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Tornado F3 Skyflash and Aim colours


Skyhunter66

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45 minutes ago, Skyhunter66 said:

Afternoon - currently finishing the HobbyBoss 1:48 Tornado F3 and the colour call out for the Skyflash and Aim 9's is white but I'm not so sure that is correct??

chris 

RAF Skyflash were never white. they were painted BS 381c 627 light aircraft grey.

RAF AIM9L sidewinders were also never white, they were painted US gull Grey.

 

Selwyn

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11 hours ago, Selwyn said:

RAF Skyflash were never white. they were painted BS 381c 627 light aircraft grey.

RAF AIM9L sidewinders were also never white, they were painted US gull Grey.

 

Selwyn

perfect - thanks Selwyn

11 hours ago, RMP2 said:

Any help?

 

A_Tornado_F3_from_43_Squadron_based_at_R

excellent - many thanks 

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12 hours ago, RMP2 said:

The 9Ls look pretty white in the above photo, Selwyn. Trick of the light?

Must be. In all my career I have never seen a white AIM9L, though I have been told that the very first  USN ones were this colour. The RAF missiles were Licence built in Europe and always Grey.

 

Selwyn

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29 minutes ago, canberra kid said:

As Selwyn wasn't saying so are the AMRAAMS :) Are these Skyflash? This is all a bit modern for me :) 

omokIJ.jpg

omoPT2.jpg

omoLws.jpg

I think I'm safe in saying these are Sidewinders?

omoJqn.jpg

John 

 

To be absolutely pedantic (as only a britmodeller can) These are actually Practice AIM 9L Sidewinders above. 

 

The Skyflash on the jets above  are actually Drill rounds (Oxford blue rings and wing Disks). And to add even more pedantic waffle there were no Manufactured Drill Skyflash, they were actually modified Sparrow Practice rounds!

 

Well flown 9L rounds judging by the badly eroded nose "Glass" (which IIRC were actually made of brown painted wood on practice rounds!)

 

Selwyn

(drops hand grenade and ducks for cover!)

Edited by Selwyn
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3 hours ago, charlie_c67 said:

Out of interest, how different is the Skyflash from the Sparrow-7E on which I've read it was based?

When the first Skyflash appeared in 1978 it was actually half a sparrow, the difference was in what was called the forebody,  from just behind the central wings to the nose which contained the new guidance electronics. The warhead and rocket motor was pure sparrow. It was overall externally exactly the same shape and dimensions as the sparrow. The main visual differences were the four proximity fuze antenna behind the radome and it was of course painted overall grey, and was carried by the UK Phantom.

When the Tornado F2/3 came into service the missiles were modified to TEMP series (Tornado Embodied Modification Package). This involved updated electronics and the main visual difference was the introduction of two slots in the forebody and square holes in the vicinity of the rear hanger which on fitting to the aircraft launcher engaged with mounting blocks mounted on the Tornado's Frazer Nash eject launchers. The Pre TEMP missile could not be fitted to Tornado because of these blocks, but the TEMP was able to be fitted to the Phantom Aero 7 launchers.

About 88/89 came the Super TEMP, again with improved electronics, the fitting of a new Rocket motor with a burn sustainer and some aerodynamic improvements, visual differences were that the two forebody wiring conduits had rounded rear surfaces, the fin mountings on the rocket motor were faired in as opposed to two block like mountings, and the central wings were of thinner section with their  base mountings painted white to differentiate between the earlier standard.

 

Bentwaters; Both the Sparrow and Skyflash always used solid fuel rockets. 

 

Selwyn

 

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1 minute ago, Selwyn said:

 

Bentwaters; Both the Sparrow and Skyflash always used solid fuel rockets. 

 

Selwyn

 

I stand corrected.   I was recently told by an ex USAF techie that Skyflash was re powered as I described. 

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So fairly distinct differences and a not particularly well served missile for the modelling community. From memory the Italeri ones are just generic detail light shapes :huh:

 

Anyone any good at CAD drawings?!

Edited by charlie_c67
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On 07/10/2017 at 2:01 PM, Selwyn said:

there were no Manufactured Drill Skyflash, they were actually modified Sparrow Practice rounds!

 

Well flown 9L rounds judging by the badly eroded nose "Glass" (which IIRC were actually made of brown painted wood on practice rounds!)

 

Selwyn

(drops hand grenade and ducks for cover!)

Edited yesterday at 02:07 PM by Selwyn

Two things I didn't know!

Always learning on here though.

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4 hours ago, Paramedic said:

And then we have the Swedish RB 71, license-built Sky Flash. I guess it is not the same colour as the Uk ones?

 

Clicky!

No Idea! but then this thread is titled "Tornado F3 Skyflash and Aim colours" which kind of rules out swedish missiles anyway!B)

 

Selwyn

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