Author Topic: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished  (Read 20168 times)

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #25 on: May 10, 2014, 01:11:03 AM »
A quick word about the Sidetrack system is in hand,  any aircraft outfitted with this system wouldn't be an 'all-out' AEW.  The purpose was to get the radar scanner up to around 30-35,000 feet where the system would relay the scanned targets back to a control room on the surface, in a ship or mobile truck/trailer. 

Any aircraft would have to be able to take the equipment used to operate the scanners and also a powerful transmitter to relay the info in almost 'real-time'.  For the Harrier I think most of the operating equipment was installed in the two underwing pods (I'm pretty sure they weren't fuel tanks and in the Flight International article they're painted an odd orangy/brown colour) and the transmitter would have been under the cockpit. It would have been quite heavy hence the extended tail.  What I can't see on the Sidetrack Harrier is how the info was relayed back to the control room, something seems to be missing.

On the F-35, all this equipment and transmitter would go inside the weapons bays so what I've done is add some small fairings to the outside of the weapon bay doors then some large antenna blades to handle the data transfer (as it's now called).  Then I added a couple of smaller ones and another big blade to the top of the fuselage.
« Last Edit: May 10, 2014, 01:21:37 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #26 on: May 10, 2014, 02:37:52 AM »
Smart subtle way of showing the bays are filled with something different  :)
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #27 on: May 10, 2014, 02:57:45 AM »
thanks tc

Offline ChernayaAkula

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #28 on: May 10, 2014, 06:10:21 AM »
Love the idea of using the weapon bays for storing goods that don't need the weapon bay doors be able to open.  :)
Cheers,
Moritz

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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #29 on: May 10, 2014, 09:50:08 PM »
Love the idea of using the weapon bays for storing goods that don't need the weapon bay doors be able to open.  :)

It's a much more logical place to put everything Moritz

Anyway, another update. Photos show that there's a frame of sorts just under the forward canopy but not part of the canopy, the Fujimi kit doesn't show or have anything whereas the Italeri kit has the frame engraved in the canopy.

I made up a hoop which I think looks like what you really see. (top pic)
Then what it looks like with the canopy on (bottom two pics)

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #30 on: May 11, 2014, 03:23:30 AM »
If someone would release a copy of the gun pod in 1/48 (Why KittyHawk?  Why did you not include this in the F-35B kit?  Why??), one could use it as the basis for a Terma Multi-Mission Pod:



Which theoretically could be equipped with AESA Side Scanning radar for this mission. 8)
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Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #31 on: May 11, 2014, 04:27:03 AM »
When I was asking Chris Gibson for some info on Sidetrack for the F-35, he said he thought the scanners themselves could go inside the weapons bays.  But after seeing my pics of my F-35 with drop tanks on he realized that they would block the view from the scanners.  There was also the problem of where to put all the associated equipment for the scanners, keeping in mind I'm using the F-35B which already has other equipment in the fuselage.  If I was to do this again, all I would change would be the shape of the wingtip pods ---

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #32 on: June 15, 2014, 11:36:47 PM »
I'm nearly finished with this, just wrapping up the decals so won't be long.

Couple of pics to date:

« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 12:04:19 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #33 on: June 16, 2014, 12:25:56 AM »
That sure finished up a treat! I really like the paintwork and the tail with the checkerboard is very eye-catching!

Brian da Basher

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #34 on: June 16, 2014, 12:47:53 AM »
Thanks BdB, all that's left to do is a bit of paint touch-up, and some tiddly decals to put on.  Should have it done later in the week.

Offline finsrin

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #35 on: June 16, 2014, 02:45:44 AM »
Does look like the real deal sidetrack F-35 :)
Checkerboards add right amount of "pop".

Offline Volkodav

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #36 on: June 16, 2014, 03:27:29 AM »
 :)
That really looks the goods !

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35
« Reply #37 on: June 16, 2014, 09:30:06 PM »
Thanks guys --

An interesting thing popped up while I was researching what (and how) to do the decal scheme.  It was always going to be a Brit operated aircraft because of the Sidetrack system, and to be a Royal Navy one.  Choosing which squadron to operate it was a matter of looking through the decal box and finding some appropriate decals.  I had three sheets which I found I could use, all for Sea Harrier FA.2's. Plus I had the Xtrakit FA.2 kit to go by as well.

 One of the three schemes in that kit was for an 801 Sqn. aircraft which was also aircraft number 007 for the squadron.  I thought that was too good not to use in this 'spooks & spies' GB.  Having chosen the scheme to use I got thinking about it -- double O 7 was an odd number for a sqn aircraft so I thought the pilot who flew it mostly must have had a surname of Bond or something.

Anyway it turns out it wasn't, but one of the decal sheets offered a clue.  The sheet in question was the SAM Productions sheet for the FA.2's retirement schemes, these had a multitude of 'name' boards stenciled on including the crew chiefs names.  One pair of crew chiefs (they are actually referred to as AEM's, Aircraft Engineer (Mechanical) ) drew my attention, their names appear attached together on the sheet so I'm assuming they worked on the same aircraft.  Well the top name was AEM James, and the bottom name was AEM Bond --- I think it's safe to assume that they were the crew chiefs for aircraft 007, don't you.

My story is when the Sea Harrier was 'stood down', these two guys transferred to the F-35 program and ended up working together again, and their new aircraft got number 007 too.
« Last Edit: June 16, 2014, 09:31:47 PM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #38 on: June 26, 2014, 11:38:30 PM »
I'm going to call this finished ---

Some pictures
« Last Edit: June 27, 2014, 01:41:43 AM by kitnut617 »

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #39 on: June 27, 2014, 01:42:27 AM »
more pics

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #40 on: June 27, 2014, 01:42:57 AM »
couple more

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #41 on: June 27, 2014, 02:15:49 AM »
Great job, I love the paint scheme, too!

Cheers,

Logan

Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #42 on: June 27, 2014, 02:19:14 AM »
Home Run!!   :)
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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #43 on: June 27, 2014, 02:52:42 AM »
 :)
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

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But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #44 on: June 27, 2014, 03:15:51 AM »
thanks guys 

Offline Jeffry Fontaine

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #45 on: June 27, 2014, 04:36:11 AM »
Really nice work on that F-35 Robert. 
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Offline Tophe

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #46 on: June 29, 2014, 12:38:30 AM »
Belated congratulations! :-*

Offline kitnut617

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Re: Sidetrack F-35 ---- Finished
« Reply #47 on: June 29, 2014, 09:09:59 PM »
Thanks again -- it was good therapy  -----    :))