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Oman Air Force Jaguar


daktari

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Hi everybody.

 

I'm actually preparing a future model of an Omani Jaguar and I've a question about the cockpit.

Is this one a specific type for international jaguar or is it the same than Gr1(or maybe Gr3 if modernization) type?.

I specify that my model will represent a Jaguar with the first type of camouflage in two color of brown.

 

Thanks for your help.

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To all intents and purposes everything in print suggests that they were delivered very close to GR.1 standard although they had the capability of carrying the overwing missile launch rails from the start , various media reports suggest that they were later upgraded to a similar standard as the RAF's  GR.3 but what exactly was involved does not seem to be too clear.

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from the outside hardly any difference can be observed anyways!

French (all) and Indian (some) had different noses.

 

so you should be fine with a GR1 or 3 boxing, you might want to do something to the IP, but then you would need to know exactly what changes were implemented for Omani Jags!

 

what model / scale do you plane to use?

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If it helps to clarify matters in any way a couple of follow-on aircraft to the initial OS/OB variant order were ex-RAF GR.1 and T.2 so probably not too  many big differences with the equipment fit although something does come to mind about some export Jaguars for someone having their aircraft cockpits mainly in grey rather than the shades of black favoured by the RAF.

 

Later , around 1997 a contract was signed to upgrade Oman's surviving 16 single-seat and 3 twin-seat aircraft to 'Jaguar 97' (GR.3A) standard with square centrally mounted multi-function display screen on the instrument panel , larger HUD along with a RWR display screen and some other equipment changes changes on the coaming , cable and sensor along the canopy centreline for the Helmet Mounted Sight system as well as a new control stick top.

Edited by Des
Spelling oopsie
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On 04/02/2018 at 12:59 PM, Des said:

To all intents and purposes everything in print suggests that they were delivered very close to GR.1 standard although they had the capability of carrying the overwing missile launch rails from the start , various media reports suggest that they were later upgraded to a similar standard as the RAF's  GR.3 but what exactly was involved does not seem to be too clear.

My memory was that the second batch of 12 aircraft were built with the overwing AAM capability, but that the first dozen had the capability retrofitted. I stand to be corrected though.

 

The first batch had the red tail shield and the latter were in blue. This was to distinguish the squadrons they were allocated to, but for the life of me cannot remember the numbers.

 

Trevor

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8 Squadron badge was in Red , 20 Squadron in Blue.

 

According to some sources the first RAF Jaguars deployed for the first Gulf War acquired their overwing pylons from Oman , the UK having seen no need for them previously and although the pylons later became standard in RAF use the adaptions made to a couple of RAOF twin-seaters in having the RWR bar fitted on the tail  and the French style of AAR probe on the nose did not.

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On 04/02/2018 at 7:44 PM, exdraken said:

from the outside hardly any difference can be observed anyways!

French (all) and Indian (some) had different noses.

 

so you should be fine with a GR1 or 3 boxing, you might want to do something to the IP, but then you would need to know exactly what changes were implemented for Omani Jags!

 

what model / scale do you plane to use?

I'll probably use the Revell/Italeri 72 scale kit but I've also the Hasegawa one in stock.

 

On 05/02/2018 at 6:06 PM, Des said:

If it helps to clarify matters in any way a couple of follow-on aircraft to the initial OS/OB variant order were ex-RAF GR.1 and T.2 so probably not too  many big differences with the equipment fit although something does come to mind about some export Jaguars for someone having their aircraft cockpits mainly in grey rather than the shades of black favoured by the RAF.

 

Later , around 1997 a contract was signed to upgrade Oman's surviving 16 single-seat and 3 twin-seat aircraft to 'Jaguar 97' (GR.3A) standard with square centrally mounted multi-function display screen on the instrument panel , larger HUD along with a RWR display screen and some other equipment changes changes on the coaming , cable and sensor along the canopy centreline for the Helmet Mounted Sight system as well as a new control stick top.

So I think I'll install a Gr3 cockpit from Pavla. I assume that after 1997 the Omani Jaguar were always in the two colors scheme (I'm not a great fan of the new three colors scheme:think:).

 

Thanks for your help.

Edited by daktari
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You should be safe enough with an updated aircraft in the two-tone colour scheme for quite a while after the upgrade , from what I can make out the three-tone colour scheme came very late in the aircraft's service and even although there were very few aircraft in service by then I am not certain that all had been repainted when the type was withdrawn around 2014 , some magazine articles from the time are a bit unclear about whether they were using news or stock images to report the withdrawal.

 

See this - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Royal_Air_Force_of_Oman_Jaguar_taxies_towards_the_runway_at_Thumrait,_Oman._MOD_45143904.jpg - dated 2005 with the aircraft still in the two-tone colour scheme and with the single 'T' shape 'Have Quick' aerial on the spine air conditioning unit as well as a GPS disc aerial ahead of the windshield both of which became standard with the Jaguar97/GR.3A upgrade programme , red/orange edge to the open canopy is also a nice touch.

Edited by Des
Wrong date for image
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I have never seen Omani Jags carrying overwing rails, as when fitted, the rails would not fit through the HAS doors. I left Thumrait in 2006, and all that time they carried the same camo scheme, with a blue RAFO shield. Originally, the shields were coloured as for the 2 Squadrons (Blue and Red). I did not work on them so cannot comment on the cockpits, but they were Jaguar Internationals, although 226 was ex RAF.

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nice joice!

C72132_1.jpg

2 hours ago, Rhino said:

I have never seen Omani Jags carrying overwing rails, as when fitted, the rails would not fit through the HAS doors. I left Thumrait in 2006, and all that time they carried the same camo scheme, with a blue RAFO shield. Originally, the shields were coloured as for the 2 Squadrons (Blue and Red). I did not work on them so cannot comment on the cockpits, but they were Jaguar Internationals, although 226 was ex RAF.

could not find one either, but why would the HAS doors be too small/low / narrow? the fin is much higher after all!

 

mybe something to do with effort involved fitting live missiles overwing, when no air to ground ordnance was carried anyways?  - air defense oriented?  just curious!

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9 hours ago, exdraken said:

nice joice!

C72132_1.jpg

could not find one either, but why would the HAS doors be too small/low / narrow? the fin is much higher after all!

 

mybe something to do with effort involved fitting live missiles overwing, when no air to ground ordnance was carried anyways?  - air defense oriented?  just curious!

The shape of the HAS doors were different to what we see in Europe, they had a cut out for the fin, with the rest being lower down, sort of an inverted T.

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6 hours ago, Rhino said:

The shape of the HAS doors were different to what we see in Europe, they had a cut out for the fin, with the rest being lower down, sort of an inverted T.

Probably why they would have been quite happy for the RAF to take them off their hands for Operation Granby if the books on the subject have the story right.

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21 hours ago, Des said:

You should be safe enough with an updated aircraft in the two-tone colour scheme for quite a while after the upgrade , from what I can make out the three-tone colour scheme came very late in the aircraft's service and even although there were very few aircraft in service by then I am not certain that all had been repainted when the type was withdrawn around 2014 , some magazine articles from the time are a bit unclear about whether they were using news or stock images to report the withdrawal.

 

See this - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Royal_Air_Force_of_Oman_Jaguar_taxies_towards_the_runway_at_Thumrait,_Oman._MOD_45143904.jpg - dated 2005 with the aircraft still in the two-tone colour scheme and with the single 'T' shape 'Have Quick' aerial on the spine air conditioning unit as well as a GPS disc aerial ahead of the windshield both of which became standard with the Jaguar97/GR.3A upgrade programme , red/orange edge to the open canopy is also a nice touch.

Never noticed the orange painted canopy frame before; did they always have that?

 

Regards,

Murph

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1 hour ago, Murph said:

Never noticed the orange painted canopy frame before; did they always have that?

 

Regards,

Murph

I’ve not seen orange before, but have come across pictures of a red patch at the top of the canopy. I assume it’s a safety feature to ensure the canopy is locked?

 

Trevor

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On 06/02/2018 at 6:26 PM, Des said:

You should be safe enough with an updated aircraft in the two-tone colour scheme for quite a while after the upgrade , from what I can make out the three-tone colour scheme came very late in the aircraft's service and even although there were very few aircraft in service by then I am not certain that all had been repainted when the type was withdrawn around 2014 , some magazine articles from the time are a bit unclear about whether they were using news or stock images to report the withdrawal.

 

See this - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:A_Royal_Air_Force_of_Oman_Jaguar_taxies_towards_the_runway_at_Thumrait,_Oman._MOD_45143904.jpg - dated 2005 with the aircraft still in the two-tone colour scheme and with the single 'T' shape 'Have Quick' aerial on the spine air conditioning unit as well as a GPS disc aerial ahead of the windshield both of which became standard with the Jaguar97/GR.3A upgrade programme , red/orange edge to the open canopy is also a nice touch.

It's exactly this Omani JAGUAR that I want to achieve :lol:, effectively the red edge to the open canopy is very attractive.

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