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Need to ask airfix if they are doing it as EJ or as the 04 OCU kite it was at the end of its service?

I have seen some of the advert shots for the kit and they have XX741 as its end of flying service hodge podge 16(R) scheme from 1993. It was farmed out to the OCU post a last P* maintenance due to its planned retirement as due an upcoming Major during the defence cuts of Options for change. I hope they stick to the fact its actual 6 Sqn Markings of EJ and not 04 of the OCU. Why have Airfix changed it to the OCU?

Got the AMW mag with the history of the jet. So many errors just copied from trash that came from other authors that had no access to Kew files released. Ferranti NAVWASS? Wasn't on the GR1's, it was an Elliot system. I have looked at the Bolton model and seen a few things that I think Airfix could have done better.

XZ101 was the first RAFG Recce jet. Took up 6 months of my life as a bookend to the my part in the repair of ZD843 in Dhahran. the Tornado with the Purple Heart. 34 years ago tonight, that aircraft was the first to use a JP233 in anger.

Biggest error on the write up. 6 (AC) Sqn. 6 has not been an Army Cooperation Sqn in its title since it got Hurri IIDs in 1942.

INDU is Inertial Navigation Display Unit, the head up unit for programming and setting the Ferranti FIN 1064 nav and weapon aiming system. WAMS was the weapons aiming mode selector unit that was a unit on the Elliot NAVWASS system on the GR1. A box that was considerably smaller and different shape to the former. Julien knows my involvement with the BCWM with their Jaguar. It is a sad fact that Brian Smee whom paid the cash for XX741 to be owned and paid the cash to allow us to get it live, couldn't see today with the kite as an Airfix kit!

The line pointed out is the join point of the front and centre fuselage (frame 10). The split is accurate. The Kittyhawk kit had French hanging stuff and the British and French pylons were different to accept the different ERUs used by the air forces. If you are building a GR1, don't use the AN ALE 40 dispensers or the ECM/PHIMAT fit. Purely a GR1A one. GR1s didn't have the ALE40/Winder control panel on the right hand coaming or the big INDU on the left. Just the WAMS box on the left. Jag Rigger spent over 20 years working on the things and including XX741, I am not far behind.

Stu Jones doing an intake inspection. He was working on the jet with me yesterday before we heard the news of the release.

Yes, seeing the external differences between a GR1 A and GR3 is two GPS aerials, the Havequick aerial as standard, the 1148 mod parachute cone/spring hook fairing and 106 engine exhaust shrouds. Big difference is in the cockpit.

Indeed, the original GR1 standby VHF aerials were removed in a special trial fit for another U/VHF aerial for a second HAVE QUICK radio system on the Stage 2 Granby jets. STF was disembodied on return. Or left on as a STF for Warden etc.

The BCWM had a big input in this with the researcher Luke and the designer when they came to Bentwaters in the June of 2023. We showed them with XX741 how the airframe worked and how one would see the aircraft parked on the ground. No Pilot in cockpit, the undercarriage doors would not be shut. Slats would have to be out before flaps in emergency operation and like the U/C doors, would be down without a pilot in the Cockpit. We are fortunate that they did put XX741 in the decal set.

Disappeared with the Airfix Researcher I think.

Behave Turkey..

"Bet Lynch" was the nickname given to it by the 6 Sqn groundcrew when it was being painted BTW, so the term is not original. I could tell you everything about the flight how to get it painted ans the design send into Strike Command was mine. Need to get a lawyer on the manufacturers on copyright. LOL

I know its draging up an old thread, but I can answer the question on what the yellow paint is for on the tailplanes of the jag pictured in LFA7 (I would assume) is for. It's PR143 primer and its there because the paint around the rib to lower skin attachment fasteners has been removed (in Colt AMF I would wager) to see/remove/replace the pulled fasteners in these locations! In the military world, you cannot do the job and then recover the surface finish like the civilian MROs do! You had to get the painters in to do it! If they were unavailable, well prime it up and let it go flying, hopefully with a husbandry entry in the F700 to remind somebody that it needs painting! Sorry chaps, the lines mean nothing more than somebody not finishing off a job!