smeds Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 (edited) The U.S. Navy was using the Lockheed P-3 Orion for Anti submarine warfare from 1962. These aircraft gave sterling service until 2 crashed under mysterious circumstances. After an extensive investigation, the two crashes were found to be caused by an engine mount problem. They were not strong enough to dampen a whirling mode that affected the outboard engine nacelles. When the oscillation was transmitted to the wings they were attached to, a severe up-and-down vibration escalated until the wings would tear themselves off the aircraft. The U.S. Navy decided to ground all P-3 Orions until an answer to this problem could be found. The Lockheed company implemented an expensive modification program, in which the engine mounts and the wing structures supporting the mounts were strengthened, and some of the wing skins replaced with thicker material. Each of the Orions built to that time was modified at Lockheed's expense at the factory. With the number of airframes requiring the modification, this would take several years to complete. The U.S. Government now left without airbourne anti-submarine warfare assests, approached the United Kingdom with regard to the purchase of the Hawker Siddley Nimrod to fill the gap left by the grounded Orions. Talks were held and it was agreed to sell the Americans an intial batch of 100 Nimrods with more to follow. These would be designated as the Nimrod P-4 in U.S service. Hawker Siddley had plans for several upgrades for the Nimrod, which included a signal intelligence and an AEW version. The U.S.N. were very happy with the Nimrod so they decided to sell its Orions once modified to several of its allies and keep the Nimrod in service. The U.S.N Nimrods have been on TDY in the U.K. participating in the Fincastle Trophy, which they have yet to win. Edited August 5, 2010 by smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hovis Posted July 25, 2010 Share Posted July 25, 2010 Sounds good to me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnonymousDFB1 Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 Now that's different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted July 26, 2010 Share Posted July 26, 2010 What a great story, it's nice to see a story that involves the UK aircraft being the answer to the problem! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChancerUK Posted July 28, 2010 Share Posted July 28, 2010 I agree with Daniel on that one, its nice to see a British solution. Will you be hanging a couple of Harpoon missiles under the wings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted July 28, 2010 Author Share Posted July 28, 2010 I agree with Daniel on that one, its nice to see a British solution. Will you be hanging a couple of Harpoon missiles under the wings? Yeah, had planned to do just that. Just need to decide on the scheme - high or low viz !! smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted August 1, 2010 Author Share Posted August 1, 2010 The box shot Lots of plastic to fondle smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted August 5, 2010 Author Share Posted August 5, 2010 (edited) Some progress Not doing to much in the cockpit as not much can be seen through the windscreen Blanked off the APU with scrap card Fuselage all buttoned up Cheers smeds Edited August 5, 2010 by smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredjocko Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Yeah, had planned to do just that. Just need to decide on the scheme - high or low viz !! smeds Smeds; There are a lot very colorful hi-viz schemes but to me the "badness" of the plane really shows in the low viz. This could be interesting. Thanx, Carl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 Good progress so far, and I also see you have come up with a way in which you do not need to use the Airfix decals! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted August 17, 2010 Author Share Posted August 17, 2010 A bit more progress, main airframe coming along nicely All masked up and primed (Halfords finest), maybe just a bit of pre shading and then onto the final colour smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tc2324 Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Looking good so far. Cant wait to see it in USN colours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard E Posted August 17, 2010 Share Posted August 17, 2010 Looks good so far, did you manage to get some decals for it? One question from a curious mind: if it was a US operated machine would it have a boom receptecle instead as or as well as a refuelling probe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted August 18, 2010 Author Share Posted August 18, 2010 (edited) Looks good so far, did you manage to get some decals for it?One question from a curious mind: if it was a US operated machine would it have a boom receptecle instead as or as well as a refuelling probe? It was operated by the Navy. the Navy use the probe and drogue method of refuelling, where as the USAF use the boom/recepticle method. I do have some decals, VP-5, VP-40 and VP-50, just need to make my mind up which to use. smeds Edited August 19, 2010 by smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RussTnailZ Posted August 19, 2010 Share Posted August 19, 2010 looking great cant wait to see more Russ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted September 10, 2010 Share Posted September 10, 2010 Any more progress on this one? Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted September 10, 2010 Author Share Posted September 10, 2010 Any more progress on this one?Dan Yeah Dan, almost complete, couple of small jobs to do, armament to be assembled/painted/fitted, satin coat then unmask and pics, hopefully this week. Cheers smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smeds Posted September 14, 2010 Author Share Posted September 14, 2010 (edited) Some pics of my very recently finished Nimrod P-4A. All comments good or bad welcome. My photography skills are not up to scratch. Appologies to mattie Bee !! Couldnt make my mind up re finish, hi viz/low viz, so I went with the new low viz overall colour with high viz markings. Followed Airfix instructions for the colours of the weapons She's been zapped !! Cheers smeds Edited September 14, 2010 by smeds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Col. Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Very nice work! Like the mix of low-viz scheme with high-viz markings, must have been an airshow special Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hypnobear Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 That looks really nice, almost believable! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan P Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 That scheme really works! Makes even that ugly duckling look good! And you put that one out in record time too, great work Smedley! Al Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz greenwood Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I think I prefer the Nimblob in USN markings it looks ultra cool Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabba Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 She's been zapped !! We never had a zap that big, but we did manage to get a few aircraft. Nice build by the way, it certainly does look different especially the huge fish on the fin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
philp Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Nice job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shar2 Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Excellent build. As others have already said, she really does look good in US marking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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