Irish Air Corps Seabhac 200, 2015 QRA, Loaded For Bear

[Aeroplanedriver]

While I'm finishing up a quick RW Tamiya Spitfire I thought I'd start getting ready for my next build...finally a Whif after a few real builds...

Backstory involves Putin's Russian Bear awakening a little earlier than in the real world, with Russian Air Force and Naval forces probing NATO territory on a regular basis.  The RAF are stretched to the limit and facing an ever shrinking budget.  Many of the Russian Bear flights probe the western defenses of he UK, resulting in a lot of Tornado and eventually Typhoon scrambles being sent to defend Irish Airspace in accordance with a long standing agreement. 

With RAF Air Defense assets stretched a clever bod in Whitehall hatches a plan to fund the Irish Air Corps from the Foreign Aid budget in a tidy little arrangement that also benefits BAE as the Hawk production line is looking at a diminishing order book.  Financed by the UK the Irish Air Corps received 14 Hawk 200s and two Hawk 100s in 2006.  The aircraft operated through a bilateral agreement with the UK that saw close coordination with the UK air defence network as well as refueling assets.  Pilots did initial training alongside RAF counterparts though the two 2-seat Hawk 100s and a simulator at Baldonnel allowed for most training beyond initial pilot training to be carried out in Ireland. 

The arrangement proved beneficial, easing the burden on the RAF immensely and adding a useful element to the air defence of he British Isles.  Though the Irish Hawk mission was very heavily focused on Air Defence, normally carrying two Sidewinder (ASRAAM after 2016), two AMRAAM missiles, and an ADEN cannon pod, Irish Hawks were also cleared for a variety of air-to-ground weaponry and  a significant percentage of pilots maintained currency in close air support and maritime strike roles.

[Old Wombat]

 

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Sounds like a very plausible what-if/Alt-History!

[Aeroplanedriver]

Got started on the Seabhac tonight.  (Irish translation of Hawk, pronounced "showuk" with the 'ow' pronounced as if you hurt yourself.)

It doesn't seem a bad little kit, but definitely a step down after a few Tamiyas in a row.  Tonight has just been getting the cockpit done and ready to join the fuselage halves.

I feel like there may be a tiny bit of warpage in the forward fuselage.  Nothing a bit of Tamiya Extra Thin wont fix thought. 



Cockpit is fairly nice, if basic.  Panels are suppled as decals.  They are VERY thin and almost melt with just a dab of Microsol.  They aren't positioned exactly right but from normal viewing distance it looks ok.  A few switches are picked out in white, red, and yellow with a toothpick.  There is a little length of bent piping that goes on the left side of he black equipment box on the rear deck, but it went flying from my tweezers grasp and I don't know where the hell it landed.  It can be added at the end so I'm not going to stress over it.  If it turns up great, if not I can easily replace it with a little bit of wire. There is no throttle in the kit so I fashioned one from some scraps of stretched sprue.  Not very accurate, but its accuracy is proportionate to its visibility.   The seat will go in at the end. I'd planned on a resin seat since I have a nice MK.10, but honestly with a little doctoring up the kit seat will be fine I think. 



It's early yet, but leaning towards a loadout as mentioned in the backstory with the ADEN pod on centerline, inboard fuel tanks, outboard AMRAAMS, and wingtip Lima Sidewinders. 

That may change to a ground attack load though with CRV-7 pods or Mavericks.   

Or maybe one of those Sea Eagles in the Kinetic Sea Harrier box would look nice...hmmm....

[GTX_Admin]

Maybe also have the Irish Hawks playing a role in UN missions?

[Aeroplanedriver]

A little decent progress this weekend.  I'm not 100% sure about the two tone green...I think I'm going to sleep on it.  It just didnt come out the way I envisioned.  It may grow on my though. 

[ysi_maniac]

IMO, it is quite plausible. 

[Aeroplanedriver]

In better lighting I'm a lot more happy with the two-tone green.  I think I'm going to move on to decals. 

[GTX_Admin]

 

[finsrin]

Nice job on double green.  It works. 

[Aeroplanedriver]

Moving along nicely...markings on, should be finished tomorrow. 

[Old Wombat]

Looking very good in those greens!

[Aeroplanedriver]

Well here she is done...my 11th COVID build!

HobbyBoss 1/48 Hawk 200 OOB except for a scratch built HUD to replace the pathetic kit piece, AMRAAMs and rails from an F-18E, and chaff/flare dispensers from an A-4E since the kit has nothing to represent these at the rear of the box at the base of the fin.  Colors are Hataka Barley Grey on the lower surfaces, Vallejo NATO Green and British Dark Green on top, and a Light Ghost Gray radome.  Decals are from the MaxDecal Irish Air Corps 2005-2010 sheet for the national markings (mostly form the PC-9 markings) and stencils from a mix of the kit decals and a XTradecal RAF Hawk sheet. 

I stuck with the backstory into original post.  This Seabhac (local name, Irish translation of "Hawk") is shown as it would appear on QRA.  Once the Irish Hawk force was integrated in the UK Air Defense network the IAC kept two fully armed Hawks on QRA at Casement Aerodrome just south of Dublin.  Normal QRA fit included two 190 Gal external tanks, two AIM-120 AMRAAM  and two AIM-9M Sidewinder AAMs and a centerline ADEN 30mm cannon pod with 130 rounds.  This aircraft, 272, was the third single seat Hawk delivered to the IAC, joining two single seat Hawk 100s that were part of the 14 aircraft deal. 

Weathering is minimal as the IAC ground crews take great pride in keeping their Seabhac fleet in tip-top condition.  In addition to their Air Defense role Irish Hawk are cleared to carry a varitey of Air-Ground ordnance including CRV-7 rocket pods, 500lb freefall and GPS guided bombs, and AGM-65 Maverick missiles.  In the hands or IAC pilots the diminutive Hawk proved to be a viable warplane.  In frequent DACT exercises with the RAF many a Tornado and significant number of Typhoons found themselves in the middle of the Seabhac's HUD. A late 2020 upgrade program funded partially by BAE Systems, will see integration of the Meteor and ASRAAM AAMs and the Brimstone ASM. 

Overall this was a fun build.  The kit isn't bad, just not up to the Tamiya quality I've got used to wit recent builds.  It took a little filler at the fuselage join aft of the cockpit and at the wing roots and the underfusealge wing-fuselage joints, but not a whole lot.  I'm not all that happy with the kit seat.  It builds up as a fairly generic looking seat, so next time I see a good deal on a resin MB Mk.10 I'll likely replace it.

 

[finsrin]

Build came together well, looks the business.       Like colors & finish and backstory.

[Old Wombat]

In her finished state she has surpassed "very good" & attained "Excellent"!

[Jeffry Fontaine]

Looking good just like a what-if should! 

[Frank3k]

That’s a great build! The greens and brown camo look fantastic. Great paint job.

[GTX_Admin]

Looks good.

Decals are from the MaxDecal Irish Air Corps 2005-2010 sheet for the national markings (mostly form the PC-9 markings)

Might have to get myself some of those.  For some reason I have a hankering to do an Irish MiG-29.  Don't ask me why and I have no idea as to the backstory...

[Buzzbomb]

Great build and outcome

to be sure, to be sure

[elmayerle]

Damn, that's downright beautiful!!