Hawk T1 mk1A RAF Valley 208 squad 2016 Centenary ref pics wanted please and questions expertise needed missiles/ centre pod / drop tanks..

[Hairtrigger]

I've found a few good pics, but the more the merrier would be appreciated.

 

Questions for the experts 

 

 

 

The centre pod?  Most pics see don't have this but seem to have sidewinders?

On some pics see that the missiles are minus fins can someone in the know enlighten me?

Drop tanks and missiles?

 

 

Thanks all input appreciated...

 

 

[Giorgio N]

A missile without fin is generally something that simulates certain aspect of the missile, may be a dummy with the same weight or may be an acquisition round, that is a traning device based on a missile body with the proper acquisition head of the missile but no motor or warhead. On a Hawk I would expect the latter

Sometime mistaken for missiles, are pods like the ones used for the ACMI or the RAIDS systems, that are similar in size to a Sidewinder and can look like a Sidewinder with no wings but are in reality different things.

I guess that for central pod you mean the gun pod and I have to say that I can't remember having seen pictures of 208 Sqn. Hawks with the pod. Not saying it was never used, just that I can't remember seeing them in pictures so personally I'd not use it.

Drop tanks were never used by RAF Hawks for the simple reason that their pylons were never plumbed for tuel tanks. Only missiles that were carried were Sidewinders.

[Dave Swindell]

What Giorgio says. 

A quick google for images doesn't show any images of this aircraft with any centreline pod or anything on the outer pylons whilst carrying the centenary scheme.

Inner pylon options are fitted but empty,  2 x finned sidewinders, or finless sidewinder acquisition round to port and a RAIDS pod to starboard

[Agent K]

On 9/30/2021 at 10:07 AM, Dave Swindell said:

What Giorgio says. 

A quick google for images doesn't show any images of this aircraft with any centreline pod or anything on the outer pylons whilst carrying the centenary scheme.

Inner pylon options are fitted but empty,  2 x finned sidewinders, or finless sidewinder acquisition round to port and a RAIDS pod to starboard

 

Happy to be corrected, but I don't think the RAF T1's were ever constructed/fitted with outer wing pylons?

[Dave Swindell]

1 hour ago, Agent K said:

 

Happy to be corrected, but I don't think the RAF T1's were ever constructed/fitted with outer wing pylons?

At least one T1 was built with 4 pylons (XX156), and conducted trials with centreline gunpod, tanks on the inners and sidewinders on the outers, so the intention and capability was there from the beginning.

Whether it retained the fittings for the outer pylons or the rest of the T1 production had the fittings I don't know, but you're correct in that the RAF didn't have outer pylons fitted to the T1's in service.

[Hairtrigger]

Many thanks for your contributions gentlemen.

Posted in recent finished model pics in inspection category, you may wish to peruse.