Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

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Hawker Hunter FGA.9 - No.20 and No. 28 Squadrons, RAF Far East Air Force, 1963-1966

The growing threat to Thailand, Cambodia and South Vietnam from nearby Communist states saw the deployment of the Hawker Hunter FGA.9's of No. 20 Squadron to the Far East Air Force in September 1961 followed by No.28 Squadron in July 1962. The Borneo Confrontation of 1963 saw this ground-attack wing deployed to Kuching and Labuan to commence offensive operations against Indonesian forces seeking to infiltrate across the Malaysia/Indonesia border on the island of Borneo.

The Commander of the Far East Air Force, Air Marshal Sir Hector McGregor, ordered the re-introduction of the wartime 'SEAC' markings to avoid any potential confusion with the Indonesian Air Force's red and white national markings. Both squadrons were successful in helping to repel the border incursions by the Indonesians, despite the difficult terrain, and stayed in theatre until the Borneo Confrontation was declared over in August 1966 eventually departing in January 1967 when No.28 Squadron was disbanded and No.20 Squadron returned to Tengah.

RAF HUNTER FGA9.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.13 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF HUNTER FGA9.14 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Perhaps a better backstory would be that SEAC/FEAF never stopped using SEAC markings!

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I normally use a 'slide' type piccie to list my uploads to Combat Ace and thought I'd stitch two together to see how it looks.

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Sukhoi Su-7A "Fitter-A" - Fighter Regiment No.923, Vietnamese People's Air Force, 1965

During the summer of 1953 the newly re-opened Sukhoi OKB began work on a new swept-wing jet fighter. The first prototype, designated S-1, featured a boldly swept-wing of 60° sweep with hydraulically boosted controls and was powered by the new Lyulka AL-7 single-spool turbojet fed via a nose intake equipped with a movable inlet cone for managing airflow to the engine at supersonic speeds. First flown on September 7th, 1955 with A. G. Kochetkov at the controls the prototype soon established a Soviet speed record of 1,350 mph (Mach 2.05) in April 1956. The second prototype, designated S-2, introduced some aerodynamic refinements but testing was delayed by an unreliable engine and the unfortunate loss of the S-1 in a crash killing it's pilot I. N. Sokolov in November 1956. Despite this, the first production version (by now designated Su-7A) entered service with the Soviet Air Force in 1958 as a tactical fighter for Frontal Aviation and continued in low-rate production until 1960 with just 132 aircraft built and seeing limited operational use in the Far East from 1958 before being retired in 1965.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese People's Air Force received its first jet fighter aircraft in early 1964 when Fighter Regiment No. 921 was formed flying MiG-17's and they were soon followed by Fighter Regiment No.922 also flying MiG-17's. By the end of 1964, the Vietnamese People's Air Force joined the supersonic club when Fighter Regiment No.923 (led by Lt. Col. Nguyen Phuc Trach) was formed flying Su-7A's transferred from the Soviet Air Force via mainland China and flown by North Vietnamese pilots trained by Chinese advisors. On April 4th, 1965, Su-7A's of the Vietnamese People's Air Force downed two American F-105 Thunderchief's attacking the Thanh Hóa Bridge in a high speed GCI controlled 'hit and run' intercept against a large American air strike group. However, despite this early success, the Su-7A was completely outclassed by American fighters and the dwindling Su-7A force became grounded and eventually re-equipped with the Shenyang J-6 (Chinese-built MiG-19).

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.00 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Quite a simple one this but I removed the undernose antenna from the Su-7B 3D model and also the outer wing pylons on the assumption that the real Su-7 fighter didn't have them. The stock Soviet silver skin is quite passable despite being low-rez. I like to use my own decals for national markings but the four digit VPAF numbers are already in game so it makes sense to use them. I just can't stand a bare fin so I've used their flag as a fin flash.

On the backstory - the first paragraph is true, whilst the second paragraph is definitely not!

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Sukhoi Su-7A "Fitter-A" - Fighter Regiment No.923, Vietnamese People's Air Force, 1966

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

VPAF Su-7A FITTER-A.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

With a lot of stuff still trapped on a broken external hard drive I've had to knock up a new VPAF camo created from a 'Wings Over Vietnam' terrain tile with a bit of jiggery pokery!

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Escuadrón Aéreo de Pelea 200, Fuerza Aérea Mexicana, 1982

FAM HUNTER FGA9.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

FAM HUNTER FGA9.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

First Mexican 'what if' I've ever done and I quite like this one myself! Everything about the Third Wire Hunter FGA.9 is good (accurate 3D model and a lovely skin) and in Series Two it's even better because all the classic RAF single-seat versions are covered as well as some of those oddball export versions with Sidewinder pylons and the such like. When I get back to Series Two I'll be giving them a right hammering but, for now, I'm enjoying the nostalgia of Series One!

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Vought F-8E Crusader - 727 Eskadrille, Royal Danish Air Force, 1967

During 1955 the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) were looking to replace their F-84 Thunderjets from about 1958 and by early 1956 had settled on the North American F-100D Super Sabre. However, the RDAF became increasingly alarmed at the high attrition rate of the F-100 in USAF service and with the Hawker Hunter now reaching maturity they decided to buy more Hunters to replace the elderly F-84 Thunderjets and look for a more modern fighter with a slightly later service date of 1962. Competing against the BAC Lightning, Dassault Mirage III and the Lockheed Starfighter, Vought initially offered a version of the Crusader F8U-2N (F-8D) but by mid-1959 were able to offer a planned multi-role development of the Crusader with a more powerful Magnavox APQ-94 radar and air-to-ground capability. Initially known as the F-8U2NE this later became known as the F-8E and the Danish government became the first Crusader export customer when it signed up for 50 F-8E's in late 1959 for delivery in early 1962.

The Crusader entered service with 727 Eskadrille and 730 Eskadrille based at Skrystrup and later followed by 725 Eskadrille based at Karup. From about 1964 the RDAF adopted an overall 'NATO Green' finish and the types popularity saw the Danish government place further orders for 48 of a more advanced version of the F-8E with further improvements in avionics including the Magnavox APQ-124 radar and the uprated J-57 P-20D engine plus 16 multi-sensor recconnaisance aircraft. Designated F-8E(D) and RF-8E(D) these advanced Crusaders were the last new-build Crusaders ever made and killed off any hopes of Sweden selling the SAAB Draken to Denmark. In the mid-1970's the remaining 41 F-8E's were refurbished by SABCA of Belgium and brought up to a standard almost equivalent to the F-8E(D) and the type served until the late-1980's when replaced by F-16C's.

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

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

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

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

A repeat from 2008 and part of my ongoing programme to freshen up my uploads at Combat Ace.

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Vought F-8E Crusader - 805 Squadron, Royal Australian Navy, 1970

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

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

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

Another repeat from 2008.

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Folland Gnat FGA.2 - No.79 Squadron, RAF Germany, 1962

RAF GNAT FGA2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF GNAT FGA2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF GNAT FGA2.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The Gnat is one of the oldest add-on aircraft for Strike Fighters and actually needs a smaller pilot as the stock pilot's legs protrude underneath the aircraft. I always liken this pilot to Joe 90!

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McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.5 - No.6 and No.41 Squadrons, RAF Strike Command, 1976

The cancellation of the Hawker P.1154 in 1964 quickly led to the adoption of the LTV F-8E(RN) Crusader for the Royal Navy to replace the Scimitar and Sea Vixen and the adoption of the McDonnell Douglas Phantom for the RAF to replace the Hunter. However, anxious to improve the UK's trade balance with the US, the UK Government insisted that the RAF's Phantoms would adopt either the Rolls Royce Spey turbofan or the Anglo-French Rolls Royce/SNECMA Sequanna turbofan then under development for the proposed Mirage IVB and advanced Mirage III aircraft. The Sequanna was quickly chosen being lighter and slimmer than the Spey and fitted the F-4 like a glove whilst producing about 1,000lbs more thrust per engine than the stock J79-GE-15 turbojet but with a lower specific fuel consumption.

First flown in 1965 and entering service with the RAF in 1966 the Phantom F.1 supplemented the Lightning interceptors of RAF Fighter Command whilst the Phantom FG.2 re-equipped many Hunter and Canberra squadrons at home and abroad. The FR.3 was a planned version of the RF-4C that failed to materialise as the RAF adopted podded recconnaisance pods but the FGR.4 was the RAF's first true multi-role version of the Phantom taking advantage of the new F-4E airframe and a more powerful Sequanna RB.390 engine developing 19,000lbs with reheat. Only 50 FGR.4's were built before production switched to the FGR.5 with Sequanna RB.392 engines, slatted wings and more advanced avionics. The FGR.5's served at home and abroad, most notably with RAF Strike Command and RAF South East Asia Command before finally being retired in 2003.

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I dropped this one into the Desert setting of 'Strike Fighters Gold' and had to take screenshots that avoided showing the arid terrain of Dhimar/Paran. Mind you, RAF Coningsby didn't get much rain in 1976! This marries the burner can textures of the F-4M pasted onto the F-4E and has quite a doctored nose texture to cater for the longer nose.

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McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.5 - No.112 and No.208 Squadrons, RAF Near East Air Force, 1974

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.14 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.15 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FGR5.13 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

USAF SEA camo for No.112 Sqd and Israeli camo for No.208 Sqd. Both are not as nice as the classic RAF Phantom camo of the 1970's though!

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McDonnell YF-4K Prototype (Phantom F.1) 1963

The successful first flight of the McDonnell XF4H-1 (Phantom II) on May 27th, 1958 certainly piqued the interest of both the RAF and the Royal Navy and by 1959 both were granted official 'observer status' on the project. The realisation that only two of the Royal Navy's five aircraft carriers could operate an aircraft of the XF4H-1's size (and that only after extensive modernisation) soon cooled the interest of the Senior Service but the RAF could see a promising aircraft of obvious potential across many roles and not just in their search for a Hunter replacement. By 1960 McDonnell were scheming various tactical fighter versions of the F4H-1 Phantom II with J79 engines including a minimum change version of the baseline USN F-4B to replace the Hunter and Javelin in RAF service and supplement the Lightning.

The RAF had already bore the brunt of the 1957 Defence White Paper and had then suffered the ignominy of losing the UK's nuclear deterent in the planned switch from V-Force to Polaris. Following this heavy perceived loss of status the Air Staff were so determined to get the TSR.2 that in March 1961 they volunteered to forsake the supersonic V/STOL P.1154 strike fighter and STOL AW.681 tactical transport and replace both with off the shelf purchases of American aircraft. Both projects were declared as "too technically challenging to succeed in the current fiscal situation" but the early cashing-in of both projects did ultimately save the TSR.2 which went on to survive the 1964 Budget Review and enter RAF service at the end of the 1960's.

Meanwhile, back in August 1961 the UK Government became the first export customer for McDonnell's XF4H-1 with an order for 350 aircraft consisting of 150 interceptor-fighters for RAF Fighter Command and 200 tactical fighters for RAF Germany and No.38 Group. Designated by McDonnell as the F-4K and by the RAF as Phantom F.1 and Phantom FGA.2 the first F-4K rolled off the St. Louis production line in February 1963 with a ceremonial first flight on April 1st, 1963 to coincide with the RAF's 45th birthday celebrations. These early RAF Phantoms retained the AAA-4 infrared search and tracking sensor fitted to a prominent bulge underneath the radome housing the powerful AN/APQ-72 radar and were powered by two General Electric J79-GE-8A engines each rated at 10,000lbs dry thrust and 17,000 lbs thrust with afterburner.

The Phantom F.1 entered service with No.19 squadron at Leconfield in March 1964 and eventually equipped no less than ten RAF squadrons at home and abroad with the last squadron (an expanded No. 1435 Flight) disbanding at RAF Mount Pleasant, Falkland Isles in 1992.

RAF PHANTOM F1.01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

All 'what ifs' are alternate timeline I guess but this one is more than others! Forget the Spey F-4K and also forget my previous backstory where the RAF got Rolls-Royce/SNECMA Sequanna enginned F-4's and the one where Turbo-Union made a turbofan based on RB.199 technologies! This is the J79 powered F-4 Phantom in RAF service long before the F-4J(UK). A short series will follow but this is the F-4B 3D model with the adapted skin of the F-4M - basically pasteing on J79 jet nozzles and adding a lick of paint to the undernose seeker. I really wanted to lose the undernose seeker but it's part of the forward fuselage. I did consider using the 'J' model but this has the later J79 nozzles and also a RWR pod on the fin... and we all know how much the RAF avoided stuff like that!

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McDonnell Douglas Phantom F.1 - No.19 and No.92 Squadrons, RAF Germany, 1968

The first of the RAF's Phantom F.1 squadrons was No.19 and No.92 Squadrons based at RAF Leconfield who converted from Hunter F.6's during 1964 before being transferred to RAF Gütersloh as part of RAF Germany's Central Front air defence force in 1966.

RAF PHANTOM F1.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.09 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I have a thing for RAF 'sister squadrons' and especially from when I was an aviation mad teenager! I just can't seem to do a No.5 squadron 'what if' without doing it again as No.11 squadron and these two RAF Germany stalwarts are the same.

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McDonnell Douglas* Phantom F.1 - No.43 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1967

RAF PHANTOM F1.11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.13 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

* In 1967 these would have simply been known as McDonnell Phantom F.1's.

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McDonnell Douglas Phantom F.1 - No.1435 Flight, RAF Falklands Air Defence Component, 1982

At an early stage in the Falklands conflict of 1982 four Phantom F.1's, drawn from No.229 OCU and manned by pilots from No.29 Squadron, were deployed to Ascension Island to provide emergency air defence against any potential Argentinian airborne commando raids (using Hercules aircraft) or any strikes launched from the carrier Veinticinco de Mayo. Whilst the latter was only ever a very remote possibility the UK Government viewed the establishment of a basic air defence component on Ascension Island as being essential to their plans to retake the Falkland Islands.

Arriving on Ascension Island on April 14th, 1982 the four Phantom F.1's were allocated to a hastily reformed No.1435 Flight based at Wideawake airfield. The swift re-conquest of the Falklands then saw No.1435 Flight deploy to RAF Stanley during October 1982 to take over air defence duties from 809 Naval Air Squadron. No.1435 Flight was eventually built up to squadron strength operating Phantom F.1's initially from RAF Stanley and later from RAF Mount Pleasant until they were replaced by Eagle F.2A's in 1992.

RAF PHANTOM F1.14 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.15 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.16 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.18 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM F1.17 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Faith and Hope!

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McDonnell Douglas Phantom FG.2 - No.41 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1968

RAF PHANTOM FG2.02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FG2.03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FG2.04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FG2.05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAF PHANTOM FG2.06 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

One limitation in Series One is that the drop tanks are in a single colour for eackh aircraft and for the Phantom this means that they use USN textures in a sort of dirty white - it's so spoiling my RAF Phantoms! In Series Two the tanks are modelled as an integral part of the 3D model and each 'skin' has it's own texture for drop tanks. Genius! There is a workaround for Series One but as I plan to get back to Series Two I'll just live with it for now as I'm not the greatest at adding/modifying weapons in Series One.