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RAF Jaguars at Red Flag exercise January 1983... XZ385, 14 sq XZ369, 14 Sq XZ356, 17 Sq XZ370, 17 Sq XZ374, 20 Sq XZ378, 20 Sq XZ394, 20 Sq XX968, 31 Sq Thanks for looking, Sven

A couple of bland Hawkeyes of VAW-112, Red Flag exercise, August 1984. Thanks for looking, Sven

Colorado Air National Guard at Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB in February 1981. USAF s/n 69-6206 70-0929 70-0970 70-0985 71-0341 72-0199 72-0231 72-0243 Thanks for looking, Sven

Bentwaters Warthogs at Nellis AFB for Red Flag, June 1984. 80-0192 80-219 81-0949 81-0952 81-0991 82-0654 Thanks for looking, Sven

Always liked these markings. A shame they had to disappear after the Tailhook '91 scandal. Three birds on hand for Red Flag in May 1981. BuNo 160437, Modex CY10 160705 CY12 160786 CY16 Thanks for looking, Sven

VMA-133, the Dragons, a Marine Reserve unit out of NAS Alameda at Red Flag in April 1984. They were deactivated in 1992. BuNo 154987, Modex ME01 154203 ME03 154970 ME07 155026 ME11 155018 ME12 154204 ME13 And one that was visiting Edwards, December 1981. 155057 ME09 Thanks for looking, Sven

Three OV-10A from the 549 Tactical Air Support Training Squadron out of Patrick AFB at Nellis AFB in April 1984. USAF s/n 66-13561 66-13557 67-14611 Thanks for looking, Sven

Red Flag exercise at Nellis in April 1984. 182nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron, Texas ANG is playing adversary. Temporary grey paint applied over most markings, though the ejection seat warning marks look like they have been re-applied over the grey. Tail serials re-applied as well? The SA tail code shows through the grey paint. S/n 63-7421 63-7431 63-7638 with full-color national markings 63-7689 64-0904 64-0918 Another weathering challenge for a model. Thanks for looking, Sven

More from Red Flag 83-2 at Nellis AFB. Exercise took place over three weeks in Jan-Feb 1983. Attack Squadron 87 (VA-87), the Golden Warriors with A-7Es... BuNo 158672, Modex AE400 BuNo 156807, AE401 BuNo 156832, AE411 BuNo 156862, AE412 BuNo 157458, AE414 Thanks for looking, Sven

VF-31 at Nellis AFB for Red Flag Exercise in March 1985. BuNo 161866 BuNo 161858 BuNo 161860 BuNo 161862 BuNo 161864 BuNo 161866 BuNo 161868 BuNo 161135 Thanks for looking, Sven

At the risk of adding fodder to Tony Oliver's epic saga of 1/72nd F-14s over in WIP, here are some images of VF-143 "Pukin' Dogs" at Nellis AFB for a Red Flag Exercise in 1984. BuNo 161425 BuNo161426 BuNo 161432 BuNo 161419 BuNo 161281 Thanks for looking, Sven

VF-143 was paired with VF-142 for this Red Flag exercise. BuNo 161418 BuNo 161421 A bit fuzzy here! BuNo 141422 BuNo 161435 BuNo 161417 In other news: The motherboard in my iMac died this weekend, so I'm plodding along on an old laptop while I figure out where I want to go from here. The Macs are relatively expensive, but I like the user interfaces a bit more than the PCs. Then there is the buy now or wait till after the hols to see if there are any better deals consideration. The bottom line is that slide processing will definitely slow down in the interim. I may have to finish re-setting up my modelling workbench in the aftermath of my man cave flood this past summer! Idle hands and all that. Thanks for looking, Sven

Delta Darts on Red Flag deployment July-August 1984, supplementing the Red Force. Don't know what happened to the exposure on this one. This is the best I could get with Photoshop... One of their sister ships awaiting conversion to a QF-106A target drone... Thanks for looking, Sven

Finally getting around to scanning some old slides. Here are the RAF Red Flag contingent at Nellis AFB in Jan-Feb 1981. XZ392 31 Squadron XZ387 31 Squadron XZ376 17 Squadron XZ356 17 Squadron XX972 31 Squadron XX969 31 Squadron XX968 31 Squadron XX827 17 Squadron. Unfortunately, XX827 was lost 12 February on the Nellis ranges in a controlled-flight-into-terrain crash killing the pilot. Sven Old Viper Tester

The Royal Saudi Air Force at Red Flag 81-1 in November 1980. An interesting mix of F-5Bs, F-5Es, and F-5Fs on the ramp at Nellis. A unique markings variation is the wearing of the typical USAF markings for the 425 Tactical Fighter Training Squadron out of Williams AFB and the addition of the RSAF roundels and tail flag. That's the 405th Tactical Training Wing emblem on the right side of the nose and the 425 TFTS emblem on the right. F-5B, USAF s/n 72-0439. Another variation on this example is the partial use of light green in place of tan for what would otherwise be a standard Southeast Asia camo scheme. Compare with F-5Es '402 and '406 below… F-5B, USAF s/n 73-1602 F-5B, USAF s/n 73-1408 F-5B, USAF s/n 73-1603 F-5E, USAF s/n 71-1419 F-5E, USAF s/n 72-1392 F-5E, USAF s/n 72-1398 F-5E, USAF s/n 72-1402 F-5E, USAF s/n 72-1406 F-5E, USAF s/n 73-0855 F-5F, USAF s/n 73-0889 F-5F, USAF s/n 73-0891 Not that it was any of my business as an operational test guy from the other end of the Nellis ramp, but we were told that the Saudis were scheduled to participate in this Red Flag exercise but it was “easier” for them to “borrow” aircraft from the USAF rather than ferry or ship their own aircraft from Saudi Arabia. Others may no more? Thanks for looking, Sven

Red Flag at Nellis AFB Apr-May 1991... Unfortunately, I could only get to the flight line on the weekend, so everything was buttoned up. ZD352, No 1 Squadron, 01 ZD375, No 3 Squadron, AO ZD400, No 1 Squadron, 02 ZD404, No 1 Squadron, 07 ZD405, No 1 Squadron, 12 ZD406, No 3 Squadron, AB ZD408, No 1 Squadron , 11 ZD411, No 3 Squadron, AG ZD412, No 3 Squadron, AH Thanks for looking Sven

Its 1965 and the USA is deeply engaged in the war in Vietnam. The F105D Thunderchief is one of its main strike aircraft, but the NVA is fighting back hard and the F105D is taking heavy casualties As well as the tenacious Mig pilots, the US Air was was dogged by the Soviet designed SA 2 'Guideline' Surface to Air Missile (SAM). This missile was supplied to North Vietnamese by the Soviets - the Vietnam War was the first modern war in which guided antiaircraft missiles seriously challenged highly advanced supersonic jet aircraft. It would also be the first and only time that the latest and most modern air defense technologies of the Soviet Union and the most modern jet fighter planes and bombers of the United States confronted each other in combat. Indeed, nearly 17,000 Soviet missile technicians, and operator/instructors would deploy to North Vietnam in 1965 to help defend Hanoi against American bombers, while North Vietnamese missilemen completed their six to nine months of SAM training in the Soviet Union. From 1965 through all of 1966, nearly all of the 48 U.S. jet aircraft shot down by SAMs over North Vietnam were downed by Soviet missile men. The Soviet Union supplied 7,658 SAMs to North Vietnam, and their defense forces conducted about 5,800 launches, usually in multiples of three. By the war's end, about 205 aircraft had been lost to North Vietnamese surface-to-air missiles. The USAF decided to counter the problem - initially with the 2 seat F105F Thunderchief 'Wild Weasel III' after a version of the F4C Phantom failed. The aircraft were armed with 2 x AGM45 Shrike ARMs and 1 x AGM78 Standard ARM for longer ranges. Eventually the USAF converted 61 F105F's to G standard. Meanwhile the RAF was going through its normal painful procurement process, whilst keeping an eye on the USAF and the ongoing war in Vietnam. Whilst eventually ordering the Harrier GR1, Phantom FGR2, Jaguar GR1, Buccaneer S2B and later the Tornado GR1, it became apparent that the Wild Weasel mission would be vital in any war against a Soviet backed foe. The RAF requested an order of 20 x F105G in late 1974, just before the Vietnam war was coming to its bitter end in 1976. However production had ceased - an agreement was made between the MoD and the Pentagon, where the RAF would send 20 crews to the USA to be converted to the F105G and trained by combat experienced pilots. As part of this agreement, the RAF would 'Lend/Lease' 16 F104G Thunderchiefs to equip 1 frontline RAF Squadron. 41 Sqn had been earmarked to move to RAF Coltishall and convert to the new Sepecat Jaguar. The decision was taken to assign 41 Sqn to the Thunderchief and the new challenge of the Wild Weasel role, based out of RAF Wattisham in Suffolk. The logic was that the aircraft should not be committed to RAF Germany, but rather held in UK ready to deploy as required. The Squadron utilised the overhauled ex USAF airframes, keeping most of the USAF equipment needed to fly them (much as the F4J UK purchase), however they were painted in the current RAF colours of DSG/DG over LAG. They operated in a similar fashion to the USAF, often working with other RAF strike aircraft; the Thuds were kept in service to cover this capability gap until 1986. But by then the airframes were worn out. The RAF lost the Wild Weasel capability, in 1990 the ALARM ARM was finally bought into service and equipped Tornado Sqns - however the RAF was never again to have a true Wild Weasel capability. For this Group Build I will build a 1/72 Trumpeter F105G Thunderchief (on its way via Evil Bay at a reasonable price), with some decals grabbed from various 1/72 RAF builds. Stencils will mostly reflect the USAF airframe. Stolen Decals that have 41 Sqn markings:

After something like 10-15 years, I decided to do what I was I thinking of all this time. To return to the hobby! For about a year, I was planning slowly my practical return theoretically, i.e. to get again in touch with the modelling world, you know...techniques, models, gathering materials etc. Britmodeller (i.e. all of you) was and still is the point of reference on that, and I thank you all very much! I decided to begin with an unfinished job. The model I present here was started more than 10 years ago. Cockpit, fuselage and seats were somehow done, but now in dusty and dull situation. I had to redone almost all the filling and sanding (the fitting is in places horrible). My modeller's status is rather described as ''almost OOB'' and given that this model was going to be a ''guinea pig'' I took my time and the construction is described at the following log: Cockpit: -New HUD -Some belts on the seats -The screens on the panels -A plastic ''jack'' to hold the back canopy (which could not sit in place!). By the way, I found Humbrol's clear fix useless (I don't know if its age played any role for I have some materials that are more than 20 years old!) Fuselage: -I added the two exhaust tubes at the root of the wings -Filled the two machine gun bays (two seater!) -The antennas under the front -A pitot tube to look more like the real one -The hydraulic jacks at the rear landing gears-doors -I tried to fix the wrong shape of the underwing external pylons Painting: Probably the most challenging and frustrating procedure. The paints were TESTORS enamels with the white background label, and I've heard they're made for airbrush...Lots of layers needed, many mistakes were made. I swore to myself to never paint again with a brush! Decals: The most nerve-racking process for me I rearranged some decals that were wrong and I used some spare decals (from ITALERI Mirage 2000C). Disaster came when I ''lost'' a decal (just one thank God!). The ''335'' decal of the right vertical stabilizer. Desperate and frustrated I tried to find a solution... First I had to find the text style. After some research, I found two (for the upper and lower parts) and combined them on AutoCAD. Now, I had to make it decal. I searched for several solutions , like stencils, decal sheets, rice paper, wait a minute...rice paper and then ...lo! My eyes rolled on my rolling papers I use for smoke! I immediately tested printing my ''335'' under various plot styles on various leaves, applying them variously on an old model. What I found out is that applying water or decal improver or placing the ''decal'' first on the glue of a decal sheet doesn't play any important role. All that is needed is a layer of floor polish (i.e. Klear or future or Long Shine or whatever you call it) to seal it... And that was it! I am not the easiest guy or the less perfectionist, but I was really happy with the result and the solution I found! Finishing: I like weathering and let's face it, it hides several mistakes! Some washing, dry brushing and a layer of Winsor & Newton's Galeria Matt Varnish (we are talking for matt, no b***poo-poo!) and... voilà! Well, it's far from a perfect model but damn...it was a hell of a ride! Yep, that's this hobby for me. A mixture of mind-sharpening procedure with all this joy of creating. But also with a lot of frustration, sweat and swearing that only end with the finished model. And then THAT urge for more! Cheers!

Hi all, I would like to present you one of my models, a Dassault Mirage 2000N from EC 2/4 Lafayette during Red Flag 94/2 exercise. May be you had already seen it on the french forum master194. This is the Eduard/Heller kit which includes resin seats and some photoetch parts. I have added a NECA pod and an inert Magic II, both scratch built, and the Renaissance exhaust nozzle set. The cockpit has been detailed too. The desert paint scheme was specifically made for the occasion. The Mirage 2000N is the nuclear strike variant of the Mirage 2000 family. It was made to carry the ASMP nuclear missile but can perform conventional strike missions. It has been optimised for low-level flight, incorporating a terrain following radar. On picture below it is presented with a SOCEA starting unit from l'Arsenal and scratch built ladders. Thanks for looking, Nicolas