Friends
& Allies - Part 1B
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Fixed wing aircraft of the Royal Air Force (1945-present)
(all with some sort of naval connection!):
SEPECAT
Jaguar GR.1A, RAF JAGDET, Muharraq, Bahrain, Operation Granby, 1991
The Revell Jaguar is a joint Revell/Italeri mould that has also appeared in Tamiya boxes in the Far East. It assembles without drama and is acceptably accurate. Decals in the Revell issue include an RAF Gulf War aircraft (including semi-naked "Debbie" noseart) and an RAF Germany aircraft of 2(AC) Sqn at RAF Laarbruch. However, for various reasons I decided to use Modeldecal markings for XX733 "Biggles" instead, with rather less inspiring but more politically correct nose picture of a pink Spitfire
Since its premature departure from RAF service during the savage 2007 defence cuts, the Jaguar has become a somewhat forgotten aircraft. Developed in the late 1960s as a joint Anglo-French aircraft to be built by the Société Européenne de Production de l'Avion d'École de Combat et d'Appui Tactique (SEPECAT), a joint venture between the British Aircraft Corporation and Breguet, it remains in service with the Indian Air Force and Royal Air Force of Oman.
In its final RAF form, the RAF Jaguar GR.3, with TERPROM navigation and precision guided weapons, was a remarkably capable aircraft.
Twelve RAF Jaguars made a very significant contribution to Gulf War one (UK Op Ganby, US Op Desert Storm) and were some of the first RAF combat assets deployed to the region. Between them, the 12 aircraft flew 612 combat sorties, achieving an astonishingly high sortie rate and level of availability. Twenty eight French Air Force Jaguars also participated (Op Daguet), with a similar level of operational success.
Gloster
Javelin FAW.9R, 64(F) Sqn, RAF Tengah, Singapore,1964
The Airfix FAW.9 was modified from the mould for the Heller T.3. As such it has some deficiencies around the rear of the aircraft, with a fuselage and tailpipes that are noticeably too narrow for the larger re-heated Sapphire engines of the Mk9. Nevertheless, it is an easy kit to build and most impressive when complete.
64(F) Sqn is the shadow identity of 228 OCU, who were affiliated with the Type 42 Destroyer HMS LIVERPOOL during my time onboard. Link to Build Page
The Javelin interceptor was chosen by the RAF over the contemporary DeHavilland DH110 (later to become the Sea Vixen). It suffered from an extraordinarily long period of development (by the standards of the day - although today's Eurofighter has been far longer!!!!), which meant that it was pretty much obsolete by the time it entered service. With further development stopped by the Sandys' Defence review of 1957 and the phenomenal English Electric Lightning following close behind, its service life was very short. However, it was widely deployed in Germany, the UK and especially in the Far East. Its final operational use was in Singapore, with 60 and 64 Squadrons based at RAF Tengah until 1968. Here it saw its sole "combat" victory; during the Indonesian Confrontation an Indonesian Air Force C-130 crashed while evading an aircraft of 64 Sqn sent to intercept it.
and
the real thing (an earlier mark)
at
Cosford:
Hawker Siddeley HS 125 Dominie T.1, 55(R) Sqn, RAF, Cranwell 2004.
This is the Airfix kit in its current (2008) issue, with a superb set of decals for an all black Domine of 55(R) Sqn in 2004 and an earlier red and white aircraft. The kit builds nicely although some of the detail is rather crude by current standards. Unfortunately the cabin window configuration has changed recently and the kit represents the earlier layout. The wing fences are also too far inboard, but otherwise this is a really nice little kit. Link to Build Page
The RAF adopted an early variant of the hugely successful HS 125 light passenger jet as a radar and navigation trainer. Originally a DeHavilland design, the Dominie is now approaching the end of its service life, but several aircraft were updated in 2003 to add Ground Mapping Radar (GMR) and modern avionics.
During the Cold War, RAF Dominies were allocated a war role of coastal maritime reconnaisance, working with RN Offshore Patrol Vesels to escort coastal convoys around the UK. Later and larger variants of the HS125 are also used by the RAF as VIP transport aircraft.
English Electric Lightning F.1A - 74 Sqn, RAF Leuchars, 1973.
This is the old Airfix kit - I purchased this one as part of a "scrapyard" job lot from e-bay. It had no canopy or decals, so I obtained an Aeroclub canopy and used a set of Modeldecal decals as the basis for this "Tiger" scheme.
The Lightning was one of the few British aircraft to survive the Sandys' Defence review of 1957, apparently "because it was too far advanced to stop". It went on to become an icon of the RAF during the 1960s, 70s and even into the 1980s. Although it was always short legged, it had phenomenal performance, particularly when climbing off the deck. The Airfix kit represents the F.1A version, with straight wings, pointed fin, Firestreak IR missiles, guns and small belly tank.
RAF Lightnings from Leuchars in Fife, Scotland, were nominated to provide air cover for RN ships operating in the North Sea and Northern ADR.
Panavia Tornado GR1 - 617 Sqn "Dambusters" Royal Air Force, RAF Lossiemouth 1988.
An older build. The ESCI Tornado wasn't bad in its day although it is now totally eclipsed by Revell's newest mould. This is out the box; like most Tornado kits (including Hasegawa's), the nose profile isn't quite right !
The Tornado GR1, GR1A, GR4 and F3 have been the backbone of the RAF since the mid 1980s. Designed as a low level penetrator, the GR4 now performs a high level precision bombing role. F3s are now being replaced by Typhoon, with the first Conningsby based squadron having assumed Southern QRA duties in Jul 07.
A decision on replacing the GR4 will be needed soon; obvious candidates include the F-35 and Typhoon, although neither really performs the same role. In addition, with the RAF now operating Reaper/Predator TUAVs over Afghanistan, an unmanned option for Tornado replacement is a very real prospect.
Lossiemouth's Tornado GR.1s were tasked with Maritime sattack operations, carrying the BAe Sea Eagle missile in support of the Royal Navy.
BAe Hawk 200 - Demonstrator Aircraft 1987.
Matchbox's Hawk 200 is the only 1/72 kit of this variant available. I built this some years ago, so it is not quite to current kit build standards. Might update it some day to have the wing tip sidewinder stations of the production aircraft.
"The last all-British Fighter?" Sold to a number of nations in the Far East and Africa, the 200 series shares the Hawk trainer's agility and ease of operation/maintenance. More recently, it has been promoted along with the advanced Hawk 100 series as a Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) for nations acquiring more modern aircraft such as the SAAB Gripen.
RAF HARRIERS
Link to other Harrier builds on my Harrier pages
British Aerospace Harrier GR.3 - 1417 Flight, Royal Air Force Belize, 1987.
Fujimi's Harrier kits are reasonably accurate, but not easy builds. This one represents an aircraft of 1417 Flt, RAF Belize in the mid 1980s. Whilst I was serving in HMS LIVERPOOL, during our 1987 "West Indies Guardship" deployment (its a dirty job, but someone has to do it!), we exercised with 1417 Flt off the coast of Belize, providing our splash target for them to practice attacking fast moving sea-borne targets with Aden Guns and Rockets. Our activities attracted much interest from heavily armed (and not altogether friendly) Honduran and Guatemalan gunboats, which added a little spice to the proceedings.
The GR.3, easily recognised by its extended nose fairing to house the laser target marker and range finder, was the RAF's second Harrier variant, with improved avionics and uprated engines. Harriers were deployed to Belize from 1981 to 1993, in response to potential threats from Guatemala and Honduras. The aircraft were ideally suited to the rough deployed conditions, if occasionally limited by the temperature.
BAe Harrier GR5 - 224 OCU RAF Wittering/Cottesmore 1989.
Italeri's GR.5 and GR.7 kits are crude and not very accurate, although they do look fairly convincing when built.
This is the earliest issue (AV-8B prototype) with various (substantial) putty modifications to the nose & Modeldecal markings to convert it into a GR.5. More recently, this kit has been issued by Revell with the required modificaitons to make it as a GR.5 from the box.
The GR.5 was the RAF's first version of the second generation Harrier II, built jointly as the AV-8B with McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing). With longer range, greater weapon load and advanced avionics, it was, in effect, an entirely new type. The stubby GR.5 nose was designed to carry a Ferranti line scanning Infra Red system, but this was cancelled before entering service.
BAE SYSTEMS Harrier GR.7 - 4 Sqn RAF, embarked in HMS ILLUSTRIOUS 2001.
Italeri also issued a further revised version of the kit as a GR.7, with some nice (although not entirely accurate) decals and weapons. Unfortunately these do not include the Paveway laser guided bombs worn by this model, which come from a separate Italeri weapons set.
The GR.7 introduced full night operating and precision weapon capability to the RAF's Harrier Fleet as well as a further uprated engine. Existing GR.5s were converted to the new standard. Although designed to operate at low level in the European Theatre, the GR.7 now operates at medium level and has been the backbone of RAF combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan since the 1990s, proving to be a reliable and effective weapons platform. Since the creation of Joint Force Harrier, Fleet Air Arm pilots have also flown former RAF GR.7s, with the Naval Strike Wing sharing Afghanistan duties with the RAF.
The joint RN/RAF Harrier fleet is now being further improved as the GR.7A and GR.9, with yet further engine and weapons system improvements:
Link to Harrier GR.9 operated by the Fleet Air Arm
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On to Friends & Allies Part 2 - USN, USMC & USAF Aircraft
On to Friends & Allies Part 3 - Other Nations