BAE Systems Firestorm FG.1

[AeroplaneDriver]

Well, my BAE Firestorm is complete.

This was my first real attempt at scratchbuilding lots of structure as opposed to kitbashing.  I went with a painted canopy since Ian and Tophe do that and it looks great, and it solved the problem of making a stealthy canopy.

I originally planned to have the Firestorm on its gear, as it looked pretty sharp on F-18 gear, but changed my mind to an inflight pose to better show off the shape of the aircraft.

Since surface detail is pretty nonexistent I didnt put too much into decalling, with only the RN markings and a few stencils like ejection seat triangles.



To refresh, Firestorm was born from the BAE Replica and Nightjar programs when failure of the F-35B JSF program was imminent.

Envisioned as a stealthly strike aircraft for the RAF and RN the Firestorm was originally known by the development codeword FLOTSAM (Flexible Low Observable Tactical Strike Aircraft-Maritime).

All Firestorm aircraft were built to carrier-capable specification, with an arrestor hook and nosewheel catapult launch bar.  Three dimensional thrust vectoring and advanced flight control software datalinked to the carrier allowed for low landing speeds (115kts), meaning that the airframe could be built of a new lightweight sintered aluminium alloy developed by BAE, and still withstand carrier operations.

First flight of the prototye was in June 2009, with carrier trials taking place on the French carrier Charles de Gaulle and on the USS Ronald Reagan.  By the time the RN carrier HMS Queen Elizebeth entered service in 2014 the RN had two Firestorm sqaudrons carrier qualified and ready to deploy to sea.

This capability was soon called upon, when in September 2016 a quarter century of appeasement disguised as diplomacy unleashed the nuclear-armed forces of North Korea on South Korea.

The aircraft depicted is from 899 NAS and is shown fresh from the factory on a ferry flight to HMS QE, enroute to the Pacific as war with North Korea looms imminent.

Once fighting beings it will fly for five days in stealth configuration with all weapons stored internally, then switch to a non-stealth arrangement with wingtip ASRAAM missiles and four underwing pylons.

[gooberliberation]

Thats one mean looking bird ya got there

[The Rat]

HOT DAMN!        

[Damian2]

Dude thats one HOT plane!! Great work!

 

[Alvis 3.1]

   


Oh my...Need new dry pants now!




Alvis 3.1

[Brian da Basher]

What they said! Absolutely stunning!

Brian da Basher

[John Howling Mouse]

Very attractive design!  And I like the concept of the switch from internal stores to external pylons a week into the action.  Is that a concept being considered with the F-117, too?

[noxioux]

Very nice looking bird.  I especially like that wing profile.  Cool as hell.  

[Sentinel Chicken]

Very attractive design!  And I like the concept of the switch from internal stores to external pylons a week into the action.  Is that a concept being considered with the F-117, too?

That's something planned for the F-22A Raptor (thank goodness they dropped that F/A-22 silliness) as well as the F-35 JSF. The conventional wisdom is that after a certain point in an air campaign, stealth characteristics won't be as important as toting a big load of Whoop-donkey right into the enemy's living room.  

[K5054NZ]

  I like!

Please don't take offence at this AD, but it looks like a company display model with that canopy and stand. Very professional. I'll be doing something similar with one of my resin TSR.2s.

[cthulhu77]

Looks great !  You made the right decision in having it in flight...really shows off that cranked up wing.
          greg

[AeroplaneDriver]

  I like!

Please don't take offence at this AD, but it looks like a company display model with that canopy and stand. Very professional. I'll be doing something similar with one of my resin TSR.2s.

Hey, I dont mind you saying it looks lke a factory display model, that's kind of the look I intended!

Since I'm absolutely USELESS at scribing surface detail, I just accepted that this model wouldnt be as detailed as I usually like, once I accepted that it was easy to go with a less detailed, painted canopy display-type model instead of a more detailed replica.


Thanks for the comments guys!

[waynos]

Very very nice indeed! I'm hoping to do a 'Replica' based model at some time but I haven't a clue where to start. Funny thing here too, the name 'Firestorm' was my first choice for My FSW fighter but I changed it to Scorpion when I started building it.

[lancer]

HOLY FRACKING poo-poo (with an english accent)!!!! That is brilliant Nick....Backstory is very plausible as well...

[nev]

You could easily pass this off as a real "concept" model