Concorde SST

[Ollie]

Hi!

I've been toying with this idea for a few days now.

RCAF 2000 will have a fleet of 10-15 Concordes.  They'll be in the Transport Scheme (wait until you see that one) and be used for VIP transport, emergency medevacs for the citizens or casualties and special ops tranfers.

The one I'll make will be the Airfix 1/72 job with the red and white lightning on the side, roundel near the nose and a special tail art to denote the official VIP plane!

B)    

[John Howling Mouse]

Cool idea and, knowing you, you've likely already got an alternative history to explain how we managed to afford them!

Did we put out an international beer tax?

Or did we simply stop financing immigrant strippers?   B)  

[Alvis 3.1]

The Alvis plan for Armed Forces Re-Financing:

Sell Canadian beer abroad...make the armed forces responsible for shipping and distribution...gets us into all sorts of places then. Once there, we offer our superb services as international peacekeeprs and begin to collect payment for our services...kind of a mercenary UN operation. Back home, all US based NHL teams are taxed to the point of it being profitable for the Canuck teams to compete...taxes go to CAF. GST rolled back to 5% but applied to every thing Gold and Diamond reserves in Arctic heavily exploited, all Canadian training bases put on full payment plan for use, and the cannabis crops from BC are legalised and sold world wide where allowed. All drug usage is HEAVILY taxed in Canada...that alone would pay for a fleet of Concordes!!



Alvis 3.1

[Captain Canada]

We could also raise alot of cash by having the Government run the banks. Why let TD and such walk away with billions ?



And only 10 Concordes ? What about bombers, air-air refuelers ?

 

[The Rat]

The Alvis plan for Armed Forces Re-Financing:

... the cannabis crops from BC are legalised and sold world wide where allowed. All drug usage is HEAVILY taxed in Canada...that alone would pay for a fleet of Concordes!!

Hell, using that plan I know a guy who could pay off the national debt in about two years.    

[Ollie]

I other plans for the refuelers and bombers Toad, but they won't be Concordes.  And why use the Concorde to get fuel to another place?  Isn't fuel already overpriced???

   

Alvis, I love your plan!

     :ar:  

[Archibald]

The Concorde bomber (or "Bombord")

In january 1973 Concorde orders were cancelled by many airlines. The program was really in danger; the orders started to shrink rapidly, and the program became a financial disaster. Only 20 were built, and 14 sold to British airways and Air France. In 1974, French and British governements also needed to replace their ageing Mirage IVA and Avro Vulcan B2. As the production line of Concorde was desesperately empty, they thought about military aircrafts. In April 1974, the British governement asked BAC if a bomber version of concorde could be made. The same question raised in Toulouse. The constructors reply that changes were necessary of course, but could be achieve for a reasonable cost. A list was made
-   the main drawback of concorde was its range, 6500km in the best case.
-    To solve the problem, BAC proposed  to change the passenger cabin into a big fuel tank, leaving a small space for a bomb bay.
-   To add big, supersonic drop tanks underwings
-   And, of course, a refueling probe on the nose (avoiding of course the drop nose area… this was feasible)
-   Their was no passengers cabin anymore; the space was free for a small bomb bay, and fuel tanks. Doors similar to those of the Vulcan were added between the air intakes.
French and British governements were enthusiastic about the project; at the time, the AdA and Aeronavale were involved into the F1E program : this plane was to become the ony fighter bomber in the French inventory, permitting a big money saving. At he time, first prototype of the Tornado was flying, meaning that the peak funding of the program was over; Phœnix , Harriers and Hawks were on service. So, Ministry of Defence had also money to invest. More, it was decided to create a Airbus military company: the aim of this firm was to use the Concorde production line to produce the new bomber. Involving Airbus means involving others countries in the bomber program : some of them said "no" others were very interested. Western Germany agree to fund the project, and Italy too. The first concorde bomber rolled off the production line in Toulouse in July 1978. At the time, the production of the Concorde airliner was ending, so the military aircraft order was welcomed. Ada wanted 45 bombers, RAF 60, and Luftwaffe found a budget for 25 of them. But what about the name of the aircraft ? it was found by French and English pilots and this was "Bombord" (whithout the "e" to satisfied Great Britain).
So the first Bombord entered service with 617Sq "Dambusters" on July 1981, replacing Vulcans. Then, the GB 1/91 "Gascogne" change its Mirage IVA to Bombord in January 1982. Bombord quickly saw action : in may 1982, 4 of them bomb (ord) the Port Stanley runaway. Starting from 1985, the plane was able to fire ASMP. First the missiles had a nuclear warhead,  but the missile quickly evolved into a conventional version, with a high explosive warhead. Great Britain also obtained this version, and Germany too. This gave Bombord  fleet a stand off, non nuclear weapon. When the Gulf War started in August 1990, Bombords made long range bombings starting from their european bases. They were refueling by VC-10, Victors and C-135FR. The plane was the european counterpart of Tu-26, Tu-160 and B1 bombers, and prove so good that it was decided in 2005 to extend his life to 2040. Scalp, Apache and Taurus cruise missiles were added, along with AS-30L, LGB, and AASM precision ammuntions.

[B777LR]

coool, when will this be plastic?

[Archibald]

Ah. My Bombord project come from the real world : this project was apparetly studied in the 60's. I heard of it four years ago, in march 2002 for various reasons
- at the time after the Enduring freedom campain, Europe talked about a A340-600 long range bomber (!!)
- a book "concorde the real story" was released in france at the time, talking about the plane.
I think the superb Heller 1/72 scale concorde kit could be a perfect basis for the Bombord. The trouble is : I bought the kit 18months ago, but didn't finished it...

I think British modellers could do it (along whatif TSR-2s... cool!!).
Bombord camo could be exactly the same as Vulcan camo (grey/green strips... fantastic!!)

[Archibald]

I have problem with the drop nose of my kit (pieces are broken   ).

So, I decided to change this concorde kit  into a bombord, and realise and old dream : a concorde with canards!!
My bombord will have a bomb bay, a different nose, drop tanks underwings, a refueling probe and a green/grey camo (with strips). Maybe RAF or AdA markings (I don't know).
This could be great... When I finish it, I make photos of it with a digital camera, put these photos on my website, and then, HERE!!

[The Rat]

In the 1968 RAF yearbook there was a speculative picture of a Concorde with three Blue Steels under it.

Got my adolescent juices flowing!    

[Archibald]

GOOD IDEA!! I have bought the Airfix Avro Vulcan B2 with... a Blue Steel!! FANTASTIC!! My bombord will have a blue Steel on its Bomb Bay... very nice!!
 
If you have a scan of that... Do you know something about this bomber project?
I always thought that  Concorde could have been a tremendous bomber!!  

[overscan]

Tupolev tried to sell various military versions of the Tu-144 including bomber, naval reconnaissance, and long range interceptor. Their Tu-160 design was originally based on the Tu-144.

[overscan]

If it had worked and we had bought Skybolt for the Vulcans, then in the late 1970s we might have wanted a longer range aircraft to carry our airborne nuclear deterrent.

[Archibald]

A tu-144 long range interceptor ??!!!    
And I really love the Skybolt it was an incredible missile!!