RichardPrice Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 So, this started off as a Revell 1:144 Airbus A350-900 that I picked up cheap at an airshow - it was never intended to be done as an airliner, but I never really had any specific intentions for it when I bought it... A few weeks ago I spotted the kit in a cupboard and dragged it out, again with no specific intentions, only that it was going to be done up as a military aircraft. In the ensuing weeks, it lost some windows, gained a refueling probe, a MAD and an undercoat to detect any flaws in the filler. Oh, and a bump under the forward fuselage. No idea where my mind was going, but I think its ended up as an RAF (due to the refueling probe) Maritime Patrol Aircraft (due to the MAD and what I can assume is surface search radar under the forward fuselage). A few more things to be added - payload bay at the rear, buoy dispensers, pylons on the wings for ordnance (thinking navalised Storm Shadow...), a load of antenna (military conversions always seem to have more) and whatever else comes to mind. The intended scale is 1:72, as that fits with all the other aircraft in my collection - plus it allows me some leeway with the external ordnance. I'm torn on final paint scheme tho - I have a feeling that the RAF hemp paint scheme died with the MRA.4, but it feels right for this aircraft so I might go in that direction - otherwise, standard barley grey I think, same as the Eurofighters! Any suggestions would be great! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 The Hemp (Camouflage Beige) scheme was on it's way out well before the Nimrod fleet got the Hiroshima treatment with Medium Sea Grey being the predominant colour, rather than Barley Grey/Camouflage Grey which was, IIRC, confined to the fuselage crown. Hopefully someone who knows more and better will be along soon. I like your idea: I've been trying to scheme an A321 Maritime for a while now and seeing your work has given me an idea or two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptormodeller Posted September 2, 2016 Share Posted September 2, 2016 Dam you, you beat me to it! (Well almost), I was thinking about a heavy heavy bomber version for the french as a vengeance weapon. Looks really good!!!!!! I can't wait to see it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 The Hemp (Camouflage Beige) scheme was on it's way out well before the Nimrod fleet got the Hiroshima treatment with Medium Sea Grey being the predominant colour, rather than Barley Grey/Camouflage Grey which was, IIRC, confined to the fuselage crown. Hopefully someone who knows more and better will be along soon. I like your idea: I've been trying to scheme an A321 Maritime for a while now and seeing your work has given me an idea or two. Even the MRA.4 flew in hemp, so as this is a whif and I like the scheme, so lets see how it goes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 The MRA.4 flew in hemp? Really? The ones I saw looked like grey - I didn't attempt to match it to which grey. You could try looking at Warton on Google Earth and matching the colour you see from there - unless they've updated the photo again.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 3, 2016 Author Share Posted September 3, 2016 Seems people are coming out against hemp, interesting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 I might have been a bit too direct earlier and not appreciating the full concept of your model, for which I apologise. Some of the MRA 4s flew in yellow/green primer but none in Hemp that I know of (some of the "primer" jets had parts pre-painted in grey). If you can bear to look at the images on the BAe North West Heritage Group site of the destruction of the MRA 4s at Woodford you won't see any Hemp. I think that all but one of the surviving MR 2s are in grey, but you'd need to check. There's nothing to stop you painting your model in Hemp and Light Aircraft Grey: it'd compliment an eighties-era Nimrod or Victor quite nicely and, after all, it is well into What If (or What Could Have Been) territory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
71chally Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Great idea and build there, looks like you could sell the proposal to the RAF! Around half of the surviving MR.2s are in hemp, however the colour was on the way out to be replaced by grey. I would be going for a similar scheme to the Voyager without the cheatline, for a modern maritime reconnaissance in the most 'realistic' scheme, however I do prefer the hemp finish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graham Boak Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Hemp was for camouflage when sitting on concrete - nothing to do with the maritime role. Witness its presence on Victor tankers. The most realistic scheme is, unfortunately, on overall light/medium grey. I think they've never looked as good as they did in EDSG tops with white sides and bellies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLouiseModellers Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 It looks amazing Richard, I see the aft probe, is it also a refueling tanker? I'm doing a similar concept with the A330-300, Basically the Voyager but bigger and designed for the German Navy, as I have a collection of Panavia Tornades and a Fictional B737-800 AWACS. All in 1:144 though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stever219 Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Aft probe is a Magnetic Anomaly Detector, as seen on Nimrod MR aircraft, P-3 and P-2 (for example). Gets the detector as far away from anything magnetic in the aeroplane as possible without having to tow it on a wire (like the towed decoys used on some types). Great for picking up submerged submarines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLouiseModellers Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Thanks for clearing it up Richard . I just assumed it was a refueling boom. Did you scratch build it as it looks spot on. Keep up the great work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 4, 2016 Author Share Posted September 4, 2016 As Stever219 says, its a magnetic anomaly detector - in reality, a spare bit of sprue with the end sanded down and rounded off, a hole cut in the tail cone and plenty of filler and sanding The refueling probe is similar - some metal tubing, a hole (long hole) cut in the fuselage, the tubing super glued in place, filler to smooth everything out, and the actual probe itself is a Vulcan 1:72 brass bit, glued into the end of the tubing. Both very simple to do, just requires patience with filler and sanding - a few applications of both for both ends, coats of undercoat inbetween to show up stuff which needs to be corrected. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamLouiseModellers Posted September 4, 2016 Share Posted September 4, 2016 Oh I do apologize, I thought Steve was you :L. It looks really good Richard, never really worked in 1:72 for civil airliners, only 1:144. Here's my B737-800 AWACS. I used the radome and decal from a Hawkeye kit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
celt Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Wow thats a plane and a half,nicely done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 Quick update:  Its gained its final lumps and bumps - mainly antenna, some stuff under the tail, an optical turret just aft of the wings and some air intakes dotted around.  I've gone for a grey finish, only the fuselage done so far - the wings have their weapons pylons attached, just need a coat or two of paint, the centre mart masked off for a different colour.  Then onto the decalling stage - plenty of scope there for some interesting additions and features.  The fuselage windows are covered with maskol btw - well, the ones not filled in with putty that is... 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SleeperService Posted September 25, 2016 Share Posted September 25, 2016 This shouldn't be a What If, it looks so right it's a crime it hasn't happened. Beautiful work so far. Pity the Hemp didn't make it though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 Small update - main painting has finished, windows have been exposed, base coat of Klear has gone on and the first round of decalling has been done. Â Â Still some decalling on the underneath yet to do, then the clear parts for the lights etc. Â The engines still have to have the fan and the rear cone done. Â Final thing to be done will be the armament for the underwing pylons. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 28, 2016 Author Share Posted September 28, 2016 Not sure about the low viz roundels - what do people think? The Airseeker and Voyager both use normal roundels... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 They almost seem more stark on the dark grey. Wonder if the darker "Normal" ones would be better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 29, 2016 Author Share Posted September 29, 2016 Bit more progress - still uhming and ahhing about the roundels, so they will stay for the moment. Â Weapons are on. Â Â 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardPrice Posted September 29, 2016 Author Share Posted September 29, 2016 Weapons are supposed to be a European anti-shipping version of the Taurus cruise missile (yeah, was supposed to be a Stormshadow, but I got to the end of the decalling phase of the two missiles before realising I had built Taurus missiles rather than Stormshadow - my brain must be fried...) and two Mk.62 Quickstrike mines on each wing (rationale being that the RAF doesn't stock naval mines anymore, but it could quickly buy them off the US and as they are a dumb bomb, they wouldn't need any specific adaptation to the airframe). Â Lastly, there is a Sniper pod under the belly to augment the optical turret aft of the wings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Looks great Richard  Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie_c67 Posted September 30, 2016 Share Posted September 30, 2016 Didn't fancy kitting it out with some navalised Brimstones then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cookenbacher Posted October 1, 2016 Share Posted October 1, 2016 That definitely looks 'right'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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