Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-27 "Flogger-D" - Mongolian Air Force, 1979

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

MONGOLIA MiG-27 FLOGGER-D.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This uses a grey Soviet skin from one of the stock MiG-23 fighters adapted to fit the MiG-27 and then given simple Mongolian Air Force markings. The real-world Mongolian MiG-21's are one of the few non what-if's I've released over at Combat Ace and the decals I made for them are re-used here.

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McDonnell Douglas Hornet FGR.3 - No.4 Squadron, Royal Air Force, 2002

RAF HORNET FGR3.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HORNET FGR3.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Forgive me for not calling this a Boeing aircraft - old habits die hard! This was, I think, one of my very first uploads to Combat Ace and the F/A-18F 3D model was created by a small team ('101tfs' and 'Erwin_hans') with a later and better attempt by 'EricJ' following on a few years later but, at the time, this was the only game in town. I've given it some fresh decals but it really needs some modern weapons to set it off.

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LTV Corsair GR.2 - No.41 Squadron, Royal Air Force Strike Command, 1977

RAF CORSAIR GR2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF CORSAIR GR2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Excuse me whilst I take a trip down Nostalgia Road. This was my first ever attempt at skinning done way back in 2008 and was really only a partial attempt as I'd crudely overpainted a standard USN scheme with green camo and then added back in some way too dark panel lines (thinks: perhaps the Matchbox trench digger is in my family tree). Removing the intake warning was probably too much for my feeble skills back then.

At the moment, I'm looking through my old SF1 (Strike Fighters - Series One) uploads and giving them a modest makeover and re-upload whilst my XP computer is still running - it does actually 'chugg' and can clearly be heard downstairs! A repair and upgrade of my old PC is being planned and submitted to 'er indoors for approval but I'm in no rush now especially as I've tweaked my XP computer and got rid of a horrible graphics problem by playing with the settings.

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Republic Aviation FGA.1 - No.20 Squadron, Royal Air Force Middle East Command, 1956

The delay in both the Hawker Hunter and Supermarine Swift programmes saw an ailing RAF adopt the swept-wing F-84F Thunderstreak in several versions starting with the Sapphire powered Thunderstreak FGA.1 which served in Middle East Command from 1955, although with marginal thrust it was not really suited to the hot and dry conditions and was tied to runways of at least 7,000 foot length. Equipped with the ASSa.6 version of the Sapphire (rated at 8,300lbs thrust) the Thunderstreak also featured uprated outer wing weapon stations to carry standard 1,000lb bombs.

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA1.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Another very early upload that I did back in 2008 and featuring a lovely Desert Camo skin by 'whiteknight06604'. Adding weapons in Series One games is a right PITA so I've chosen to use the 450-gallon tanks of the later F-105 Thunderchief and reckon they look pretty cool.

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Republic Aviation Thunderstreak FGA.2 - No.31 Squadron, Royal Air Force, South East Asia Command, 1959

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF THUNDERSTREAK FGA2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Before the F-84F appeared in Strike Fighters there was a very good version of it produced by a group of modders called 'The Mirage Factory' and I've had a lot of fun with it over the Desert and over Vietnam but let's pretend the latter is Malaya so that it could take part in Operation Firedog! Anyway, this is a Greek SEA scheme by 'whiteknight06604' given the SEAC treatment with all new markings.

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Grumman F-14A Tomcat - Ala 12, Ejército del Aire, 1982

By the late 1970's the Phantom F-4C's of 12 Ala (12th Wing) were becoming increasingly long in the tooth and the Ejercito del Aire urgently sought a replacement. McDonnell Douglas appeared to have the upper hand with no less than three products on offer;

The F-4E Phantom (still in low-rate production).

The F-15C Eagle.

The F/A-18A Hornet.

However, during 1978 the situation in Iran was becoming increasingly unstable and by January 1979 the Shah of Iran had fled in exile. An immediate arms embargo to Iran soon followed and Grumman were left with a considerable number of undelivered and now undeliverable Iranian F-14A Tomcats. A formal approach to Spain was made by Grumman and agreement was soon reached for the supply of 30 F-14A's to replace the Phantom F-4C's of No.121 and No.122 Escuadrons with a small follow-on batch of 10 F-14R's to supplement and eventually replace the RF-4C's of No.123 Escuadron. The F-14A Tomcat gave good service to the Ejercito del Aire before being phased out during 2007 and 2008 and replaced by Boeing Hornet F/A-18F's.

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA F-14A TOMCAT.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

New piccies but another one from 2008.

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Sukhoi Su-27i Espada - Esc113, Ala 12, Ejército del Aire, 1992

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

EDA Su-27i ISPANSI.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I normally avoid using 'overcast' conditions (it's all selectable in this game) but it makes a nice change and looks pretty cool when you get above it. Another return visit to 2008 although I have done new decals for this.

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Vought F-8J Crusader - 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1982

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8J CRUSADER.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This was one of my first ever skins, again from 2008 and I was lucky enough to have been given a superb template by one of the team who made the 3D model (not the same as the Third Wire F-8 that is part of 'Wings Over Vietnam') and I've just used some slightly different decals.

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Boeing Stratofortress B.1 - No.9 Squadron, Royal Air Force, South East Asia Command, 1966

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF B-52K STRATOFORTRESS.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The stock B-52D comes with this USAF SEA camo so I've decalled it up for service with RAF SEAC.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23MLX 'Flogger-K' - HävLLv31, Ilmavoimat, 1989

Whilst generally considered to be the ultimate fighter variant of the MiG-23 the MiG-23MLD "Flogger-K" was mainly a conversion programme of existing Soviet 'ML' and 'MLA' aircraft to 'MLD' standard for the VVS. However, an export version using new-build aircraft was produced with 16 aircraft for Bulgaria, 50 aircraft for Syria and finally an order for 60 'MLX' aircraft for the Finnish Air Force. Featuring the improved Sapfir-23MLA-II look-down/shoot-down radar and powered by an uprated Tumansky R-35 turbojet rated at 30,000lbs of thrust these were the final single-seat MiG-23's to produced with the last examples rolling off the production line in May 1985 and entering Ilmavoimat service with Fighter Squadron 31 in 1986.

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

ILMAVOIMAT MiG-23MLX FLOGGER-K.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A top-notch MiG-23 skin was released recently by 'bazillius' and just seems to suit Ilmavoimat markings and especially Hävittäjälentolaivue 31 whose Lynx marking fills a broad fin nicely. I thought that a snowy terrain would set it off so downloaded this nice North Cape terrain.

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Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23ML 'Flogger-G' - Vietnam People's Air Force, 1984

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF MiG-23ML FLOGGER-G.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've got a thing for the MiG-23 at the moment and this Romanian skin was perfect to make a North Vietnamese Flogger-G.

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Vought F-8E Crusader - 2da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1976

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

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Vought F-8E Crusader - 3da Escuadrilla Aeronaval de Caza y Ataque, Comando de Aviación Naval Argentina, 1977

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

COAN F-8E CRUSADER.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I'm going to upload this one for the guys at Combat Ace so thought I'd add a second squadron - I love their squadron badge!

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COAN F-8E CRUSADER.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Final COAN Crusader for now and I can see a bit of a mismatch between the squadron badge (attack) and the aircraft role (fighter) so I guess I'll have to give them the Corsair instead! I'm still on a programme of refreshing my SF1 uploads, most are getting on for 10 years old now and this thread has just notched up it's tenth anniversary!

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General Dynamics Falcon FG.1 - No.41 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1980

RAF FALCON FG1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF FALCON FG1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF FALCON FG1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF FALCON FG1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The F-16 appeared quite late in 'Strike Fighters' making it's debut in the fourth and final Series One game 'Wings Over Israel' as the F-16A Netz. For this RAF F-16A I've knocked up a basic grey scheme and added some RAF decals. It's hard to believe that it's well over 40 years since the 'Sale Of the Century' with production starting back up next year.