TF-102A nose on a Lightning?

[PR19_Kit]

I don't think so. 

In side view it works a treat, the TF-102A nose is exactly the same height as the Lightning's fuselage, and the ventral tank abuts nicely onto the back end of the conversion bits, but in plan it's a DISASTER!

The TF-102A is about 1.8 times as wide as a Lightning, and even on an swollen T5 fuselage it won't work as then it's too long as well as too wide. I think I'll have to find something else to graft the TF-102A noses onto, maybe an F-105?

[Weaver]

The real JMN-confusticator would be an F-106 of course, but re-arranging the intakes would be a non-trivial exercise...

This might sound mad but offer the parts up if you can: what about a Swift or a Scimitar? I'm thinking about reasonably big aircraft with side intakes that come near the cockpit. Alternatively, how about a big Russian type like an Su-9/11?

[PR19_Kit]

The real JMN-confusticator would be an F-106 of course, but re-arranging the intakes would be a non-trivial exercise...

Yes indeed H, I'd thought of that but I've only got one Six. Eventually I expect I may get a Meng Six and then the Hsae version may get that extra work.

This might sound mad but offer the parts up if you can: what about a Swift or a Scimitar? I'm thinking about reasonably big aircraft with side intakes that come near the cockpit. Alternatively, how about a big Russian type like an Su-9/11?

Hm, yes. A side by side Swift with a pointy nose and a brace of Fireflashes perhaps? I might look into that. 

[PR19_Kit]

Nah, the Swift won't work either.   

Tubby though it is a Swift is a lissom beauty compared to a TF-102A. In fact the Two looks like it's 1/48 rather than 1/72.
It's miles too wide AND too tall. I'm reticent about using my only Skybirds Scimitar for something like this, but it occurs to me that I do have a VERY ancient FROG N113 somewhere...........

[kitbasher]

Would it fit a Mirage III/5 or maybe a IV?

[PR19_Kit]

No chance on a III/V, it's far too wide, but it may fit a IV.

Mind you, I'm not sure I could bring myself to do something as terrible as that to such a gorgeous machine as a Mirage IV. 

[The Wooksta!]

, but it occurs to me that I do have a VERY ancient FROG N113 somewhere...........

Better off bunging that on ebay.  Again, silly money for those things.  No Xtrakit Scimitar?  I think I've a Magna one somewhere part built that I was given, although it's *somewhere* in me Mam's loft.

[sandiego89]

How about the TF-102 nose on a Sea Vixen?  Could be a side by side trainer, or finally get the observer out of his coal-hole.  The Sea Vixen windscreen has a similar shape to the F-102/TF-102 already...

[Captain Canada]

Too bad it won't work that would be a super cool looking aeroplane !

[PR19_Kit]

The TF-102A nose is amazingly large, you tend not to think of a Dagger being a big aeroplane but it was designed to defend a BIG country so they had to stuff a lot of fuel in it I guess. I haven't tried it on a Sea Vixen yet, but I suspect it'd be too small in both directions.

[Captain Canada]

For sure the first time I saw the plinth mounted F-102 in Stephenville I was surprised at how big that bird was ! Maybe on a Javelin ?

[PR19_Kit]

It won't work on a Sea Vixen as the Vixen fuselage isn't anywhere as deep as it needs to be to match.

But it DOES look as if it would work on a Javelin! 

OK, so the Javelin's intakes will need some cutting down and fairing in to match the Two's intakes, but it doesn't look bad. And that pointy nose really suits the Jav. 

It might also work on an F-89 Scorpion, although the result looks pretty nose heavy.

[Captain Canada]

As long as it goes somewhere lol. After seeing that one down at Grissom I'd like to build one myself. Might look good on a B-58, since those are the a/c I'd never seen before, as well as two a/c I've never built !

[PR19_Kit]

I don't know what Convair were thinking of 'designing' that 2 seater nose. 

It's GOT to have made a huge difference to the performance of the original single seat Dagger, and the in-line solution they did on the Dart is much better looking, and performing too I'm sure.

[sandiego89]

I do have a soft spot for the "tub"

Perhaps surprisingly they had the full avionics system and were regularly used along side the single seat versions, but yes performance did suffer. 

There are some merits to the side by side seating, and as the delta wing was especially new, having this side by side arrangements likely won out over looks.  The lower speed envelope is where training would be especially valuable- less so at high speed.  ie: high speed did not matter as much.