Steel Beach new products

[Darren Roberts]

I'm just about finished up with some new items that will be released in the next few weeks. Included will be an ERA-3B update for the Trumpeter kit, Skywarrior pylons (both with and without the ALQ-76 pods), and an advanced Super Hornet update. The pictures show my first test cast. I'm still working on refining the shape of the enclosed weapons pod. There are custom decals available. I'll provide the information when the resin is released. As always, thanks for your support and your business. It is appreciated!

[doupnik]

Those are looking great, Darren! Have you tried the fit on a Revell SH?

Looking forward to more,

mason

[Darren Roberts]

Those are looking great, Darren! Have you tried the fit on a Revell SH?

Looking forward to more,

mason

I just checked the fit on the Revell SH. The outside shape fits well, but the inside curve along the spine has a big gap. You could easily fill it with Apoxie Sculpt or some other two part epoxy and once sanded down, you'd never tell. I might also think about modifying my master to fit the Revell kit as well. I think my plan is to make one mold and cast until the mold dies. It takes a LOT of RTV to make one mold, so I don't want to invest too heavily in them.

[mingwin]

what is the scale of those Advance Super Hornet CFT?

[Darren Roberts]

what is the scale of those Advance Super Hornet CFT?

Sorry about that. They are 1/48. I'm considering 1/72 as well, but I want to make sure no one else is planning on doing them.

[adamitri]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread Darren, but does the Navy use the CFT's yet ?

[mingwin]

Sorry about that. They are 1/48. I'm considering 1/72 as well, but I want to make sure no one else is planning on doing them.

thank you Darren.

is the centerline weapon bay for the ASH is on you do-list also??? that would be awesome...and appropriate. (even if i know that it's quite a large resin bit)

[AnthonyWan]

How do you feel about making me a set of 1/32 CFTs? :)

[Neeko]

Sorry to hi-jack your thread Darren, but does the Navy use the CFT's yet ?

Nope.

[Slartibartfast]

With few exceptions, modern fighting aircraft always carry gas bags. And conformal tankage is becoming popular. So, why the heck won't the military wise up and allow planes that have all this extra fuel designed in from the beginning?! Sure they're heavier. That seems to be a lower priority than the extra fuel, though. Pentagon, I'm looking at you.

edit -- and I'm sorry for the attempted hijacking. Call the FBI on my arse.

Edited June 11, 2016 by Slartibartfast

[Darren Roberts]

With few exceptions, modern fighting aircraft always carry gas bags. And conformal tankage is becoming popular. So, why the heck won't the military wise up and allow planes that have all this extra fuel designed in from the beginning?! Sure they're heavier. That seems to be a lower priority than the extra fuel, though. Pentagon, I'm looking at you.

edit -- and I'm sorry for the attempted hijacking. Call the FBI on my arse.

Actually, it's a good question. No need to apologize. When did the F-15E get CFT's? The reason I ask is that the Super Hornet was designed in the early 90's, so maybe CFT's weren't even a consideration at that point. The more modern designs are all about stealth, so CFT's may not be viable from that standpoint. If you think about it, the "newest" design we have is the F-35, and how old is that when you look at the original proposal?

[tosouthern66]

Darren

Thanks for all your hard work with the ASH upgrades! I am assuming you are work your molds for the Hasegawa kits. I have never tried applying resin to a model as of yet, I do have some resin items to be used. Once you get those ASH items finished I will be contacting you for a set or two. I do hope you do some in 1/72 scale, because that is my primary size I build when I do build. Keep up the great work!!!!

[strikeeagle801]

Actually, it's a good question. No need to apologize. When did the F-15E get CFT's? The reason I ask is that the Super Hornet was designed in the early 90's, so maybe CFT's weren't even a consideration at that point. The more modern designs are all about stealth, so CFT's may not be viable from that standpoint. If you think about it, the "newest" design we have is the F-35, and how old is that when you look at the original proposal?

F-15E had CFT's from the get-go, and before they were designed, the F-15A/C's were carrying CFT's as well. So they have been around since at least the early to mid 80's.

[B2Blain]

Hey Rob,

The CFTs are a nice surprise. How about some Next Generation Jammer pods for the Growler?

[Darren Roberts]

Hey Rob,

The CFTs are a nice surprise. How about some Next Generation Jammer pods for the Growler?

Oh? Do tell! I'm not familiar with those.

[achterkirch]

Oh? Do tell! I'm not familiar with those.

Straight from the source. Scroll down and find the gulf stream with the pod underneath it. There's several Views of the pod there. http://www.raytheon.com/capabilities/products/ngj/

[graves_09]

The Navy has ordered 0 F-18 CFTs and unless someone decides to dust off the proposal in a few years we probably will never see them in the fleet.

As for the NGJ pods, those are only the prototype pods. The real thing has a long ways to mature and may look very different than the prototypes.

[Darren Roberts]

Interesting stuff! Is there a reason the Navy didn't pursue the CFT's for the Hornets? I would have thought it might solve some of the "leg" issues it has. They may see it as unnecessary with tanking. The pods look cool. graves_09 is probably right about the shapes changing.

[GMK]

I thought the Navy was looking at the CFT issue again - hence the redesign.

[B2Blain]

Interesting stuff! Is there a reason the Navy didn't pursue the CFT's for the Hornets? I would have thought it might solve some of the "leg" issues it has. They may see it as unnecessary with tanking. The pods look cool. graves_09 is probably right about the shapes changing.

I believe the external shape is pretty stable. The size is based on the number of AESA arrays - four in each pod, two in the front and two in the rear. The intake and vents at the center is a high powered ram air turbine that needs to be in the center because of the location of the AESA arrays. The intakes open from a low drag position when additional power is needed. I would think it would be pretty easy to develop.

[graves_09]

Was the Navy ever looking at CFT? The previous ones were a Boeing lead effort in hopes of selling it to the Navy.

FWIW, I think it would be a great enhancement for the F-18.

[jeffryfontaine]

BZ Darren! Thanks for making the Skywarrior wing stores pylons! :)

[Andrew Maverick Taylor]

I'm just about finished up with some new items that will be released in the next few weeks. Included will be an ERA-3B update for the Trumpeter kit, Skywarrior pylons (both with and without the ALQ-76 pods), and an advanced Super Hornet update. The pictures show my first test cast. I'm still working on refining the shape of the enclosed weapons pod. There are custom decals available. I'll provide the information when the resin is released. As always, thanks for your support and your business. It is appreciated!

Thought I might see something of your efforts before too long. Those CFTs look awesome! Looking forward to seeing the EWP. Can't wait to got hold of those!

[Andrew Maverick Taylor]

Was the Navy ever looking at CFT? The previous ones were a Boeing lead effort in hopes of selling it to the Navy.

FWIW, I think it would be a great enhancement for the F-18.

The CFTs still are a Boeing led initiative as part of the Super Hornet Growth program. Currently the Navy and the Australian Air Force are flying the Block II variant which incorporates the ECS bard Stacks and the ACS cockpit. The Block III version is more likely to include the CFTs and Weapons pod as well as a new front cockpit 18" touch screen display and also a new centreline fuel tank incorporating an IRST like that fitted to the F-14D dual chin pod. Boeing is basically trying to head off competition from Lockheed Martin and their F-35 due to rising costs and inability to perform certain tasks until software updates become available. Canada are currently looking at the Super Hornet due to it's twin engine/twin crew reliability as well as Malaysia and Denmark.

[graves_09]

The CFTs still are a Boeing led initiative as part of the Super Hornet Growth program. Currently the Navy and the Australian Air Force are flying the Block II variant which incorporates the ECS bard Stacks and the ACS cockpit. The Block III version is more likely to include the CFTs and Weapons pod as well as a new front cockpit 18" touch screen display and also a new centreline fuel tank incorporating an IRST like that fitted to the F-14D dual chin pod. Boeing is basically trying to head off competition from Lockheed Martin and their F-35 due to rising costs and inability to perform certain tasks until software updates become available. Canada are currently looking at the Super Hornet due to it's twin engine/twin crew reliability as well as Malaysia and Denmark.

More like a Boeing hoping that JSF would slip and F-18 could pick up the pieces. Denmark already rejected the advanced super hornet for the JSF. The IRST in the late stages of flight test and will likely be in the fleet in a few years. CFT probably won't happen with USN hornets this late in the game, as only 2-3 more lots of SH are planned. The concept is good, however the cost and time to test makes it prohibitive.