Nimrod MR2

[JayBee]

In the early 1960's the British Royal Air Force started looking at the need for a replacement for the venerable Shackleton ASW/MR aircraft.
Several proposals wer received, Hawker Siddley with the HS 800, based on the Trident airliner and Vickers with variants of the VC-10 and Vanguard airliners.
Initially the higher transit speed of the jets made it look like the Vanguard would not be selected, however it was deemed that the turbo-prop had a good enough speed and had a far better un-refuelled endurance. Also the Vanguard already had the "Double-Bubble" fuselage so there would less development work required to accomodate weapons, ans systems, bays.
The Vanguard won the competition and took the name that had been allocated to the program - NIMROD (The Mighty Hunter).

This model was started about ten years ago and when it was resurected it was at the stage of having the fuselage shortened, both fore and aft, of the wings, and the new nose profile had been created.
So as far as build pictures there are only two, showing how the MAD boom was built up from a British Airways drinks swizzle stick.

Also how the fin/rudder was extended and the radar housing added, the latter from a 1/72 bomb half.

Other bits that were added were the Leigh Light in the starboard LE (from another swizzle stick), the ESM wingtip pods (from 1/48 Sidewinders), underwing pylons from plasticard, Harpoons and sidewinders from LS weapons sets, propellors from Welsh Models (Shackleton), rear airscoop from a 1/72 bomb, and observation blisters from, yes you guessed it , swizzle sticks.









That's all folks.

JimB

[sideshowbob9]

That is a fantastic model!  The dihedral on the tailplane and the contra-props really enhance the looks imho.

Altough it could use more swizzle sticks 

[Mossie]

Lovely Maritime Vanguard!  Heard of the project, but I've never seen much info on it.  What kit did you use & how did you go about lengthening the nose?

[JayBee]

Lovely Maritime Vanguard!  Heard of the project, but I've never seen much info on it.  What kit did you use & how did you go about lengthening the nose?

It is the old Airfix Vanguard in 1/144.
I had a plan in 1/144 for the RW Nimrod so that gave me the external shape for the nose. Cut a bit of plasticard as the keel and PSR, PSR, PSR. ad infinitum, until I was happy with it.

Really, nothing other than good old fashioned modelling skills ( he said modestly) LoL.

JimB

[Hobbes]

Well done! Looks very natural.

[kitnut617]

Very nice, I like that a lot, is it a scale-o-rama Jim ?  I've got three 1/72 Vanguards in my stash and I've a couple of plans which include an AEW Vanguard and some sort of Maritime Patroller, now I've seen this I could see mine like this too.

Robert

[JayBee]

is it a scale-o-rama Jim ?  

Fraid not, I just like 1/144 scale. There was one done by another modeller here in Scotland, which I saw at the Scotish NATS a number of years ago, but it was very much more a Vanguard, and in the Hemp scheme. I just had the idea to do it "properly" ( no offence to the original builder).

OK, I confess, I did this for the fun of it!!

Coat, Hat, head hung in shame.

JimB

Oh, and Robert, you will need bigger swizzle sticks!

[kitnut617]

Coat, Hat, head hung in shame.

JimB

No need to do that Jim, it's a brilliant concept   

[thedarkmaster]

great concept and a great model........I am so very jealous     

[JayBee]

great concept and a great model........I am so very jealous     

Thanks DM, I had not thought of it in your alternate world (which I follow with great interset) but I do now see where it could fit.
But Please, Pretty Please, not anti flash white for an MR aircraft.

JimB

[thedarkmaster]

Oh no not anti flash white........extra dark sea grey with a white fuselage top   

[JayBee]

Oh no not anti flash white........extra dark sea grey with a white fuselage top   

Ach well, Maybe!

[Martin H]

well she certainly looks as good as she sounded when u first told me about the project Jim

looking forward to seeing it on display on the SIG stand at some point

[Weaver]

Cool As......

That's a great concept, well executed: nice one!

[Ian the Kiwi Herder]

great concept and a great model........

What he said ! - brilliant work Jim !

Ian