Selwyn

The FAA did use the 68mm SNEB pod, there are many pictures of RN Hunter GA 11 aircraft fitted with them. they were just not used on carriers. Strictly speaking SNEB pods (155) could and were fitted to Vixens, I know because I personally did it! But before you get excited this only happened because the Sea Vixen aircraft in question were used by the RAF as load training aircraft at RAF cosford they never to my knowledge ever flew with SNEB rockets. Selwyn

Just type Matador Models into google and it will get you to their website in a flash! Selwyn

Derek Where I work we use BS colours and we on occasion paint some of our equipment in white and black to BS standards. I have just looked at the our latest edition of BS 381 C (1988) and white and black are not listed and the listed colour numbers go up to 799. However on several our drawings, black and white paint is specified for use and is listed as being BS 381C 801 Black and BS381C 802 White. I assume that these are new allocated colour numbers (post 1988) and will appear in the next edition. When we order paint using these code numbers we do get black and white paint delivered. It seems that your BS 302 colour number is probably a misprint. hope this helps Selwyn

Ingo, You are correct, the SNEB pod was a standard fit on GR1/3 (and T2/4 Harriers) usually on the outboard wing pylons selwyn

Ingo The pods in the Kit are correct. The RAF used 68mm SNEB rockets, but the Royal Navy used 2 inch rockets. The reason was that it was found that SNEB rockets were vulnerable to the power put out by ships radars on Carrier decks and were likely to fire on their own from an induced current from the radar system. 2 inch rockets were much more resistant to this by design. If you look at pictures of RAF Harriers used in the Falklands they also used navy 2 inch pods not SNEB. There is a famous picture of a crashed Harrier GR3 showing a 2inch pod on the outboard pylon. Selwyn

many thanks Selwyn

In actual fact the Sea Eagle did play a part in the Falklands campaign even though it was not there or operational! When the crisis erupted the Navy took back the SHAR that was involved in Sea Eagle trials, as it was needed for operations (XZ450?) As it happens this was the first SHAR lost over Port Stanley in the First R N bombing raid. When the Argentinians examined the wreckage they found the Sea Eagle control panel, which the RN had not bothered to remove (this was the only jet so fitted) and naturally they had to assume that the Missile was operational and all SHARS could fire them. This may be the reason that the Argentine navy ships rapidly returned to home waters within the range of land based air cover. Selwyn

I Was an Armourer on the GR3 / T4 from 79 to 83 in UK and Germany, and in that time all gunpods were Green overall, even the few aircraft we had with L/A grey undersides used green pods. The only exceptions I saw were on jets in the white winter wash which had them either totally or partially white. occasionally I did see a green pod with a white rear fairing. The pods were in sections, these being the centre section that housed the Aden gun, the front fairing that covered the blast suppressor/barrel, a bottom fairing through which the links and empty cases jettisoned during firing, and the rear fairing that covered the Ammunition tank. There was also a square panel on the side of the main pod section that covered the gun feed chute. Each of these were individually stencil marked in 50 mm black letters with the station code and pod number (i.e. GUT 35 or WITT 51) so you did not mix up pod panels. The pod was loaded with 120 rounds of 30mm ammo (don't believe what is written in some publications!) The pods were always very dirty as any leaks and drips from the engine found their way down to cover them and any dust or dirt thrown up from the runways would stick, there was also the residue from any gunfiring on top of this. The aircraft sometimes flew with just pods fitted without guns inside. The givaway for this was a cone shaped wooden bung that was bolted in the barrel hole in the front fairing. (again don't belive what has been written about frangible barrel covers!). If the guns were loaded, a flap in the bottom fairing would be open and the gun lead and plug would hang out showing clearly that the gun was not plugged in and safe. this plug was only connected on startup. Hope this helps Selwyn

Does anyone know what the Missile fit of The French AF Mirage IIIC was at the very end of its life? I am building one in the French Blue over Silver AD scheme, from the late seventies. Did they still carry the R530 missile? Was the Magic II missile in use? Any help greatfully received! Selwyn

Don't have a picture, but the rear was open and you could see the jetpipe of the Microturbo engine, if you looked up the pipe you could see the engine blades. On the ground the orifice was always covered by a red "Bin lid" Blanking cover. Selwyn

Just a few bits for interest and accuracy. The Wartime British 1000Lb MC bomb was 72 1/2 inches long including tail, and 17 3/4inch wide (widest point) I don't know if the airwaves bomb scales out OK. The bomb would be painted bronze green, (can be found as an armour colour) and would have a Eau de Nil (a light green colour) band at the base of the bomb ogive, (that's where the nose starts to curve!) and a red band around the nose. Selwyn

To be deadly honest, from a Modellers point of view you would have to be unbelievably Anal to be able to spot the differences in PW I and PW II in 1/32 scale let alone 1/48 or 1/72! Selwyn

Bobski they definately had the PW1 MAU 157 CCG and the snap off type canards. (early PW had a one size fits all canard system that was "scored" and you snapped off the top part of it if you were using 500lb Mk 82 as the bomb body!) Selwyn

Sorry my Terminology! All British tail units Are designated as "Number" usually written in a short version as "No" so for example a UK retarded tail is a Number 117 tail (No117!) The No120 tail unit used on Uk paveways is a Modified US MXU 651 folding fin tail. The MXU 651 is normally used on MK 84 2000lb bombs and was chosen as this US store has a similar diameter to the UK 1000lb bomb and could be simply adapted. Selwyn

Well thats strange! the bombs I loaded on the carrier deck and Sids strip in 1982 were definately PW1 and had No 120 folding fin tail units..........................! Selwyn

The Uk 1000lb paveway bomb did have pop out fins! as it used the same modified tail as was later used on paveway II the fixed fins were used on the US Mk 84 Paveway I the bomb you linked to is not a UK 1000lb bomb it is a GBU 11 US 3000 lb M118 bomb (you can see the US fuzing well between the lugs!) selwyn

There was no hurry, British LGB Paveway I were procured for use on Buccaneer aircraft prior to the Falklands. The tail unit used is a british modification of a US 2000lb (Mk 84) LGB tail (Mk 84 due to bomb diameter issues !) with british fuzing provisions installed. Selwyn

Sorry you are wrong! they were Paveway I ! Saying that, it doesn't make much difference, as a UK Paveway I doesn't look any different to a UK Paveway II anyway! Its very hard to spot the differences unless you know what you are looking for. Selwyn

Just to clarify, There were two methods of release of stores on Hunters the Electromagnetic Release Unit (EMRU) and the Ejector Release unit (ERU). ERU's were a later addition and were used for the heavier stores on FGA9/F6A the early ERU were quite tall and when retrofitted to the hunter projected above the wing. hence the fairing. Selwyn

I know its not harrier but I include this for interest. On the Typhoon there are 4 wing stations each side (total eight) and four underfuselage missile stations and a Centre fuselage station, for a total of 13 stations. interestingly the centre fuselage station is officially station ZERO, not thirteen. Unlucky for some maybe? Selwyn

Alex, Army colours were bronze green (Not deep bronze green!)at that time (1939), but the RAF did not start to formally use the Army colour system until early 1941. Matadors did not come into service until 1941 so they were never bronze green. the 1941 greens were usually found on army vehicles so the Refuellers were usually painted in the Brown SCC2 colour sometimes with Disruptive SCC1A Dk brown . Later Matadors were painted in the UK olive drab colour (adopted mid 44). they reverted to RAF blue in 1947/8 Have a look at http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=68676 This may help Selwyn

Alex Can't help with the pictures but the Tankers were definately NOT RAF Dark Earth! All RAF vehicles during the war were Painted in Standard Camoflage Colours (SCC) to ARMY spec. The colour was a Dark brown but the disruptive patterncould be variuous colours over the wartime period. Go to the (Minature Armoured Fighting Vehicle Association (MAFVA) website for fuller details. Mike Starmer has a great article on British vehicle colours there. by the way the Bedford in the set displays post war (BLUE) colours and the booms are a post war addition also. it would be the same brown camo during the war. Selwyn

Many thanks guys! Selwyn

I was looking through some old copies of SAM and it stated that some of the last Mirage IIIC jets recieved the Blue AD camoflage as used on the Mirage F1. Is this true? Anyone got any piccies of this? I have got a spare 1/48 IIIC in the stash and think it would be a good project. Selwyn

Some of the B(I)8 Canberras were repainted using light aircraft grey undersides in the late sixties. At this time The RAF changed it's aircraft paint specification from cellulose based paint to polyurethane based, but at that time it was not possible due to technical reasons to produce a Silver polyurethane paint so the RAF opted for what it deemed was the nearest equivelant, which was light aircraft grey. Selwyn