IAI Kfir C.2, Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF), mid-Nineties

Dizzyfugu · October 28, 2021, 12:21:16 AM

A rather fragmented USAF SEA scheme style pattern for delta wing aircraft - a home-brew painting aid for an upcoming hardware project.

Pellson · October 28, 2021, 01:22:25 AM

Neat! There is a RW precedence, though. Have you seen the SEA camouflage applied on a few Delta Daggers flying over Vietnam?

Dizzyfugu · October 28, 2021, 01:55:54 AM

Sure, I also considered the (unrealized) F-106 and B-58 SEA patterns as well as those applied to Mirage III/Vs, but eventually decided to create "my own" for a unique look.

comrade harps · October 28, 2021, 03:00:47 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on October 28, 2021, 12:21:16 AM
A rather fragmented USAF SEA scheme style pattern for delta wing aircraft - a home-brew painting aid for an upcoming hardware project.

l like it.

Been thinking of something similar for an Indian Mirage J79 (Kfir C.1) 1972 in SEA.

Pellson · October 28, 2021, 04:39:35 AM

Quote from: Dizzyfugu on October 28, 2021, 01:55:54 AM
Sure, I also considered the (unrealized) F-106 and B-58 SEA patterns as well as those applied to Mirage III/Vs, but eventually decided to create "my own" for a unique look.

This one is REALLY tempting...

Gondor · October 28, 2021, 04:59:20 AM

I did something similar here, the use of the scheme used on the F-102 rather than the F-106 is rather subtle as most people will think I just used the proposed scheme for the F=106.

Gondor

Wardukw · October 28, 2021, 04:13:12 PM

Dizzy mate i cant not wait to see this..this looks very very cool

Pellson...totally agreed

I want a B 58 again now damn it !!

Dizzyfugu · October 28, 2021, 11:10:25 PM

The kit and its assembly:
Another IAI Kfir, and – weird as it seems – the story of Taiwan procuring the Israeli fighter instead of the early F-16 is actually real! This was a great basis to produce a what-if model of such an aircraft, had it ever entered ROCAF service. The kit is the Italeri Kfir C.2/7 kit, which is rather simple and not as crisp as the Hasegawa alternative. It also has its assembly issues. The outlines are OK and the kit comes with fine recessed surface details, but fit is so-so and there are some really weak spots: the fuselage/wing seams, the complex intersections under the air intakes that run right through the gun ports, sinkholes on the wings' upper surface and an integral cockpit tub/front landing gear well piece that won't fit properly. The Hasegawa kit's fit is better, but the Italeri Kfir is detail-wise not much worse – and it's cheaper.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The only changes are four additional underwing pylons (from two different F-16 kits) and their ordnance. The Paveway bombs come from the Italeri NATO weapons set, the Pave Spike laser designator/targeting pod from a Hasegawa set, and the ALQ-119 pod was left over from a Revell F-16 kit. The OOB Shafrir AAMs were replaced by more modern AIM-9J Sidewinders. The ventral pylon was left away.
Inside of the cockpit the original Martin Baker Mk. 5 ejection seat was replaced with a more modern Mk. 10, and a monitor and a HUD screen were added to the dashboard.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Painting and markings:
Though logical and appropriate, I did not want a dull grey low-viz livery, and since the ROCAF had operated many US-built aircraft (including the F-5Es) in USAF SEA scheme colors, I adapted it for the Kfir, too. However, finding a suitable pattern was not easy. I looked into many options, including the official USAF F-102 and F-106 SEA patterns or the Belgian Mirage Vs' tricolor scheme, but did not like any of them so that I developed my own and created a four-side profile as benchmark (see above).

The paints became Humbrol 117 (FS 34102), 118 (FS 30118) and 116 (FS 34079). The underside became Humbrol 28 (FS 36622), with a wavy, low waterline. The landing gear and the air intakes became classic white, while the cockpit tub was kept in medium grey. Very straightforward and "realistic". After basic painting was done the model received an over washing with thinned black ink and some post-shading with lighter shades of the camouflage tones. FS 34079's shading was moved into a more bluish tone for a better contrast to the lighter FS 34102.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) - WiP by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The markings are a mix from various sources. The roundels and the serial numbers came from a BestFong sheet for Taiwanese F-5s, the unit markings from an Xtradecal F-5E sheet. Most stencils were taken from the Kfir's OOB sheet.

The Paveway bombs were painted in two different shades of olive drab, the Sidewinders became standard white with black heads. The ALG-119 pos was, for some color contrast, painted in light grey (FS 36375), and the Pave Spike pod, simulating a 2nd hand AN/AVQ-23E pod from RAF stock, became Dark Green. I even considered a livery in Desert Pink (check Gulf War Buccaneers that carried them), but found that to look too exotic.

Wardukw · October 28, 2021, 11:53:22 PM

I knew this was going to be wicked and i was right..awesome work mate and god that paint is so much better than a drawing.
Perfect plane for that paint Thomas..surpurb man

Old Wombat · October 28, 2021, 11:57:52 PM

Fast & fantastic, as usual!

Quote from: Wardukw-NZ on October 28, 2021, 04:13:12 PM
I want a B 58 again now damn it !!

Should I mention that I have a 1/72 Italeri kit in the Stash?

Dizzyfugu · October 29, 2021, 12:33:57 AM

Thank you. BTW, several SEA scheme Hustlers have already beem vreated - pls. not that the USAF template uses high altitiude colors (also used on B-52s and FB-111s). Looks pretty good, though.

Wardukw · October 29, 2021, 12:09:07 PM

Guy you made the mistake of saying you have a B 58 in your stash

and damn mate that wont be a small model .
I used to have the Monogram B 58 many yrs ago and im not sure but i think it was 48th scale but i dont remember that cammo choice came with the Monogram kit.
I did have the Monogram B52 and yup that one was painted in cammo ..oh i think the B58 was sliver .
I was nuts about aircraft when i was a kid and i had all of monograms big planes..they were cheap..i still remember it only cost $102 NZ for the B36 but god knows what it be worth now.
After seening those colour pics of that B58 Thomas i want one even more now

Wardukw · October 30, 2021, 11:51:12 AM

I was being nosey and decided to hunt down a Italeri B-58..prices are pretty good ..if you can get one here thats not out of stock..anyways ..i was on the Britmodelers site looking at a review of this kit and it turns out that the testors/italeri kit is 12% to short..it seems that they got the mesurements wrong and they have pics of a Japanese modeller who corrected it..which i now have too

Now im no rivet counter but this would be a interesting project.

Dizzyfugu · November 03, 2021, 03:34:07 AM

With some delay, finally the pictures of the finished ROCAF Kfir and its background, which is closer to reality than one might think.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Some background:
Eager to expand its market and partly to replace the USA as supplier of military equipment in Asia, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) was looking in the early 1990s to export its Kfir fighters to the Republic of China (Taiwan). The Kfir (Hebrew: כְּפִיר‎, "Lion Cub") was an Israeli all-weather multirole combat aircraft based on the French Dassault Mirage 5, with Israeli avionics and an Israeli-built version of the General Electric J79 turbojet engine. The Kfir program originated in the quest to develop a more capable version of the IAI Nesher, an unlicensed Mirage 6 copy which was already in series production. After General De Gaulle embargoed the sale of arms to Israel, the IAF feared that it might lose qualitative superiority over its adversaries in the future, which were receiving increasingly advanced Soviet aircraft. The main and most advanced type of aircraft available to the IAF was the Mirage, but a severe problem developed due to the Mirage fleet's depletion due to attrition after the Six-Day War. Domestic production would avoid the problem of the embargo completely; efforts to reverse engineer and reproduce components of the Mirage were aided by Israeli espionage efforts to obtain technical assistance and blueprints from third party Mirage operators.

Two powerplants were initially selected for trials: the General Electric J79 turbojet and the Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan. In the end, the J79 was selected, not least because it was the same engine used on the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II, which the Israelis began to acquire from the United States in 1969, along with a license to produce the J79 themselves. The J79 was clearly superior to the original French Atar 09, providing a dry thrust of 49 kN (11,000 lbf) and an afterburning thrust of 83.4 kN (18,750 lbf). In order to accommodate the new powerplant on the Mirage III's airframe, and to deliver the added cooling required by the J79, the aircraft's rear fuselage was slightly shortened and widened, its air intakes were enlarged, and a large air inlet was installed at the base of the vertical stabilizer, so as to supply the extra cooling needed for the afterburner. The engine itself was encased in a titanium heatshield.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The Kfir entered service with the IAF in 1975. The role of the Kfir as the IAF's primary air superiority asset was short-lived, as the first F-15 Eagle fighters from the United States were delivered to Israel in 1976. The Kfir's first recorded combat action took place on November 9, 1977, during an Israeli air strike on a training camp at Tel Azia, in Lebanon. By the time of the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon in 1982 (Operation "Peace for Galilee") the IAF was able to use both its F-15s and F-16s for air superiority roles, leaving the Kfirs to carry out unescorted strike missions, and the aircraft were upgraded accordingly to C.2 status first and later to C.7 status, with upgraded avionics and a HOTAs cockpit. During the second half of the 1990s the Kfirs were withdrawn from active duty in the IAF, after almost twenty years of continuous service. The type was offered for export, too, even though commercial success was limited. Major foreign Kfir operators became Colombia, Ecuador, and Sri Lanka.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Negotiations with Taiwan about a Kfir procurement had started in the mid-Eighties, when the ROCAF was looking for a more capable replacement for the country's ageing Northrop F-5E fleet. The most favored type was the new American F-16, which promised improvements in almost any aspect. But due to the F-16's novelty and the political brisance of Taiwan's relationship with China, Taiwan's request was declined. Into this situation Israel chimed in and offered 40 new Kfir C.7 fighter bombers, in a deal estimated to have been worth US$ 400 million to $1 billion. The Bush Administration, in an apparent move to mollify Jerusalem, approved the marketing of Kfir jet fighter in Taiwan containing a U.S.-built General Electric engine, but this proposal fell through at the end of March 1992 – apparently at the height of a highly sensitive dispute between Israel and the United States over intelligence reports that Israel had sold U.S. weapons technology to China without Washington's approval. At the same time, the United States also was reported to have signed an agreement to provide $320 million for the second phase of the Arrow project--an anti-missile missile being developed in Israel with U.S. funding as part of the Administration's Strategic Defense Initiative. The State Department and the plane's manufacturer, Israel Aircraft Industries, declined to discuss the Kfir deal. However, officials from both countries said privately that Israel, which was retiring the planes in favor of the more modern US-made F-16 fighter, presented Taiwan with a new official offer to sell 20 refurbished Kfir C.2s from IAF stock, even though the value of this deal remained undisclosed.

This offer was accepted and greenlighted by the USA, and even neighboring China appeared to believe that the Kfirs, based on the 1950s French Mirage fighter, did not pose any serious threat. In addition, the Chinese were reluctant to stand in the way of the transaction so as not to upset their own defense cooperation with Israel. However, the weekly Defense News later quoted a senior Taiwanese procurement official as saying that his country was, despite a "reasonable package price", unlikely to buy more Kfirs--because it still preferred the F-16 and would continue negotiations with the USA. In fact, just after having signed the contract with IAI, Taiwan ordered, after more than 10 years of rejection, no less than 150 F-16A/B-20 fighter aircraft from the USA, 60 Dassault Mirage 2000 multi-role aircraft from France and launched its own indigenous fighter program, the AIDC Ching-Kuo, too.

The ROCAF Kfirs arrived between early 1993 and mid-1994, and they were subsequently upgraded by AIDC at Taichung with indigenous technology that would expand the fighter bombers' capabilities. Primarily, avionics and cockpit equipment were upgraded, including a retrofitted MFT monitor in the cockpit, an improved HUD, a new Martin Baker Mk. 10 ejection seat and the ability to carry smart weapons, including AGM-65 Maverick missiles and laser-guided Paveway bombs. For the latter, Taiwan procured twelve used AN/AVQ-23E electro-optical laser designator targeting pods from Great Britain, which had formerly been used by the RAF's Blackburn Buccaneers during the Gulf War and had just been retired. The pods had limited capabilities, though, and were only able to direct laser-guided bombs to target in daylight, visual conditions.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

The modernized aircraft received a tactical three-color paint scheme and were allocated to 7th Group, 7th Wing at Chih Hang Air Base in the Taitung Province in South-Eastern Taiwan, where they replaced the unit's F-5Es in the fighter bomber role. Nevertheless, the ROCAF Tiger IIs remained in service – in fact for more than 30 more years! The Kfirs' primary mission became quick strikes against ground and especially sea targets. For the latter mission, the AGM-84 Harpoon ASM and later the indigenous Hsiung Feng II missile were integrated, too. However, due to the Kfir's phenomenal climbing capabilities, the machines were also on frequent QRA for interception missions over Taiwan's coastlines.

However, the machines remained, due to escalating maintenance problems and reaching the airframes' end of life after more than thirty years, only active until 2006. The remaining sixteen machines were eventually returned to Israel and superseded by new F-16C/D fighters.

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

General characteristics:
Crew: One
Length (incl. pitot): 15.73 m (51 ft 6 1/4 in)
Wingspan: 8.22 m (26 ft 11½ in)
Height: 4.61 m (14 ft 11 3/4 in)
Wing area: 34.8 m² (374.6 sq ft)
Empty weight: 7,285 kg (16,060 lb)
Loaded weight: 11,603 kg (25,580 lb) with two 500 L drop tanks, two AAMs
Max. take-off weight: 16,200 kg (35,715 lb)

Powerplant:
1× General Electric J-79-J1E turbojet (IAl Bedek-built) with a dry thrust of 52.9 kN (11,890 lb st)
and 79.62 kN (17,900 lb st) with afterburner

Performance:
Maximum speed: 2,440 km/h (2 Mach, 1,317 knots, 1,516 mph) above 11,000 m (36,000 ft)
Combat radius: 768 km (415 nmi, 477 mi) in ground attack configuration, hi-lo-hi profile,
with seven 500 lb bombs, two AAMs, two 1,300 L drop tanks
Service ceiling: 17,680 m (58,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 233 m/s (45,950 ft/min)

Armament:
2× Rafael-built 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannons, 140 RPG
9× hardpoints under the wings and fuselage for up to 5,775 kg (12,730 lb) of payload

1:72 Israel Aircraft Industries IAI "Kfir" C.2; "3028 (s/n 81-3329)" of the Republic of China Air Force (中華民國空軍, ROCAF) 7th Group, 7th Wing; Chih Hang Air Base (Taitung Province, South-Eastern Taiwan); 1995 (What-if/Italeri kit) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

Old Wombat · November 03, 2021, 03:48:29 AM

Really good, Dizzy! Both build & back-story.