Author Topic: Logan's Profiles - 8x8 Scimitar  (Read 366940 times)

Offline lauhof52

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop P-61F - "Marge" - Maj. Bong & Johnny Myers
« Reply #375 on: July 17, 2013, 12:51:09 AM »
Great job indeed Logan. As Always! Nice details. 8)

regards
Lauhof

Offline Matt Wiser

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop P-61F - "Marge" - Maj. Bong & Johnny Myers
« Reply #376 on: July 17, 2013, 12:04:43 PM »
Well, if Bong's flying a VLR mission escorting B-29s to show the guys how it's done, and some Ki-61s, Ki-84s, or Navy Zeroes, Georges, or Jacks come up, he's going to splash whoever gets in front of him.
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop P-61F - "Marge" - Maj. Bong & Johnny Myers
« Reply #377 on: July 17, 2013, 12:24:58 PM »
Thanks, Lauhof!

Oh I agree, Matt.  There are many cases of American pilots (in some instances civilian test pilots) being ordered to avoid combat and stick to training flights but somehow "happening" upon the enemy.  Lindbergh was notorious for this.  In that role, Bong could have added to his score, but it was certainly getting a lot more competitive in the air by that point in the war.  There were fewer Japanese aircraft to go around and a lot more Americans.  I also try not to use the different aircraft the drastically change history since as I've gotten older, I've come to recognize that merely swapping out aircraft types rarely has that monumental of an impact.  You'll notice that I didn't increase the number of kills on any of my He 100 profiles, despite the aircraft being a better performer than the 109.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Matt Wiser

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Northrop P-61F - "Marge" - Maj. Bong & Johnny Myers
« Reply #378 on: July 17, 2013, 02:27:07 PM »
Lindbergh was unofficially an ace, IIRC.
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline M.A.D

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Japanese A9He1-N "Wade" Floatplane
« Reply #379 on: July 28, 2013, 11:54:43 AM »





Wow if any military was going to employ the Hind to its maximum effect, I could see the IDF being the one! Imagine a self-supported Israeli Commando raid into Syria, Lebanon........!!
The other would have been the Rhodesian and South African's! Imagine the Hind replacing the makeshift and limited Aérospatiale Alouette III in the 'Fire Force' mission!!

M.A.D   

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Japanese A9He1-N "Wade" Floatplane
« Reply #380 on: August 11, 2013, 12:19:53 AM »
Wow if any military was going to employ the Hind to its maximum effect, I could see the IDF being the one! Imagine a self-supported Israeli Commando raid into Syria, Lebanon........!!
The other would have been the Rhodesian and South African's! Imagine the Hind replacing the makeshift and limited Aérospatiale Alouette III in the 'Fire Force' mission!!


Yeah, I saw them as a replacement for their early model Cobras still in service.  Also, considering how they employ some of their transport helicopters, I likewise saw them as a potentially effective force.

As for South Africa, I did one of those many moons ago:



Cheers,

Logan

Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #381 on: September 13, 2013, 12:39:15 AM »
As always, click on the image below to see the picture at 100% or view it at my DeviantArt page.  It's the Vought V-507, LTV's submission to the VFX competition actually won by the Grumman Tomcat.  I've also submitted this to the Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda GB.



After the failure of the F-111B program, the US Navy began looking at alternative options for its replacement carrier fighter. In July 1968, the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the Naval Fighter Experimental (VFX) program. VFX called for a tandem two-seat, twin-engined air-to-air fighter with a maximum speed of Mach 2.2. It would also have a built-in M61 Vulcan cannon and a secondary close air support role. The VFX's air-to-air missiles would be either six AIM-54 Phoenix or a combination of six AIM-7 Sparrow and four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Bids were received from General Dynamics, Grumman, Ling-Temco-Vought, McDonnell Douglas and North American Rockwell; four bids incorporated variable-geometry wings. It was also to use the Pratt & Whitney TF30 engine and AN/AWG-9 radar used on the F-111B to reduce cost and save development time.

Ling-Temco-Vought’s new TF30-powered A-7s were just entering service with the US Navy at that time and the F-8 Crusader was still serving, having earned a reputation for itself over Vietnam as a fine dogfighter. Despite this, swing wing technology was still in its infancy and LTV sought out a company with some experience in this new field. Dassault’s Mirage G prototype fighter was a twin engine, high performance fighter with variable geometry wings. In fact, one prototype was even powered by a variant of the same TF30 engine specified in the VFX program. Already teamed with Lockheed California Co for the VFX competition, the additional technical data provided by Dassault placed the Dallas firm in a strongly competitive position.

Vought’s V-507 proposal would bear a strong resemblance to the Mirage G including the distinctive intake cones found on the Lockheed F-104 and the Dassault Mirage series of fighters. Vought would also build a full scale mockup of the V-507 proposal, the only company in the VFX competition to do so. The maturity of the V-507 design, the experience of Vought with the TF30 engine and variable geometry wings (with Dassault’s assistance), and Vought’s track record on the F-8 and A-7 programs would eventually carry the day. While not considered to be necessarily the fastest or most maneuverable design of those proposed, the V-507 was judged to have the lowest risk of the proposals while still easily meeting all the requirements outlined by NAVAIR. In the wake of the F-111B fiasco, the VFX program was being closely monitored by Congress and this would prove to be a factor in the decision. The Defense Department awarded Ling-Temco-Vought the F-14A contract in January of 1969. The contract was signed on February 3, 1969, and Vought christened the aircraft the Vagabond.

The Vought F-14A Vagabond (BuNo 15798) first flew on November 23, 1970, just 21 months after the contract was signed and nearly two months ahead of schedule. In order to save time and forestall interference from Secretary McNamara, the Navy skipped the prototype phase and jumped directly to full-scale development. The first 12 F-14As Vought produced were earmarked for development and testing. Most of the problems encountered during testing related to the troublesome TF30 engines that would continue to plague the F-14A throughout its service life. Despite this, VF-124, the fleet readiness training squadron, received its first F-14 in March of 1972. The first two F-14 fleet squadrons, VF-1 and VF-2 were commissioned on August 12, 1972 at NAS Miramar. These two squadrons deployed on the USS Enterprise in June, 1974.

The infamous Jolly Rogers, VF-84, began their transition to the Vought F-14A Vagabond in March 1976, becoming operational on the new type in 1977. Together with sister squadron VF-41, they were moved to Carrier Air Wing 8 (CVW-8), deploying aboard the USS Nimitz. They started on their first Tomcat cruise on 1 December 1977, and were at sea until 20 July of 1978. The large single tail of the mighty Vagabond was ideal for a dramatic display of the Jolly Rogers' colors. Changes from the scheme last used on the Phantoms were those mandated by the different fuselage design, although the skull and crossbones motif took on a more modern look. The Vagabond in this profile is presented in its Navy legacy scheme of gull gray over white, with white horizontal control surfaces. The Jolly Rogers adapted well to the Tomcat on this first Med cruise aboard the Nimitz, and the media started to take notice of the sleek new fighters with their colorful livery.







You can see in the detail shot above how much work Talos and I put into the missiles on the V-507.  Even the above images are less than 20% of their actual size.  Yes, later ones will feature the Phoenix.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline apophenia

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #382 on: September 13, 2013, 03:56:53 AM »
Gorgeous!  :-*
Froglord: "... amphibious doom descends ... approach the alter and swear your allegiance to the swamp."

Offline Damian

  • Some of his profiles take longer to do than kits I've made...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #383 on: September 13, 2013, 07:20:05 AM »
Stellar work!
Sic gorgiamus allos subjectatos nunc

Offline Matt Wiser

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #384 on: September 13, 2013, 09:00:26 AM »
Nice job! Though MacNamara would've been out of office by the time the contract was awarded. And where's the Vulcan gun on this aircraft? That was a VFX requirement.
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #385 on: September 13, 2013, 09:11:11 AM »
Thanks apophenia, damian, and Matt!  Matt, I know he would have been out by that time, but that was a concern of the DoD.  In fact, I took that portion of the text from the Wikipedia page on the F-14.  In another book I have on Grumman that covers the F-14, they describe the contract as a "McNamara special".

As for the Vulcan, Vought put theirs on the right side.  I'm not just saying that so we didn't have to draw it, that's where the cutaway puts it.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Talos

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #386 on: September 13, 2013, 10:09:11 AM »
Specifically the gun is built in underneath the engine intake on the starboard side, with the muzzle fairing located in between the outer and center forward Sparrow mounts.

To illustrate it, here's one of the section cuts from the V-507. If you're looking at the profile, this is from the vertical panel line cutting through the second "S" in "USS Nimitz", facing forward. You can see the gun on the starboard side between the two Sparrows.


Offline Logan Hartke

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #387 on: September 13, 2013, 10:14:42 AM »
You can also see how impressive it is that they got 10 missiles on the plane without putting a single one on the wings.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline Matt Wiser

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #388 on: September 14, 2013, 10:05:56 AM »
I take it Phoenix would've been on pallets, just as it was on the real-world F-14, then? Any chance of a second work showing an AIM-54 armed example?
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline Talos

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #389 on: September 14, 2013, 10:37:19 AM »
I take it Phoenix would've been on pallets, just as it was on the real-world F-14, then? Any chance of a second work showing an AIM-54 armed example?


In a word, yes. We do plan on doing other loadouts like Phoenix, drop-tanks, and maybe A2G ordnance in the future.

Phoenix were mounted on pylons similar to the Sparrow ones here, but larger. The centerline ones were as well, they weren't recessed like the Sparrows.

It's small, but here's a good shot of three of them installed on the mockup.



In a fleet defense role, it could carry six of these, plus two tanks, but I'm also seeing a loadout of two Phoenix, two Sidewinders, and four Sparrows on the mockup, which was probably more of a normal CAP loadout.

Offline Matt Wiser

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #390 on: September 14, 2013, 11:44:12 AM »
And an IIAF bird, I imagine....
Treat everyone you meet with kindness and respect. But always have a plan ready to kill them.

Old USMC Adage.

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #391 on: September 14, 2013, 02:28:15 PM »
And an IIAF bird, I imagine....

Oh yeah!
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline taiidantomcat

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #392 on: September 15, 2013, 11:55:02 PM »
And an IIAF bird, I imagine....

I like the way you think  :)
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Offline dy031101

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #393 on: September 16, 2013, 08:55:55 AM »
Bada*s!  :)
Forget about his bow and arrows- why wait until that sparrow has done his deed when I can just bury him right now 'cause I'm sick and tired of hearing why he wants to have his way with the cock robin!?

Offline lauhof52

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Vought V-507 Vagabond - VF-84 Jolly Rogers
« Reply #394 on: September 18, 2013, 08:40:37 PM »
Excellent work, Logan!!

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - Captured Japanese Viking/Stuka
« Reply #395 on: September 21, 2013, 10:53:44 AM »
I spent so much time on the V-507, I decided to take a break from it and work on something completely different.  So, to change things up a bit I did a profile of a Vought modification of a European design with an unconventional wing, tailored to meet US Navy requirements as an alternative to a truly classic Navy aircraft.  Oh, wait.

Well, it felt different to me at the time.  So, without further ado...



Ordered by the ML-KNIL for the Dutch East Indies, the V-187-N3 was similar in confiuration to the Norwegian V-187-N2 pattern aircraft.  Not many aircraft were delivered before the Dutch East Indies fell to the Japanese, so they had little impact on the campaign, a number of the aircraft being captured by the Japanese when they took the islands.  This particular aircraft was tested by the Tachikawa Army Aerotechnical Research Institute.

I've also submitted this to the Asiarama GB over at the What If Forums.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline lauhof52

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Captured Japanese Viking/Stuka
« Reply #396 on: September 21, 2013, 03:39:44 PM »
Very nice one , Logan. I love to see you do a Vought SB4U again!! 8)

regards
Lauhof

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - Captured Japanese Viking/Stuka
« Reply #397 on: September 21, 2013, 11:34:52 PM »
Thanks, Lauhof!  I knew you would be glad to see me getting back to these.  Still working my way towards the Midway birds but there's a few that I want to do before I get there.  You should still like them, though.

Cheers,

Logan

Offline GTX_Admin

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Re: Logan's Profiles - Captured Japanese Viking/Stuka
« Reply #398 on: September 22, 2013, 04:16:04 AM »
Sweet!!!
All hail the God of Frustration!!!

You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

Offline Logan Hartke

  • High priest in the black arts of profiling...
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Re: Logan's Profiles - Captured Japanese Viking/Stuka
« Reply #399 on: September 22, 2013, 01:33:24 PM »
Thanks, guys!  Watch this space (especially you, lauhof!), because I should be able to do another one in the next couple of days.

Cheers,

Logan