Will2K65

Don't forget that Paveway IV has replaced the 540lb free fallers on RAF Harriers in Afghanistan over the past few months. Think that a dual-mode GPS/Laser guided 500lb class weapon with various fuse settings and pilot selectable desired impact angle is probably as good a tool for CAS as you'll find anywhere to be honest! Julien, from speaking to a guy at Cottesmore who I presumed to be in the know, the GR9 avionics mods apparently gave the pilot the ability to pre-select the numbers of CRV-7 rockets to be fired in any particular attack run with a single trigger press (from a single rocket p

Although the jets were pooled, it is possible to identify which squadrons the jet was originally drawn from, by looking at the tailcode at the fin top. Despite the overall ARTF camo and lack of unit markings, the tailcodes that were painted over this remained the same as before the war... for example (here x would be a unique letter but following the following formats) AJ-x = 617 squadron Bx = 14 squadron Fx = 12 squadron 2 and 13 squadrons have a single letter tailcode (and 13 sometimes has XIII on the fin of its OCs own jet!). 31 squadron has Dx. Not sure on 9 squadron, it will come t

The Tornado's deployed for Operation Telic operated as an air expeditionary wing - aircraft and crews were drawn from all of the RAFs front line squadrons. 617 Squadron (the famed Dambusters) based at RAF Lossiemouth are presently the RAF's 'lead' squadron for Storm Shadow and worked hard in the run up to the Iraq war to ensure its use was a success, but during operations itself one can't really pinpoint a particular squadron alone due to this wing structure which meant a shared effort all round.

Thanks for the posts folks, most useful, and those are photos I haven't seen before :) Three wet with 1 missile seems to be the way I'll go, though I agree with Fuji that symmetrical loadouts are much better looking - the goofy gas configuration seen on the Hornets is just ugly as hell! Assymetric weapons outboard of matched fuel tanks tends to look a bit better. Anyone from the Hornet community care to comment on the 2 missiles and centreline loadout? More of an airshow crowd pleaser or has it ever been used 'for real'?

I realise the SLAM-ER is a relatively rare weapon to see loaded, but I was wondering how the weapon is carried? I have a VFA-86 Hornet I'd like to build, and the missiles I have from the Academy F-15K kit....its a cool looking weapon and a bit different from the endless JDAM/GBU-12 combos most of my other models are carrying. Two fuel tanks, with a missile on one side and the datalink pod on the other? Or can the aircraft carry two missiles and have the datalink pod on the centreline? Thanks in advance

Doubt you will get an answer to such a question from anyone who will actually know...specific weapons capabilities are closely guarded, and you're unlikely to find anyone willing to be drawn on discussing turn performance or possible evasion techniques for particular variants. One can assume that the overall missile performance is better or equal to older variants though!

For British jets at least... Tornado GR1/1A/4/4A has to be parked with wings forward else the centre of gravity is too far aft and it will fall on its back end, unless it is completely defuelled (especially the fin fuel tank!) and has no payload in which case I think you can sweep them back a bit, but don't let anyone tug on the tail! The F3 is somewhat different, with its fuselage stretch and longer nose the centre of gravity is further forward so wing sweep maters much less. Indeed the F3 can sometime be seen taxiing with wings fully swept.

Hi Larry, Would be great but as far as I'm aware all of the three options are for the AV-8B+ which is the radar equipped jet, not the 'blunt nose' Night Attack which is the kit that I have. Most of the aftermarket decals are for the Plus it seems Thanks anyway, hope you are well...been a while since our last trade :) Cheers!

The most eye catching schemes adorning Block 40 or 50 F-16s are non-USAF....think Greek I say!

Was wondering if anyone had a decal sheet for the *Night Attack* version of the Harrier that they'd like to sell, as I don't fancy using the Hasegawa decals. Aftermarket options are plentiful for the 'Plus' but less so for the NA.. Not fussy on unit as long as its a 'combat' unit (sorry to the VMAT guys), it can be low vis/hi vis, and preferably fairly current markings since I'll be loading the jet up with JDAM and Litening II! Please post here or PM if you can help out.

Am just wondering whether the USMC has started using the GBU-32 on its Harrier and carrier-borne Hornet fleet? I have a pair of bombs from the Academy F-22 and think that with the ablative coating they'd look good on either the Harrier or the Hornet. Was just wondering if these weapons are actually in use on these two aircraft, as I have yet to see pictures of this weapon loaded on either, and also on what stores stations they are likely to be carried. Thanks!

Agreed, I'd buy at least eight bombs worth of Paveway IV. Soon to be weapon of choice for the Tornado GR4, currently in use with the RAF Harriers in Afghanistan, and eventually to be integrated with Typhoon and the F-35..... In modelling terms its essentially a GBU-12 with hardback and a slightly modified seeker (cable guides and GPS antennaes) so can't see it being that hard to reproduce if you already have the GBU-12 done. Doctorpepper, I can email you with some pictures of it if you want?

Nice pics - and I look forward to being able to buy MTADs to add to my WAH-64. Just a shame somebody doesn't do the round capped rocket pods us Brits use

Hello, I'm after a 1/48 Airfix Lightning - either the F1/1A/F3 kit or the F2/F2A/F6 is welcome, eventually I'd like to build a couple so whichever kit I can get my hands on first. At present I don't have anything to trade but given the right price am happy to pay for a kit via paypal or cheque, whichever suits Please post here is you have a kit you're willing to sell :) many thanks!

If its just the old tooling with extra K specific bits, you could take the new stuff to make the ultimate 'K', and build the remaining Academy kit as a D (which is what its best for). The difficulty would be if they modified some of the existing tooling which takes it away from being the semi-accurate D model kit that it already is, to somewhere closer to a K, but still not close enough to be better than the Revell with K bits added I think I need a lie down

At the moment all my models sit on a shelf without gear, they look a bit funny as they lean about a bit....but at some stage I intend to make display stands for them to sit on, posed 'in flight'. Whilst I admire the detail put into models that are build on the ground with flaps and wheels down, canopies open and so on, I much prefer the sleek shape of an in flight jet! I find building in flight results in a much less fragile model as well.

First up...Revell F/A-18E with Steel Beach ECS pipes, Royale Resin fuel tanks, Afterburner decals for VFA-105 and Hasegawa weaponry for a typically (ugly) assymmetric loadout. Brush painted with humbrol enamels - am quite happy with the results but the colour contrast seems a bit stark to me - do you folk tend to lighten the grey for the upper surfaces to simulate fading? Next, Revell's 1/48 F-5E finished as an ex-Swiss F-5N in service with VFC-111 as an aggressor. Used for this were steel beach decals (excellent - the fin sunburst is a single piece red/white decal that settled down

Paolo - lovely looking builds there, always been keen on the Starfighter and as a Brit I'm honour bound to like the Typhoon Quite some lineup of modern(ish) Italian jets you will have once you finish the F-16 ADF. Any plans for others - Tornado F.3/ADV, Tornado IDS/ECR?

It builds up nicely but there are some problems as mentioned...personally I like the kits, the Hasegawa may be better in terms of accuracy but in terms of fit the Hobbyboss is supposedly slightly better. For me (as someone shopping within the UK) the fact I can get the Hobbyboss Hornet for £20 yet the Hasegawa will set me back over £30 for almost all editions is a big deciding factor in favour of the Hobbyboss Hornet.

I was wondering if anyone had any decent images of the FACE (Forward Air Control Enhancement) pod utilised by the A-10 and other modern US aircraft? Would like to add one to an almost completed A-10A model, and it seems that modifying an AIS/ACMI pod would be the best place to start, but there seem to be relatively few detailed images of the pod out there. Many thanks, Will

As a sideline, the stylised Phoenix logo looks *very* similar to the logo used by 56 squadron RAF to me...

Have they not arrived yet Paolo? I posted them ages ago, admittedly I didnt go to the expense of traceable or insured shipping but given the lowish monetary value of the parts I was sending...guess they must have got lost somewhere along the way. I do have another Kinetic AM kit in the stash, shoot me an email with your address and I'll get another set sent out - won't be doing an ADF version anyway so you're welcome! My email is Will_is_over_the_moon@hotmail.com

Any pics of the motorbike in an F-106? Sounds good for a laugh and an amusing diorama :D

Aeromaster do a sheet with a VF-32 CAG jet sporting 2 mig kill outlines, which as a desert storm era sheet, I presume is one of these jets in a later period? How does this score for accuracy, recognising the fact that its a much later scheme than that worn at the time of the engagement? Will

Have read something over on another forum about an EA-6B still flying with the fleet that was made from the components from three different airframes, around the 1999 period! Just curious as to how this was managed - was it three accident damaged airframes or what? With the demand on the Prowler and the lack of decent airframes around it wouldn't surprise me to see all kinds of hulks re-used for parts, but to bash three airframes together to make a single jet seems remarkable! Was wondering if anyone from the Prowler community could shed more light on this....