tonywood

Just checked the photos on ukserials and ZM156 - 158 were all delivered with no UK roundels but US star and bar on wings. Interestingly they all carried UK numeric codes and the lightning flash, just no UK national markings.

The only difference to the RAF markings that Ive seen is a Lightning on delivery to Marham with no fuselage roundels and a USAF star and bar underwing, I think it was from the ZM156 - ZM159 batch.

Also ZK303 is operational from Warton in full 41 Sqn colours.

The pink was allegedly used for both the nose bars and fin to match the flamingo which is the RAF Akrotiri crest.

If you wanted to build straight from the box the early RAF Tornado's with the TTTE at Cottesmore did not have any undernose fairings or ECM pods. Stencils are available from Xtradecal.

By the time 617 were flying the special aircraft the Sky Shadow pods were replaced by a BOZ pod and a second BOZ or TERMA pod on the opposite side

I think the the only part on that sprue thats can be used for the GR4 is the undernose fairing, and possibly the ALARM missiles but i have never seen these on a 617 Sqn aircraft.

You will need a GR4 conversion set for the undernose fairing, also one of the gun ports needs to be filled in. I believe the cockpit displays are also different. The only available GR4 stencilling I know of was by Combat Decals 'Libya at War' set which as far as I know is out of print. You will also need new ECM pods for the GR4.

Chipmunks with the Grading Flt at Roborough (Plymouth), Bulldogs at one of the RAF FTS's. Jet Provosts (hence why there is a JP in the FAA Museum collection.

The SAAF Gripens are definitely not in standard Swedish colours. The link below is a photo I took in 2012 in Sweden of Thai and SAAF Gripens alongside each other. The Thai is in standard colours and the differences with the SA one behind are obvious. https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishbed08/33675857123/in/album-72157680416026201/

The new mould Academy F-14A is one of the best kits I have made recently, fantastic detail and fit. The only changes I made were Quickboost seamless intakes and ejector seats.

Good start and a great looking scheme, as for the undernose FLIR turret i used one from the Airfix Nimrod for a similar installation on an AC-130. Hopefully someone will have a spare turret if they have made an earlier version of Nimrod.

The Academy T.50 can be made into a very nice model using a donor F-16 and some scratch building.

C-17s and Atlas have been used for the air bridge from Kabul to the Middle East. The Voyagers have been used for the Middle East to Brize Norton leg. The only serial I have seen in the Kabul coverage was Atlas ZM411.

VMAT-203 decals are included on the Caracal decals AV-8A sheet. You could use these with the BuNo from the Sword two seater decals.

I found the Haynes manual very useful, plenty of detail photos of RAF Typhoons in there. Was invaluable when I built my Hasegawa one.

On Obama's last visit they landed 2 x VH-3 and a MV-22 on the lawn at the ambassadors residence next to Regents Park so I would imagine the footprint isn't that different between the types.

The cabin doors on the British Bell 212's have a later style of window which is larger than the standard door windows in the Italeri kit. The original batch ZH814 - 816 were delivered in in camo without the dayglo. The second batch destined for Belize introduced the orange engine housing. ZJ969 flew for a while in a bright green scheme picking up the nickname 'Kermit' (and subsequently being coded K to reflect this). ZK067 and ZK206 both wore camo from delivery. The example currently flying in the UK (ZH814) is from the Brunei allocation and the dayglo has faded to almost white.

I think the Juno can be built from the box, the Jupiter will need flotation gear etc fitted. It may be worth waiting to see what configuration the new Jupiter's ZM496 - 499 appear in.

Cam anyone advise which MB ejector seat is fitted in the pilots cockpits of the two Martin Baker Meteors Wl419 and WA638. Also any photos of the instrument panel would be helpful. Thanks in advance. Tony

North Wing Model Craft from Japan do / did an excellent resin conversion for the Hasegawa E-2. I bought mine directly from them a few years back.

A Google search for CIA Mi 17 brings up some interesting photos. The DoSAW also operated modified SH-3 and CH-46.

Dave Thanks for posting those, really interesting and useful as I intend to build one on the RAF Twin Stars. Tony

Photo of ZA180 in the following article https://docplayer.net/62329640-Police-aviation-news-august-police-aviation-research-number-160-august-2009-ipar.html

I never saw the RAF DA.42 carry the EO / IR turrets. The one shown above was never in RAF service but was operated for the MoD by DO Systems. ZA179 & ZA180 were the two RAF ones, there are very few pictures of them online but with some digging some can be found. They reverted to civil identities G-DOSA & G-DOSB after use in the sandpit.