Here's my latest build - something I've been plotting for a while.
It has been done before, but not
quite like this; so (and with apologies to GTX), here we go:
Alternate (?) timeline date: 1st July, 2018.
'...and here are the headlines at Ten -
British government in turmoil as F-35 becomes too expensive to purchase -
Previous government blamed yet again -
2nd hand F-18's offered at further expense to taxpayer -
Katie Price ends 14th marriage -
...and in other news...
And this is where common sense steps in. Realising that:
(a) No one was going to cut the price of a naval stealth fighter.
and:
(b) They didn't have enough money left after getting ripped off over the F-35 anyway.
the MOD decided to use their remaining new fighter funds to purchase a cheap, British built fighter to arm the new carriers. Luckily, BAe was there to step in with a solution.
They already built a version of the Hawk advanced trainer as a carrier capable trainer for the US Navy. The prototypes jigs were still in storage at Warton, as were the jigs for all the other Hawk versions. BAe's engineers quickly surmised that they could combine;
The T-45 Goshawk fuselage.
The Hawk 200 cockpit and nose, with its internal ADEN cannon.
The Hawk 100 wing with its 5 underwing, and 2 wingtip hardpoints.
A Phantom FG1 - style extending oleo nosegear.
And lastly, an Adour 25R reheated turbofan engine from a Jaguar.
This gives you an all weather, supersonic, multirole carrier based fighter, with BVR missile capability.
Needless to say, the MOD jumped at the chance to;
(a) Save face,
and;
(b) Not spend much money on it.
The SeaHawk II, as it was soon called, proved to be a fast, agile performer, which the USAF regularly banned F-22 pilots from dog fighting with - a performance level which came in handy when Argentina made another play for the Falklands - but that is another story...
Here is one of the first SeaHawk II's shortly after take-off from HMS Queen Elizabeth...
As you can see, she's created from the old Matchbox Hawk 200 kit - quite a nice model. Added the wingtip 'winder rails from an Italeri Hawk 100, an F-18 arrestor hook and AMRAAMs, and a diddy little afterburner and decals from the spares box .
Honestly, can't see why we don't have something like this - everything on the jet exists, and is available to us now.
