F-15K (Eagle F.1)

[Nev]

This was my very first whiff from the Britorama build on the old, old what if forums 6 years ago!

McDD actually offered us the Eagle twice. First time late 70s, then again early 80s when the Tornado ADV was struggling and the US government were concerned about the lack of protection their assets (and especially nuclear missiles) had from a bunch of aging Lightnings.

So here we are, Hasegawa 1/72 kit loaded for Bear with 4 Sky-Flash and 4 Sidewinders (although 1 Sky-Flash got lost in the house move)

[hatchet]

Looks great Nev!

[Gary West]

That really works - looks very good Nev

[hatchet]

So here we are, Hasegawa 1/72 kit loaded for Bear with 4 Sky-Flash and 4 Sidewinders (although 1 Sky-Flash got lost in the house move)

how about this:

In the late summer of 1985, the USAFs 57th FIS was in the process of replacing their F-4Es with F-15Cs. During the transition phase, the USAF asked the RAF, through NATO, to augment the Icelandic air defences. The RAF complied by sending a detachment of 8 Eagle F.1 fighters from Treble-One squadron to NAS Keflavik. On August 8th, two Eagles on patrol were vectored towards an unidentified contact coming in very fast at high altitude towards Keflavik. Repeated attempts to hail the intruder were unsuccessful and the Eagles were cleared to open fire. ZG776/HN fired a single Sky Flash at the Mach 2.8 contact, assumed to be an Foxbat. 10 seconds after the launch a flash was seen from the two Eagles and GCI reported the track was lost. Debree found later on Iceland confirmed that it was a Foxbat that had been shot down. After the end of the cold war, it was learned that the RWR on the Foxbat had been re-wired, so that it wouldn't show the pilot that the Eagles had their radars locked onto him. It remains unknown why the pilot failed to respond when hailed.

The model shows ZG776/HN as she was when she landed after the shootdown. Later, a red star was painted below the canopy, which was removed when it became known that the RWR of the Foxbat had been re-wired.

Works?

[kolja]

The tail markings and lightning bolt on the side of the fuselage look especially sharp!

[dswoofie]

Looks interesting in that scheme doesn't it! I was just thinking about how one would look in some special 56 sqn markings...

Nice job Nev, looks the part!

Karl.

[periklis_sale]

nice work mate!

I think you forgot to paint the middle of the canopy?

[PHIL B]

nice work mate!

I think you forgot to paint the middle of the canopy?

Nice work Nev!

I was told once by a Duxford museum guide that the RAF were offered F-15As when they went shopping for F-4Js for 74 Squadron post-Falklands War. Would have been nice to have instead of F-4J(UK)s.

Phil.

[J35 Draken]

Looks good Nev, those 111Sqn markings really suit it.

[dahut]

Looks nice. You'd think we coild have at least cut you a deal on the things, you know?

[Nev]

how about this:

In the late summer of 1985, *snip*

Very good, although it doesn't explain the missing patch of paint where the fin was glued to the fuselage!

I think you forgot to paint the middle of the canopy?

I think you're correct! Good spot, never realised myself and its been sat on my shelf for years now

You'd think we coild have at least cut you a deal on the things, you know?

The problem was that would have meant cancelling the Tornado ADV, which would have pushed the price up, which may have pushed Italy or Germany out of the program, which may have led to the Tornado being cancelled altogether. And I think the RAF still felt that for their main role of long range over-water interception, the ADV better suited their needs than the Eagle. Not sure I feel the same, when Tornados couldn't keep up with Bears, but there you go