Re: Spinners' Strike Fighters Thread

[SPINNERS]

Boeing B-52K Stratofortress B.1 - No.9 Squadron, RAF Bomber Command, 1959

RAFB-52K05 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K08 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K07 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Boeing B-52K Stratofortress B.1A - No.35 Squadron, RAF South East Asia Command, 1962

RAFB-52K10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This cracking 'USAF Green Camo' skin is a golden oldie by Fubar512 over at Combat Ace so I've added some No.35 Squadron SEAC markings with retro WW2 style codes.

[SPINNERS]

Boeing B-52K Stratofortress B.1(FE) - No.7 Squadron, 'Tiger Force', RAF South East Asia Command, 1960

RAFB-52K14 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K15 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K16 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

Alternative Markings;

RAFB-52K17 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFB-52K18 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Boeing B-52H Stratofortress B.3A - No.617 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1991

RAFSTRATOFORTRESSB3A01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSTRATOFORTRESSB3A02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSTRATOFORTRESSB3A03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSTRATOFORTRESSB3A04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

The B-52H is my favourite BUFF and, of course, the only one still in service - a remarkable record for an aircraft as old as me! This USAF skin needed just a bit of overspray to become a nice canvas for a 'Dambuster' BUFF. When I was a kid I had one of those simple 1/144 scale B-52H kits and added two wingtip engines to make a ten-engined Stratofortress! I've always thought that 'Stirling' would have been a nice name for the Stratofortress in RAF service or perhaps an American city name (like Washington for the Superfortress).

[SPINNERS]

Boeing B-47E Stratojet - No.6 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, 1965

By early 1963 the Australian Government's search for a replacement for their Canberra force had narrowed down to a straight fight between the British TSR.2 and the American F-111. With the F-111 programme running well ahead of the TSR.2 the UK Government made a bold move by offering to lease 20 Vickers Valiant bombers to Australia to plug the gap until TSR.2 deliveries could commence but this was quickly countered by the US Government's offer to 'free loan' 30 surplus B-47E's.

In July 1963 this offer was accepted at the same time that a preliminary order for F-111's was made and soon formalised in early 1964. In August 1963 Boeing were contracted by the American Government to refurbish 30 B-47E's all of which were given a modest avionics upgrade and emerging from the Wichita plant in a new South East Asia camouflage scheme and the first B-47E's entered service with No.6 squadron of the RAAF in March 1965. Whilst due to be fully replaced by F-111C's by 1968 the wing-box problems and price escalation of the F-111C saw the Australian Government cancel the controversial swing-winger in 1967 and the B-47's were finally replaced by TSR.2's in 1971.

RAAFB-47E01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAAFB-47E02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAAFB-47E03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAAFB-47E04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Tupolev Tu-22IP 'Fullcup' - Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara, 1968

The rapid rise of the Communist Party of Indonesia saw a headlong rush towards the Soviet Union and soon Indonesia had become a second-tier client state, indeed, getting Tu-16 'Badger' bombers before any other client state. Confrontation against the Dutch in Papua was quickly followed by action against the Malaysian Federation in a border dispute along Kalimantan which saw British Commonwealth forces mobilised before an uneasy truce descended. However, in 1965 a failed coup attempt led by the 30 September Movement saw Indonesian Communist Forces crush the anti-communist regime led by Major General Suharto and thus solidly establish Communist power in South-East Asia and Oceania.

With the United States becoming increasingly involved in Vietnam it was decided that the British Commonwealth would bolster 'Blue' forces in the area and, among other assets, the RAF sent two squadrons of Victor B.1's to RAAF Butterworth in October 1965 along with two Javelin squadrons. To counter the Victors the Indonesian Air Force needed a long-range interceptor and soon received a squadron of Tu-22IP 'Fullcup' aircraft hastily withdrawn from Soviet PVO Strany forces where the type had been developed as an insurance against failure of the Tu-28 'Fiddler'. Armed with the Soviet designed 'Golok' (named after a type of Indonesian machete) semi-active homing missile, four of which could be carried internally, the Tu-22IP's were fast but suffered from poor manoeuverability and hideously low availability - being notoriously maintenance intensive, and by 1970 the 'Fullcup' had been retired.

TNIAUTU-22P01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

TNIAUTU-22P02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

TNIAUTU-22P03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A Libyan camo skin has been used with my Indonesian markings and stock Soviet red numbers to make this fictional TNI-AU interceptor and a Sa-8 'Gecko' takes the part of the 'Golok' air-to-air missile!

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas F-4C Phantom II - 22 Gruppo, 51 Stormo, Aeronautica Militare, 1972

AMIF-4C01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

AMIF-4C02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

AMIF-4C03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

AMIF-4C04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas/BAe Phantom FRS.1 - 300 Squadron, Indian Naval Air Squadron

The retirement of HMS Ark Royal (R07) in 1978 saw immediate interest from the Indian Government with offers made for both the carrier and its Buccaneer, Phantom and Gannet aircraft. However, the RAF insisted on the previously proposed plans to transfer the Buccaneers and Phantoms to RAF Germany and RAF Strike Command respectively but eventually agreed to relinquish their claim on the Phantoms when the UK Labour Government agreed to purchase 36 F-15C and 8 F-15D aircraft for RAF Germany thus allowing the redundant FGR.2's to bolster the UK-based interceptor force.

Whilst refurbishment of the Ark Royal took place at Devonport during 1979 and 1980 a total of 26 ex-Royal Navy Phantoms were refurbished by British Aerospace at Brough emerging as the Phantom FRS.51 with several enforced changes to satisfy the conditions of an export licence reluctantly granted by the Department of Defence. Entering service in 1982 the Phantom FRS.51 served with No.300 Squadron of the Indian Naval Air Service and served for 20 years.

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5103 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5104 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5105 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

INDIAPHANTOMFRS5106 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Fairey Barracuda III - No.1415 Flight, RAF South East Asia Command, 1946

RAFBAARACUDA301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFBAARACUDA303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFBAARACUDA304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

A recent new release from the DAT group of modders is the Fairey Barracuda II and it follows on from the Albacore and Firebrand. It comes with this superb and subtlety weathered skin so all I've done is add some SEAC markings and call it a MkIII for the RAF!

[SPINNERS]

Hawker Hunter F.6M - 1435 Flight, RAF South Atlantic Command, 1966

The introduction of the Lightning F.1 and F.1A into RAF Fighter Command in 1960 and 1961 began to free-up Hunter F.6's most of which were earmarked for conversion into ground-attack aircraft for the RAF (as the FGA.9) or for export. But the Falklands Crisis of May 1961 led to the decision to base a detachment of fighter aircraft at RAF Stanley and a batch of 8 Hawker Hunter F.6's were urgently converted into F.6M's a minimum-change conversion armed with the Firestreak missile and improved navigation and radio equipment. The first four Hunter F.6M's were dispatched as deck cargo arriving at Port Stanley in September 1961 to form No.1435 Flight who quickly christened the aircraft Faith, Hope, Charity and Desperation. The second batch of Hunters arrived in December 1961 but with improving diplomatic relations were basically used to keep the original four aircraft airworthy until a rotation policy was adopted. The Hunter F.6M's served until 1976 when they were replaced by Lightning F.2A's.

RAFHUNTERF6M01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHUNTERF6M02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHUNTERF6M03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

I've shown a 'Falklands Hunter' before but this new Hunter has missile rails allowing the Firestreak to be carried.

[SPINNERS]

Hawker Hunter FGA.9B - No.1417 Flight, RAF, Ladyville International Airport, Belize, 1975

RAFHUNTERFGA9B10 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHUNTERFGA9B11 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHUNTERFGA9B12 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFHUNTERFGA9B13 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

McDonnell Douglas Phantom FGR.3 - No. 1417 Flight, Belize, 1976

During 1975 the civil war in Guatemala worsened and there was fear that Guatemalan forces might invade Belize so a detachment of Harrier GR.3 aircraft was sent to the international airport at Ladyville in November 1975 to discourage Guatemalan aggression. After several months the threat was perceived to have subsided and the Harriers returned to the UK in April 1976. However, a further flare-up of unrest soon occurred leading to the urgent deployment of a force of 8 leased Phantom F-4E's recently retired from USAFE service and flown directly to Belize with USAF tanker support during Operation Anthem in August 1976. Designated Phantom FGR.3 the aircraft served in Belize until 1985 when they were replaced by Jaguar GR.1's.

RAFF-4E01 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFF-4E02 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFF-4E03 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFF-4E04 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Sukhoi Su-50 - 302nd Hikotai, Japan Air Self-Defense Forces, 2019

JASDFSU-5001 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

JASDFSU-5002 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

JASDFSU-5003 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

[SPINNERS]

Supermarine Scarab F.1 - No.74 Squadron, 'The Tigers', RAF Fighter Command, 1961

During early 1955 the expected transition of the English Electric Lightning from research aircraft to front-line interceptor troubled senior RAF officials who urgently demanded an alternative design as insurance and to also take advantage of the early lessons learned from the P.1A which had first flown during the previous year. Despite the epic failure of their Swift design Supermarine were entrusted with this project as the Air Ministry were aware that they had been designing a supersonic interceptor as a follow-on to their submission to Specification  F.4/48 and by March 1955 their Type 557 had evolved into a twin-engined tailed delta with a nose intake and translating shock cone housing a Ferranti AI.23 AIRPASS radar and fire-control system and Operational Requirement OR.333 was drafted around this design.

Work on the new design progressed well at the Hursley Park design offices during 1955 and 1956 and soon metal was being cut at the South Marston works leading to a first flight in October 1957 which put the programme only about six months behind the P.1B Lightning. Powered by two Rolls-Royce RA.24R Avon engines rated at 11,250lb thrust dry and 14,500lb with reheat the Type 557 appeared at the 1958 Farnborough airshow where the rather unflattering name 'Scarab' was officially bestowed upon the type. Prototype and pre-production testing went well during 1958 and 1959 and by early 1960 Scarab F.1's were being delivered to Air Fighting Development Squadron before entering operational squadron service in June 1960 with No.74 squadron at Coltishall.

RAFSCARABF101 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSCARABF102 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFSCARABF103 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This is, of course, the Shenyang J-8 'Finback' in it's early nose intake configuration. Eagle-eyed viewers will recognise a rather famous 'Airfix' serial number.

[SPINNERS]

British Aerospace Thunderstorm F.3 - No.19 and No.92 Squadrons, RAF Germany, 1987

Tracing it's ancestry back to the Supermarine Scarab design started in the mid-1950's the Thunderstorm F.3 was the final version of the Scarab/Thunderstorm family of interceptor-fighters and the last all-British combat aircraft.

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF306 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF307 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF308 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF301 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF302 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF303 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF304 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

RAFTHUNDERSTORMF305 by Spinners1961, on Flickr

This is the Shengyang F-8M 'Finback' and it's a really good 3D model by Erwin_Hans and I just love the Flogger style folding ventral fin which deploys when the undercarriage retracts (and naturally vice-versa).