Tom Cooper

...glorious... so much so, if you don't paint this one absolutelly authentically, I'll get really mad. ;-)

Early on there were lots of problems with finding suitable Saudis and training them. That - and tensions to Egypt and (North) Yemen - caused an 'expansion' of the Op Magic Carpet through the sale of few Hunters to Saudi Arabia. These were flown by few British, some Pakistanis and few Saudis. But, Lightings were almost exclusively flown by Saudis. It was only that training took so long and required so many extras, the entire enterprise didn't bring a single pence of profit for the UK. (Indeed, in 1973, when Egyptians asked Saudis to deploy their Lightnings to Egypt prior to the October 1973 War with Israel, Saudis couldn't do so; they offered Egyptians to send their personnel to Saudi Arabia, train them on Lightnings and then fly them back to Egypt, and Egyptians tried to do so, but Saudis lacked the knowledge to help them convert to the type.) That, in turn, was one of reasons why London eventually cancelled the planned order for 50 F-111Ks (custom-tailored RAF-variant, never entered production): these were to be financed with help of Lightning-sale to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Beautiful work there, and fantastic display too.

AC, can you please drop me a PM with your e-mail? Think I've got what you're looking for.

I do recall photos of F-111s loaded with (quite a few of) Durandals, but can't find it right now. Still, the type was definitely cleared to carry them. PS (of a sort): when French bombed the runway of Libyan-constructed Wadi Doum AB, in northern Chad, in 1986... well, they didn't use Durandals but BAT-100s. No clue why: these are similar in function, but smaller by 50%.

Ryan has his own style in modelling - and I like it. Thumbs up for this one: a very rare topic, and well-done!

With pleasure. Thanks for this building (and so gorgeously painting) this beauty!

There is a monography of the 117th Fighter Regiment available? What's the title, who's the author - and foremost: where one can get a copy, PLEASE?

Beautiful work, Paul! Just one question here: you say 'Magic Palm'. I know this operation (the entire deal for delivery of Lightnings to Saudi Arabia, plus few Hunters and then some Bloodhound SAMs) as 'Operation Magic Carpet'. What's the story of 'Magic Palm'?

So, 'Komarac' ended in Zaire (DRC), that's interesting: I suspected this since long, but never got a confirmation. Although a number of people visited Gbadolite 'IAP' and took photos of Komarac (and other ex-Yu/Serbian MiGs) over the time, but they were never completely assembled - nobody was able to take a look at their fins and find out about their serials... BTW, these MiGs were not 'completely destroyed': they were partially assembled, never got their fins re-installed, and then left to root in the open. And since even their cockpits were left open ever since 1996, average temp in that area is around 25-30°C, and it's raining every day... well, each of them now has a true 'botanic garden' inside the cockpit, just for example...

Ah, you need reliable drawings. OK. I'll check with Andy (Rupprecht) - aka 'Deino' - if he's got some. And special thanks for buying that one. Much appreciated. More in this direction is to follow the next year. ;-)

I would recommend 3-4 books 'from the other side of the fence', in no particular order: - Red Wings over the Yalu Although something like 'covering the Chinese only', and rather on 'academic/schoolar' side than 'for modellers & enthusiasts', this is an absolute must: once you read it, you'll understand this air war better than with help of 10-15 other books about this air war. - Red Devils over the Yalu This is something like 'must have' for anybody interested in Soviet involvement. It's also excellently illustrated. - Soviet MiG-15 Aces of Korean War Something like 'Soviet involvement light', well stuffed with photos and artworks, and thus useful for modellers too. As additional reference about 'how did they do that' this one is simply unbeatable: - F-86 Sabre vs MiG-15, Korea 1950-1953. Finally, author of the latter book (F-86 Sabre vs MiG-15) also did a beautiful and incredibly well-researched series of articles about North Korean Air Force for the Small Air Forces Observer magazine, some 2-3 years back.

Ah, I see. Ok, then I'll shock you now - shock you, indeed ;-) - by making some advertising for one of volumes co-authored by trully your's: Modern Chinese Air Power. In that book you can find detailed description of every single J-7-variant, plus at least 4-5 photos and a similar number of artworks of J-7Es (in PLAAF and in PLANAF livery).

I'm not even sure to understand your question correctly, AC, not to talk about being the right man. ;-) Anyway, the J-7E is the first of two double-delta variants, also including a new ('big' and rear-hinged) canopy, pitot tube above intake (on the right side), para-brake housing, and plenty of various aerials on forward and lower fuselage, as well as the top of the fin. Underwing pylons are different in comparison to originals (adapted for PL-5s): they have a 'step' along the leading edge. If that was not your question, but you meant what kit would work fine for making a J-7E: no clue. Sure is: a typical MiG-21F-13-kit is simply not going to be enough. While there should be no problem with adding various RWR-antennas, new anti-collision lights, and various new comm-antenas, J-7E's cockpit, main wing, pylons, para-brake-housing, and ejection seat that are entirely different in comparison to those of the F-13 - and I'm really not sure they can be scratch built that 'easily'.

Yup, that one is 'right on the money'. ;-)

BTW, note that the IAB-500 - and all the nukes - came in company with 'special pylon' too (plus a small, overhead control panel for the 'weapon'). There is none of that on that sprue.

Yup, canopy and para-brake-housing are major differences. Cannon/s, different aerials etc. the next few ones. Although: that is all related to Egyptian F-7Bs. Egypt has also got a small batch of F-7As (with forward hinged canopy), and some of these are still in service...

Hm... that's not really looking like IAB-500 (rather like ZAB-500 or some other napalm container). Compare it to this one: But, perhaps it can be re-worked into a shape that's looking similar?

Ah, I see, thanks. AFAIK, they didn't. At least there were none to be seen on the photos of MiG-21SMTs armed with weapons.

Very nice, Ryan. Your application of colours is getting ever better and better - and that's very visible here.

Simply beautiful work. Really well done.

There was a training round, R-3U (or whatever) without wings, but with three or four black bands. It had a seeker-head up front, but no engine and it couldn't get fired of course. Yes, certainly well into the 1980s (in the case of some export customers, the R-3S was still in service as late as just 10 or so years ago).Obviously, it was already considered 'obsolete' by that time, i.e. nothing any MiG-21SMT would load if sent into intercept- or air-superiority-type of mission. But then, with Soviets lacking fresh combat experiences and mistrusting experiences of most of their allies (or at least misinterpreting them for entirely wrong reasons), that was the same issue like with the MiG-21 as such: 'old but still of use'. Sorry mate, but I've got no trace of clue what do you mean: neither about meanting of RBF tags, nor anything else. I also do not have Stapfer's walk-around-book.

Yup, F-15I only.

Terminators are not AIM-120 compatible and other AAMs are used extremely seldom (if, then AIM-9s and AIM-7s).

One... or actually: 'a few'... leftovers from drawing the cover for this book, are three original data-sheets for armament configurations of F-15Is (that is: three 'non-secret' out of what appears to be a total of eight 'official' configurations, though with five remaining 'not for public use'). These three are as follows: - LANTRIN pods, 2x AIM-120s on left FAST-stations; 3x GBU-10s on left-, right- and centreline pylons; 4x GBU-12s on right FAST-stations; (or, for Mud-Hen-experts: GBU-10s on stations 2, 5 and 8; GBU-12s on stations RC-1, RC-3, RC-5 and RC-6, AIM-120s on stations LC1AA and LC3AA) - LANTRIN pods, 4x GBU-32 (Israelis seem to call them 'JDAM 84') with one each on main pylons and two on left FAST-stations; 3x GBU-38 (JDAM-82) on right FAST-stations (in row), AIM-120s on inboard rails, Python Mk.IVs on outboard rails of main pylons; (in Mud-Hen-vocabulary: JDAM-84 on stations 2, 8, LC1 and LC3; Python Mk.IVs on stations 2L and 8R; AIM-120s on stations 2R and 8L; JDAM-82s on stations RC1, RC2 and RC3) - LANTRIN pods, drop tanks on left main pylon and centreline; Popeye on right main pylon; guidance pod on right rear FAST-station; AIM-120 on inboard rail, Python Mk.IV on outboard rail of the left main pylon. (Popeye on Station 5, Python Mk.IV on 2L, AIM-120 on 2R, guidance pod on RC1, drop tanks on stations 2 and 5)