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Hawker P.1154 RN version


MikeR

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Alrighty then, the thread on the CVA01 got me thinking about this.

I know what the RAF version was supposed to look like, but what about the version for the Navy?

Was the final version meant to look similar the RAF one, or was it going to be a two seater?

I've had a quick browse on the web, but I can't seem to find anything definitive. :huh:

Thanks in advance,

Mike. :)

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Mike,

Sorry my copy of Project Cancelled" is buried in the loft, but, from memory, the Navy version was a two-seater with AI radar in an enlarged nose and had a ricycle undercarriage with the nose unit having twin wheels to ride over catapult shuttles and the main wheels retracting rearwards into Kuchemann (sp?) fairings btween the flaps and ailerons on the trailing edges of the wings. Naturally it was longer and had a greater span than the RAF single-seater and was optimised for the air-to-air role (with two or four Red Top missiles) rather than air to ground operations. In short the Navy tried to think of as many ways as possible to make their variant as differnt as possible to the RAF vrsion, including wing fold. In short about the only thing they had in commonn was the project office designation.

I'm sure one of the "What-If" chaps will be along soon to correct my errors and omissions, but for now HTYH,

Steve

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Here you go Mike, this should help,

P1154RN.jpg

There were also a couple of early single seat proposals which were discounted, here's a couple of pics of my Freightdog single seat RN version that I did a few years back, carrying two Blue Dolphin missiles and a pair of Red Tops. There is of course the ancient Maintrack two seat vacform which can be grabbed now and then,...quite accurate if a little basic.

P1040058Large-001.jpg

P1040054Large-001.jpg

Melchie

Edited by general melchett
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And here is the aforementioned Maintrack version, with a little help from photoshop.

As vacforms go it is one of the better ones, but the Freightdog offering is a far better bet!

FredT :)

1154diving-2.jpg

vikrant2.jpg

aftend.jpg

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Here you go Mike, this should help,

There were also a couple of early single seat proposals which were discounted, here's a couple of pics of my Freightdog single seat RN version that I did a few years back, carrying two Blue Dolphin missiles and a pair of Red Tops. There is of course the ancient Maintrack two seat vacform which can be grabbed now and then,...quite accurate if a little basic.

P1040054Large-001.jpg

Melchie

Other way round Andy, the Single seater version you built was actually slightly later than the more familiar two seater version

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No worries Andy.

Back to the original question the familiar Naval design is the two seater version with Outrigger main undercarriage, this is the design most people are familiar with, as illustrated in books and done as a Vacform kit by Miantrack in their Project-X series. There were other proposals to try and keep the Navy interestedor rather the Government combining more features of the RAF/RN versions into a more common design to keep costs down. This later version is the one Andy has modelled using the Freightdog RAF P1154 kit and adding features from the Maintrack kit.

Hopefully Colin has the P1154(RAF) kit in for an update in advance of a re-release, and perhaps with a bit of interest expressed he may do one of the Naval versions. A new resin P1154(RN) in the two seater configuration would be nice but would only happen if enough interest was expressed.

Speaking of the P1154(RAF), it was actually the original 'Harrier' so if it had stayed the course and entered service then the 70's Sea Harrier would have effectively been a Navalised P1154(RAF) !!!

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Thanks guys! :thumbsup2: Especially for the big cg image in Melchie's post - I've been after a decent sized copy of that for ages! :thumbsup:

I missed the Freightdog kit first time round, but if it is re-issued I'd certainly think about getting one. Mind you, I wouldn't be too surprised if one of the far eastern companies came out with a kit...... :hmmm:

As for the real deal, any idea as to how both versions (RAF and RN) may have actually performed? Could the RAF version been upgraded with a "big wing"? Could the USMC have bought it?

Mike. :)

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