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Zephyr the best close air support aircraft the RAF never had


AnonymousDFB1

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Zephyr

The history

A program began in the early 1960s, in response to a British requirement (AST 362) for an advanced supersonic jet trainer to replace the Folland Gnat T1 and Hawker Hunter T7, and a French need for a cheap, subsonic dual role trainer and light attack aircraft with good short field performance to replace the Fouga Magister, Lockheed T-33 and Dassault Mystère IV.

After development started, both the French and British trainer requirement changed and were eventually fulfilled instead by the Alpha Jet and Hawker Siddeley Hawk respectively. In the meantime, the RAF created a new requirement for the aircraft, to replace the McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR2 in the close air support, tactical reconnaissance and tactical strike roles. In addition, a carrier-capable version to replace the French Aeronavale's Dassault Etendard IV was specified. From these apparently disparate aims came many years of committees on both sides of the channel both trying to push their own needs to the fore.

As the 60's came to a close neither side was any near getting the specification to match both countries needs. The MoD fed up with waiting and realising that there was probably never going to be an agreement started looking around. Naturally with the British 'special relationship with the U.S.A. they looked across the Atlantic to see if there was an answer there.

March 1967, the U.S. Air Force released a Request for Information to 21 defense contractors. Their objective was to create a design study for a low-cost attack aircraft designated A-X, or "Attack Experimental". The officer in charge of the project was Colonel Avery Kay. In 1969, the Secretary of the Air Force asked Pierre Sprey to write the detailed specifications for the proposed A-X project. However, his initial involvement was kept secret due to Sprey's earlier controversial involvement in the F-X project.[3] Sprey's discussions with A-1 Skyraider pilots operating in Vietnam and analysis of the effectiveness of current aircraft used in the role indicated the ideal aircraft should have long loiter time, low-speed maneuverability, massive cannon firepower, and extreme survivability; an aircraft that had the best elements of the Ilyushin Il-2, Henschel Hs 129 and A-1 Skyraider. The specifications also demanded that the aircraft cost less than $3 million. In May 1970, the USAF issued a modified, and much more detailed request for proposals, as the threat of Soviet armored forces and all-weather attack operations became more serious. Now included in the requirements was that the final aircraft would be designed specifically for the GAU-8 Avenger. Six companies submitted proposals to the USAF, with Northrop and Fairchild Republic selected to build prototypes: the YA-9A and YA-10A, respectively.

The MoD through the British government expressed an interest in the aircraft. Although it didn't fulfil all of the original specifications, the procurement side of the MoD

realised that the battlefield was changing and if war broke out in Europe antitank and close air support would be what was needed, it was very doubtful if tatical nuclear strike would be used by the RAF. Of course the 'top brass' of the RAF wasn't very happy being stuck in a fast jet mentality and several publicly slated the idea calling the A-10 a flying tombstone.

With firm orders from, the USAF and RAF Fairchild-Republic's YA-10A was selected for production on 10 January. The only difference in aircraft for USAF and RAF would be that the RAF aircraft would be shipped in kit form and without instrumentation as the British had they're own specific requirements. The first production A-10 flew in October 1975, and deliveries to the Air Force commenced in March 1976 to units at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The first squadron to use the A-10 went operational in October 1977. The first 'kits' arrived at BAe in 1975 and the first airframes went for testing 1976.

By 1977 testing was complete and with 54(F) squadron just three years later than was first expected. There being no trainer version produced, a team from the USAF helped with training along with time spent on a specially constructed simulator. Many of the first pilots were not happy to be receiving a 'yank' aircraft. Mess mutterings of its mission profile being too slow and too low. The name flying tombstone was resurrected albeit unofficially. The Official name the RAF brass gave the aircraft was Zephyr, the slowest wind name they could think off. However as the pilots put more time in on the Zephyr they began to like it simple, robust and rugged qualities. They kept the unofficial name of tombstone as they felt that was the only thing the enemy would need if they encountered the Zephyr.

The 'Tomb' as the aircraft is known by public and aircrew alike is still in service have served with out loss in both Gulf wars and is still serving in the close air support role in Afghanistan.

So I'm creating this Whif with:

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I've started work

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Look at the detail in this cockpit compared to that 1:48 version I'm working on!

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More soon....

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Looking good so far Mish. Can't understand why the RAF never bought any for taking out all that Soviet armour that was in the Eastern Block countries. I've got a couple of the Revell boxing in the stash so I'll be watching this one. Also have a set of those clamps for a quid too!

Paul Harrison

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One I was always tempted with doing but never did, despite getting the kits to do it. Think Green Dragon has them now.

Operation Telic markings with kill markings for a couple of Bradleys under the nose....

How tactful........

Nice idea Mish, I was only saying the other week that the RAF should have two squadrons of A-10's and an equal number of Apaches to go with 'em. I'm intrigued to see what markings to go for. I think good old wraparound with sharks teeth would look ace, and a Norway version even better! :)

Jen.

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Thanks Jen, not giving away the colour scheme yet ;)

I've had some mods sugest to me over on the What If forum

Here they are:

1a. Harrier-style FLIR in place of the redundant refuelling receptacle ahead of the windscreen.

1b. Lightning-style fixed refuelling probe under one wing instead of the receptacle (you can't have it next to the cockpit because spillage would go straight down the intakes).

2. Tornado-style chisel-nosed LRMTS fairing, either behind the nosewheel bay, on a modified Pave Penny pylon, or on the front of one mainwheel fairing. Obviously, the first one is easiest (nick it off a Tornado kit) IF it'll fit.

3. Terrain-following radar on the front of one mainwheel fairing.

I'm going to put a lightning style A2A probe on the outermost pylon on the starboard wing. and I'm going to scratch build a sniper pod and hang it on the Pave Penny pylon. I might add some for of FLIR pod if I can find something suitable in the spares box.

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One I was always tempted with doing but never did, despite getting the kits to do it. Think Green Dragon has them now.

Operation Telic markings with kill markings for a couple of Bradleys under the nose....

Yep, I got them from you Wooksta and very nice they are too. Many thanks mate! I was planning on doing an RAF one too but I need to think of something else now that Mish is building one! Maybe Philippines or Thai?

Paul Harrison

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Well taken onboard some of the sugestions and this is what I've come up with:

I've put a harrier style optical dohicky on the nose and probe style A2A on the port MLG nacelle.

DSCF2637.jpg

And I trying to fashion a Sniper pod

DSCF2636.jpg

Now what does the panel feel about her carrying a 'Boz Pod'?

More later

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BOZ pod? Naaaah, go for the BOL launchers on the Sidewinder rails, then slap your Sniper pod on the BOZ rail.

Then you can put your podded LRMTS on the Pave Penny pylon.

Bish bash bosh sorted!

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BOZ pod? Naaaah, go for the BOL launchers on the Sidewinder rails, then slap your Sniper pod on the BOZ rail.

Then you can put your podded LRMTS on the Pave Penny pylon.

Bish bash bosh sorted!

And again in English please :D

What is BOL? LRMTS what's that then? I know for sure I don't have one.

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BOL is a chaff launcher at the aft end of a sidewinder launcher.

LRMTS is Laser Range Marked Target Seeker.

I'm also doing an RAF A-10 but I'm using the Trumpeter N/AW 1/32 kit. Mines gonna be 617 Squadron (RAF's Premier bombing Sqdn) (that should get Spike going LOL !!!)

smeds

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