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Tornado GR.4 No. 2 Squadron 100th Anniversary


sanfrandragon

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Sorry, another 1/48 Tornado question!

 

I am using decals from Xtradecal (X48113) to make the above GR.4.

 

My question is should I attach the rails, pylons, tanks etc?  Was this colour scheme for air displays only, so no stores?

 

Thanks for any advice.

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Anniversary colour schemes are essentially for the unit , airshow appearances for the public are only a bonus , and usually the aircraft will be used in the everyday business of the unit and will carry the usual pods etc. , quick look at the review I did for the 2012 Leuchars Airshow - https://www.milavia.net/airshows/raf-leuchars-airshow-2012/ - shows the aircraft carrying them.

 

Display aircraft colour schemes are a different beast and while still used for everyday squadron matters often with everything hanging from them the actual fit for display flying is often less extensive.

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  • 1 month later...

Another question!

 

looking at photos online it looks like Shiny 2 ZA398 doesn’t have a starboard canon, so I’m guessing that makes it a GR4A?  Apart from blanking off the gun port are there any other changes I should make to the Revell GR 4 standard kit?

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On ‎8‎/‎19‎/‎2018 at 6:46 PM, sanfrandragon said:

Sorry, another 1/48 Tornado question!

 

I am using decals from Xtradecal (X48113) to make the above GR.4.

 

My question is should I attach the rails, pylons, tanks etc?  Was this colour scheme for air displays only, so no stores?

 

Thanks for any advice.

There are some good pictures on the web of this aircraft carrying a representative Operation Herrick payload of two inert (blue) Paveway IV LGBs, Brimstone launcher and a LITENING pod on the under fuselage stations and TERMA and BOZ countermeasures pod and 1,500 litre fuel tanks on the underwing stations.

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58 minutes ago, sanfrandragon said:

looking at photos online it looks like Shiny 2 ZA398 doesn’t have a starboard canon, so I’m guessing that makes it a GR4A?  Apart from blanking off the gun port are there any other changes I should make to the Revell GR 4 standard kit?

It had been a GR.4A.

 

The GR.4A were conversions of the GR.1A and carried the same basic features - both cannon removed and muzzle areas skinned over,  TIRRS installed in what had been the ammunition bay with sensor windows either side of the lower forward fuselage and a fairing on the centreline underneath.     

 

By the time ZA398 carried that particular scheme the Tornado recce mission had moved from low level using TIRRS to high level using podded systems that could also be carried by the GR.4 although the redundant GR.4A internal systems and identifying features were retained as ballast to maintain centre-of-gravity.

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2 hours ago, Des said:

It had been a GR.4A.

 

The GR.4A were conversions of the GR.1A and carried the same basic features - both cannon removed and muzzle areas skinned over,  TIRRS installed in what had been the ammunition bay with sensor windows either side of the lower forward fuselage and a fairing on the centreline underneath.     

 

By the time ZA398 carried that particular scheme the Tornado recce mission had moved from low level using TIRRS to high level using podded systems that could also be carried by the GR.4 although the redundant GR.4A internal systems and identifying features were retained as ballast to maintain centre-of-gravity.

So from closer examination of the photos on the web it looks like the fairing is still in place.  Any idea where I can source one?  But not sure I can see the windows, would they have been skinned over once the internal systems became redundant?

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2 hours ago, sanfrandragon said:

So from closer examination of the photos on the web it looks like the fairing is still in place.  Any idea where I can source one?  But not sure I can see the windows, would they have been skinned over once the internal systems became redundant?

Oops, my mistake, the windows are clearly there, now I know what I'm looking for!  Any suggestions on sourcing decals and fairing to help save this build as a GR4A?

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52 minutes ago, sanfrandragon said:

Any suggestions on sourcing decals and fairing to help save this build as a GR4A?

 

As far as I recall the fairing was provided in all of the 1/48 Airfix releases - GR.1/1A , GR.1B and GR.4/4A - and the decals for the sensor windows in all but the GR.1B so someone, somewhere might have them in their spares box.

 

As for aftermarket - Relish models did the GR.4A centreline fairing along with a GR.4 FLIR  in resin but I think that is out of production and Flightpath do an extensive but expensive GR.1/1A/4/4A Tornado detail and conversion pack which is still available ,  I cannot think of anyone offhand who does decals for the sensor windows but there might be a sheet out their somewhere that includes them.

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1 hour ago, Des said:

 

As far as I recall the fairing was provided in all of the 1/48 Airfix releases - GR.1/1A , GR.1B and GR.4/4A - and the decals for the sensor windows in all but the GR.1B so someone, somewhere might have them in their spares box.

 

As for aftermarket - Relish models did the GR.4A centreline fairing along with a GR.4 FLIR  in resin but I think that is out of production and Flightpath do an extensive but expensive GR.1/1A/4/4A Tornado detail and conversion pack which is still available ,  I cannot think of anyone offhand who does decals for the sensor windows but there might be a sheet out their somewhere that includes them.

 

It should be relatively easy to replicate the sensor windows with a small piece of gold decal over a slightly larger black decal to represent the edge of the window; alternatively the windows were sometimes protected by red covers when the aircraft were parked.

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On 10/12/2018 at 3:35 PM, sanfrandragon said:

Another question!

 

looking at photos online it looks like Shiny 2 ZA398 doesn’t have a starboard canon, so I’m guessing that makes it a GR4A?  Apart from blanking off the gun port are there any other changes I should make to the Revell GR 4 standard kit?

All GR4 had only one cannon fitted,  LH one was removed on update of GR1  to GR4.

 

Selwyn

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I will try and confirm this, ZA398 resides at Manston in Kent. It arrived unplanned as a result of a bird strike (swan) nearby Canterbury  I think on the  14th of January 2014. It  was deemed un economic to repair and after removal of equipment it was taken to the fire school on camp , but not on the dump. One interesting thing about this is that the fin was removed and swapped for a grey one. As I said, I will try and make sure of this and get back unless someone has a better memory of things. 

 

Keith. 

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8 hours ago, Britman said:

I will try and confirm this, ZA398 resides at Manston in Kent. It arrived unplanned as a result of a bird strike (swan) nearby Canterbury  I think on the  14th of January 2014. It  was deemed un economic to repair and after removal of equipment it was taken to the fire school on camp , but not on the dump. One interesting thing about this is that the fin was removed and swapped for a grey one. As I said, I will try and make sure of this and get back unless someone has a better memory of things. 

 

Keith. 

She is now on display at the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (Newquay Airport), still owned by JARTS but loaned to the museum in return for them being able to use the VC10 and BAC111 for training.

 

Seen here just after arrival at Newquay in June, being put back together by JARTS before being moved over to the museum in the background.

28762560888_527f9a9857_c.jpg

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On 10/12/2018 at 10:57 PM, Des said:

 

As far as I recall the fairing was provided in all of the 1/48 Airfix releases - GR.1/1A , GR.1B and GR.4/4A - and the decals for the sensor windows in all but the GR.1B so someone, somewhere might have them in their spares box.

 

As for aftermarket - Relish models did the GR.4A centreline fairing along with a GR.4 FLIR  in resin but I think that is out of production and Flightpath do an extensive but expensive GR.1/1A/4/4A Tornado detail and conversion pack which is still available ,  I cannot think of anyone offhand who does decals for the sensor windows but there might be a sheet out their somewhere that includes them.

Thanks for this!  I looked into both options; the airfix decals look a possibility although they dont come with the warning stencil that Shiny 2 has next to the windows, although I note that not all GR4As seem to have them.

 

Alternatively for the Flightpath set you have to cut a hole in the fuselage and then stick on a complete panel that contains the window.  Theres no mention of making the window itself, no warning stencil and I'm a little concerned how proud the panel would  be on the fuselage - was this the case with real GR4As?  I guess I don't have to cut the hole and could just stick the panel on and paint in the window after?

 

Do any of the experts have any advice here please?

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8 hours ago, sanfrandragon said:

......  I'm a little concerned how proud the panel would  be on the fuselage - was this the case with real GR4As?  I guess I don't have to cut the hole and could just stick the panel on and paint in the window after?

 

I have never ran my hand across one to check but from getting access very close to that area on a GR.4A several times I would say that the sensor window and the seal around it are flush with the surface of the surrounding panel.

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On 10/15/2018 at 4:54 PM, Evalman said:

She is now on display at the Cornwall Aviation Heritage Centre (Newquay Airport), still owned by JARTS but loaned to the museum in return for them being able to use the VC10 and BAC111 for training.

 

Seen here just after arrival at Newquay in June, being put back together by JARTS before being moved over to the museum in the background.

28762560888_527f9a9857_c.jpg

Nice to see Shiny 2 is being preserved.  I don't think there's any doubt it's a GR4A, there are plenty of images available online showing the fairing and windows, the question is how to model it.  On a different note fascinating to see how the wings connect to the fuselage, I mean not by much considering the stresses that joint must be put under!

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Also I should say that on closer inspection, what I took to be a warning stencil next to the IRLS window is in fact a list of N2's battle honours, which is included in the Extradecal pack.  Nice detail, though they do depict the aircraft with a starboard cannon in the instructions!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 6 months later...
On 11/5/2018 at 3:37 PM, Britman said:

Just thought this might be well received, credit as per internal wording.

 

shiny2 Tornado

 

Keith

Gorgeous pic, love the forward momentum!  And thanks everyone for your input.  Pending better pics, this is my effort:

 

004

 

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