Beyond The Sprues
Modelling => Completed GBs => Group and Themed Builds => 2013 "Clear Your Workbench" GB => Topic started by: Logan Hartke on November 24, 2013, 01:23:16 PM
-
Here's another entry for the GB, a Handley Page Panther as seen at Farnborough in 1955. I've used a lighter than usual on this one because the blue blended in perfectly with my standard background. Click on the image to see it at 100%.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/loganov/Profiles/B-51%20Panther/900px/RAFPanther2.jpg?t=1358572074) (http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2013/327/e/4/raf_handley_page_panther_b_2___farnborough_1955_by_comradeloganov-d6vep4q.jpg)
These Handley Page production aircraft would differ substantially from the American B-51s. First and foremost, they used Avon engines instead of the J47s used on the B-51A. This provided the RAF Panthers with a substantial increase in available thrust. Another major change was with the cockpit, as the RAF preferred to move both crew members under the canopy, as the USAF would also do in the B-51B. Whereas the B-51B went with a tandem crew layout, however, the RAF displayed a clear preference for side-by-side seating from its experience with the Canberra, in particular. This allowed for improved crew communication and allowed for a more efficient layout of the cockpit. Finally, they added a substantial ECM suite to the top of the T-tail.
One of the first examples of this new British Panther variant was taken to the Farnborough airshow by Handley Page in 1955. Just as they did at Farnborough two years earlier in 1953, Handley Page painted it to match its larger stablemate, the Handley Page Victor. Both of the aircraft were finished in a gorgeous cerulean blue overall. In fact, Handley Page managed to arrange for the two aircraft to have similar RAF serial numbers, WB775 for the Victor and XM775 for the Panther, respectively.
Cheers,
Logan
-
Nice
-
Great! Do you have a picture of former steps? (where you were stopped)
-
Great! Do you have a picture of former steps? (where you were stopped)
Where I stopped was so far from this that I basically had to restart it from a different spot. It was basically the 1953 black and red Farnborough bird, but with bright red Avon nacelles up front. I was so displeased with them, however, that I chose to use my RAF Falklands Panther as a better basis for this one.
http://talos56.deviantart.com/art/Handley-Page-Panther-Mk-1-demo-131672176 (http://talos56.deviantart.com/art/Handley-Page-Panther-Mk-1-demo-131672176)
(http://fc04.deviantart.net/fs46/i/2009/212/6/c/B_51A_RAF_1_by_talos56.jpg)
Cheers,
Logan
-
Thanks a lot, that helps us to appreciate the new features.
-
That is really cool! :-*
-
Now that is very sweet. Great work as always. :-*
-
Thanks, guys! I'm glad you all like it. Thanks! In case anyone was wondering, here are some color images of the WB775 that served as the inspiration for this aircraft from Farnborough in 1955.
(http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2XqosMF2mOc/Ty3pGh1MlrI/AAAAAAAABh4/PzhZ1BIwX9s/s1600/Victor+Prototype+WB775+2.jpg)
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n9eviSqNkI8/Ty3pD4tteGI/AAAAAAAABhw/EsLnTTwk310/s1600/Victor+Prototype+WB775+1.jpg)
(http://i710.photobucket.com/albums/ww110/Jetflap/John%20Read%20aviation%20photos%20-%201950s/0018VictorB1.jpg)
(http://www10.clikpic.com/WestyArt/images/WB775.jpg)
Cheers,
Logan
-
Enjoying B-51 profiles. :) For both colors and quality. :)
Was wondering about how it was you came up with scheme for B.2
Now I (we?) know. Is a blend into the sky color.
Been years in waiting for injection molded 1/72 B-51 kit. :(
-
([url]http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2XqosMF2mOc/Ty3pGh1MlrI/AAAAAAAABh4/PzhZ1BIwX9s/s1600/Victor+Prototype+WB775+2.jpg[/url])
It looks like its about 3 different shades in that picture! :o
-
Especially when you look at this version of it, too!
(http://www.millionmonkeytheater.com/victorpics/wb775.jpg)
Cheers,
Logan
-
the victor mustve looked like it came from outer space back in the 50s!!!
best looking bomber ever made imo
-
Dead right, the combination of the Victor and the Vulcan in the same place was mind blowing. The Valiant looked positively staid by comparison.
That 'Cerulean Blue' was a very odd colour in the metal. I reckon the correct shade was the part forward of the wing in the top most photo. The 'faded' version is too washed out, just look at the roundel and you'll see what I mean.
-
This one should be familiar, but it was never truly finished. This is a Handley Page Panther as a Black Buck bomber from 1982. As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page (http://www.deviantart.com/art/RAF-Handley-Page-Panther-B-I-4-Falklands-1982-419091985).
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/loganov/Profiles/B-51%20Panther/900px/RAFPanther3b.jpg~original) (http://fc07.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2013/344/7/3/raf_handley_page_panther_b_i__4___falklands_1982_by_comradeloganov-d6xilg1.jpg)
The weather over the Falkland Islands on 3 June 1982 was poor, and the only offensive air action was an air strike by Panther B(I).4 XM267. Flown by Flt Lt Steve Griggs and his No 14 Sqn crew, 'Black Buck 6' carried four Texas Instruments AGM-45A Shrike anti-radar missiles to use against the radars around Port Stanley that were directing air raids on the Task Force, targeting Exocet attacks, warning Argentine aircraft of Sea Harrier patrols and gun-laying for AAA batteries. Griggs approached the target from the northeast at low altitude, before popping up to 16,000 ft to begin his attack. But experience from previous 'Black Buck' raids had taught the Argentine radar operators what to expect from a bomber behaving in this way. 'As we got to about nine miles from Port Stanley', recalled Griggs, 'the radars started to switch off, and as we went past and out to sea again, they came on. We went round and round repeating that process for about 40 minutes. Then, on the final run before we had to go home, I decided to go into a descent towards Port Stanley airfield to tempt them into switching on the radars to have ago at us'. Griggs eased back the three throttles and XM267 started to descend. 'We got down to about 10,000 ft, heading towards Sapper Hill, and sure enough one of their radars came on. Then the guns started firing at us. I saw flashes in the sky as four shells burst below me and to the right'. Meanwhile, Navigator Flt Lt Alistair Inverarity locked on two Shrikes and launched them one after the other at the radar. As Griggs pulled the Panther up so as to avoid going too low, he saw an explosive flash light up the mist just above the ground. One of the missiles had impacted close to a Skyguard fire control radar, where it caused damage and killed four of the operating crew - an officer, a sergeant and two soldiers.
XM267 flew 'Black Bucks 5' and '6', firing Shrike anti-radar missiles carried on twin adapters against Argentine radar units. XM267 carried and fired two Shrikes during 'Black Buck 5', and carried four for 'Black Buck 6', firing two 'in anger'. The aircraft is seen here as it appeared post-war, with mission markings consisting of Argentine flags and missile silhouettes and a Brazilian flag, and carrying four Shrike missiles on the fuselage pylons. The Brazilian flag marked the aircraft's unscheduled visit to Rio de Janeiro after 'Black Buck 6', when its refueling probe tip broke as it attempted to refuel.
Obviously, this is a "what if" aircraft in the markings of a Black Buck Vulcan from the Falklands. The text above is likewise modified from the actual incident. Some of you may recognize the names Steve Griggs and Alistair Inverarity. They were involved in another live fire incident from 1982. That incident was not as auspicious as McDougall and Trevaskus', however.
The profile, when submitted the first time was actually about 85% done. Talos and I finally got around to finishing it this time. I'd been waiting for the IFR probe from him before, but life got in the way, so I just submitted it 'as is'. Now, though, it has the probe as originally intended. I also added some markings, gave it a full backstory, and fixed some of the image text. I hope you all like this one a bit more!
Cheers,
Logan
-
And in case you're not brave or foolish enough to go looking at the 100% image, here's a close up shot of the new probe and rescue markings:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v132/loganov/Profiles/B-51%20Panther/Detail/RAFPanther3probe.jpg~original)
Cheers,
Logan
-
Gotta say; the Panther is awesome! :D
:)
Guy
-
Cracking job there Logan! :)
I wish someone made an XB-51 that I could afford though!
-
Thanks, guys! That's the only downside about profiling the subjects that I do. Their rarity makes them really hard to model. Oh well, one of these days, maybe I'll see one of them in plastic.
Cheers,
Logan
-
Really like that
-
The 'Black Buck' Panther... extremely cool. 8) :)
-
I wish someone made an XB-51 that I could afford though!
Any scale preference?
-
The One True Scale of course, 1/72. ;)
[Incomimg!]
-
Love the detail on the nose and certainly the camo on the missiles :)
-
Thanks! Now, admittedly, those bits of detail are admittedly a bit anachronistic. The missile loadout is as it would appear PRIOR to the mission and the markings are as they would appear AFTER the mission. It's certainly possible (especially in the What If world) that it would be re-armed with missiles after the markings were applied, but it's unlikely that they would again be camouflaged.
Cheers,
Logan
-
It could have been readied for 'Black Buck 6' or 7?
-
I really like the modified canopy Logan, what did you guys use for a base ? I think I'll build the XB-51 I have a bit like this.
Only comment I would make (and I realise I'm really late to the party), I don't think the forward engine nacelles would have been that profile. They look a little too much like early Meteor nacelles and flight testing had proven that the shape of the nacelle actually restricted the aircrafts top speed. In the Aerofax book, the Gloster Meteor (by Buttler & Butler), there's a few photos of an Avon/Sapphire powered Meteor FTB, it would give a hint at what a possible nacelle shape could have been. The air intake was enormous compared to the Derwent engine nacelles.
-
It could have been readied for 'Black Buck 6' or 7?
Yeah, that was one thought that I had that made it "ok" to profile that way.
I really like the modified canopy Logan, what did you guys use for a base ? I think I'll build the XB-51 I have a bit like this.
Only comment I would make (and I realise I'm really late to the party), I don't think the forward engine nacelles would have been that profile. They look a little too much like early Meteor nacelles and flight testing had proven that the shape of the nacelle actually restricted the aircrafts top speed. In the Aerofax book, the Gloster Meteor (by Buttler & Butler), there's a few photos of an Avon/Sapphire powered Meteor FTB, it would give a hint at what a possible nacelle shape could have been. The air intake was enormous compared to the Derwent engine nacelles.
Thanks, kit (too many "kits" around here), we used the English Electric Lightning T.4 cockpit.
(http://www.airteamimages.com/pics/131/131144_800.jpg)
As for the nacelles, though, I have to disagree here. We used the Avon nacelles almost directly from the Caravelle. It's the same engine, the same era, the same sort of application, etc. The only difference is that we removed the "scallops" at the back of the nacelle because noise reduction doesn't matter.
(http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-photos/middle/5/3/3/0362335.jpg)
Cheers,
Logan
-
Thanks, kit (too many "kits" around here), we used the English Electric Lightning T.4 cockpit.
As for the nacelles, though, I have to disagree here. We used the Avon nacelles almost directly from the Caravelle. It's the same engine, the same era, the same sort of application, etc. The only difference is that we removed the "scallops" at the back of the nacelle because noise reduction doesn't matter.
Cheers,
Logan
A-ha! right! I forgot about the Caravelle was Avon equipped ---