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RAF Jaguars


Franco

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Hi all!

This is my first post on britmodeller; first of all, I’m not an english speaker, so please forgive me if I make mistakes in my grammar.

I’m a RAF aircraft lover... aircrafts of all times, and now I’m focused on the Jaguar... beautifull in all aspects.

I spent some time looking around the forum and I apologize if the topic has been covered, but I could not find what I’looking for. If this is the situation, please, just pont me to the correct post.

I would like to know the different paint schemes of the GR1 along history, and the colour codes. If I’m not wrong, the first scheme was the wraparound grey/green camo in the 80’s, the desert pink for granby, and then, they was painted in shades of gray. Could someone clarify this evolution in paints?

I want to make one of each paint scheme.

Bonus track... Which is the visible difference between the GR1 and the GR3?

Thanks to all in advance and sorry for my survival english.

Regards!

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Hello and welcome to BM.

 

The first Jaguars to enter RAF service had Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green upper surfaces and Light Aircraft Grey undersides. This then changed to the Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green wraparound scheme.

As the RAF gradually turned various shades of grey, the Jaguars were painted Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces and Dark Camouflage Grey underneath and up the sides.

There were a few temporary schemes used. Desert Pink, as you mention for Op Granby. Light Camouflage Grey for Ops over Northern Iraq and the former Yugoslavia, for exercises in Norway some aircraft were given a splash of white for Arctic camouflage.

 

Externally, the only differences between the GR1 and GR3/3a were a few aerial changes. The twin aerials on the spine heat exchanger behind the cockpit were replaced with a single "T" shaped aerial for the havequick radio. On the nose immediately in front of the windscreen, a round GPS aerial was added. The cockpit changed more. A larger HUD was fitted, the round moving map display in the center of the instrument panel, was replaced with a multi purpose TV screen. The ejection seat was changed to have a larger headbox containing the parachute. The GR1 did not have overwing pylons, a few airframes were modified to have them for Granby, by the time of the GR3a all airframes were overwing capable.

 

Rob

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Thank you very much for the info!!!

Tempestfan, excellent tip about those publications. Didn’t know about that! I’ll look for it.

Phone Phixer, very good info, very complete and exhaustive... thanks a lot!!! 

Now I’m in the way to search the schemes, but now I know what to look for.

Thanks again and best regards!!!

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43 minutes ago, Franco said:

may I think that the Tornados GR 1-4 have the same scheme evolution?

 

Not to the same extent, because they were introduced some years after the Jaguar the production aircraft wore the Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green wraparound scheme before adopting the all over grey scheme via the Desert Pink scheme worn by those aircraft deployed the Gulf during Operation Granby/Desert Storm

 

14 hours ago, Phone Phixer said:

Hello and welcome to BM.

 

The first Jaguars to enter RAF service had Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green upper surfaces and Light Aircraft Grey undersides. This then changed to the Dark Sea Grey and Dark Green wraparound scheme.

As the RAF gradually turned various shades of grey, the Jaguars were painted Dark Sea Grey on the upper surfaces and Dark Camouflage Grey underneath and up the sides.

There were a few temporary schemes used. Desert Pink, as you mention for Op Granby. Light Camouflage Grey for Ops over Northern Iraq and the former Yugoslavia, for exercises in Norway some aircraft were given a splash of white for Arctic camouflage.

If you want to add a "splash of colour" to your collection of Jaguars some aircraft wore non-standard or anniversary schemes, for instance, the Empire Test Pilots School operated the two seat Jaguar in the red, white and blue "Raspberry Ripple" scheme (for example XX145 or XX230), 41 Squadron's XZ398 wore a very smart red anniversary scheme and the training squadron (Operational Conversion Unit in RAF speak) 16 (R) Squadron operated the appropriately coded XX116 in a very smart overall matt black display scheme.

 

You will probably also find that several of the RAF's Jaguar squadrons operated an aircraft with an anniversary tail towards the end of the type's operational service.

 

 

Edited by Richard E
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The very first Jags also had red, white and blue roundals and fin flash, and possibly a semi-gloss finish, before the intro of the low-viz red/blue markings.

If you search out instruction sheets from the Modeldecal series they give excellent references - and concentrate mainly on British subjects.

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Another one-off was this one, part of a trial in the early 2000s along with a Tornado GR.4 named Flashman:

 

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VwBQZgdsEBo/TZThu_c0oQI/AAAAAAAAAKI/t31eqWMEOF0/s1600/Jaguar+GR.3A+XZ103+41+Sqn+experimental.jpg

 

It was desert pink over camouflage grey. Both aircraft were due to deploy to the US to undergo camo trials as part of a larger set of assorted tests. XZ103 went sick and was replaced with one in standard colours

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Welcome to Britmodeller!

 

The Jaguar is a favourite of mine and I have the Kittyhawk GR.3 waiting....and waiting.......

 

I echo everyone else’s comments about the schemes. For very early GR.1’s the ‘chisel nose’ and RWR faired tail could be missing too. In effect they could look externally identical to French Jags.

 

https://www.deviantart.com/fighterman35/art/First-British-Jaguar-S-prototype-XW560-at-Warton-659497552

 

Check your references!  

 

If if you go to Britmodeller’s ‘Walk Around’ section, the Jag is very well represented.

 

Regards

 

Trevor 

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Hello Richard, Iainpeden, Tauro and Max. Thanxs for tour repplies!

so, the tornado starts with the grey/green wraparound. That’s clear now.

Due to the Jaguar is one of my favourites, I will search for those test Jags.

The conmemorative tails are spectacular, I have an xtradecal sheet with several schemes with coloured tails.

I see the early ones have the tri color roundels. Didn’t know those.

the grey and desert pink is a beautiful sweetheart, but... what a shity color the desert pink!!! I have one that I think is too brown, too dark. Another is like a flesh tone. I’ll try to mix them for the right tone.

If Infound how to post pictures, will let you see. 

Thanks!!! Very useful and complete info!!!

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A pretty good guide to Jag colour schemes by all users of them is the Profile 10 book. Theres at least one on a popular auction site right now.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/on-Target-Profile-10-Sepecat-Jaguar-in-Worldwide-Service-Aviation-Workshop/1222433934?iid=192419626540&_trksid=p2047675.m4096.l9055

 

Got to love Jags. :) 

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I just saw this thread whilst searching for information on load-outs(?) for RAF Jaguars and figured it would be a good place to ask a related question. I understand that they were either used in a strike or recce role. I've got the Airfix 1/48 and have some 6 squadron decals for a 1989 anniversary scheme. So that should make it strike, not recce. I'm pretty sure it's tanks on the inner pylons and bombs on the centre line and/or outer pylons. What's confusing me most is whether 6 squadron would ever use the phimat chaff and flare stuff on the outer pylons and/or whether they would have had the chaff and flare dispensers fitted under the rear fuselage, in the late 80's. Plus, were the later camo painted to match the aircraft or were they just grey/white?

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17 hours ago, Franco said:

 

the grey and desert pink is a beautiful sweetheart, but... what a shity color the desert pink!!! I have one that I think is too brown, too dark. Another is like a flesh tone. I’ll try to mix them for the right tone.

 

 

 

 

Whenever I paint something for Op Granby in Desert Pink, and I have done fair few, I normally use Humbrol 250 (Their desert Pink) and then add white to it to tone it down a touch. It does not matter too much how much white you add as the aircraft colour faded the longer the operation went on due to the affects of the sun.

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6 hours ago, Filler said:

I just saw this thread whilst searching for information on load-outs(?) for RAF Jaguars and figured it would be a good place to ask a related question. I understand that they were either used in a strike or recce role. I've got the Airfix 1/48 and have some 6 squadron decals for a 1989 anniversary scheme. So that should make it strike, not recce. I'm pretty sure it's tanks on the inner pylons and bombs on the centre line and/or outer pylons. What's confusing me most is whether 6 squadron would ever use the phimat chaff and flare stuff on the outer pylons and/or whether they would have had the chaff and flare dispensers fitted under the rear fuselage, in the late 80's. Plus, were the later camo painted to match the aircraft or were they just grey/white?

Standard load for air to ground missions would be iron bombs or CBUs on the centerline pylon, tanks on the inboard wing pylons, and a Phimat on one outboard pylon balanced by either an ALQ-101 pod or AIM-9 on the other outboard pylon.  I'm not sure if 6 Squadron had a nuke commitment; Wiki says they had a close air support and reconnaissance tasking in the Jaguar.  I think the Jaguars were using the fuselage mounted chaff/flare dispensers by '89, which were initially left in dull natural metal.

 

Regards,

Murph

Edited by Murph
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49 minutes ago, Murph said:

Standard load for air to ground missions would be iron bombs or CBUs on the centerline pylon, tanks on the inboard wing pylons, and a Phimat on one outboard pylon balanced by either an ALQ-101 pod or AIM-9 on the other outboard pylon.  I'm not sure if 6 Squadron had a nuke commitment; Wiki says they had a close air support and reconnaissance tasking in the Jaguar.  I think the Jaguars were using the fuselage mounted chaff/flare dispensers by '89, which were initially left in dull natural metal.

 

Regards,

Murph

Murph, te Jag was unable to carry LGBs?

 

Exdraken, beautiful that one! Those aniversary schemes are gorgeous!!!

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20 minutes ago, Franco said:

Murph, te Jag was unable to carry LGBs?

 

Exdraken, beautiful that one! Those aniversary schemes are gorgeous!!!

To step in and answer your question: yes the RAF's Jaguar GR Mk.1As could carry RAF 1,000 pound bombs fitted with Paveway LGB kits on their inboard pylons or centreline pylon and in fact delivered them in during operations in Bosnia and the GR Mk.3 version could also carry a 2,000 pound Paveway III unit on its centreline pylon.

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11 hours ago, Filler said:

I just saw this thread whilst searching for information on load-outs(?) for RAF Jaguars and figured it would be a good place to ask a related question. I understand that they were either used in a strike or recce role. I've got the Airfix 1/48 and have some 6 squadron decals for a 1989 anniversary scheme. So that should make it strike, not recce. I'm pretty sure it's tanks on the inner pylons and bombs on the centre line and/or outer pylons. What's confusing me most is whether 6 squadron would ever use the phimat chaff and flare stuff on the outer pylons and/or whether they would have had the chaff and flare dispensers fitted under the rear fuselage, in the late 80's. Plus, were the later camo painted to match the aircraft or were they just grey/white?

In RAF role terms, "strike" was the delivery of nuclear weapons. 6 Sqn were in the "close air support" and "ground attack"role, attacking targets just ahead of the forward line of troops. In 1989 in the Jag world, recce was the domain of 41 Sqn only (2 Sqn having converted to Tornado GR1A).

Another role fit used, in addition to bombs on the centreline pylon, was 1200ltr tank on the centreline, tandem beams on the inboard pylons with 2 CBU's or 1000lb bombs on each. A Phimat chaff pod was on the stbd outboard pylon and an AN/ALQ101 ECM pod or AIM9 Sidewinder on the port outboard. AN/ALE flare dispensers were usually green, the magazines that held the flares could be either green, grey or a dirty white colour.

 

 

4 hours ago, Richard E said:

To step in and answer your question: yes the RAF's Jaguar GR Mk.1As could carry RAF 1,000 pound bombs fitted with Paveway LGB kits on their inboard pylons or centreline pylon and in fact delivered them in during operations in Bosnia and the GR Mk.3 version could also carry a 2,000 pound Paveway III unit on its centreline pylon.

Yup, totally correct.

At that time though, the Jaguars required target designation from another aircraft (Buccaneer) or from the ground. It was not until 1995 that 10 GR and 2 T-birds were converted to carry the TIALD designation pods. Becoming known as GR1B and T2B standard respectively.

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20 minutes ago, Phone Phixer said:

2 T-birds were converted to carry the TIALD designation pods. 

 

Hmm, that I did not know. Any more info on these airframes - squadron, serials?
I didnt think the RAF bothered much with the twin seats other than as trainers?

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The T-birds were only used for trials and pilot training in the use of TIALD pods. Not a very common sight day to day.

From memory I thought it was one of the 6 Sqn aircraft, sqn codes were ES & ET. I can't remember the XX serial numbers.

A quick Google search though, brought up XX833, one of the Boscombe Down trials aircraft. Also 54 Sqn T-bird XX146 GT.

As seen in this video from Fifth Gear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEiR30w_c1M   . There it is complete with TIALD pod on the centreline.

 

In typical fashion. When the T-birds were updated to T4 standard, which included getting the MPLCD TV screens from the GR1B airframes. The clearance to use TIALD pods was removed from the 2 seaters!!

By this time the GR1B's had been updated to GR3/3A and got the larger AMLCD screens.

Edited by Phone Phixer
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Me again. As we've got some real experts on the Jags armament here, can I ask what the 'bombs' are on the 6 squadron Jag in my reference photos?

 

In the photos of XX766 in 1989 at RAF Wyton, it's carrying a fuel tank of the centre line, a Phimat on the starboard outer pylon and inside that there are two 'bombs' in tandem that are blue at the front and green at the back. I assume that these are practice dumb iron bombs (concrete?) and that they are not the BL755 cluster bombs that are in the Airfix kit (according to the instructions).

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There's a quite classic series of BAe official photos taken by Geoff Lee, 1989 woul sound about right, of 3 or 4 6 Sq. birds with varying loadouts, including an LGB on (IIRC) the centreline on one. AT least some of them found their way into print, e.g. the volume in the successor range to Warbirds Illustrated on the Jaguar. The BL755 has "straight" fins with smaller fins in the centre of the thicker fin base (sorry for the desription ...), I think the thinner fins pop out at some point. The standard 1000pdr has "swept" fin leading edges and a cut out at the centre for the arming prop (?).

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16 hours ago, Filler said:

Me again. As we've got some real experts on the Jags armament here, can I ask what the 'bombs' are on the 6 squadron Jag in my reference photos?

 

In the photos of XX766 in 1989 at RAF Wyton, it's carrying a fuel tank of the centre line, a Phimat on the starboard outer pylon and inside that there are two 'bombs' in tandem that are blue at the front and green at the back. I assume that these are practice dumb iron bombs (concrete?) and that they are not the BL755 cluster bombs that are in the Airfix kit (according to the instructions).

Having done a search for XX766, it brings up plenty of pictures from 1989 at Wyton. Yes, those bombs are 1,000lb HES (high explosive substitute). Filled with concrete, as you say, but accurately filled to mimic the HE bombs ballistic characteristics.

It's a shame all the photos are taken from the right hand side, you don't get to see what's on the other outboard pylon.

 

I don't know if you have any 1,000lb bombs in the spares box. If you use the CBU's from the kit, paint them all over green as live weapons. Deep sax blue practice CBU's were rare as rocking horse 💩 .

 

Rob (ex Jaguar armourer).

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