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Reshade 0.18.1 Framework Extreme Eyecancer Mod Testbed 0.2B
Blackfire's mod + TOD + Reli2
Ini tweaks + POM enabled
Lite TOD, light shadows, nohud, dof %25-50, adjusted brightess, contrast and gamma + exposure. MSAA Disabled. SSAO enabled.
80º FoV,
Custom helmet mesh lens texture (reworked)
------
Framework Config
SweetFX
{ SMAA
Tonemap
Vibrance
Film Grain
Letterbox }
McFX
{ Fisheye CA }
GemFX
{ LensDirt
Ambient Light + ambient light controls for Bloom, Lens and vibrance + advanced eye adaptation }
& Improved performance again, render mode 8bit
Airbus A380-861
MSN 004 [Engine Alliance testbed]
F-WWDD 'VNO' ['#A380' 'iflyA380.com' decals]
Airbus S.A.S.
Copyright © 2016 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
'VooDoo One', highly modified 727 operated as an avionics testbed by Raytheon, on the go and turning crosswind, runway 25 at Palmdale.
Between 2010 and 2014, Stagecoach bought a considerable number of E400Hs with the classic bodywork.
12258 is one of the later examples built which wasn't new to them but as a demonstration vehicle, being the testbed for Euro VI technology, seeing service at Stagecoach Manchester and Morebus before becoming a permanent fixture again in Manchester, where it finally gained their smart green Beachball livery, a huge improvement on the allover grey it previously wore.
Overall, this iteration of the B-29 resolves many of my original design shortcomings concerning moving parts but it also served as a testbed for resolving many recurring construction issues experienced on my other projects. Like my B-47, I opted for a modular approach similar to how the original B-29 would have been built.
Seen speeding through Teignmouth with the Par to Exeter St David's Saturdays only special is one of two prototype Class 150's, number 150002.
The original prototype Class 150's date back to 1984, when British Rail was considering a new fleet of Diesel Multiple Units to replace ageing 1st Generation DMU's in years following the creation of the Regional Railways sector. Three types of units were considered, the Class 150 built by BREL, the Class 151 built by Metro-Cammel and the Class 155 built by British Leyland. The two prototypes were also testbeds for new unit engines, 150001 being fitted with a Cummins engine that was fitted to the production fleet, whilst 150002 was fitted with a Rolls Royce engine, but this was later changed to a standard Cummins engine. Eventually the Class 150's and 155's were chosen as the main fleet of units for the local and provincial routes, the 155's later being split up to form the single-car Class 153's.
Following the successful tests of these units, the two prototype Class 150's went into service in the West Midlands, operating for the Centro brand around Birmingham. These units have very few distinguishing features to the production fleet of Class 150/1's, aside from the fact that these units are formed of three coaches, including an intermediate trailer. The remainder of the Class 150 fleet was built as only two cars, although in recent years hybrid 3-car Class 150's have been made using single Class 150/2 carriages as intermediate trailers.
In 2011, the introduction of the Class 172's resulted in a mass withdrawal of Class 150's from the West Midlands, and thus the prototype Class 150's were taken on along with many other ex-Central Trains and London Midland units by First Great Western. This particular outing for this unit is abnormal as the two prototype units are employed in working the Basingstoke to Reading shuttle service in lieu of a Class 165 'Thames Turbo' unit, which makes its appearance here in Devon all the more special.
A single MiG-31 (79 Red) was modified for testing ejection seats and for training flight crews in ejection procedures. This modified aircraft was known as the MiG-31LL-SAPS, or ejection system testbed. A series of seats and tests were conducted in the early 1990s. The seats had to be able to eject from slow ground speeds, around 75 km/h (44 mph), and Mach 2+ high speeds, up to 1,400 km/h (869 mph). The new seats also had to be rated for high-g maneuvers, angles of attack, and roll rates. The Zvezda K-36DM Srs 2 zero-zero ejection seat was eventually chosen for the Foxhound, providing better and safer performance than previous models.
In this image, the test aircraft (79 Red) flies inverted while firing the test ejector seat. The MiG-31LL test fired the new seats from rolling situations, climb and dive angles of 30 degrees, and flying inverted at low altitudes. The new ejection seat is rated at 85 m (278 ft) in a 30 degree dive and 55 m (180 ft) inverted. The maximum g-force on ejection is 18 Gs. The tests used enclosed WSO cockpits with detachable canopies and an open rear cockpit where the tester was seated higher than normal with their head exposed. This open-air version was fitted with a wind deflector to protect the tester from the slipstream. I hope the testers received some medals for their bravery, especially during the inverted, low-altitude ejections. Note the deflector on the model as well as the wingtip camera pods.
Airbus A380-861
MSN 004 [Engine Alliance testbed]
F-WWDD 'VNO' ['#A380' 'iflyA380.com' decals]
Airbus S.A.S.
Copyright © 2016 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
The Combat Talon was developed between December 1964 and January 1967 as the result of a USAF “Big Safari” study for modifying special mission aircraft. Project “Thin Slice” modified two C-130E (aircraft 64-0506 and 64-0507 whose serial numbers had been “sanitized”) for low-level clandestine penetration use by MACV-SOG in Southeast Asia. The Thin Slice aircraft, along with newer “Heavy Chain” aircraft, were then collectively code-named “Rivet Yard” in August 1966.
During the development of the “Yards,” 14 C-130Es were purchased for SOG in 1965 and fitted with the Fulton Surface-To-Air Recovery System (STARS). Painted with a low-reflective paint, these aircraft were initially knick-named “Blackbirds” but later received the much more attractive code-name “Rivet Clamp.” These Clamps, along with the Yards, were collectively assigned the designation Combat Talon in 1967.
The Clamps were equipped with an electronic and infrared (IR) countermeasures suite and the AN/APQ-115 navigational radar. In 1970, a new AN/APQ-122 Adverse Weather Aerial Delivery System (AWADS) with terrain following/terrain avoidance modes replaced the APQ-115. The AN/APQ-122 with the Litton LN-15J Inertial Navigation System (INS) became standard as the MOD-70 upgrade on the twelve Combat Talons in service as well as the four Heavy Chain testbed aircraft. Following the completion of the MOD-70, the Combat Talons were divided into three designations: C-130E(CT) for the Clamp aircraft, C-130E(Y) for the “Yank” (formerly Yard) Talons, and C-130E(S) for the MOD-70 “Swap”. The Combat Talon designations were consolidated in 1977 as the MC-130 and have remained under that designation since.
In this image, an MC-130E Combat Talon I deploys the Fulton Surface-To-Air Recovery System (STARS). STARS was used to extract personnel and materials via air. A large helium balloon raised a nylon lift line into the air, which was snagged by a large scissors-shaped yoke attached to the nose of the aircraft. The yoke snagged the line and released the balloon, yanking the attached cargo off the ground with a shock less than that of an opening parachute. A sky anchor secured the line as it trailed from the nose to both leading wing tip edges protected the propellers from the line on missed snag attempts. Crew members hooked the snagged line as it trailed behind and attached it to the hydraulic winch, pulling the attached person or cargo into the plane through the rear cargo door. This MC-130E Combat Talon I, serial number 64-0568, flew from Eglin Air Force Auxiliary Field No. 9 (Hulbert Field) with the 8th Special Operations Squadron (SOS), 1st Special Operations Wing (SOW).
Built for the USAF as a standard Grumman SA-16A Albatross, with the c/n G-153 and the US military serial 51-0472. Later allocated US Navy Bureau No 149822 and sold to Japan (as a UF-1?).
Heavily converted by Shin Meiwa to carry out development testing for the PS-1 patrol flying boat and redesignated as the UF-XS. It now had four main engines as well as two internal turboshaft engines for a blown high-pressure air system. It also had a redesigned hull. In this configuration it carried out flight testing from 1962 to 1964 and was finally retired at Shimofusa in 1967.
Between 1975 and 1993 it was on outside display at Tokai University in Shimizu City, then being restored by Shin Meiwa before moving to Gifu for permanent display inside.
Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum
Kakamigahara City,
Gifu Prefecture, Japan
15th March 2019
The following details on the UF-XS are from the excellent j-hangarspace.jp website:-
“To conduct tests using an experimental aircraft in the development of what was to become the indigenously produced, four-engined PS-1 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the then Japan Defense Agency received the offer from the United States of a Grumman UF-1 Albatross amphibian (BuNo. 149822) and produced the UF-XS experimental amphibian in 1960. Although the Japanese had accumulated advanced flying boat technologies both before and during the Pacific War, the aim was to correct a major shortcoming by improving takeoff and landing performance in rough sea conditions. Fittingly, the UF-XS design team was headed by Shizuo Kikuhara (1906–91), who had been the chief designer of the wartime Type 2 Flying Boat.
To adapt the UF-1 for its role as an experimental flying boat, the main areas of modification thus involved the following:
•A newly designed boat hull, based on a unique concept that included wave suppression devices, to enable the aircraft to take off from and land on the ocean in wave heights of the order of three meters.
•The provision of a system to blow high-pressure air from two turboshaft engines added within the hull over the main wing flaps, ailerons, elevators and rudder to improve short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance as well as handling at low speeds.
•The provision of automatic stabilization equipment to ensure stability and facilitate control at low speeds.
•Changing the aircraft from a twin- to a four-engined configuration.
Taking to the skies for the first time at noon on December 25, 1962 (link), the UF-XS carried the tailcode オ(‘O’)-9911, the ‘O’ being the tail code of the JMSDF’s Omura Fleet Air Squadron. The aircraft continued to be utilized in a range of flight tests until 1964. The results obtained and conclusions derived from those tests were incorporated into the design of the PS-1 flying boat, the first aircraft of its kind to be built in Japan after the war, and have been handed down to the current US-2 amphibian.
At the conclusion of its test program, the UF-XS was moved to JMSDF Shimofusa air base in Chiba Prefecture, withdrawn from use in June 1967 and placed in storage there. In 1975, the aircraft was loaned to the Tokai University Social Education Center in Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, where it was kept out in the open (as shown in this January 1980 photo [link]) until acquired for display at the then Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum (now Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum) in 1993. At the time the aircraft was brought to the museum, it was missing the two turboshaft engines that had been added to provide the high-pressure air and parts such as ducts. Due to the aircraft having been displayed outside, there were also places where metal corrosion had made inroads. Furthermore, as modifications had been carried out to install an opening and a steel passageway that had enabled visitors to enter the aircraft’s interior, the aircraft had ended up being significantly different to what it had looked like at the time when it was used as a flying testbed. For that reason, repair and restoration work based on the manufacturing plans of the time was carried out by ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd., the company (then known as Shin Meiwa Industry Co., Ltd.) that had originally modified the aircraft. When reproducing parts that had been lost, measures were taken to distinguish between original and other parts, for example by applying identification stamps to tell them apart.
As only one aircraft was produced for the purpose of PS-1 development, the UF-XS is a unique aircraft that represents the starting point of Japan’s postwar flying boat development that has continued to the US-2 amphibian. Having carried out the appropriate repair and restoration work to return the aircraft to the original condition of its flying testbed days, the UF-XS now has value as a cultural asset.
For these reasons, the Aviation Heritage Archive team members deemed that the UF-XS Experimental Flying Boat, owned by the Ministry of Defense/JMSDF and stored and displayed at the Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum, can be regarded as an important aviation heritage asset that conveys the history of Japan’s flying boat development.”
Airbus A380-861
MSN 004 [Engine Alliance testbed]
F-WWDD 'VNO' ['#A380' 'iflyA380.com' decals]
Airbus S.A.S.
Copyright © 2016 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
Deregistered Aircraft / reserved N-Number N932ML / NC-9D /NC-9D MSN 47547/ Firebird II USN168277
All rights reserved © Paul Larson
Date: 2017
the first electronic stored-program computer. It was built at the University of, and ran its first program on 21 June 1948. It was not intended to be a practical computing engine, but was instead designed as a testbed for the Williams tube, the first truly random-access memory.
This working version on display was a faithful recreation using the same technology. And would display the word “BABY” from the memory.
The original machine's successful demonstration quickly led to the construction of a more practical computer, the Manchester Mark 1, work on which began in August 1948.
The Canadair CT-133 Silver Star (company model number CL-30) is the Canadian license-built version of the Lockheed T-33 jet trainer aircraft, in service from the 1950s to 2005. The Canadian version was powered by the Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet, instead of the original Allison J33.
The Canadair CT-133 was the result of a 1951 contract to build T-33 Shooting Star trainers for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) with a Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet. A project designation of CL-30 was given by Canadair and the name was changed to Silver Star. The CT-133's appearance is distinctive due to the large fuel tanks usually carried on the wingtips. Canadair built 656 CT-133 aircraft.
The CT-133 entered service in the RCAF as its training aircraft for fighters. The designation of the Silver Star in the Canadian Forces was CT-133. The CT-133's service career in the RCAF (and later the Canadian Forces) was extremely long. One of the more unusual roles it played was as an aerobatic demonstration aircraft, the RCAF's Red Knight. Although the aircraft stopped being used as a trainer in 1976, there were still over 50 aircraft in Canadian Forces inventory in 1995. The newest of these was then 37 years old and had exceeded its expected life by a factor of 2.5. During this period, the Canadair T-33 was employed in communication, target towing, and enemy simulation.
The final Silver Star Mk. 3 was retired from the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment at CFB Cold Lake, Alberta, where it was used as an ejection seat testbed for 46 years, when it was sold as surplus on the civil market, with fifteen other CT-133s to join fifty others on the US Civil Register.
MSN 17000007; acted as a testbed for Embraer as PP-XJI before being delivered to Chautauqua Airlines as N631RW. Airframe flew for United Express for its entire career before being acquired by Envoy in April 2023.
The NASA YF-104A (55-2961) Starfighter with a ventrally-mounted test fixture.
Through the years, NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center has used a variety of chase and support aircraft. First acquired in August 1956, F-104s were the most versatile work-horses in the Flight Research Center's stable of research and support aircraft, with 11 of them flying mostly research missions over the next 38 years. Tail number 826 flew the last of these missions on January 31, 1994. By then the 11 F-104s had accumulated over 18,000 flights at Armstrong in a great variety of missions ranging from basic research to airborne simulation and service as an aerodynamic testbed.
Credit: NASA
Image Number: ECN-785
Date: 1965
Airbus A380-861
MSN 004 [Engine Alliance testbed]
F-WWDD 'VNO' ['#A380' 'iflyA380.com' decals]
Airbus S.A.S.
Copyright © 2016 A380spotter. All rights reserved.
VKO 08/2003
'Future Aircraft Control Testbed' livery
Aeroflot 1980-2001 CCCP-85317
Gromov Flight Research Institute 2001-present RA-85317
Lockheed C-130K Hercules W.2 XV208 of the Royal Aircraft Establishment Meteorological Research Flight based at Farnborough on final approach for RAF Mildenhall in June 1984. Built in 1967 she now lies derelict at Cambridge following her use as the flying testbed for the A400M powerplant (copied slide)
PictionID:43263540 - Title:Douglas C-53 cn 4911 ex 42-6459 N18565 F-104 radar testbed 25Aug60 [mfr 4-8197 via RJF] - Catalog:17_000191 - Filename:17_000191.tif - ---------Image from the René Francillon Photo Archive. Having had his interest in aviation sparked by being at the receiving end of B-24s bombing occupied France when he was 7-yr old, René Francillon turned aviation into both his vocation and avocation. Most of his professional career was in the United States, working for major aircraft manufacturers and airport planning/design companies. All along, he kept developing a second career as an aviation historian, an activity that led him to author more than 50 books and 400 articles published in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and elsewhere. Far from “hanging on his spurs,” he plans to remain active as an author well into his eighties.-------PLEASE TAG this image with any information you know about it, so that we can permanently store this data with the original image file in our Digital Asset Management System.--------------SOURCE INSTITUTION: San Diego Air and Space Museum
Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker USAF 63-7980 ``Speckled Trout`` Test Tanker II 412th FLTS @ Edwards AFB, CA Note: Speckled Trout acquired the C-135C, serial number 61-2669, in 1974 and retired the aircraft on 13 January 2006. Today Speckled Trout, a modified KC-135R Stratotanker serial number 63-7980, provides worldwide combat transport to the CSAF and other senior joint-military leaders, has a modern airborne communications systems testbed and also supports additional tests and air refueling requirements of the USAF.
The Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF)'s Kawasaki UP-3C (9151) testbed aircraft, assigned to the Air Development Squadron 51 based at Atsugi Air Base, taxies to the runway for takeoff at Atsugi Air Base (NJA / RJTJ), Japan, September 1, 2017.
G-JALC Boeing 757-200 of MyTravel at Manchester 16/5/04.
Now flying as an engine test bed for Honeywell as N757HW.
N757A - Boeing Avionics Testbed
N289MT - Raytheon 727 Testbed
N804X - Northrop Grumman CRJ7 Testbed
N1612W - Northrop Grumman BAC 1-11
The all departed KBFI for a morning round of flight test over central Washington.
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based on historical facts. BEWARE!
Some Background:
The Lockheed F-94 Starfire was a first-generation jet aircraft of the United States Air Force. It was developed from the twin-seat Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star in the late 1940s as an all-weather, day/night interceptor, replacing the propeller-driven North American F-82 Twin Mustang in this role. The system was designed to overtake the F-80 in terms of performance, but more so to intercept the new high-level Soviet bombers capable of nuclear attacks on America and her Allies - in particular, the new Tupelov Tu-4. The F-94 was furthermore the first operational USAF fighter equipped with an afterburner and was the first jet-powered all-weather fighter to enter combat during the Korean War in January 1953.
The initial production model, the F-94A, entered operational service in May 1950. Its armament consisted of four 0.50 in (12.7 mm) M3 Browning machine guns mounted in the fuselage with the muzzles exiting under the radome for the APG-33 radar, a derivative from the AN/APG-3, which directed the Convair B-36's tail guns and had a range of up to 20 miles (32 km). Two 165 US Gallon (1,204 litre) drop tanks, as carried by the F-80 and T-33, were carried on the wingtips. Alternatively, these could be replaced by a pair of 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs under the wings, giving the aircraft a secondary fighter bomber capability. 109 were produced.
The subsequent F-94B, which entered service in January 1951, was outwardly virtually identical to the F-94A. Its Allison J33 turbojet had a number of modifications made, though, which made it a very reliable engine. The pilot was provided with a roomier cockpit and the canopy received a bow frame in the center between the two crew members. A new Instrument Landing System (ILS) was fitted, too, which made operations at night and/or in bad weather much safer. However, this new variant’s punch with just four machine guns remained weak, and, to improve the load of fire, wing-mounted pods with two additional pairs of 0.5” machine guns were introduced – but these hardly improved the interceptor’s effectiveness. 356 of the F-94B were nevertheless built.
The following F-94C was extensively modified and initially designated F-97, but it was ultimately decided just to treat it as a new version of the F-94. USAF interest was lukewarm since aircraft technology had already developed at a fast pace – supersonic performance had already become standard. Lockheed funded development themselves, converting two F-94B airframes to YF-94C prototypes for evaluation with a completely new, much thinner wing, a swept tail surface and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney J48. This was a license-built version of the afterburning Rolls-Royce Tay, which produced a dry thrust of 6,350 pounds-force (28.2 kN) and approximately 8,750 pounds-force (38.9 kN) with afterburning. Instead of machine guns, the proposed new variant was exclusively armed with unguided air-to-air missiles.
Tests were positive and eventually the F-94C was adopted for USAF service, since it was the best interim solution for an all-weather fighter at that time. It still had to rely on Ground Control Interception Radar (GCI) sites to vector the interceptor to intruding aircraft, though.
The F-94C's introduction and the availability of the more effective Northrop F-89C/D Scorpion and the North American F-86D Sabre interceptors led to a quick relegation of the earlier F-94 variants from mid-1954 onwards to second line units and to Air National Guards. By 1955 most of them had already been phased out of USAF service, and some of these relatively young surplus machines were subsequently exported or handed over to friendly nations, too. When sent to the ANG, the F-94As were modified by Lockheed to F-94B standards and then returned to the ANG as B models. They primarily replaced outdated F-80C Shooting Stars and F-51D/H Mustangs.
At that time the USAF was looking for a tactical reconnaissance aircraft, a more effective successor for the RF-80A which had shown its worth and weaknesses during the Korea War. For instance, the plane could not fly at low altitude long enough to perform suitable visual reconnaissance, and its camera equipment was still based on WWII standards. Lockheed saw the opportunity to fill this operational gap with conversions of existing F-94A/B airframes, which had, in most cases, only had clocked few flying hours, primarily at high altitudes where Soviet bombers were expected to lurk, and still a lot of airframe life to offer. This led to another private venture, the RF-94B, auspiciously christened “Stargazer”.
The RF-94B was based on the F-94B interceptor with its J33 engine and the original unswept tail. The F-94B’s wings were retained but received a different leading-edge profile to better cope with operations at low altitude. The interceptor’s nose with the radome and the machine guns underneath was replaced by a new all-metal nose cone, which was more than 3 feet longer than the former radar nose, with windows for several sets of cameras; the wedge-shaped nose cone quickly earned the aircraft the unofficial nickname “Crocodile”.
One camera was looking ahead into flight direction and could be mounted at different angled downward (but not moved during flight), followed by two oblique cameras, looking to the left and the right, and a vertical camera as well as a long-range camera focussed on the horizon, which was behind a round window at port side. An additional, spacious compartment in front of the landing gear well held an innovative Tri-Metrogen horizon-to-horizon view system that consisted of three synchronized cameras. Coupled with a computerized control system based on light, speed, and altitude, it adjusted camera settings to produce pictures with greater delineation.
All cameras could be triggered individually by pilot or a dedicated observer/camera systems operator in the 2nd seat. Talking into a wire recorder, the crew could describe ground movements that might not have appeared in still pictures. A vertical view finder with a periscopic presentation on the cockpit panel was added for the pilot to enhance visual reconnaissance and target identification directly under the aircraft. Using magnesium flares carried under its wings in flash-ejector cartridges, the RF-94B was furthermore able to fly night missions.
The RF-94B was supposed to operate unarmed, but it could still carry a pair of 1.000 lb bombs under its wings or, thanks to added plumbings, an extra pair of drop tanks for ferry flights. The F-94A/B’s machine gun pods as well as the F-94C’s unguided missile launchers could be mounted to the wings, too, making it a viable attack aircraft in a secondary role.
The USAF was highly interested in this update proposal for the outdated interceptors (almost 500 F-94A/Bs had been built) and ordered 100 RF-94B conversions with an option for 100 more – just when a severe (and superior) competitor entered the stage after a lot of development troubles: Republic’s RF-84F Thunderflash reconnaissance version. The first YRF-84F had already been completed in February 1952 and it had an overall slightly better performance than the RF-94B. However, it offered more internal space for reconnaissance systems and was able to carry up to fifteen cameras with the support of many automatized systems, so that it was a single seater. Being largely identical to the F-84F and sharing its technical and logistical infrastructures, the USAF decided on short notice to change its procurement decision and rather adopt the more modern and promising Thunderflash as its standard tactical reconnaissance aircraft. The RF-94B conversion order was reduced to the initial 100 aircraft, and to avoid operational complexity these aircraft were exclusively delivered to Air National Guardss that had experience with the F-94A/B to replace their obsolete RF-80As.
Gradual replacement lasted until 1958, and while the RF-94B’s performance was overall better than the RF-80A’s, it was still disappointing and not the expected tactical intelligence gathering leap forward. The airframe did not cope well with constant low-level operations, and the aircraft’s marginal speed and handling did not ensure its survivability. However, unlike the RF-84F, which suffered from frequent engine problems, the Stargazers’ J33 made them highly reliable platforms – even though the complex Tri-Metrogen device turned out to be capricious, so that it was soon replaced with up to three standard cameras.
For better handling and less drag esp. at low altitude, the F-94B’s large Fletcher type wingtip tanks were frequently replaced with smaller ones with about half capacity. It also became common practice to operate the RF-94Bs with only a crew of one, and from 1960 on the RF-94B was, thanks to its second seat, more and more used as a trainer before pilots mounted more potent reconnaissance aircraft like the RF-101 Voodoo, which eventually replaced the RF-94B in ANG service. The last RF-94B was phased out in 1968, and, unlike the RF-84F, it was not operated by any foreign air force.
General characteristics:
Crew: 2 (but frequently operated by a single pilot)
Length: 43 ft 4 3/4 in (13.25 m)
Wingspan (with tip tanks): 40 ft 9 1/2 in (12.45 m)
Height: 12 ft. 2 (3.73 m)
Wing area: 234' 8" sq ft (29.11 m²)
Empty weight: 10,064 lb (4,570 kg)
Loaded weight: 15,330 lb (6,960 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 24,184 lb (10,970 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Allison J33-A-33 turbojet, rated at 4,600 lbf (20.4 kN) continuous thrust,
5,400 lbf (24 kN) with water injection and 6,000 lbf (26.6 kN) thrust with afterburner
Performance:
Maximum speed: 630 mph (1,014 km/h) at height and in level flight
Range: 930 mi (813 nmi, 1,500 km) in combat configuration with two drop tanks
Ferry range: 1,457 mi (1,275 nmi, 2,345 km)
Service ceiling: 42,750 ft (14,000 m)
Rate of climb: 6,858 ft/min (34.9 m/s)
Wing loading: 57.4 lb/ft² (384 kg/m²)
Thrust/weight: 0.48
Armament:
No internal guns; 2x 165 US Gallon (1,204 liter) drop tanks on the wing tips and…
2x underwing hardpoints for two additional 165 US Gallon (1,204 liter) ferry tanks
or bombs of up to 1.000 lb (454 kg) caliber each, plus…
2x optional (rarely fitted) pods on the wings’ leading edges with either a pair of 0.5" (12.7 mm)
machine guns or twelve 2.75” (70 mm) Mk 4/Mk 40 Folding-Fin Aerial Rockets each
The kit and its assembly:
This project was originally earmarked as a submission for the 2021 “Reconnaissance & Surveillance” group build at whatifmodellers.com, in the form of a Heller F-94B with a new nose section. The inspiration behind this build was the real-world EF-94C (s/n 50-963): a solitary conversion with a bulbous camera nose. However, the EF-94C was not a reconnaissance aircraft but rather a chase plane/camera ship for the Air Research and Development Command, hence its unusual designation with the suffix “E”, standing for “Exempt” instead of the more appropriate “R” for a dedicated recce aircraft. There also was another EF-94C, but this was a totally different kind of aircraft: an ejection seat testbed.
I had a surplus Heller F-94B kit in The Stash™ and it was built almost completely OOB and did – except for some sinkholes and standard PSR work – not pose any problem. In fact, the old Heller Starfire model is IMHO a pretty good representation of the aircraft. O.K., its age might show, but almost anything you could ask for at 1:72 scale is there, including a decent, detailed cockpit.
The biggest change was the new camera nose, and it was scratched from an unlikely donor part: it consists of a Matchbox B-17G tail gunner station, slimmed down by the gunner station glazing's width at the seam in the middle, and this "sandwich" was furthermore turned upside down. Getting the transitional sections right took lots of PSR, though, and I added some styrene profiles to integrate the new nose into the rest of the hull. It was unintentional, but the new nose profile reminds a lot of a RF-101 recce Voodoo, and there's, with the straight wings, a very F-89ish look to the aircraft now? There's also something F2H-2ish about the outlines?
The large original wing tip tanks were cut off and replaced with smaller alternatives from a Hasegawa A-37. Because it was easy to realize on this kit I lowered the flaps, together with open ventral air brakes. The cockpit was taken OOB, I just modified the work station on the rear seat and replaced the rubber sight protector for the WSO with two screens for a camera operator. Finally, the one-piece cockpit glazing was cut into two parts to present the model with an open canopy.
Painting and markings:
This was a tough decision: either an NMF finish (the natural first choice), an overall light grey anti-corrosive coat of paint, both with relatively colorful unit markings, or camouflage. The USAF’s earlier RF-80As carried a unique scheme in olive drab/neutral grey with a medium waterline, but that would look rather vintage on the F-94. I decided that some tactical camouflage would make most sense on this kind of aircraft and eventually settled for the USAF’s SEA scheme with reduced tactical markings, which – after some field tests and improvisations in Vietnam – became standardized and was officially introduced to USAF aircraft around 1965 as well as to ANG units.
Even though I had already built a camouflaged F-94 some time ago (a Hellenic aircraft in worn SEA colors), I settled for this route. The basic colors (FS 30219, 34227, 34279 and 36622) all came from Humbrol (118, 117, 116 and 28, respectively), and for the pattern I adapted the paint scheme of the USAF’s probably only T-33 in SEA colors: a trainer based on Iceland during the Seventies and available as a markings option in one of the Special Hobby 1:32 T-33 kits. The low waterline received a wavy shape, inspired by an early ANG RF-101 in SEA camouflage I came across in a book. The new SEA scheme was apparently applied with a lot of enthusiasm and properness when it was brand new, but this quickly vaned. As an extra, the wing tip tanks received black anti-glare sections on their inner faces and a black anti-glare panel was added in front of the windscreen - a decal from a T-33 aftermarket sheet. Beyond a black ink wash the model received some subtle panel post-shading, but rather to emphasize surface details than for serious weathering.
The cockpit became very dark grey (Revell 06) while the landing gear wells were kept in zinc chromate green primer (Humbrol 80, Grass Green), with bright red (Humbrol 60, Matt Red) cover interiors and struts and wheels in aluminum (Humbrol 56). The interior of the flaps and the ventral air brakes became red, too.
The decals/markings came from a Special Hobby 1:72 F-86H; there’s a dedicated ANG boxing of the kit that comes with an optional camouflaged aircraft of the NY ANG, the least unit to operate the “Sabre Hog” during the Seventies. Since this 138th TFS formerly operated the F-94A/B, it was a perfect option for the RF-94B! I just used a different Bu. No. code on the fin, taken from a PrintScale A/T-37 set, and most stencils were perocured from the scrap box.
After a final light treatment with graphite around the afterburner for a more metallic shine of the iron metallic (Revell 97) underneath, the kit was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
A camouflaged F-94 is an unusual sight, but it works very well. The new/longer nose considerably changes the aircraft's profile, and even though the change is massive, the "Crocodile" looks surprisingly plausible, if not believable! And, despite the long nose, the aircraft looks pretty sleek, especially in the air.
My testbed shot for the Lime 53 came in the shape of a Lime A2!!
991 has a day away from it's normal haunts, pictured ferrying the schoolkids back from Trinity and Bluecoat Schools with an A2 to Bulwell via City Hospital, Bestwood Park and Rise Park.
A host of RAF Museum iconic inmates in the prototype and experimental hall at Cosford, 27th June 2001.
Amongst others in the mix there are (clockwise) the:
BAC TSR-2,
Bristol 188,
English Electric Lightning F.1,
English Electric P.1A,
Short SB.5,
Fairey FD.2,
and the
Gloster Meteor (prone-pilot test-bed)
Scanned print
The third Boeing 777-9 testbed visiting Victorville with call sign "Boeing 003 heavy." First flown on 3 August 2020.
The Gloster Meteor was the first British jet fighter and the Allies' only jet aircraft to achieve combat operations during the Second World War. The Meteor's development was heavily reliant on its ground-breaking turbojet engines, pioneered by Sir Frank Whittle and his company, Power Jets Ltd. Development of the aircraft began in 1940, although work on the engines had been under way since 1936. The Meteor first flew in 1943 and commenced operations on 27 July 1944 with No. 616 Squadron RAF. The Meteor was not a sophisticated aircraft in its aerodynamics, but proved to be a successful combat fighter. Gloster's 1946 civil Meteor F.4 demonstrator G-AIDC was the first civilian-registered jet aircraft in the world.
Several major variants of the Meteor incorporated technological advances during the 1940s and 1950s. Thousands of Meteors were built to fly with the RAF and other air forces and remained in use for several decades. The Meteor saw limited action in the Second World War. Meteors of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) fought in the Korean War. Several other operators such as Argentina, Egypt and Israel flew Meteors in later regional conflicts. Specialised variants of the Meteor were developed for use in photographic aerial reconnaissance and as night fighters.
The Meteor was also used for research and development purposes and to break several aviation records. On 7 November 1945, the first official airspeed record by a jet aircraft was set by a Meteor F.3 at 606 miles per hour (975 km/h). In 1946, this record was broken when a Meteor F.4 reached a speed of 616 miles per hour (991 km/h). Other performance-related records were broken in categories including flight time endurance, rate of climb, and speed. On 20 September 1945, a heavily modified Meteor I, powered by two Rolls-Royce Trent turbine engines driving propellers, became the first turboprop aircraft to fly. On 10 February 1954, a specially adapted Meteor F.8, the "Meteor Prone Pilot", which placed the pilot into a prone position to counteract inertial forces, took its first flight.
In the 1950s, the Meteor became increasingly obsolete as more nations introduced jet fighters, many of these newcomers having adopted a swept wing instead of the Meteor's conventional straight wing; in RAF service, the Meteor was replaced by newer types such as the Hawker Hunter and Gloster Javelin. As of 2013, two Meteors, WL419 and WA638, remain in active service with the Martin-Baker company as ejection seat testbeds. Two further aircraft in the UK remain airworthy, as does another in Australia.
Normality continues as many countries around the world adjust following the COVID-19 global pandemic, for airlines like Japan Airlines which has largely relied on domestic and connecting travel as Japan was one of the few remaining countries still maintaining quarantine for travellers who wish to stay for long durations.
That pretty much changed in October 2022 when the country announced it would be dropping quarantine requirements for the majority of the world to tourists; from 11th October 2022, visa-free travel for up to 3 months will be reinstated to a large number of countries, and anyone who have had 3 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine do not require to have a PCR test before travelling, this does however apply to anyone who hasn't had their 3rd booster. All travellers must however fill-out a questionnaire before they enter Japan.
The lifting of restrictions by Japan comes as a relief as the country was largely dependent on tourism; prior to this, Japan still retains large swathes of quarantine restrictions for visitors.
For Japan Airlines, the announcement comes as the flag-carrier begin to increase the frequency of their long-haul international flights. Prior to COVID-19, Japan Airlines were operating twice-daily flights between Tokyo-Haneda and London Heathrow... This is expected to be reinstated from 12th February 2023 when JL41/42 returns back to daily operation with Boeing 787-8s (increasing gradually from 4-weekly to 6-weekly flights from 15th January 2023), with JL43/44 operating daily as before with their Boeing 777-300ERs.
Currently, Japan Airlines operates 17 Boeing 777s, which includes 4 Boeing 777-200ERs and 13 Boeing 777-300ERs.
Juliet Alpha Seven Three One Juliet is one of 13 Boeing 777-300ERs operated by Japan Airlines, initially operating as the second testbed for the Boeing 777-300ER programme back in 2003 as N5016R, before being delivered new to Japan Airlines as JA731J on 15th June 2004 and she is powered by 2 General Electric GE90-115B engines.
Boeing 777-346/ER JA731J on final approach into Runway 27R at London Heathrow (LHR) on JL43 from Tokyo-Haneda (HND).
Class 20 No.20011 and an unidentified rail mounted crane at Derby Locomotive Works during January 1990.
20011 was the last locomotive on the Works premises, being removed during February 1990 and then dumped at Etches Park for several more years until being taken away to MC Metals, Glasgow for scrapping.
20011 had been used as an engine testbed during its final time at the Works, so it was unable to move itself. To overcome this problem of getting 20011 from the Shops to the Test House a withdrawn powered crane also on the premises was modified and put into service to move 20011 around.
Was this crane therefore the last powered rail vehicle in use at Derby Locomotive Works?
Original photographer unknown.
The growing worldwide demand for air travel during the 1960s led Boeing to launch the 747, the first wide-body jet. Developing what was then the world's largest passenger aircraft was a formidable undertaking, requiring the company to risk much of its net worth. But the gamble paid off – over 1,500 units have been produced. With its massive size and signature upper deck "hump," the iconic 747 is one the most recognizable aircraft in the world. It triggered a revolution in air travel and represents a significant milestone in the evolution of aviation design.
The leviathan 747 required an all-new factory, which was built almost simultaneously with the first 747 at Paine Field in Everett, Washington. First flight occurred on February 9, 1969, followed by an extensive test program. The first 747 engine, the Pratt & Whitney JT9D, was an equally challenging engineering effort; it experienced numerous problems in initial service.
The 747 quickly became a mainstay of the world’s international airlines. Continued development in the ensuing years has increased payload, range, and capability with multiple 747 variants. A freighter model, with a large nose cargo door, allows outsized payloads to be carried. A "Combi" was soon offered to allow simultaneous carriage of passengers and cargo on the main deck. A shortened version (747SP) debuted in 1976, capable of very long range flights. The 747-300 followed in 1982, with an extended upper deck. In 1989, a major upgrade was introduced in the form of the 747-400, with a modernized two-crew flight deck and improved performance. The 747-8, with all-new wings and engines, entered service in 2011.
The airplane proved to be highly flexible, performing many missions that were not part of its original design specifications. Two 747-100s were modified to become Shuttle Carrier Aircraft for the NASA Space Shuttle Program. Several aircraft were produced to serve as U.S. Air Force "command post" platforms, designated E-3 and E-4. In 1990, two 747-200Bs were modified as VC-25As to serve as Air Force One, the U.S. Presidential aircraft. Other unique modifications include the enlarged "Dreamlifter" for 787 components, the YAL-1A Airborne Laser Testbed, and the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA).
The Museum's aircraft was the first 747 ever built, known as RA001. After 747 certification testing, the aircraft served for many years as a company testbed for technology development and new engine programs for other Boeing commercial jets, including the Pratt & Whitney PW4000 for the Boeing 777. Planning for eventual donation to the Museum began in the mid-1980s. The aircraft's final flight occurred on April 6, 1995, when Boeing officially donated RA001 to the Museum after 5,300 flight hours. Still configured in its flight test configuration, it was extensively restored in 2013 and 2014.
The development of the Lockheed F-104, America's first operational Mach 2 fighter, was initially motivated by the threat posed by fast and agile Soviet-built MiGs of the Korean War. By the time of its introduction to the U.S. Air Force in 1958, the Starfighter, with its short wings and powerful General Electric J79 engine, had been tailored to an interceptor role. The sleek aircraft was quickly dubbed the "missile with a man in it." By the Vietnam War, it was transitioned into a fighter-bomber role, which proved to be an awkward fit.
Although phased out of U.S. front line service by 1969, the F-104 was immensely popular overseas. Throughout its long career, 2,578 Starfighters were produced, with well over half built under license in Canada, Europe, and Japan. The high performance F-104 also set many speed and altitude records during its early years, and several F-104s had long careers with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), flying research, training, and chase missions.
The Museum's F-104C was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 1959. It flew with the 479th Tactical Fighter Wing at George Air Force Base in California, and deployed twice to Moron Air Base in Spain. It was transferred in 1967 to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, where it flew (presumably as a testbed) for the Air Force Systems Command. It returned briefly to George AFB before it was retired in 1974, becoming a "gate guard" for many years. The Starfighter arrived at the Museum in 1992 and is now painted to represent NASA F-104A N820NA.
This aircraft is on loan from the National Museum of the United States Air Force.
Built for the USAF as a standard Grumman SA-16A Albatross, with the c/n G-153 and the US military serial 51-0472. Later allocated US Navy Bureau No 149822 and sold to Japan (as a UF-1?).
Heavily converted by Shin Meiwa to carry out development testing for the PS-1 patrol flying boat and redesignated as the UF-XS. It now had four main engines as well as two internal turboshaft engines for a blown high-pressure air system. It also had a redesigned hull. In this configuration it carried out flight testing from 1962 to 1964 and was finally retired at Shimofusa in 1967.
Between 1975 and 1993 it was on outside display at Tokai University in Shimizu City, then being restored by Shin Meiwa before moving to Gifu for permanent display inside.
Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum
Kakamigahara City,
Gifu Prefecture, Japan
15th March 2019
The following details on the UF-XS are from the excellent j-hangarspace.jp website:-
“To conduct tests using an experimental aircraft in the development of what was to become the indigenously produced, four-engined PS-1 anti-submarine patrol aircraft, the then Japan Defense Agency received the offer from the United States of a Grumman UF-1 Albatross amphibian (BuNo. 149822) and produced the UF-XS experimental amphibian in 1960. Although the Japanese had accumulated advanced flying boat technologies both before and during the Pacific War, the aim was to correct a major shortcoming by improving takeoff and landing performance in rough sea conditions. Fittingly, the UF-XS design team was headed by Shizuo Kikuhara (1906–91), who had been the chief designer of the wartime Type 2 Flying Boat.
To adapt the UF-1 for its role as an experimental flying boat, the main areas of modification thus involved the following:
•A newly designed boat hull, based on a unique concept that included wave suppression devices, to enable the aircraft to take off from and land on the ocean in wave heights of the order of three meters.
•The provision of a system to blow high-pressure air from two turboshaft engines added within the hull over the main wing flaps, ailerons, elevators and rudder to improve short takeoff and landing (STOL) performance as well as handling at low speeds.
•The provision of automatic stabilization equipment to ensure stability and facilitate control at low speeds.
•Changing the aircraft from a twin- to a four-engined configuration.
Taking to the skies for the first time at noon on December 25, 1962 (link), the UF-XS carried the tailcode オ(‘O’)-9911, the ‘O’ being the tail code of the JMSDF’s Omura Fleet Air Squadron. The aircraft continued to be utilized in a range of flight tests until 1964. The results obtained and conclusions derived from those tests were incorporated into the design of the PS-1 flying boat, the first aircraft of its kind to be built in Japan after the war, and have been handed down to the current US-2 amphibian.
At the conclusion of its test program, the UF-XS was moved to JMSDF Shimofusa air base in Chiba Prefecture, withdrawn from use in June 1967 and placed in storage there. In 1975, the aircraft was loaned to the Tokai University Social Education Center in Shimizu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, where it was kept out in the open (as shown in this January 1980 photo [link]) until acquired for display at the then Kakamigahara Aerospace Museum (now Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum) in 1993. At the time the aircraft was brought to the museum, it was missing the two turboshaft engines that had been added to provide the high-pressure air and parts such as ducts. Due to the aircraft having been displayed outside, there were also places where metal corrosion had made inroads. Furthermore, as modifications had been carried out to install an opening and a steel passageway that had enabled visitors to enter the aircraft’s interior, the aircraft had ended up being significantly different to what it had looked like at the time when it was used as a flying testbed. For that reason, repair and restoration work based on the manufacturing plans of the time was carried out by ShinMaywa Industries, Ltd., the company (then known as Shin Meiwa Industry Co., Ltd.) that had originally modified the aircraft. When reproducing parts that had been lost, measures were taken to distinguish between original and other parts, for example by applying identification stamps to tell them apart.
As only one aircraft was produced for the purpose of PS-1 development, the UF-XS is a unique aircraft that represents the starting point of Japan’s postwar flying boat development that has continued to the US-2 amphibian. Having carried out the appropriate repair and restoration work to return the aircraft to the original condition of its flying testbed days, the UF-XS now has value as a cultural asset.
For these reasons, the Aviation Heritage Archive team members deemed that the UF-XS Experimental Flying Boat, owned by the Ministry of Defense/JMSDF and stored and displayed at the Gifu-Kakamigahara Air and Space Museum, can be regarded as an important aviation heritage asset that conveys the history of Japan’s flying boat development.”
That's the reason why I went spotting that day!
A special visitor from the United States headed home to Victorville/VCV via Guam/GUM and Honolulu/HNL, pictured here after departing from runway 25L.
It (almost) doesn't get any more classic than this!
This photo can also be seen here:
www.airliners.net/photo/General-Electric/Boeing-747-121(A...
Operated by the Test Flight Center of the French Defense Procurement Agency, F-ZAFT was never dispatched to the flypast until then.
A view of the central part of the fascinating Hall 4 at the Fleet Arm Arm Museum, adjacent to RNAS Yeovilton. This space contains several unique and interesting exhibits including a Hawker P.1127 prototype (forerunner to the Harrier) plus a Bristol Siddeley BS100 engine which was to have been the powerplant for the Hawker Siddeley P.1154 VSTOL fighter, a supersonic development of the Harrier which was cancelled in 1965. Dominating the exhibits are a trio of Concorde related experimental types comprising the centerpiece Concorde prototype 002 (G-BSST), the BAC 221 high speed testbed (WG744) which was formerly the record breaking first prototype Fairy Delta 2 before being re-purposed and re-built by BAC as the type 221 for the Concorde program, and just visible behind the Concorde's wing tip, the Handley Page HP.115 low speed handing trials aircraft (XP841). G-BSST (002) and the other Concorde prototypes differed markedly from pre-production and production examples, most notably by the simpler early droop nose design and the shorter length and contouring of the rear fuselage which had equal taper of lower and upper rear fuselage lines to a point at the tail. On production aircraft the upper rear fuselage line remained almost horizontal all the way to the tip changing the profile, and extended further back beyond the tail. This improved aerodynamics and increase fuel capacity. There are also fewer windows on this prototype, due to the amount of instrumentation carried within the fuselage.
Also on display are several former operational aircraft all of which have combat history. These include one of the few preserved BAe Systems Harrier GR9A (ZD433), a Falklands veteran Sea Harrier FRS.1 (XZ943), Westland Lynx HAS3 (XZ720) and Westland Sea King HC4 (ZA298).
This is a composite of 2 photographs.
So update first, in short, I just haven't been feeling the LEGO vibes lately, what you see above is basically all I've designed since my Squall. It's for my Solar War stuff and is a new prototype MS just like the one with orange coloring here but instead of being a testbed for Overall MS design this one is focusing not only on Zero-G Maneuvering to make things more practical then the MP-G4T(SMV) but also on the application of new 'Remote Weapon Pods' system.
Secondly I'm still doing things, but they aren't LEGO focused, I've Recently started a New Project that you'll be able to follow along with me and laugh at on during here on Flickr so I'm not dead or anything at least! xD
Some background:
The VF-1 was developed by Stonewell/Bellcom/Shinnakasu for the U.N. Spacy by using alien Overtechnology obtained from the SDF-1 Macross alien spaceship. Its production was preceded by an aerodynamic proving version of its airframe, the VF-X. Unlike all later VF vehicles, the VF-X (sometimes referred to as VF-X1) was strictly a conventional/non-transformable jet aircraft, even though it incorporated many structural components and several key technologies that were vital for the transformable VF-1’s successful development that ran in parallel. Therefore, the VF-X was never intended as an air superiority fighter, but rather a flight-capable analogue test bed and proof of concept for the VF-1’s basic layout and major components. In this role, however, the VF-X made vital contributions to systems’ development that were later incorporated into the VF-1’s serial production and sped the program up considerably.
VF-X production started in early 2006, with four airframes built. The flight tests began in February 2007. The first prototype (“01”) was piloted and evaluated by ace pilot Roy Fokker, in order to explore the aircraft’s flight envelope, general handling and for external stores carriage tests. The three other VF-Xs successively joined the test program, each with a different focus. “02” was primarily tasked with the flight control and pilot interface program, “03” was allocated to the engine, vectoring thrust and steering systems development, and “04” was primarily involved in structural and fatigue tests.
In November 2007, the successful VF-X tests and the flights of the VF-X-1 (the first fully transformable VF-1 prototype, which had been under construction in parallel to the VF-X program) led to formal adoption of the “Valkyrie” variable fighter by the United Nations Government.
The space-capable VF-1's combat debut was on February 7, 2009, during the Battle of South Ataria Island - the first battle of Space War I - and remained the mainstay fighter of the U.N. Spacy for the entire conflict.
Introduced in 2008, the VF-1 proved to be an extremely capable craft, successfully combating a variety of Zentraedi mecha, even in most sorties which saw UN Spacy forces significantly outnumbered. The versatility of the Valkyrie design enabled the variable fighter to act as both large-scale infantry and as air/space superiority fighter. The signature skills of U.N. Spacy ace pilot Maximilian Jenius exemplified the effectiveness of the variable systems as he near-constantly transformed the Valkyrie in battle to seize advantages of each mode as combat conditions changed from moment to moment.
The basic VF-1 was deployed in four sub-variants (designated A, D, J, and S) and its success was increased by continued development of various enhancements. These included the GBP-1S "Armored Valkyrie” external armor and infantry weapons pack, so-called FAST Packs for "Super Valkyries” for orbital use, and the additional RÖ-X2 heavy cannon pack weapon system for the VF-1S “Strike Valkyrie” with additional firepower.
After the end of Space War I, the VF-1 continued to be manufactured both in the Sol system and throughout the UNG space colonies. Although the VF-1 would eventually be replaced as the primary Variable Fighter of the U.N. Spacy by the more capable, but also much bigger, VF-4 Lightning III in 2020, a long service record and continued production after the war proved the lasting worth of the design.
The VF-1 was without doubt the most recognizable variable fighter of Space War I and was seen as a vibrant symbol of the U.N. Spacy even into the first year of the New Era 0001 in 2013. At the end of 2015 the final rollout of the VF-1 was celebrated at a special ceremony, commemorating this most famous of variable fighters. The VF-1 Valkryie was built from 2006 to 2013 with a total production of 5,459 VF-1 variable fighters with several variants (VF-1A = 5,093, VF-1D = 85, VF-1J = 49, VF-1S = 30, VF-1G = 12, VE-1 = 122, VT-1 = 68), and several upgrade programs were introduced.
The fighter remained active in many second line units and continued to show its worthiness years later, e. g. through Milia Jenius who would use her old VF-1 fighter in defense of the colonization fleet - 35 years after the type's service introduction.
General characteristics:
Accommodation: One pilot in a Marty & Beck Mk-7 zero/zero ejection seat
Length 14.23 meters
Wingspan 14.78 meters (at 20° minimum sweep)
Height 3.84 meters
Empty weight: 13.25 metric tons
Standard T-O mass: 18.5 metric tons
Power Plant:
2x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry/P&W/Roice FF-2001 thermonuclear reaction turbine engines, output 650 MW each, rated at 11,500 kg in standard or in overboost (225.63 kN x 2)
4 x Shinnakasu Heavy Industry NBS-1 high-thrust vernier thrusters (1 x counter reverse vernier thruster nozzle mounted on the side of each leg nacelle/air intake, 1 x wing thruster roll control system on each wingtip);
Performance:
Top speed: Mach 2.71 at 10,000 m; Mach 3.87 at 30,000+ m
Thrust-to-weight ratio: empty 3.47; standard T-O 2.49; maximum T-O 1.24
Armament:
None installed, but the VF-X had 4x underwing hard points for a wide variety of ordnance, plus a ventral hardpoint for a Howard GU-11 55 mm three-barrel Gatling gun pod with 200 RPG, fired at 1,200 rds/min or other stores like test instruments
The model and its assembly:
Another submission to the “Prototypes” group build at whatifmodelers.com in July 2020. Being a VF-1 fan (and have built maybe twenty o these simple Arii kits), adding a VF-X was, more or less, a must – even more so because I had a suitable Valkyrie Fighter kit at hand for the conversion. As a side note, I have actually built something quite similar from a VF-1D many years ago: a fictional, non-transformable advanced trainer, without knowing about the VF-X at all.
Thanks to the “Macross - Perfect Memory” source book, the differences between the transformable VF-1 and its early testbed were easy to identify:
- Fixed legs with faired ducts from the intakes on (thighs)
- Ankle recesses disappeared
- Less and slightly different panel lines on the back and on the nose
- ventral head unit deleted and a respective fairing installed instead
- Levelled underside (shoulder fairings of the folded arms were cut down)
- Leg attachment points on the nose deleted
- No small, circular vernier thrusters all around the hull
- Some new/different venting grills (created mostly with 0.5mm black decal stripes)
Beyond the changes, the VF-1A was basically built OOB. Thankfully, the VF-X already features the later VF-1’s vectored thrust nozzles/feet, so that no changes had to be made in this respect. A pilot figure was added to the cockpit for the beauty pics, and after the flight scenes had been shot, the canopy remained open on a swing arm for static display. For the same reason, the model was built with the landing gear extended.
As a test aircraft, the underwing pylons and their AMM-1 ordnance were left away and the attachment points hidden with putty. I also omitted the ventral gun pod and left the aircraft clean. However, for the flight scene pictures, I implanted an adapter for a display holder made from wire.
In order to emphasize the test vehicle character of the VF-X, I gave the model a scratched spin recovery parachute installation between the fins, using a real world F-22 testbed as benchmark. It consists of styrene profiles, quite a delicate construction. For the same reason I gave the VF-X a long sensor boom on the nose, which changes the Valkyrie’s look, too. Finally, some small blade antennae were added to the nose and to the spine behind the cockpit.
Painting and markings:
To be honest, I have no idea if there was only a single VF-X prototype in the Macross universe, or more. Just one appears in the TV series in episode #33, and lack of suitable information and my personal lack of Japanese language proficiency prevents any deeper research. However, this would not keep me from inventing a personal interpretation of the canonical VF-X, especially because I do not really like the original livery from the TV series: an overall light grey with some simple black trim and “TEST” written on the (fixed) legs. Yamato did an 1:60 scale toy of the VF-X, but it was/is just a VF-1 with a ventral fairing; they added some shading to the basic grey – but this does not make the aircraft more attractive, IMHO.
When I looked at the original conceptual drawing of the VF-X in the “Macross - Perfect Memory” source book, however, I was immediately reminded of the F-15 prototypes from the Seventies (and this program used a total of twelve machines!). These featured originally a light grey (FS 36375?) overall base, to which bright dayglo orange markings on wings, fins and fuselage were soon added – in a very similar pattern to the VF-X. I think the VF-X livery was actually inspired by this, the time frame matches well with the production of the Macross TV series, too, and that’s what I adapted for my model.
In order to come close to the F-15 prototype livery, I gave “my” VF-X an overall basic coat of RAL 7047 “Telegrau 4”, one of German Telekom’s corporate colors and a very pale grey that can easily be mistaken for white when you do not have a contrast reference.
The cockpit received a medium grey finish, the ejection seat became black with brown cushions; the pilot figure is a 1:100 seated passenger from an architecture supplies, painted like an early VF-1 pilot in a white/blue suit. The jet nozzles/feet were painted with Revell 91 (Iron) and later treated with grinded graphite for a more metallic finish. The landing gear became classic white (I used Revell 301, which is a very pure tone, as contrast to the RAL 7047 on the hull), the air intake ducts and the internal sections of the VG wings were painted with dark grey (Revell 77).
For some diversity I took inspiration from the Yamato VF-X toy and added slightly darker (Humbrol 166, RAF Light Aircraft Grey) areas to the hull and the legs. Next, the panel lines were emphasized through a thinned black ink wash, but I did no panel post shading so that the VF-X would not look too dirty or worn.
Onto this basis I applied the orange dayglo markings. On the wings and fins, these were painted – they were applied with spray paint from a rattle can, involving lots of masking. The leading edges on wings and fins were created with grey decal sheet material, too. At this stage, some surface details and more fake panel lines were added with a soft pencil.
The orange cheatline under the cockpit is a personal addition; I found that some more orange had to be added to the nose for visual balance, and I eventually went for the simple, trimmed stripe (TL Modellbau material) instead of trying to apply decal sheet material around the jagged air intakes (F-15 prototype style). The black “TEST”, “VFX” and “U.N. Spacy” markings were designed at the computer and printed on clear inkjet decal paper. Even though the “real” VF-X does not feature the UNS “kite” insignia, I decided to add them to the model. These come from the OOB sheet, which also provided most (slightly yellowed) stencils.
Finally, the model was sealed with a coat of matt acrylic varnish (Italeri).
A rather different VF-1 project (and it is – to my astonishment – #28 in my 1:100 VF-1 Fighter mode collection!!!), with more changes to the basic model kit than one might expect at first sight. VF-X and VF-1 differ considerably from each other, despite identical outlines! However, I like the outcome, and I think that going a different route from the canonical grey/black livery paid out, the bright orange markings really make this VF-X stand out, and it looks IMHO more like a testbed than the “real” aircraft from the TV series.