[SKUNKY]

Originally Posted by mkvb

....I'm off to the beach to see if I can nab a couple of snapper for tea....

What a co-inky-dink, so am I.....Now where the hell did I put my ice auger?..

[jim]

Originally Posted by SKUNKY

That's a cool shot of the Rafale....The thing that strikes me most about that photo: How are they able to grow all that sand amongst that grove of trees?...

Hey cut that out! Thats my weekend retreat , do you know how much it cost to ship in all that sand for my beach?

[von hitchofen]

Originally Posted by FROGGY

I want to see this one :Attachment 1883

Yes! an IRIAF F14 - who's gonna bite the bullet and do the most successful Tomcat ever to see action

[SKUNKY]

It's a nice scheme, alright, but I for one don't desire an Iranian aircraft in my collection and there's probably not enough people who do to make it profitable enough for anyone to produce it.

It might be an interesting poll though. Perhaps I'm the only narrow-minded s.o.b. here.

[admin]

I know...I know...
It hasn't been assigned to any active units nor will it for some time. That said, I'd buy this scheme right now.

Question:
Notice the canopy brace just forward of the pilot? I don't think the F-16 converts are going to care very much for that. Can we not get ride of that, or at least move it aft of the pilots field of vision?

[SKUNKY]

The canopy brace does seem a bit retro, doesn't it?......

...... perhaps it's just a pre-pro error!...

[skysurfer808]

Originally Posted by FROGGY

I want to see this one :Attachment 1883

I agree on the Iranian scheme, I'd certainly buy it if Century were to put it out. Let us not forget that the top scorers on the F-14 flew for Iran, rather than the USN. And they fought against Saddam, with covert support from the USA, doing quite well in the process.

Skysurfer808

[admin]

These images courtesy of Squadron Singals book: #1603 A/RA-5 Vigilante in action.

[mustangdriver]

The Vigilante. Now that is what I am talking about.

[FormerViperDriver]

Yeah, I've been praying for an RA-5C in the Hobby Master thread. What a beautiful aircraft.

On the F-35, the canopy brace is actually just there for bird-strike hardening of the canopy, nothing else. As a former F-16 pilot, I don't particularly like it, but I've "flown" the F-35 simulator, and it's actually relatively thin so it's not too intrusive in the field of view. The brace is integral to the canopy (it is not a break between a windscreen and main canopy; the transparency is actually one single mould), and the whole thing is hinged at the front, not the rear or the side as is more common. Early MiG-21 models had a similar system of front-hinged canopies. I can't think of any other fighter right now that uses, or has used, that system, though.

FVD