SOAF strikemaster battle of mirbat 1972.

[beppe]

Hi,

Can anyone help me with the camouflage of the strikemaster ?

 

 

Thanks,

Joseph

[huvut76g7gbbui7]

Hello Joseph

They were dark green and dark earth on top with light aircraft grey underneath.

If you PM me your e-mail,I will scan some drawings for you.

Richard

[beppe]

Thanks Richard.

[canberra kid]

Some photos that may help

John

Edited April 7, 2018 by canberra kid
added more photos

[janneman36]

26 minutes ago, canberra kid said:

Some photos that may help

John

It looks like the one in the first pic has just one bangseat in it?

If that is the case that is interesting enough for a build to incorporate.....

Great pics..

 

Cheers, Jan

[beppe]

indeed it is, or it's masked by the pilot.

 

Quite an interresting configuration with minigun pods, i thought the main weapons were GP Bombs and rockets.

 

Cheers, Joseph

[Seahawk]

There's an article by Michael J Gething on the SOAF in the 1978 Airfix Annual For Aircraft Modellers.  It uses canberra kid's first photo plus another of the same aircraft.  He says in his modelling notes: "... the Strikemasters were usually flown from the left-hand seat with the right-hand ejection seat removed.  A typical weapon load would be a 500lb bomb on the outer wing pylon with two banks of SURA rockets (lifted from the Matchbox kit) on the inner two wing stations.  Four banks of SURA rockets is the maximum load under each, which could get expensive in Matchbox Strikemasters but it is possible to cut down the air-to-ground projectiles from the Airfix Hunter F.6 into passable substitutes."

 

As far as I know, the Matchbox Strikemaster kit is still the only 1/72 kit to include SURA rocket banks.  

 

What's the origin of the 500 lb bombs?  They (and their representation in the Airfix Strikemaster/JP5 kit) don't look very British.  French?

[Selwyn]

33 minutes ago, Seahawk said:

There's an article by Michael J Gething on the SOAF in the 1978 Airfix Annual For Aircraft Modellers.  It uses canberra kid's first photo plus another of the same aircraft.  He says in his modelling notes: "... the Strikemasters were usually flown from the left-hand seat with the right-hand ejection seat removed.  A typical weapon load would be a 500lb bomb on the outer wing pylon with two banks of SURA rockets (lifted from the Matchbox kit) on the inner two wing stations.  Four banks of SURA rockets is the maximum load under each, which could get expensive in Matchbox Strikemasters but it is possible to cut down the air-to-ground projectiles from the Airfix Hunter F.6 into passable substitutes."

 

As far as I know, the Matchbox Strikemaster kit is still the only 1/72 kit to include SURA rocket banks.  

 

What's the origin of the 500 lb bombs?  They (and their representation in the Airfix Strikemaster/JP5 kit) don't look very British.  French?

The Bombs in the picture are British 540lb bombs.

 

Selwyn

[Pinback]

5 hours ago, beppe said:

Can anyone help me with the camouflage of the strikemaster ?

Hi Joseph - Do you have Rowland White's account ?- it has a number of colour photos of Strikemasters from that time.

 

 

Pinback

[stevehnz]

_{Airfix did a boxing with the Omani Strikemaster markings in it, which Tony O'toole built beautifully out of the box. Xtradecal have a sheet with Omani markings too.}

_Steve.

[RAGATIGER]

Hi there

 

Well indeed very old kits in my case the first I remember is the Matchbox

 

 

 

Then goes the Airfix

 

 

I just found the first one started but never finished but now after get all parts accounted intended to be finish but as Ecuatorian AF, tomorrow I'll be on the athic looking for the Airfix

 

Best modeling 

Armando

 

PS It look that those squadron can be use in the Oman AF Jaguar

 

 

[canberra kid]

Some more photos

John

[Kari Lumppio]

Hello!

 

I bought the "Storm Front" based on recommendation IIRC on this forum while in UK with family some years ago. Found it only when at airpoirt (Gatwick) on return trip. Read it through immediately - during the return flight too - and it inspired a model build. It is on "stable condition" now for some years. But advanced enought to ask a quesion:

 

Is there 1/72 decals available for the Omani Strikemasters for the Mirbat period?

 

I do not have the old Airfix box and seems it does not have the small (day-glo?) orange numbers seen on fin and nose. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

Cheers,

Kari

[k5054nz]

I'm guessing SOAF is Sultan of Oman's Air Force?

 

On 4/8/2018 at 12:50 PM, Pinback said:

Guns mounted beneath the intakes? An interesting choice! 

[stevehnz]

14 hours ago, Kari Lumppio said:

Hello!

 

I bought the "Storm Front" based on recommendation IIRC on this forum while in UK with family some years ago. Found it only when at airpoirt (Gatwick) on return trip. Read it through immediately - during the return flight too - and it inspired a model build. It is on "stable condition" now for some years. But advanced enought to ask a quesion:

 

Is there 1/72 decals available for the Omani Strikemasters for the Mirbat period?

 

I do not have the old Airfix box and seems it does not have the small (day-glo?) orange numbers seen on fin and nose. Correct me if I am wrong.

 

 

Cheers,

Kari

Kari, the Airfix kit refered to above & the Xtradecal sheet have markings for an approximately similar time, maybe adaptable for the Mirbat conflict if you can find a reference to the exact appearance of them at that time.

Steve. 

[Rabbit Leader]

The Xtradecal sheet that Steve refers too should (IMO) provide what you need. There’s two SOAF Strikemasters on this sheet one from the 1973 Paris Airshow and another from 1975. Overall markings on these jets were fairly minimal so I’m sure you’ll find what you need on this sheet. 

 

Does anyone know what particular Strikemaster serials actually took part in this action? 

 

Cheers.. Dave

[Seahawk]

1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

Does anyone know what particular Strikemaster serials actually took part in this action? 

If it's not in White's Storm Front, ISTR a couple of articles in the aviation press appearing quite closely together, possibly around the 40th anniversary of the battle, though it doesn't feel as long ago as 2012.  Suspect one was in Flypast.  May have been extracts from White's book anyway. 

[Rabbit Leader]

Ok thanks. I’ll try to get a copy of Storm Front when my enthusiasm peaks in these aircraft again (could be soon now I’ve found this thead!). I’ll also do a google search to see what’s there, although I don’t recall seeing too much when looking a while back. 

 

Cheers.. Dave

[Pinback]

6 hours ago, k5054nz said:

I'm guessing SOAF is Sultan of Oman's Air Force?

That's right The intake guns would have been 7.62mm machine guns

[Selwyn]

8 hours ago, k5054nz said:

I'm guessing SOAF is Sultan of Oman's Air Force?

 

Guns mounted beneath the intakes? An interesting choice! 

The Gun mountings under the intakes was a standard fit on all strikemasters.

 

Just as an aside,   the Sultan of Oman's Air Force (SOAF) no longer exists, it has now been renamed as the Royal Air Force Of Oman (RAFO).

 

Selwyn

[beppe]

On 08/04/2018 at 2:50 AM, Pinback said:

Hi Joseph - Do you have Rowland White's account ?- it has a number of colour photos of Strikemasters from that time.

 

 

Pinback

Hi,

I have it mine is a paperback version, and it's in black and white, but the pictures are interesting.

[beppe]

Is there any source of 540 lb bombs in 1/72 ?

 

Were mk81 or 82 also used ?

Edited April 9, 2018 by beppe

[canberra kid]

I've just spotted this, the H.F. wire aerial going from the tail to the top of the port wing, different!

And two photos that show what to me looks like damage from a SAM? 

John

[Seahawk]

7 hours ago, beppe said:

Is there any source of 540 lb bombs in 1/72 ?

Two provided in old Airfix JP5/Strikemaster kit.

[Selwyn]

9 hours ago, beppe said:

Is there any source of 540 lb bombs in 1/72 ?

 

Were mk81 or 82 also used ?

See second picture down, post No 12 for a mk 82.

 

Selwyn