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TSR2 WIF Completed 29/04/20


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A few months ago I was discussing the TSR2 with a fellow club member that it was a shame it never made it into service and that I had been looking for a TSR2 kit for a while when he had one which he would let me have, an Airfix 1/72 still in the original box. My idea was do make as a what if the USAF had taken them instead of the F111 in use in Vietnam circa 1970's, in SEA camo and a full load of mk82 snakeeye bombs. I have got a set of Print scale decal for the correct period F111 based in Thailand and will use the F111 paint scheme as a guide. I will have to source the bombs and MER's at some point, the Pylons I will base on the F111's or RA4 Vigilantes. Started as usual with the cockpit, must say white plastic is not the easiest to work with.

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Edited by neil5208
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An interesting 'what if' idea there, will follow this build to see how it develops.

 

I have an Airfix 1/48 TSR2 still to build. Xtradecal do a TSR2 Whiff sheet containing  an F111 option, but mine will probably be a wrap round green grey 7sqn machine. 

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5 minutes ago, Timbo88 said:

 

I have an Airfix 1/48 TSR2 still to build. Xtradecal do a TSR2 Whiff sheet containing  an F111 option, but mine will probably be a wrap round green grey 7sqn machine. 

Unfortunately the 1/72 xtradecal sheet is no longer available or I would have like the Swedish splinter scheme

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Neil. I have part of decal sheet Xtradecal 72060 which contains the CAF. RAAF and WGAF  version which you can have. As far as l know Xtradecal only did the Swedish version in 1/48.

 

Regards

Robert

 

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3 hours ago, Robert said:

Neil. I have part of decal sheet Xtradecal 72060 which contains the CAF. RAAF and WGAF  version which you can have. As far as l know Xtradecal only did the Swedish version in 1/48.

 

Regards

Robert

 

Thanks Rob, but I'm going to stick with the USAF SEA scheme as I went and bought the colours this morning.

I knew this was a big aircraft but I didn't realise just how big, an AV8A next to the fuselage for comparison.

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I've just realise I now have 3 US aircraft on the go, must build something else...

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A most interesting WIF! Looking forward to seeing how this turns out as I’ve got both Airfix kits in my stash and that would have been the plane I’d have flown ( or it’s son, we’d still have had an aviation industry), had it been accepted, as the Tornado would not have been an RAF machine.  Having sat in the Cosford TSR2 it is a totally droolable machine - really wish it had not been axed.

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On 20/07/2019 at 11:57, neil5208 said:

My idea was do make as a what if the USAF had taken them instead of the F111 in use in Vietnam circa 1970's, in SEA camo and a full load of mk82 snakeeye bombs.

Sounds very promising, Neil - I’m in! :popcorn:

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It's surprising how large TSR2 is, especially compared to the Harrier. That long fuselage and high set wing just lend themselves to a high speed dash across Australia at ultra low level. Can but dream!

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10 minutes ago, Timbo88 said:

It's surprising how large TSR2 is, especially compared to the Harrier. That long fuselage and high set wing just lend themselves to a high speed dash across Australia at ultra low level. Can but dream!

I know that “XR222” at Duxford is engineless and has little, if any, internal equipment so she sits a bit high, but the plane of the wing is higher than the outer wing panel of Vulcan XJ824 parked alongside.  At 89 feet long TSR 2 is only 22 feet shorter than a Vulcan and with an initial normal take off weight of around 105,000 lbs weighs in at around the initial specification weight for the Mk. 1 V-bombers.

 

Having read “TSR 2: Britain’s lost bomber” the production aeroplanes would certainly have looked different to the prototypes: work was already well under way to redesign the engine accessories, which would probably have had to have been housed in part in a ventral fairing aft of the weapons bay, and the main undercarriage was being modified to reduce or eliminate shimmy on touchdown.  

 

Other changes would probably have involved the brake parachute door, flap blow system and runway arrestor hook.  A change of alloy used in construction might not have had an obvious visual impact but would have increased the structure weight by around 40 lbs, potentially reducing range and perhaps requiring a simple fixed AAR installation rather than the more elegant retractable unit originally envisaged.

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11 minutes ago, stever219 said:

 

Having read “TSR 2: Britain’s lost bomber” the production aeroplanes would certainly have looked different to the prototypes: work was already well under way to redesign the engine accessories, which would probably have had to have been housed in part in a ventral fairing aft of the weapons bay, and the main undercarriage was being modified to reduce or eliminate shimmy on touchdown.  

 

Other changes would probably have involved the brake parachute door, flap blow system and runway arrestor hook.  A change of alloy used in construction might not have had an obvious visual impact but would have increased the structure weight by around 40 lbs, potentially reducing range and perhaps requiring a simple fixed AAR installation rather than the more elegant retractable unit originally envisaged.

I had thought about some change for a US aircraft, inflight refueling door, delete internal bomb bay and replace with fuel, 2 pylons per wing and centre line pylons but not parachute or arrestor hook.

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1 hour ago, neil5208 said:

I had thought about some change for a US aircraft, inflight refueling door, delete internal bomb bay and replace with fuel, 2 pylons per wing and centre line pylons but not parachute or arrestor hook.

The AAR door oughtn’t be too much of a problem; I’m fairly sure that some of the fuel system piping ran along the top of number  1 tank from just behind the avionics bay to somewhere between number 2 tank and the wing tanks.

 

A weapons bay tank was proposed as an option for RAF jets, so that also ought not to be a problem and nor should the under wing pylons; again two each side for the RAF (I think the pylon spigot access panels are moulded under the wings, look for circular panels under each wing).

 

The brake parachute was stowed in the fairing between the jet pipes with its cable attached to a fitting underneath the rear fuselage so, again, easy fix.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been neglecting this one due to a Hudson in the Lockheed GB but that has stalled because of canopy issues so back to this one. Added the lower fuselage plate last night, the use of clamps is becoming a theme as nothing lines up. I was told there would be lots of filling to do on this kit and I starting to see why. Once the bottom plate is on correctly I'll put the upper plates on and start filling and sanding.

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I was just watching a documentary about the TSR2 the other day.  Fascinating aircraft, and the behind the scenes shenanigans regarding the development program were just as interesting!

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1 hour ago, mdauben said:

I was just watching a documentary about the TSR2 the other day.  Fascinating aircraft, and the behind the scenes shenanigans regarding the development program were just as interesting!

The danger of direct involvement of civil servants in any project!

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1 hour ago, neil5208 said:

The danger of direct involvement of civil servants in any project!

As a local government project manager we covered the basic concept - there are two types of project, those that might fail and those that will!

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16 minutes ago, bar side said:

As a local government project manager we covered the basic concept - there are two types of project, those that might fail and those that will!

After dealing with some pretty low level civil servants whilst in the forces it suprised us the military got anything that worked.

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Taken a day off due to LOI so the first of many filling and sanding sessions done this morning. Still needs further filler around the tail section and intakes but not as bad as I was lead to believe would be needed. I put the wing section on to see if this one would fit in my display case, it does but only just. Once my airbrush has had its cleaning session in the ultra sonic bath I spray some primer to see how the rest of the seams look, I think Airfix's choice of white plastic makes see problems quite difficult.

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  • 2 weeks later...
11 hours ago, neil5208 said:

Been busy the last few weeks but got hold of some nice resin bang seats as the kits ones are a bit plain.

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- Striking difference.....!!  deserve the money charge..

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