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Airbus A400M Atlas


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Here's Alan Firbank's ( Paperback Writer ) latest effort- the A400M Atlas, no doubt he will give me some text later to add, meanwhile , ENJOY !!

A400MIMG_1367.jpg

Edited by Gundylunch
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Thanks for the comments on the big beast. This is the first 1/72 kit that I have done for about forty years. I though I had grown out of them but when asked to do this one, I couldn't resist. The one on Revell's stand at Telford looked so good that I had to do one. Now that it is finished I am struggling to find a space for it. It is a 'square' model at about two feet wide and two feet long. It is also one of those models that will have to be handled carefully when carting it around with its aerials top and more worryingly - bottom. It is a bit of a pig to handle when building. Once the wings are on, if not careful you can clear your work bench with one swipe every time it is moved.

The RAF markings are from my imagination. I thought that the enormous fin was just crying-out to become one huge fin flash to turn a bland grey model into something to catch the eye. Maybe the first RAF Atlas will carry some special markings as it goes into service. The fin looks like it is a 1/48 item sitting on a 1/72 fuselage but that is the first thing we notice on the real thing.

As I understand it, the RAF will be calling the A440M Atlas (much better than Grizzly) and 25 aircraft are on order to replace the Hurcules fleet. I do not know when we will be seeing any examples in the skies over Brize Norton. Revell's kit contains markings for German and French Grizzlies but there is no mention of the RAF being a customer.

A full review of my build will be appearing in the July issue of Military In Scale when all will be revealed.

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Looks absolutly fantastic--the tail flash is an excelent bit of imagination and certainly beats the bland markings worn thus far. As to Atlas; given Air Chief Marshal Dalton's response to the "Grizzly" moniker, I think it's safe to say Atlas stands a much better chance! "It's absolutely appalling...It has no provenance, no acceptance and it will enter RAF service with that name over my dead body." Well said indeed, sir!

Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

Edited by Arie
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Looks absolutly fantastic--the tail flash is an excelent bit of imagination and certainly beats the bland markings worn thus far. As to Atlas; given Air Chief Marshal Dalton's response to the "Grizzly" moniker, I think it's safe to say Atlas stands a much better chance! "It's absolutely appalling...It has no provenance, no acceptance and it will enter RAF service with that name over my dead body." Well said indeed, sir!

Thanks for sharing :thumbsup:

fantastic model chap of a stunning plane but i think looking at it the name grizzly suits it atlas is just boring

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Luvverly!!!! :D

As regards the name "Grizzly", I do not believe this name is official. I have copied & pasted below a quote from the BBC on the date of the first flight ;

"British test pilot Ed Strongman and the crew wore parachutes for the whole flight on the plane, dubbed "grizzly" by test engineers after its burly appearance.".

I think also that "Grizzly" was adopted as the call sign? Perhaps someone can elaborate/clarify?

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When I build mine, its gonna be dark earth over mid-stone with black undersides - the classic early Herk colours...in fact, I have a C-17 in the stash which might just end up in the same scheme!

Graeme

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