseidon whereas the RAF looked towards the BAe Nimrod R.1, the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail would replace the Lockheed Cormorant AEW.2.
Another option was the Airbus Atlas C.1, studies had shown that a purpose built pod or pods could be carried in the cargo hold to undertake maritime surveillance duties the second pod contains the sonobouys with a third pod anti-submarine/ anti-ship missiles with additional weapons carried on pylons fitted under the wings or above the main landing gear.
Further updates and upgrades saw the MRA.4s becoming the MRA.4A with the slogan ' if you want to replace the Lockheed Cormorant just get the latest batch '.

The build.
I'm using the 1/72 Hasegawa Lockheed P-3C as the donor model with the weapons bay made from the Revell Dassault Aviation-Breguet  Atlantic 1 " Italian Eagle ". (It's the older model with new decals and a few new parts, they have kept the original parts but the instructions have the 'parts not used blanked out ').
I have glued parts 1-5  to create the weapons bay and cut the end pieces to fit the fuselage of the P-3C. I have also cut out the old doors of the weapons bay on the Orion and flattened the fuselage window surrounds on the inside. Surprisingly it's a good fit 👌. I have dry fitted the ECM pod on the vertical tail fin. I also have tried using the engine cowlings taken from the Mach2 Breguet Br.1150 Atlantic kit, they fit over the two outer engines so there could be a Rolls-Royce Tyne variant if the engine parts from the kit don't fit or insomnia returns .
The cockpit can be detailed as there's no other interior parts and it does come with a stand to prevent the tail sitter. The instructions are straightforward. As the JMSDF model parts are included in this kit the extra cockpit window is included but blanked out and the searchlight pod

[McColm]

Recap on the build so far. The cockpit floor and weapons bay are glued in place, upper wings and the two fuselage halves glued. The rear gap for the weapons bay has been removed and a few spare parts added to fill the gaps plus strengthen the lower wing. The communications trunking taken from the Breguet Atlantic ATL1 glued on top of the fuselage following the seam.
The wingtip ESM sensors from the Revell kit have been assembled. This will be allowed to dry overnight