Yeah, not much happening on the model building front.
However! I have got both of these builds to the "Waiting for Weapons" stage. Actually, just waiting for 1/48 AIM-7E Sparrows for the
Kalpa; when I have them, I'll scratch build some pylons for both aircraft, build, paint & decal their respective missiles, & finish them off.
BUT, they are at the "Finished for Now" stage & photo's await below:
Valmet OY Lentokonetehdas (Valmet Aircraft Factory) Peitsi (Lance)More commonly known as the
Papukaijan Nokka (Parrot Beak) by the personnel working with & flying them, the
Peitsi was designed as a high-speed interceptor. Obviously based loosely on the Lavochkin La-200 series of Soviet experimental aircraft (the Finns refuse to say how they obtained the plans for these aircraft, or even admit that they did) the two-seater was classified as a "two-engined" fighter, as its main engine was a Rolls-Royce RB.44
Tay centrifugal turbo-jet, with what appeared to be a local Valmet development of either the Armstrong Siddeley
Sapphire or the Wright J65 (again, however they got the designs, the Finns aren't talking), called the V-50, as a secondary "booster" engine. There appear to have been some issues with the metallurgy of the V-50 during the first half-decade of its manufacture that limited its ability to operate for sustained periods; however, the benefits it provided on take-off & in combat were deemed worth the effort of fitting it to the
Peitsi. Whilst not in use the airflow was diverted around the engine & out two large vents in the lower fuselage sides to reduce air resistance.
Capable of carrying 2 x 500L "slipper" drop tanks, which extended its combat radius to approximately 650km (including full-power intercept climb to 12,000m) & up to 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles plus another 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinders, the
Peitsi was, also, armed with 6 x 20mm Hispano Mk.V cannon (later swapped out for US M39 revolver cannons).
Link:
https://guyplachy.smugmug.com/La-200NJ/
