1/72 Airfix Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King Canadian Forces (Navy)

1/72 Airfix Sikorsky CH-124 Sea King Canadian Forces (Navy)

 This is a model that I highly recommend for those who enjoy making their models participate in missions. You may be asking why? It is simply because this is the only model I have built with the capability of having the landing gear raise and lower as well as have the main door open and close. It is truly a splendid model.

 The kit was for the Royal Navy and has the option of having an early warning radar on it, but I wanted it to make it Canadian. As per usual, I used decals from the 'Canadian Helicopters' decal sheets from Belcher Bits models, but because I used the latest coloured roundels on the Chinook, I decided to make it the next latest, but it still looks fairly modern.

 Construction went on without a hitch but I did think it was very interesting that the model allows for wheels up and down as well as the door open/closed with the ability to slide it into those positions. You can see this in the picture to the right where the wheels are up and the door shut.

Over-all the aircraft is Ocean Gray (RAF) with a Neutral Gray interior. All the black parts are Gloss Black with Yellow rotor tips. The wheel wells are NATO Green and the struts are Flat Aluminum.





The Sea King has served the Canadian Forces as a Search And Rescue (SAR) helicopter as well as submarine hunters. 2013 marks the 50th anniversary of the Sea King's first flight with the Canadian Forces. Since then it has served in virtually every combat mission since then and has rescued countless numbers of lives at sea and abroad.

Despite the trusted service the aircraft has provided, it will not last. In 2009 Canada ordered the CH-148 as a replacement with delivery expected immediately. But as it is 2013 and we only have two, the Sea King will remain in service in the foreseeable future until more Cyclones arrive.

General characteristics

• Crew: 4 (2 pilots, 1 navigator, 1 airborne electronic sensor operator)
• Capacity: 3 passengers
• Length: 54 ft 9 in (16.7 m)
• Rotor diameter: 62 ft (19 m)
• Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
• Disc area: ft² (m²)
• Empty weight: 11,865 lb (5,382 kg)
• Loaded weight: 18,626 lb (8,449 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 22,050 lb (10,000 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric T58-GE-8F/-100 turboshafts, 1,500 shp (kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 166 mph (267 km/h)
• Range: 621 mi (1,000 km)
• Service ceiling: 14,700 ft (4,481 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,310-2,220 ft/min (400-670 m/min)

Armament

• 2× Mk 46 Mod V anti-submarine torpedoes
• Various sonobuoys and pyrotechnic devices
• door guns (some variants)

Info from 'RCAF Today' Magazine and Wikipedia.

1/72 Minicraft CF-188 Hornet RCAF

Hey everyone,

Glad to see the numbers continuing to rise. Even if it is just people returning I am glad that you are. Anyways, I hope all is well in you modeling world and that some of my posts have helped make your models good.

1/72 Minicraft CF-188 Hornet RCAF

 I made this one a long time ago and can't really say I remember what colours I used or how well the construction went. I do know that the decals did come with the model and that I painted it by hand as I hadn't yet discovered sprays.

 The Hornet has served as Canada's only fighter/bomber for three decades and has participated in every combat mission since then including the Gulf War, peace keeping in the states of former Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Somalia, and even the no fly zone over Libya.

 The aircraft was first introduced in 1983 but was less than admirable to its pilots in the first years as they were used to the CF-104, CF-5 and the CF-101 which were relatively sluggish compared to this aircraft.

Also, since this aircraft was purchased right from McDonnell instead of through the USAF so the pilots didn't receive any training on this aircraft

But once the RCAF got used to it, the Hornet became one of the most reliable aircraft ever to serve in the Canadian Forces and finding a replacement will be tough.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1 or 2
• Length: 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
• Wingspan: 40 ft 0 in with Sidewinders (12.31 m)
• Height: 15 ft 4 in (4.66 m)
• Wing area: 400 ft² (37.16 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 65A005 mod root, 65A003.5 mod tip
• Empty weight: 23,049 lb (10,455 kg)
• Loaded weight: 37,150 lb (16,850 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 51,550 lb (23,400 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × General Electric F404-GE-400 turbofans, 16,000 lb_f (71.2 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.8 (1,127 mph, 1,814 km/h) at 36,100 ft (11,000 m)
• Combat radius: 330 mi (290 nmi, 537 km) on hi-lo-lo-hi mission
• Ferry range: 2,070 mi ( 1,800 nmi, 3,330 km) (range without ordnance)
• Service ceiling: 50,000 ft (15,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 50,000 ft/min (254 m/s)
• Thrust/weight: 0.89

Armament

• Nine Weapon/ Store Stations (5 pylons: 1 Under Fuselage and 4 Wing Stations) (2 LAU 116 located on sides of fuselage: deploys AIM 7 Sparrow and AMRAAM Missiles)(2 LAU 7 located on the wing tips: Deploys AIM 9 Sidewinder Missile), carrying up to 13700 lb (6215 kg) of missiles, rockets, bombs, fuel tanks, and pods
• 1 × 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan internal gatling gun with 578 rounds, with a firing rate of 4000 or 6000 shots per minute
• Missiles:

• Air-to-air: AIM-9 Sidewinder, AIM-120 AMRAAM, AIM-7 Sparrow
• Air-to-ground: AGM-65 Maverick, CRV7 rockets

• Bombs: Paveway, Mk 82, Mk 83, Mk 84, GBU-10, -12, -16 and -24 laser guided bombs.

 

Avionics

• Raytheon AN/APG-73 radar
• BAE Systems AN/APX-111 IFF
• Rockwell Collins AN/ARC-210 RT-1556/ARC VHF/UHF Radio
• General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems AN/AYK-14 XN-8 mission computer
• Smiths Aerospace AN/AYQ-9 Stores Management System

All info from RCAF Today Magazine

1/72 Italeri Dassault Rafale Aéronavale

Hey everyone,

I can see that visitors to my blog has gone up significantly in the past little while so I am glad to see everyone enjoying what I have to say. Or maybe you just like the pictures, either way, thank you for visiting, it is what keeps me posting.

Today I will be doing something out of the ordinary and making a post about a non-North American (or communist) fighter. This has to be one of my best models I have done since I first got back into modeling in grade 10 when I received a CF-100 Canuck from a friend of mine. So please enjoy this post as there will be many more like it to follow.

1/72 Italeri Dassault Rafale Aéronavale

 This is the latest aircraft of the French Navy and could quite possibly be Canada's next fighter, this is the Dassault Rafale, an advanced semi-stealth ship based fighter.

Before I built this fighter I was completely skeptical about it and actually didn't want to build it or have it in my collection. But after I finished it I realized I had done more to make this plane complete than any American fighter I had made before it.

 I put the antennas on it, and even the stupid little decals where one slip of the finger and it could be gone forever. But somehow this turned out to be in the top 10 of the best models I have ever built.

It was a while ago that I built this baby, but I can't say I remember it being too hard to construct. I used the darker IJN Grey over all, Neutral Grey on the cockpit window while the inside is Flat Black. The engines are Gun Metal with Gloss Black on the inside. The missiles are Gloss White.

 I don't know much about this aircraft besides the fact it is French in name and construction. Most European aircraft are made in multiple countries but the Rafale is the first to be built entirely in one country. The most important combat role this aircraft participated in was the no-fly zone above Libya in 2011.

Despite only being in one mission, this aircraft is still young and has the potential to serve for decades before its eventual retirement.

This aircraft has been entered into the contest by the RCAF to find a suitable replacement for the CF-188 Hornet along with the F35, F/A-18E/F, and the JAS 29 Grippon amongst others.


General characteristics

• Crew: 1–2
• Length: 15.27 m (50.1 ft)
• Wingspan: 10.80 m (35.4 ft)
• Height: 5.34 m (17.5 ft)
• Wing area: 45.7 m² (492 ft²)
• Empty weight:
  
  • C: 9,500 kilograms (21,000 lb)
  • B: 9,770 kilograms (21,500 lb)
  • M: 10,196 kilograms (22,480 lb)
• Loaded weight: 14,016 kg (30,900 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 24,500 kg (C/D), 22,200 kg (M) (54,000 lb)
• Powerplant: 2 × Snecma M88-2 turbofans
  • Dry thrust: 50.04 kN (11,250 lbf) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 75.62 kN (17,000 lbf) each
• Fuel capacity: 4,700 kg (10,000 lb) internal

Performance

• Maximum speed:
  
  • High altitude: Mach 1.8+ (2,130+ km/h, 1,050+ knots)
  • Low altitude: Mach 1.1+ (1,390 km/h, 750 knots)
• Range: 3,700+ km (2,000+ nmi)
• Combat radius: 1,852+ km (1,000+ nmi) on penetration mission
• Service ceiling: 16,800 m (55,000 ft)
• Rate of climb: 304.8+ m/s (60,000+ ft/min)
• Wing loading: 306 kg/m² (62.8 lb/ft²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.988 (100% fuel, 2 EM A2A missile, 2 IR A2A missile) version M

Armament

• Guns: 1× 30 mm (1.18 in) GIAT 30/719B autocannon with 125 rounds
• Hardpoints: 14 for Air Force versions (Rafale B/C), 13 for Navy version (Rafale M) with a capacity of 9,500 kg (21,000 lb) external fuel and ordnance and provisions to carry combinations of:
  
  • Missiles:
    
    • MBDA MICA IR or EM or Magic II and
    • MBDA Meteor air-to-air mssiles in the future
  • Air-to-ground:
    • MBDA Apache or
    • Storm Shadow-SCALP EG or
    • AASM-Hammer or
    • GBU-12 Paveway II or
    • AS-30L
  • Air-to-surface:
    • AM 39-Exocet
  • Deterrence:
    • ASMP-A nuclear missile
  • Other:
    
    • Thales Damocles targeting pod
    • RECO NG (New Generation) reconnaissance pod
    • up to 5 drop tanks
    • The Rafale can also carry a buddy-buddy refuelling po
    
    

Avionics

• Thales RBE2 radar
• Thales SPECTRA electronic warfare system.
• Thales/SAGEM-OSF Optronique Secteur Frontal infra-red search and track system.

(info from Wikipedia)

1/72 Hobbycraft DHC-4 Caribou RCAF/UN

Season two is really starting to heat up with some of my better models that I have created over the past while. If you fin the Canadian stuff boring do not worry, I am running out of Canadian models to review because Canada has only had so many aircraft over the past century so the reviews will gradually become more international.

1/72 Hobbycraft DHC-4 Caribou RCAF/UN

 This one was probably one of the more interesting aircraft I have ever built, not only because it is a mix of Canada/United Nations, but also because I have no prior background knowledge of this aircraft.

I will start out with the usual, this aircraft was fairly easy to assemble. The pieces all fit together really well and the paint actually turned out half descent.

Overall the aircraft is gloss White while all the black parts are Flat Black. The wheel wells are Cockpit Green while the cockpit itself is Light Gray. The wheel struts are Flat Aluminum with a Gloss Red light on the tail.

I can honestly say I dislike Hobbycraft because of the way they make the decals. Instead of having them all together and ready to be put on you have to put on layers which can be a huge pain in the ass. Either way it still turned out great in my onion, even the white didn't run too horribly.

 This plane was piston powered which meant it was slower than its big sister, the DHC-5. Its short takeoff and landing capabilities made it popular with many air forces around the world and with bush pilots flying in relatively unpopulated parts of the world.

As the design may suggest, it was used heavily in hauling cargo to places larger aircraft like the C130 couldn't. The USAF used this aircraft and its big sister during the Vietnam War for this exact reason with transportation to the very front lines being taken care of by the Chinook.

I was unable to find any information on the mission this aircraft would have undertaken as it is based off an aircraft from the 60's and based in the Middle East. But where in the Middle East and for what purpose I was unable to find. I do know that these aircraft were used for SAR operations in Canada as well as strategic airlift operations.

General characteristics

• Crew: Three
• Capacity:
  
  • 32 troops or
  • 24 fully equipped paratroops or
  • 14 casualty stretchers
• Payload: 8,000 lb (3,628 kg)
• Length: 72.58 ft (22.12 m)
• Wingspan: 95.58 ft (29.13 m)
• Height: 31.66 ft (9.65 m)
• Wing area: 912 ft² (84.7 m²)
• Empty weight: 16,920 lb (7,675 kg)
• Loaded weight: 28,500 lb (12,927 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt and Whitney R-2000-7M2 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder, 1,450 hp (1,081 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 216 mph (348 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 181 mph (291 km/h)
• Range: 1,280 mi (2,060 km) (240 mi (390 km) with maximum payload)
• Service ceiling: 24,800 ft (7,559 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,355 ft/min (413 m/min)

all info from wikipedia and the RCAF website

1/72 CF-101B Voodoo Revell RCAF

Hello everybody, hope you liked the first post from Season Two ;D

I want to dedicate this post to any and Canadian servicemen past present and future. They are the men who keep our country free and they deserve all the recognition we can give them. And as we come to the 60th anniversary of the "end" of the Korean War, we need to remember those who gave their lives to stop a sudden war of aggression.

I personally believe this war was one of the most important wars of the past century. It was the first time the UN came together to stop an aggressor and did with almost complete success. This is probably a long shot, but if any veterans from the Korean War see my blog, please feel free to post some stories, I'd love to hear some. Also if any of you have any Korean Era models or scale battlefield feel free to post them in the comments section. I always like to see the creations others have... created.

1/72 CF-101B Voodoo Revell

 This is perhaps the absolute most elusive model I have ever tried to build.  I had to order this guy in from a website known as OmniModels.com. I tried ordering it in from a place in Kitchener, then from a place in Toronto but I had to go with the online option.

 Anyways, this model was originally released in the 80's and was remastered this year. I think it turned out beautifully in my opinion.

I painted the interior Light Grey and Flat Black. The aircraft is over-all Mica-Grey with a Gloss Black nose. The engines are Gloss Black inside while outside is a mix of Flat Aluminum and Metallic Grey. The area directly aft of the engines is Titanium Gold. The rims on the afterburners are Metallic Blue.

 The AIM-D missiles are White and Red while the MB-1 Genie missiles are White. The decals are from Belcher Bits Decals. And yes, the missile door rotates.

 Canada received its first F101 Voodoos were delivered in 1961 second hand from the USAF and were immediately pressed into service as high-speed high-altitude interceptors.

These aircraft were some of the most advanced of the time and were replaced by the CFA-188 Hornet in the 80's.

They also created a large controversy over the Genie missiles. These missiles contained 1.5 kt nuclear warhead in the tip. Canadians did not want Nuclear weapons in Canada so they were only armed with their AIM-D missiles. The government decided on a loophole because one Genie could do a lot more damage to bomber formations than an AIM-D.

The government decided that, even though the missiles would be in Canada, the USAF would operate them for the RCAF. I am not sure how satisfied the people of Canada were but the controversy slowly subsided.

The last CF101 was retired in 1986, making Canada the last operator of the aircraft. This Voodoo was completely converted to an Electronics warfare aircraft and was completely black. It was known as the Electric Voodoo.

General characteristics

 

• Crew: Two
• Length: 67 ft 5 in (20.55 m)
• Wingspan: 39 ft 8 in (12.09 m)
• Height: 18 ft 0 in (5.49 m)
• Wing area: 368 ft² (34.20 m²)
• Airfoil: NACA 65A007 mod root, 65A006 mod tip
• Empty weight: 28,495 lb (12,925 kg)
• Loaded weight: 45,665 lb (20,715 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 52,400 lb (23,770 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney J57-P-55 afterburning turbojets
  • Dry thrust: 11,990 lbf (53.3 kN) each
  • Thrust with afterburner: 16,900 lbf (75.2 kN) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: Mach 1.72, 1,134 mph (1,825 km/h) at 35,000 ft (10,500 m)
• Range: 1,520 mi (2,450 km)
• Service ceiling: 58,400 ft (17,800 m)
• Rate of climb: 49,200 ft/min (250 m/s)
• Wing loading: 124 lb/ft² (607 kg/m²)
• Thrust/weight: 0.74

Armament

• Two AIM-4D Falcon heat-seeking air to air missiles and two AIR-2A Genie unguided nuclear rockets with 1.5 K warhead – mounted on rotary armament door.

Avionics

• Hughes MG-13 fire control system

 (Info provided by Wikipedia, the Canadian Forces website and the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum. Pictures from Google, pictures of the model are by me)

1/72 Hasegawa CT-133 Silver Star Canadian Forces

Hello Everyone,

Well it is about time for season two of posting to begin as it has been a few weeks since my big post. The following posts won't be large or extravagant until this season of models is up. But I hope you are enjoying yourself and are learning some things to help make your models as real as they can be.

Soon I will be testing out an air brush that my dad has bought and hopefully it will give me that real life look. So stay tuned for some of those and enjoy the other models I will be posting about.

1/72 Hasegawa CT-133 Silver Star Canadian Forces

 This is perhaps one of the most iconic aircraft of the 20th century and one of the most recognizable aircraft in the world. Yes, this is the T33, or as we Canucks call it, the Silver Star.

The kit was from Hasegawa but I bought it on Ebay as it was incredibly hard for my local retailers to find one.

The aircraft interior is Dark Grey while the over all colour is the lighter IJN Grey with Metallic Grey for the engine exhaust and shiny black for the engine intakes. The kit was easy to assemble but there was a bit of excess plastic. I used decals from Leading Edge Models.

 The CT-133 Silver Star was the main intermediate jet trainer during the cold war for the Canadian Forces, but also with Turkey receiving many retired examples as well.

While these aircraft were replaced by the more modern CT-155 Hawk, they were used up until 2000 as enemy simulation aircraft to train pilots to fight real enemies. A single CT-133 was kept until 2005 as a fixed engine test vehicle at Cold Lake. These nimble aircraft were also used as electronics warfare aircraft until their replacement.

As these planes were trainers they lacked any armament of any kind

General characteristics

• Crew: 1–2
• Length: 11.48 m (37 ft 8 in)
• Wingspan: 12.93 m (42 ft 5 in)
• Height: 3.55 m (11 ft 8 in)
• Empty weight: 3830 kg (8440 lb)
• Max. takeoff weight: 7630 kg (16800 lb)
• Powerplant: 1 × Rolls-Royce Nene 10 turbojet, 22 kN (5000 lb)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 920 km/h (500 kn, 570 mi/h)
•  Service ceiling: 14000 m (47000 ft)

All info from Wikipedia, Google,  Hasegawa and the announcers at the K/W Air Show