Author Topic: F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965  (Read 2138 times)

Offline Rickshaw

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F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965
« on: September 09, 2018, 12:46:13 PM »
F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965

As we now know, Duncan Sandys was forced to resign because of his peccadillo with the Duchess of Argyll.  His replacement was John Profumo.  In late 1957, Profumo handed down the much expected Defence White Paper.   It promised savage cuts to an already over-extended and increasingly out of date RAF.  All aircraft contracts for fighters and strike aircraft were to be cut, immediately.  Instead the RAF would go over to using guided missiles.   Fighters were to be replaced by long range Surface to Air missiles and strike aircraft by IRBMs (Intermediate Range Ballistic Missiles) initially and then, once developed, ICBMs (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles), both of which were to be situated in “silos” below ground, in the British countryside.

John Profumo had done his deed.  He had saved the British tax-payers millions of pounds but at the expense of several tens of thousands of workers' jobs.   Profumo, as we know was later forced to resign because of his involvement with Christine Keeler.    The RAF began to “wind down”.  Aircraft were not replaced, except with missiles.   Within five years, the RAF was only a shadow of it's former self.  British aircraft manufacturing had been devastated.

The RAF realised that whilst missiles looked good on the cover of magazines, they were not quite as useful at policing the airspace of the UK.   Soviet bombers started approaching closer and closer as the numbers of fighters were retired.   The scandal finally broke when a Soviet Bear bomber, allegedly “blown off course” overflew Belfast without challenge in broad daylight.   London was alarmed.  Washington was horrified.  London urgently requested that the USAF station more fighters in the UK.   Washington complied, on the understanding that the UK would either restart its aircraft manufacturing or purchase aircraft from America.   It did both.

The first “emergency fighter” that the RAF received from the USAF were second-hand F-101B Voodoos.  Equipped with either 4 (originally 6)× AIM-4 Falcon, or 2× AIR-2 Genie nuclear rockets, plus 2× AIM-4 Falcon, carried on a rotating missile bay door.







The Model

The model is an old Matchbox F-101 in 1/72 scale, finished as an aircraft from 41 Squadron RAF (which operated F-4 Phantoms).  It has been brushpainted and finished with decals from the spares box.
« Last Edit: September 25, 2018, 08:44:54 AM by Rickshaw »

Offline Brian da Basher

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Re: F-101, 43 Squadron RAF, 1965
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2018, 12:08:10 AM »
I like this one a lot. Looks natural in that camo/marking scheme.

Brian da Basher

Offline apophenia

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Re: F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2018, 04:18:10 AM »
Excellent stuff. The origins of the RAF Voodoo sounds almost CF-101esque. Except, in the Canadian backstory, the first Minister of National Defence would have been George Pearkes (MND June 1957-Oct 1960 -forced to resign after dosing off during a Diefenbaker speech in The House). The second MND would be Jean Peutin (MND 04 Feb-11 Feb 1963 - caught in flagrante delicto with a certain cheese-based Québécois dish).
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Offline Rickshaw

  • "Of course, I could be talking out of my hat"
Re: F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2018, 09:03:25 AM »
Excellent stuff. The origins of the RAF Voodoo sounds almost CF-101esque. Except, in the Canadian backstory, the first Minister of National Defence would have been George Pearkes (MND June 1957-Oct 1960 -forced to resign after dosing off during a Diefenbaker speech in The House). The second MND would be Jean Peutin (MND 04 Feb-11 Feb 1963 - caught in flagrante delicto with a certain cheese-based Québécois dish).

Gee, they play tough politics in Canada.  Downunder, you'd need to be either caught doing you old mate from the Queensland Police force a favour or having it off with the Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition to lose your Ministerial post on the Front Bench...  ;)

Offline pigflyer

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Re: F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2018, 04:35:39 PM »
Oh yes, really suits the camo and decals, nice backstory too, very realististic, what a cool finish. Love it.

Ian
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Offline Robomog

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Re: F-101, 41 Squadron RAF, 1965
« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2018, 04:19:55 PM »
Looks very natural in camo, nice build and alt history.

Mog
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