Slater

I recall the German Tiger crash in Mali a few years ago. Seems like an unfortunate set of circumstances: https://www.dw.com/en/mechanics-error-blamed-for-2017-german-helicopter-crash-in-mali/a-46694354

I have the 1/32 ICM CR.42 on order (Regia Aeronautica version). What are some recommended paints for the camo pattern?

My understanding is that FS 34087 is now 34088, for some reason.

Presumably, Australian aircrew have done exchange duty in US or other nation's Apaches?

Mk 20 Rockeyes.

This type of environment is rather hard on paint jobs:

On rare occasions bombs will be a Forest Green tone. Which is what happens when you run out of Olive Drab and still have 18 bombs to paint

Does this mean that Australia has given up on Tiger entirely? https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/australia-selects-ah-64e-apache-guardian-to-replace-tiger-armed-reconnaissance-helicopters

The name for the USAF vehicle blue was "Strata Blue", FWIW.

Some of the early F-15 prototypes used the "star and bar" without the blue border as an experiment in low visibility. Along with the sky blue paint schemes.

From the head on angle, it reminds me of a big, angry insect.

Takom and Meng both offer this vehicle in 1/35. Between the two, is one more desirable than the other in terms of overall accuracy and fit?

When the SA-7 made it's appearance, life became much more challenging for A-1's and AC-119's.

I have one gathering dust that I'd like to do in VNAF markings.

It would seem that a 737 airframe would have room for a significant amount of ISR gear, if one could dedicate an airframe to that specific role.

It does seem a shame: Britain has one last contract for its Sentinel spy planes: Breaking them up (defensenews.com)

A MER can only acommodate weapons with a 14 inch lug spacing, which is up to 10000 pound class. I believe the JSOW has a 30 inch lug spacing,

I would think that they're too large and heavy for MERs.

JSOW's would look impressive, also.

By 2030, the E-3's mission may well be performed by drones or some other technology.

Selwyn, "Adaptor ring" sounds familiar. I know they were quite heavy and came individually packaged in wooden boxes.

My own experience with these particular tails is limited to demil operations. About eight or nine tears ago my depot (which stores/ships RAF assets) was tasked to demil a number of 114, 117, and 118 bomb tails. As Selyn has mentioned, when we broke the 117's out of their containers (which, IIRC, were wirebound crates with the tails inside a hermetic rubber bag of sorts), some of us were thinking "These look expensive. Why are we smashing them up?". I think the answer is simple economics - it was probably far cheaper to demil them in place than pay for loading them in ISO shipping containers an

Was the 117 able to be selected for either high drag or low drag delivery?

Capability-wise, is the Wedgetail design superior to the E-3 Sentry? I would think that technology has come a long way since the E-3's introduction.

The RAF does seem to be quite invested in the 737 platform.