RAF Ordnance of the 60s & 70s in 1/72

[1903flight]

With the release of the new Airfix Phantom and the re please of the Revell Hunter, I have couple of questions related of ordnance that these two types could carry (as well as other types)

 

Does anyone a source of 500lb bombs carried by different RAF types of the 60s and 70s?

 

Are the 500lb bombs actually the same as the 540lbs carried by Harriers in Afghanistan?

 

How about SURA rockets carried by Hunters (and Strikemasters), any sources for these?

 

Thanks,

 

James

 

 

[Selwyn]

The 1000lb bombs were basically the same design as used today.

 

The RAF did not use any 500lb bomb in this time period, they were all 540lb

 

The RAF did not use  SURA Rockets on Hunters  they were either 3" rockets or later 68mm SNEB, and the RAF did not have any strikemaster aircraft.

 

Selwyn

[1903flight]

1 hour ago, Selwyn said:

The RAF did not use any 500lb bomb in this time period, they were all 540lb

 

Thanks Selwyn.

 

I thought that would be the case - just shows that you can trust everything you read.

 

1 hour ago, Selwyn said:

The RAF did not use  SURA Rockets on Hunters  they were either 3" rockets

I had thought (incorrectly) that they were the same..and had read that SURA rockets were used on Strikemasters in SOAF and therefore they were also used on Hunters.

 

James

[Dave Fleming]

The bombs on the Airfix Phantom look too small to be 1000lb ones, wonder if they are meant to be 540lb ones

[Seahawk]

The old Matchbox 1/72 Strikemaster had two banks of SURA rockets: not terribly helpful as Omani aircraft usually flew with 4 banks.

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, Dave Fleming said:

The bombs on the Airfix Phantom look too small to be 1000lb ones, wonder if they are meant to be 540lb ones

In 1/72 scale the 540lb should be 27.85mm long and 4.59mm wide  (bomb body width),  bomb / tail joint  should be  14.45mm from the nose.

 

Selwyn

[Dave Fleming]

1 hour ago, Selwyn said:

In 1/72 scale the 540lb should be 27.85mm long and 4.59mm wide  (bomb body width),  bomb / tail joint  should be  14.45mm from the nose.

 

Selwyn

I'll get me micrometer out!

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, Dave Fleming said:

I'll get me micrometer out!

A bit OTT I think. A simple vernier caliper will do!

 

Selwyn

 

(Hiding behind the setee and giggling!)

[1903flight]

And a 3in rocket should be 1.06mm in 1/72?

 

I have found a couple aftermarket sets for RAF 3in rockets from Eduard and Pavla, after reading Selwyn's comments in this thread:

 

 

I believe that the rockets should be ok to use, I will just need to build 'Towel Rail' to hang the rockets off - I should be able to stretch build these.

22 hours ago, Seahawk said:

The old Matchbox 1/72 Strikemaster had two banks of SURA rockets: not terribly helpful as Omani aircraft usually flew with 4 banks

 

Remember build one as lad, surprised it was never released by Revell, certainly no worst than the some of the other Matchbox kits they re issued.

 

 

[Dave Fleming]

4 hours ago, 1903flight said:

 

 

Remember build one as lad, surprised it was never released by Revell, certainly no worst than the some of the other Matchbox kits they re issued.

 

 

 

There have been a few MB kits that Revell didn't release - HS125 was one, don't think the Piston Provost either

[Graham Boak]

Didn't the old Airfix Hunter come with banks of rockets?  Not exactly brilliant, I suspect, but probably no worse than the Matchbox ones.

 

The Matra 155 conical-nosed rocket pod, used for practice, used to be a common accessory in 1970s kits.  You could file it down, add a bit of filler, and get the round-nosed combat ones (Matra 116?)

[JosephLalor]

6 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

Didn't the old Airfix Hunter come with banks of rockets?  Not exactly brilliant, I suspect, but probably no worse than the Matchbox ones.

That's right, the F.6 boxing with the 111sqn/Swiss options had 8 sets of 2 rockets.

Edited February 6, 2018 by JosephLalor

[Ingo Degenhardt]

On 5.2.2018 at 5:10 PM, Selwyn said:

In 1/72 scale the 540lb should be 27.85mm long and 4.59mm wide  (bomb body width),  bomb / tail joint  should be  14.45mm from the nose.

 

Selwyn

Length is 27mm, width 5mm.

[StephenMG]

On 05/02/2018 at 1:54 PM, 1903flight said:

 

I had thought (incorrectly) that they were the same..and had read that SURA rockets were used on Strikemasters in SOAF and therefore they were also used on Hunters.

 

James

SURA were used on Hunters but on export versions not by the RAF. They were recommended by Hawker.

[Selwyn]

On 06/02/2018 at 5:57 PM, Graham Boak said:

Didn't the old Airfix Hunter come with banks of rockets?  Not exactly brilliant, I suspect, but probably no worse than the Matchbox ones.

 

The Matra 155 conical-nosed rocket pod, used for practice, used to be a common accessory in 1970s kits.  You could file it down, add a bit of filler, and get the round-nosed combat ones (Matra 116?)

Graham the 155 launcher was used for practice and live. The rarest pod was the 116, it was a disposable 19 shot war use only pod and I never ever saw it fitted on any jet.  (only seen it in trade training and in the odd photo).

 

Selwyn

[sloegin57]

On 5 February 2018 at 12:38 PM, Selwyn said:

The 1000lb bombs were basically the same design as used today.

 

The RAF did not use any 500lb bomb in this time period, they were all 540lb

 

The RAF did not use  SURA Rockets on Hunters  they were either 3" rockets or later 68mm SNEB, and the RAF did not have any strikemaster aircraft.

 

Selwyn

Selwyn,

 

how about the Microcell pods used by the Canberras of MEAF and FEAF in the early to late sixties.  Each pod contained 36 2 inch rockets.  Looked similar to the later Matra 116's but longer.  Designed and built by Thomas French and Sons.  Often flown without the nose cap, as were the early 155's on 208 Sqdn due to the heat causing the latter to explode on the ground, also painted white for the same reason.

 

Dennis

 

PS we used 116's on the Harriers for display on the OCU in the early days.   

[David Womby]

Pardon me but now I am getting confused about the rocket pods.   I think I know the Matra 155 when I see it and I know the RN used a different pod but:  what is the make/model of the RN pod and what's the one Dennis is referring to used by Canberras out East?

 

thanks

 

David

[Selwyn]

1 hour ago, David Womby said:

Pardon me but now I am getting confused about the rocket pods.   I think I know the Matra 155 when I see it and I know the RN used a different pod but:  what is the make/model of the RN pod and what's the one Dennis is referring to used by Canberras out East?

 

thanks

 

David

RAF 155  reusable rocket pod carried 18 x 68mm SNEB rockets metal construction has a black cone shaped head, is fitted with a fibreglass heat shield  when live HEAT rockets are loaded as in this image.http://www.funkymonkeyprops.com/page15.htm

RAF 116  Disposable rocket pod  ( Designed to fire out and then jettison from pylon) 19 x 68mm HEAT rockets expanded foam/metal composite construction with dome shaped frangible nose, for war use only. Couldnt find an image on the net but it looks very much like this US podhttps://nimh-beeldbank.defensie.nl/memorix/8cbc7fa4-1b2a-967a-e38c-36d271056b25

RN  2" rocket pod  36 X 2" rockets  (these are NOT SNEB rockets ) metal construction has a  cone shaped head looks a bit like a larger 115 pod. Was used by the RAF at one point,   seen loaded on canberra interdictors wing pylons  and was used on Buccaneer when the type was first adopted by the RAF.  Used by GR3 Harriers in the Falklands as the  RAF 155 SNEB launchers were not sufficiently EMC protected from Ships radar emissions. https://www.flickr.com/photos/47676646@N08/8727475204

 

Selwyn

Edited February 8, 2018 by Selwyn

[71chally]

A pic in this thread shows the MEAF/REAF Canberra rocket pod fit.

 

 

I believe GKN were involved with the 2" RN rocket pod, I don't know if they completely designed and produced it or just components.

Edited February 8, 2018 by 71chally

[Selwyn]

1 minute ago, 71chally said:

A pic in this thread shows the MEAF/REAF Canberra rocket pod fit.

 

 

I believe GKN were involved with the 2" RN rocket pod, I don't know if they completely designed and produced it or just components.

The front and rear fairings are not fitted on this picture (removed for loading) one is on the floor below it.

 

Selwyn

[Dave Fleming]

2 hours ago, Selwyn said:

 

RAF 116  Disposable rocket pod  ( Designed to fire out and then jettison from pylon) 19 x 68mm HEAT rockets expanded foam/metal composite construction with dome shaped frangible nose, for war use only. Couldnt find an image on the net but it looks very much like this US pod

 

 

Ignore the fake USMC markings!

 

[Dave Fleming]

2 hours ago, Selwyn said:

RN  2" rocket pod  36 X 2" rockets  (these are NOT SNEB rockets ) metal construction has a  cone shaped head looks a bit like a larger 115 pod. Was used by the RAF at one point,   seen loaded on canberra interdictors wing pylons  and was used on Buccaneer when the type was first adopted by the RAF.  Used by GR3 Harriers in the Falklands as the  RAF 155 SNEB launchers were not sufficiently EMC protected from Ships radar emissions. https://www.flickr.com/photos/47676646@N08/8727475204

 

 

 

On the British Phantom Facebook page, someone posted a pic of one of the early RAF Phantoms carrying 5 of these - two on each inner wing pylon and one under the fuselage!

[sloegin57]

Microcell and Matra 155 :-

 

From an early 70's MoD sales catalogue :-

 

OCU Display aircraft in the mid 70's carried two 116's :-

 

Dennis

Edited February 8, 2018 by sloegin57

[Ingo Degenhardt]

1 hour ago, Dave Fleming said:

 

On the British Phantom Facebook page, someone posted a pic of one of the early RAF Phantoms carrying 5 of these - two on each inner wing pylon and one under the fuselage!

Could the Phantom carry three rocket pods on the wing pylons? There seems to be not too much space between the TER (or how it is called) and the ground for a third pod underneath.

[Dave Fleming]

9 minutes ago, Ingo Degenhardt said:

Could the Phantom carry three rocket pods on the wing pylons? There seems to be not too much space between the TER (or how it is called) and the ground for a third pod underneath.

 

They could, RN ones tended to carry them on the outer and bottom points, but I've seen all three on a static aircraft - the attachment points on the UK TER were further apart to allow for wider British bombs and rockets