Falklands War GB feeler.

I'm just in the middle of building the Dragon 1/700 Sheffield. It can also be built as the Coventry and the Argentinian Type 42's. It tells you which bits to cut off or miss out for the various differences. 

Dragon also does the Batch 2 and 3 in separate kits, so there's no need to get too crazy with the modifications. 

As promised, here are the Vulcan shots, XL 319 as she is today in the Yorkshire Air Museum:

That's twelve, not sure if there are any limits on posting capacity so I'll post these and come back for the other dozen in a few minutes...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

and now, the conclusion...

There, I hope that answers some detail questions and helps get the creative juices flowing for a Black Buck build or three. XL 319 is in poor repair and the mess does tend to obscure the way she would have looked in service. I'll seek out my photographs of the Black Buck plane preserved at Hendon and post those also (not many and not so good, the light in there was terrible...)

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Some great pics Mike - that Vulcan is a large machine isn't it - hoping to see a few built here!

Sure is Vance, she never fails to impress. If I could get hold of an Airfix kit I might even consider one myself, though I've found myself thinkiing about he Pucarra, and just remembered the same museum had one of those too. Very poor condition, still wearing her Argentine paints, I got a few shots and I'll post them here. I wonder if anyone makes a Pucarra kit these days??? And an Argie LVTP would also be a most interesting project, I agree. I have a couple in the stash...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

I'm shooting for a Harrier first - have wanted to add one to the collection for quite some time, but the  Pucarra is my second, hoping to find both. Special Hobby produced one in 1/72 scale if memory serves,

Here's XL 318 preserved at Hendon:

What a difference between the two planes and such a shame 319 isn't supported by the sort of funding it takes to preserve and present these aircraft properly.

Pucarra pics coming shortly...

Cheers, Mike/TB379

Great pics Mike, thanks for posting. That first one is certainly looking the worse for wear. It can make a grown man great looking at the stat some of these aircraft can fall into. And what a differance between the one on Yorkshire and the Hendon display with all the bombs layed out.

There used to be one at a small Aviation museum in Norwich, but not sure its still there. It could even be the one from Yorkshire as i seem to recall that was ex black buck.

I am planning on doing a Matchbox, yes you read that right, Matchbox, Chinook that i have had in the stash for years.

Here's a list from the www that might be accurate of the Vulcans on display:

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100520122717AAqrK89

There's one in California and a total of three in the US; so it's not impossible that some of my fellow Colonists may be able to go see one.

There's a short sequence in "Thunderball" that includes flight footage and some interior stuff.

These might not be the greatest pictures, but here is a Vulcan that is on display at the SAC museum here in Nebraska.

OWL

Thanks Bondo. Nice to see so many of these were saved from the srap heap. And the Norwich one is listed, i'll get some pics next time i am up there.

Thanks OWl, nice pics. You reckon we can get pics of every Vulcan on that list.

I'm in to try to get out to Castle. These days getting to a museum on an active base is REALLY difficult. Castle is not active but I think still belongs to the Government.

I can't find the GB site. Have you two set it up yet?

I'll keep October open for this, the Falklands war was one of the first events I remember closely following in the news. I've got a RN Harrier with Falklands decals, but I'll wait until we are closer before commiting to anything specific. 

The Vulcan at Castle is right by the parking lot, so quite visible from the road, I think you could get some decent photos even if the museum were closed when you go by. I was impressed by the size of it, while not as big as a B-52 the delta wing more than makes up for any shortage of wingspan.

Try to give yourself some time if you do head out there, they have a nice collection with several unusual planes including a B-18, B-23 and B-36.

Bondo  No the GB page is not up yet. With an April start date i would imagine sometime in Feb. vance and myself will need to co-ordinate as i will be doing the intial post and he is running with the participants list. It is also working on the badge.

Aaronw  Will be glad to have to aboard. The GB is now going to run from April 2nd this year to June 14th next year. So you have plenty of time to decided for deffinate what you want to build.

Hey guys, just checking out my options for a 1/72 Harrier, with Falklands decals OOB... Does anyone have any experience with the new Airfix FRS1 kit (http://www.airfix.com/airfix-products/harrier-retires/a03078-sea-harrier-frs1-a03078/) or the Italeri GR.3 offering? (http://www.italeri.com/VisualizzaProdotto.aspx?PROD=00249)

Also, not sure of the designations - would GR.3 and FRS1 have both been active in the Falklands??

vance, not sure about those kits. But yes, the GR.3 was used by the RAF and FRS.1 by the navy, during the conflict.

OK, so both are appropriate as I do want something that was in-theatre athe the time. So was the GR.3 operating off of the carriers as well?

Both seem to get favourable reviews online, with the Italeri having a few issues with the weapons load and Airfix being accused of too-deep engraving on the panels. I think I may be leaning towards Airfix's naval version.

I'm also keeping an eye on the kits at my (soon to cease operations) LHS. They have kits of the type 42 destroyer and one of the carriers... Haven't built a ship in probably 20 years, but if the price is right I may grab one of these. (Maybe I can try one of those crazy forced perspective deals, with my 1/72 Harrier flying away with the carrier in the background....)

The GR.3's operated from Hermes and Port San Carlos. 6 were carried down on the Atlantic Conveyer

Alright gang, the official group build thread has been started up, we'll keep this alive a spot to show resources, picture samples etc., but all the building madness will be kept on the other thread here: /forums/t/134921.aspx

Come on over & let us know whet you're planning to build!

A couple of interesting Chinook things;

As has been mentioned already, a captured Argentinian Army Chinook was used to repair a UK bird. AE-520, an Argentine CH-47C from the 601st Assault Helicopter Squadron was captured virtually intact beside the Governors House in Stanley, she was duly raped by souvenir hunters & then returned to the UK. Back in the UK she was re-serialed as ZH275 & used as a ground trainer until her rear pylon was stolen?

AE-520;

Meanwhile, in Oman CH-47 HC-2 ZA704 attempted a running landing too steeply & wrecked it's rear rotors & pylon after contact with the large planet below. ZA704 was shipped back to the UK & the rear pylon from the ex Argentine AE-520 was used to repair ZA704, the parts being converted from C to D spec in the process. ZA704 was (until last year anyway) being used by British Forces in Afghanistan. ZA704 was the subject of much unnecessary public outrage when the whole story of the "dodgy cut-n-shut" helicopter was pumped out by British papers.

ZA704;

Another British Chinook ZA718 (Bravo November), which was the only one to survive the Argentinian attack on the  SS Atlantic Conveyor & the only British Chinook in the Falklands at the time continues to serve in Afghanistan today. ZA718 has also served in Lebanon, Germany, Northern Ireland, Kurdistan, & Iraq, she is also featured in Wikipedia. Bravo November has also been the subject of much ridiculous press coverage in the UK due to her age - Don't these *** know it's bad manners to discuss a ladies age?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bravo_November

Bravo November then;

Bravo November Now

O, nice. I think the one i am building is BN, at least i assume it is, will check when i get back to Odiham tomorrow. They rotate the cabs regulaly through ASfghan, so i will see if i can find her laetr this year. Be nice to get some up to date pics to go with the 82 model.

Nice she is, she has managed to get various pilots 4 Distinguished Flying Crosses & also hold a record for carrying troops in action at 81!

Nice indeed. And i like the pic of her lifting the load from a ship. I am going to try and see if i can do a Dio of her lifting an underslung load, so thats a handy ref pic.

You could find a way to use the sling as the mount the Chinook, maybe hide a mounting rod inside of the webbing/straps etc.

747 anyone;

A BA liveried 747 was used for transportation following the war - it was eventually purchased by the RAF & continued its work;

Decent pics here; http://www.freewebs.com/theflyingmonkey/thefalklands.htm

& here;  http://www.globalaviationresource.com/reports/2009/thefalklands.php

A few more usefull pics of Bravo November;

& here on SS Uganda:  http://www.seadogs-reunited.com/Chinook%20landing.jpg

& some further information here:  http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Falklands/BravoNovember.html

I was thinking of useing wire along the straps of a netted load and supporting it that way. Possably adding some clear rods as well.

2012 is also 30 years since my unit was formed. It was origina;lly JHSU, Joint Helicopter Support Unit. It was formed just before the war and the falklands was its first deployment. And one guy from the unit was killed there. Since Sept 2009 the unit is now squadron, but those of us there since before the change still refer to it as JHSU, and we are still Hookers.

Nice find on the 747. Wounder if any of the airliner builders will be interested in tackling that.

That's a great pic of the Chinook lifting the HU-5 Wessex . I've been wanting to find a pic of the HU-5 and it's color scheme , it appears to be the same color as the HAS-3 [RAF Dark Sea Grey ].

                                      John .

a-ha - if in doubt, throw some Dark Sea Grey at it! That's what my Sea Harrier will be carrying. We seem to be gathering info here to keep it somewhat separate from the builds, so I'll post the question here.

I've ordered the Special Hobby Pucara, shipped out yesterday. All the reviews I read mention it's a little work, but worth it - resin & PE are included. What isn't included though are underwing stores. So, where does one look for Argentinian rocket pods, napalm tanks or iron bombs? Any ideas??

This is one of the wiki links i am useing. Not reall a great deal when it comes to air dropped munitions. says the pucaras carried 105mm rockets and napalm, but doesn't say from where. I would guess American

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentine_air_forces_in_the_Falklands_War#Armament

Maybe this photo will help

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pucara_armamento_picture.jpg