Zaggy

Mick Drover - there's a name I know from AMI Cheers for the Phimat Link (they seem to do some nice GBU-49's too); Would this be about the right shaped BOZ too (with minor mods to the 'decoy traction fairing' cone-thing on the back end)? --> http://www.larsenal.com/1-48-chaff-dispenser-boz-103-for-jaguar-mirage-iv-c2x15951001 If so (and the postage is reasonable), these French dude's maybe getting some of my money! Cheers mate D

Thanks mate It is indeed of help. D

Cheers Jabba - that would be grand! I beleive the Tail band WAS on the jet for it's home coming to the UK, but not sure exactly when it appeared (most of the jets that returned at the same time, did so with small 111SQN markings on them). Dan

And I have finally come across some pics of ZE161 that are of help... Thought I'd share this one, as it shows the rear of the inner BOL and the later type of rear fuselage CM dispensers. Of course now I need to make the 43SQN tail band (because its missing from the decal sheet ), but thats part of the fun!

Thats a great pic... So the F.3's used BOL's with a 'Black Nose Cap'? OK, I think I have seen that elsewhere too - and thats a great picture of the BOZ. So Santa choses a Tonka, when transiting a war zone! Good to know... Dan

As for other suggestions, I have two Academy F-4B's in the stash (as well as some J's - one of which will become an F-4J(UK) jet). Plans for those are that the first will become the First USAF F-110A Spectre (identical to an Early USN F-4B, before the USAF got their first F-4C's) while the second will mount the Falcon vacuform Nose, Canopy and Intake conversion, for make one of the F4H-1F (F-4A) prototype jets. Other interesting options are the Sageburner F4H-1 (early small nose, low canopy), the PMTC test jet with the 18" radar nose (standard (big) short nose, early spoilers, with the early low canopy - that thing looks awesome!), or one of the carrier trials F-4A/F4H-1's (early small nose, low canopy, early spoilers, differing configurations of slats, hook, rudder, etc). Easy one though is to get a F-4EJ or F-4F and make a RAAF F-4E If you want something 'modern' looking, well an F-4EJ-KAI or one of the Greek one's in the Aegean Grey Scheme, mounting a Lightening pod, modern IFF bird slicers, GPS, etc. They look bad-bottom! Dan

Got to agree. I'm in the process of collecting 'bits' for both a Hard-Winged E and a G... For a bit of fun, they're both going to be same jet; 69-7211. WHY? Well, 69-7211 started its life as an F-4E, on lease to the RAAF - so, it'll be done in standard SEA camo, its early config with early gun shroud, no tape lights, hard wing, RAAF markings as jet '11'. Many of the returned leased jets were eventually converted to F-4G's (and eventually QF-4G's), so the F-4G will also be done as 69-7211, in the Hill Grey Scheme, with Zaps and (I think) SAM Kill markings. I think the same jet at opposite ends of its time will look good - and if I get really inspired, I'll find second F-4G kit and built it finally as QF-4G with the Dayglo Panels! D

Oh yeah, another thing I think I have noticed - live weapons. It seems ASRAAM were loaded in a number of conifgs (either 1, 2 or 4 rounds), but Skyflash were only ever loaded as a full set of 4 rounds. Is this accurate? Dan

Well I am in the process of collecting bits and pieces, as well as nailing down configs in general. It seems by Telic, the extra Chaff/Flare dispensers on the engine door undersides were no longer angled out (as per the original early 1990's-era set up), but the boxes are now facing rearwards. Some jets MAY have a LAU-138/A BOL rail in place of the inner early Sidewinder rails (this is tricky as its often obscured, so I can't definitively work out which jets DIDN'T have them, which jets had two and if any of them may have only had one BOL rail). Now the Phimat pod isn't a tough scratch build (probably an AIM-7/Skyflash/AIM-120 body with a sharpened nose and a few bits of card for what looks like a length-wise antenna?) - the BOZ/Towed Decoy Pod is a bit more tricky, but still, not epically hard. The interesting parts are the Pylons - are these available aftermarket anywhere? If not, are they the same as the GR.4 outer pylons (and I guess I'll scratch-build off some scale drawings)? And finally (for now), Phimat seems to mount to some sort of adapter - is this a Phimat-unique adapter or some manner of LAU/standard adapter. Cheers again Dan

Got to agree - all the Telic pics showed Skyflash still... Admittedly I was also looking for ALARM pics, but it appears AMRAAM only began to be hung off the SQN jets after Telic... Dan

Cheers PLC - alas the only WIF I really indulge in Luft '46 stuff... The F.3 is going to sit next to an Op Telic Harrier GR.7 and etc - mostly as a break from Late war Luftwaffe and Adversaries Just need to find some nice aftermarket CM and ECM pods that Jabba lists above... AIM-132's are no problem, if the Italeri kit does not have them. Anything else I need to know about Op Telic jets (ie: things like the SRM rails - ie: the GR.7's flew with x2 or x4 BOL rails)? Thanks lads Dan

Cheers Jabba - been looking for that book actually... But yes, that's just info I was after (the Tornado F.3 and similar, aren't quite my usual fare - late Ww2 Luftwaffe and USN adversaries)... Cheers mate Dsn

G'day lads, Looking for info on Tornado F.3 configs for Op Telic - weapons and launchers... As I understand many of the jets flew two ALARM's, two ASRAAM's, tanks and the outboard ECM and CM pods... But it's proving challenging to find images. So what were the configs the jets flying (as well as the ECM/CM pod types)? As an addendum, I'm putting together a project based around the Italeri kit, so where can one find a/m ALARM's + launchers, and the Pods on the outermost stations? Other than the cockpit (which appears to be an F.3T rear cockpit) and scabbed on chaff dispensers, is there anything else that needs looking at (such as the ASRAAM rails - were they swapped over the same BOL rails the Harriers used)? Cheers in advance Dan

Go with Ronin Graphics - can't go wrong... Dan

*wrong thread*

Yes, mine is destined to become ZG859 (91), with the 100% LERX and the Sniper pod and 4x BOLs, etc...

Dave Flemming - thats great mate; definately gives me something to work with... And I see its an ALE-40, not an ALE-39, as I had thought. The shape looks pretty simple, but I suspect will be a bit finicky to get right; part of the fun though Cheers Very Much D

If memory serves, F-14B's were new build machines, while the F-14B Upgrade (and F-14D Upgrade for that matter) were rebuilt F-14A's. You'll see all manner of designations on Tomcats: F-14A, F-14A TARPS, F-14A+/F-14A PLUS, F-14B, F-14B TARPS, F-14B UPGRADE, F-14D, F-14D UPGRADE, F-14D TARPS... I think even TARPS UPGRADE may have been used also... Either way, check out the M.A.T.S site; you'll find full block listings, noting which jets were upgraded when, etc... http://www.anft.net/f-14/f14-serial.htm Go there...enjoy Dan

Anyone? Any happy snaps of the lower CM dispensers and fairing? Dan

Apologies for resurrecting this, BUT I too am about to embark on an Op Telic GR.7 (I have my two pairs of BOL's, TILAD, SNIPER, Model Alliance sheet on the way, etc) and was lucky enough to score a rather beat up Hasegawa GR.7 boxing (which the previous owner had left a 100% LERX in it too)... BUT what I am missing is the rear fuselage CM dispenser part (behind the airbrake on the lower side). THUS, I am after some decent pics if any of you gents would be so kind. The Shape doesn't look too hard to knock up in plastic and putty, and if I am not mistaken, it seems to contain a pair of AN/ALE-39's (which I can then use to scale the rest of the fairing from, after etching them in brass)? But in saying the shape doesn't look too complex, one never knows - hence the request Cheers in advance lads!

That said, in general for many years, Hasegawa kits were the best options for most things once they went recessed lines. Even now there is no satisfactory alternative for their F-14's, Brit F-4's (though the Academy F-4's have taken the cake there for the B/C/D/J, etc), FA-18E/F/G, FA-18A/B/C/D (though Kinetic maybe about to take that crown), F-22, P-51 and many others! Tamiya is in the same boat, they're not cheap, but the stuff they knock out is generally really good. But if you want expensive, start looking at some of the 1/48 Zoukei Mura stuff! D

Oh seriously?!?!?!? That is AWESOME! (I have a minor perverted obsession with the Woomera Meteors)... Dan

Scale? D

GDay Coors, actually its the 'taller nacelle' issue that brought me to the idea of an overlay - that way, the existing F-4J 'nacelles' can be used as somewhere to affix things too (depending on the thickness of the Vac part, directly or with some spacer card stock in the middle). The only major issue is 'cutting in' somewhere above the break line, in line with the fwd line of the engine exhausts. Then we aviod the issue of making HUGE cuts or having to rescribe huge area's (the other main area of concern I forsee is the wing root - I'd be inclined to leave the wing alone and just fit the Vac nacelle to the curves of the wing upper). Essentitally we'd be Laminating on another layer of plastic (taller, wider nacelles)... Then we just Vac the intake shape as per spec. The other pro is, we can then Vac in the interiors of the intakes too, and working with Styrene on Styrene is ALWAYS easier than Resin on Styrene. Does that better describe the idea? Because you're right, the taller and fatter nacelles/intakes on the 'toom are REALLY noticable; just as noticable as the deeper lower fuselage for the Spey's... Dan

And that again is the kicker - 4-6 months off work on something that you will likely never make that money back with... Even crowd sourcing. I'd love to try it, but most every decal/resin/conversion person/company I know is in it for the love of it; not for the massive profits to be made! But you still need to live - alas, some vac'd Phantom parts (ie, unfinished), a bit of resin and Etch, will likely NEVER make me Au $40k to cover work... being REALLY generous and suggesting 500 sales, that still means I'd have to charge Au$80 a set, BEFORE material costs, before kits to destroy, before making a new Vacuum bench to fit the pieces, Package, decals, etc... So suddenly, you're probably upto the Au$150-160; and you NEED to do 500. Not much wiggle room... Again, I'd love to try it, but that's also cause work is grinding me down; but from an economic sense, it makes none