Building again...

[AeroplaneDriver]

Hello all.  I haven't posted here much since introducing myself back in January.  Truth is I've been busy at work.  I started a job in February flying a King Air 200, but last week was offered a position as a First Officer flying Airbus A300s for a cargo company (I'm still in shock at the fact that I'm goingto be flying "Big Iron"!).

As I have a little time off before Airbus training starts on the 18th, and felt like a honest-to-God "What if..." project, I dug around in the ol' stash and found this:

[AeroplaneDriver]

So, here is the story to go with it:

On February 27, 1991 the British Army lost an SAS patrol in western Iraq.  The patrol came under heavy enemy fire and called in air support.  The US Air Force were tasked with air cover for the SAS in this area with an AC-130 gunship.  Unfortunately moments before the SAS call for help came in a USMC Recon patrol also called in air cover.  The USAF gunship responded to the Marines, leaving the SAS to fend for themselves.  A flight of USN A-6Es in the area were diverted to cover the SAS patrol, but by the time the Intruders arrived with CBUs all 6 SAS Troopers were dead.

In the post-war inquiry it was decided that Britain needed a capability comparable to the USAF AC-130.  Conversion or outright purchase of AC-130s was almost immediately shelved because of cost issues.  Instead it was decided to evaluate smaller civilian airframes for suitability.

Following a 9 month evaluation period it was decided in late 1992 to purchase eleven Fokker F-27 airframes.  The F-27 was chosen for a variety of reasons including availablity of airframes and spares leaving the civil market, existing stocks of RR Dart engines and spares in the RAF inventory, and naturally, low cost.

The airframes were modified by Marshall of Cambridge.  The process involved strengthening the airframe to take the stresses of low level flight and weapons recoil.  

The selected armament fit comprised a single Bofors 57mm gun, 2 Bofors 40mm cannon, and a single GE M61 20mm Vulcan rotary cannon.  Sensor fit included a SLAR antenna on the left side of the fuselage, FLIR sensors below the SAR antenna and below the cockpit as well as laser rangefinding equipment and low-light TV cameras.  A prominent bulge was added on the right side of the fuselage.   Initial speculation was that this bulge contained EW/jamming equipment.  In fact it was merely a structural bulge to facilitate rapid servicing and removal or the onboard artillery.

Various items of EW equipment were fitted as evidenced by antennae and fairings on the aircraft exterior, however the exact EW suite is still classified.

Underwing fuel tanks and a refueling probe added on the top of the fuselage gave the aircraft extended range and a long loiter endurance.  The aircraft crew is made up of two pilots, an Electronic Warfare Officer and five weapons specialists (usually enlisted personel).

The aircraft entered service as the Guardian AC.1 in February 1995.  Soon after service entry with 620 Sqn the Guardian fleet was upgraded to AC.1A standard with the addition of glass cockpit instrumentation, HUDs and an larger capacity coffee pot.

RAF Guardians first saw combat over Kosovo and were again deployed to Iraq in 2003.  Of the 11 airframes purchased 9 were converted to Guardian AC.1As, with two airframes in reserve.

[AeroplaneDriver]

The model is currently in progress, and with a few days of bad weather ahead this week to limit the lovely Wife's orders for garden duty I just may finish before the weekend.

I'll keep updates coming as time allows.

[Ollie]

Awesome!

Nice F27 my friend!

I just flew the Caravan solo for the first time today!  

Congrats on getting the cargo job!!

       

[John Howling Mouse]

Great concept (wish I'da thunk-it).

Keep the pics coming and let us know how the build goes.

I had one of these kits with such a warped fuselage I ended up just cutting and chopping it down for parts.  Bought a second F-27 which was just fine.  Then a third: warped just as bad as the first.

Hey, I just mentioned a King Air on another thread (I'm itching to do a 1:48 vac-form pattern for one or something very similar).  If you know where to get decent 3-views of it, let me know.

[AeroplaneDriver]

Let me look for King Air 3-views. I just went through SimCom on the 200 and C90A and I bet I have some 3-views somewhere, but I promised Ollie Dash 8 schematics a while back and never could find them, so I'll look before I promise them (sorry Ollie!).

Congrats on the Caravan Ollie!  I read your training thread a few weeks ago.  Nice pics.

[Captain Canada]

Congrats on the new assignment, Aero ! How cool is that ! I've been itching to go down to Willow Run in MI and watch the old girls fly...lotsa cool Big Iron going thru there !

Great idea on the F-27. Always an old 'fan favourite' ! Love all the lumps and bumps growing on her...makes them look even tougher !

Cheers

Toadman

[Ollie]

Hey, just had a thought...

Could you use hydraulic rams to attenuate the recoil of the weapons?

 

[The Rat]

Cool idea and story AD, and congratulations on the job. I've often thought that the only thing better than being a Freight Dog is being a well paid Freight Dog!

Just a word of caution; before you go sticking all that stuff on the outside, remember the minimal ground clearance of the F-27 and don't stick much, if anything, on the belly. Wouldn't want to tear a bunch of antennae off on each landing!

I can remember standing by for a One Charlie situation at YYZ a few years ago. An F-27 had an indication that his nose gear was not locked, so he did a few 'low and overs' while another pilot, experienced on type, checked it from the ground. Even he couldn't tell if it was down - those wheels don't protrude very much. Turned out, as usual, to be just a faulty indicator.

[NARSES2]

Congrats with the new job and great story line - good luck with the model

Chris

[nev]

wow, great concept.  Look forward to seeing how she turns out    

[Radish]

Great

Good luck with the job

good luck with the F-27

Cool!!!  

[Hobbes]

Cool idea! And I've always been partial to the F-27  

[Alvis 3.1]

Excellent back story and great rationalization!
And it's looking good too...
Now..if only I had finished my F-27 gunship 10 years ago.....






Alvis 3.1

[Gary]

Awesome job dude, and congrats.
Great to see you back and looking forward to the "friend"ship ... or maybe the Unfriendlyship! ^_^  
Ironic name for the choice of what will become a gunship.
And love the back story (hope it's 100% fiction though). The backstories are really one of my favorite parts here and yours is a winner.