Geoff_B

That the S2B with the Gulf War fit ?, kinda proves the RAF boxing will follow

The RAF version which will probably be a variation on this kit next year which will have the RAF bulged bomb bay door and the universal longer weapons pylons, it should also have the later revised Tailplane and revised wing tanks (Basically a different Sprue to the one with these bits on the RN kit.

http://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php/topic,45565.msg817360.html#msg817360 Harro built one as well as the military airlifter

Why its a Fleet Air Arm aircraft designed and built for the Navy just like the Phantom, both of which the RAF had to adopt as their grand expensive plans failed to materialise (TSR2, P1154, F-111K, AFVG), at least you know a 2nd and possibly third RAF boxing will appear next year or so. It's bad enough that the aftermarket sheets for this new kit have got a Crab bias and have failed to adequately cover the FAA units that actually used the type, as the kit for the S2B will follow on next year with yet more RAF aftermarket options that are bound to follow.

Yes the Bombs in the kit appear to be for empty wing pylons as an alternative to the Rocket Pods or Wing tanks, the break down of those tanks over 2 sprue indicates that this weapon sprue is singular. Now those weapons included do look very nicely done apart from moulding the rocket pod too the pylon, but these are the early naval pylons so the load is suitable for 60s FAA. Its very likely we will see at least a 2nd boxing for RAF with the universal Pylons, later tail, revised slipper tanks and a different weapons load, now if Aifix were clever they would do a 70s/80s boxing with the RAF early and late 70s scheme and hopefully 809 on Ark with the later weapons fit including Martel. Then do a 3rd boxing with the late 80s/90s fit so Sea Eagle, Gulf War fit, and the Desert Storm and final grey scheme. The lack of weapons especially no load for that bomb bay does open the way for the aftermarket crews to fill the gaps and add a bit more variety, hopefully do the optional folded nose cone to do a fully folded Bucc to go next to a fully Folded Phantom. Given the lack of strike options in the RAF Phantom where they appeared to forget its Strike role in the 70s apart from Recon and the underwhelming load for the new Buccaneer it does make you wonder if Airfix may be lining up a Cold War support set, with the bombs, Rockets and Missiles with trollies and ground support equipment to complement these Cod War kits, certainly a RN Carrier version with the aircraft tug, towbars and boarding ladders together with the weapon loads would go down a treat almost as much as an RAF with a tractor and possibly a Refueller.

That's from April 2018, the ventral blister was included in the kit when it was released as can be seen in the earlier post from December

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cold-War-Fleet-1966-91-Photographic/dp/1472833716/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=cold+war+fleet&qid=1553330526&s=books&sr=1-1 Had this delivered this week as just published and its a great reference for Cold War Navy . It's well printed volume of photos many used in the likes of period Janes books and British Warships & Auxiliaries in a large coffee table book.

Those are the first two F-111K for the RAF in production at GD

A bit disappointing with the decal options being done by Xtradecal, considering this is the RN S2 kit of the late 60's due in Sept and the RAF S2B is not likely to appear till 2020, doing half the sheets with RAF types seems a bit premature as we don't yet know what's included in the RN boxing as the CGI shows a 60's weapons fit. We certainly don't know what will be in the RAF boxing nor what period they will chose to represent. I would have thought a selection of RN S2s from the 60's and a few early RAF S2A's would be the wiser course then see what the next kit will cover before determining 70's to 90's aircraft and the corresponding fit.

To be fair I think the Phantom FG1 stencils were done to accompany the RAM Early Phantom sheets as the Fujimi British Phantom decals left a lot to be desired till their recent re-boxing with new decent decals. When RAM didn't progress I think Hannants picked up the tab and brought it out before the Airfix kit appeared. At least it has the letters and serials to do the FAA Phantoms which is a damn site better that cutting out the ones of the ex modeldecal code sheets and trying to place them decently.

Images are up on the Buccaneer Sheet now and I have dropped my pre-order from 2 to 1 as its got a crab infestation and the what FAA options selected are a bit limited, would have preferred to see them to re-create their original sheets.

I wonder if Hannant's will reissue their Xtradecal sheet or will they replace it with an updated sheet(s) as it would be nice to have the options for 800 squadron with their black bordered white Squadron codes and will we get matching stencils if the Aftermarket ones end up a different shade to the kits Pale Blue markings. Now whilst I'm chuffed to bits with Airfix doing a new RN Buccaneer S2 and its due in Sept 19 (so hopefully out before SMW and not early the following year as per both Phantoms) its also a bit frustrating as now have to wait till then for the kit to come out as really need to focus on other builds to tide us over till the Buccaneer appears !!!!

It's also dropped from the 2019 catalogue

Going off the CGI images and the marking options this is definitely a RN S2 variant, pre-Martel. So rather than assuming the next boxing likely due in 2020 is going to be an RAF S2B we may also see a third boxing for the S2D with Martel for later FAA aircraft ?

Yes its nice to see the 800 sqdn option and early 809 markings, kind of surprised they didn't do an early 801 as well in the white scheme with EDSG uppers, although its already been covered with the aftermarket sets.