Aussie Vigilante

[ScranJ51]

Have 2, so why not make one an Aussie:

RA-5C

AUS RA-5C-1 by David Freeman, on Flickr

AUS RA-5C-2 by David Freeman, on Flickr

AUS RA-5C-3 by David Freeman, on Flickr

Recce bird with 4 tanks plus an AAR Probe.  Note also the modification to allow carriage of an ALQ-131 ECM pod on the port "chin".

Markings to commemorate the Series 2 A8 aircraft - Mk 21 Beaufighters of WW2 - in this case "Barren Joey" of 31 Squadron

[finsrin]

Color scheme is pleasant change from 60s - 70s scheme.  Looks more modern/menacing this way. 

[Volkodav]

Very nice

[GTX_Admin]

 

[ChernayaAkula]

Looks great in those colours. 

The planform view always reminds me of the Foxbat. Hmmm, Viggie with AWG-9 and AIM-54s as a long-range interceptor?

[Kerick]

Color scheme is pleasant change from 60s - 70s scheme.  Looks more modern/menacing this way. 

I agree there! Makes me wonder what a conformal fuel tank would look like.

[elmayerle]

Looks great in those colours. 

The planform view always reminds me of the Foxbat. Hmmm, Viggie with AWG-9 and AIM-54s as a long-range interceptor?

Perhaps a "simple" twin-engined version of the NAR-349, possibly with PW1120s or F414s replacing the J79s?

[elmayerle]

Looks beautiful!!  ISTR that the Vigilante has a retractable refueling probe pretty close to where you have your non-retractable one.

[Buzzbomb]

Nice colours.

[ScranJ51]

Elmayerle,

Yes, the probe was retractable - but the kit has it as an add on and it covers a small hole..........

ChernayaAkula,

You know what - great idea!  Watch this space   

Kerick,

Why a conformal tank?  In making the interceptor version, I'll assume that the internal bomb bay (where Vigilante's carried the "special weapons") is used for fuel thereby freeing up the pylons.   

[elmayerle]

Why not repurpose the canoe to carry AIM-54s in a semi-conformal arrangement?

[ScranJ51]

yes - one option. 

Working on a few possibilities

 

[elmayerle]

Perhaps also extending the canoe to forward of the nose gear as on the NAR-349.

[GTX_Admin]

Some kind of inspiration:






Click for bigger versions

[ScranJ51]

Thanks GTX - am starting to look at configurations   

Kerick - did some digging. 

Standard RA-5C carried 1430 US Gallons in the wings plus 1285 in the fuselage.  The internal configuration in the attack version with Nuclear weapons was 1 x Special weapon and some additional fuel:

North_American_A-5A_internal_bomb_bay by David Freeman, on Flickr

If the weapon is discounted an additional 885 Gallons in three tanks could be carried, giving a total of 3,600 US Gallons.  In this configuration, subsonic high altitude combat radius was 1,310NM.

In the configuration of my model with the 4 x 400 Gallon tanks, the fuel load becomes an extra 1,600 Gallons - around .44 of the internal.

So, adding .44 of 1,310NM would give a radius of around 1800NM.


No need for conformal tanks........

[GTX_Admin]

I don't think the Vig' would make a dogfighter but as an interceptor/missilier....hmmm, might need to do some more research myself on this idea.

[ScranJ51]

Agreed GTX - will NOT be carrying AIM-9's.

Am looking at AIM-54 and AMRAAM's