[skanchan95]

1:72 Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II #70-0970, 356th TFS "Green Demons", 354th TFW, United States Air Force, Korat AB, Thailand, 1972 (JC Wings)

“The mission was to drop bombs and destroy the target, and the A-7’s ability to drop great bombs is unprecedented. It wasn’t just more accurate than the F-100….lt was better than any other weapons system designed to deliver ordnance!” - Captain Don Cornell, USAF F-100/A-7 pilot

US Air Force A-7Ds flew a total of 12,928 combat sorties during the war with only six losses - the lowest of any U.S. fighter in the theater. The aircraft was second only to Boeing B-52 Stratofortress in the amount of ordnance dropped on Hanoi and dropped more bombs per sortie with greater accuracy than any other U.S. attack aircraft.

The A-7 Corsair II was developed during the early 1960s as a carrier capable replacement for the Navy's Douglas A-4 Skyhawks. The A-7's design was derived from the Vought F-8 Crusader AKA the Last Gunfighter. In comparison with the F-8, the A-7 is both smaller and restricted to subsonic speeds, its airframe being simpler and cheaper to produce.

US Navy A-7 refueling an F-8. Easy to see how the A-7 was derived from the F-8, which was longer and sleeker.

Initially adopted by US Navy, the A-7 proved attractive to other services, soon being adopted by the United States Air Force (USAF) and the Air National Guard (ANG) to replace their aging Douglas A-1 Skyraider and North American F-100 Super Sabre fleets. The A-7 was also exported to Greece in the 1970s and to Portugal in the late 1980s. The USAF and USN opted to retire their remaining examples of the type in 1991, followed by the ANG in 1993 and the Portuguese Air Force in 1999. The A-7 was largely replaced by newer generation fighters such as the F-16 and the F/A-18 Hornet. The final A-7 operator, the Hellenic Air Force, withdrew the last A-7s during 2014.

The A-7 was the first operational American combat aircraft to get a fully instrumented HUD. This new addition was a monumental revolution in technology that changed air combat forever.

A-7D Corsair II
The A-7D was the purpose built Version built for the USAF (the B,C & E variants were built fro the US Navy) .

The United States Army has not been permitted to operate fixed-wing combat aircraft since the establishment of an independent United States Air Force (USAF) in 1947. To meet its need for close air support of its troops in South Vietnam, the Army pressured the Air Force to procure a specialized subsonic close air support fixed-wing aircraft that would suit its needs better than the general-purpose supersonic aircraft that the USAF preferred.

The Vought A-7 seemed to be a relatively quick and inexpensive way to satisfy this need. However, the USAF was initially reluctant to take on yet another Navy-designed aircraft, but Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was insistent. On 5 November 1965, Secretary of the Air Force Harold Brown and USAF Chief of Staff General John P. McConnell announced that they had decided to order a version of the Corsair II, designated A-7D, for the Tactical Air Command.

The A-7D differed from the Navy's Corsair II in several ways. For one, the USAF insisted on significantly more power for its Corsair II version, and it selected the Allison TF41-A-1 turbofan engine, which was a license-built version of the Rolls-Royce Spey engine. It offered a thrust of 14,500 lbf (64,000 N), over 2,000 lbf (8,900 N) greater than that of the TF30 that powered the Navy's Corsair IIs. Other changes included a head up display, a new avionics package, and an M61A1 rotary cannon in place of the two single-barreled 20-mm cannon. Also included was a computerized navigation/weapons delivery system with AN/APQ-126 radar and a head-up display.

The A-7D had a boom flight refueling receptacle in place of the Navy's retractable starboard-side probe/drogue system, with the boom receptacle being on the top of the A-7D's fuselage behind the cockpit and offset to port.

Taking over from Douglas A-1 Skyraiders and F-100 Super Sabres (and adopting their call sign of "Sandy"), the A-7's higher speed was somewhat detrimental for escorting the helicopters and leading CSAR missions but the aircraft's high endurance and durability were an asset and it performed admirably.
A-7 HUD:


A-7D 70-0970 & the Marathon CSAR mission

Major Colin A Clarke served with the 356th TFS of the 354th TFW at Myrtle Beach AFB, South Carolina, from May 1971 to March 1974. During this time, he deployed to Southeast Asia as an A-7 Sandy pilot, where he flew an additional 73 combat missions from Korat Royal Thai AFB, Thailand, between October 1972 and March 1973. During his 385 combat missions in Southeast Asia, Clarke was shot down and rescued twice, first on August 18, 1964, and a second time while flying as a Misty FAC on January 22, 1969. He served his first tour of duty in Vietnam in 1962-63, and a second tour in 1964-65. He earned the Silver Star on his third Vietnam tour in 1968-69, and the Air Force Cross during his fourth tour in Vietnam in 1972-73. In all he completed 385 combat missions in Southeast Asia, and was shot down and rescued twice. He later served with the Military Assistance Advisory Group in Tehran, Iran, until he was evacuated due to the revolution that led to the Iranian hostage crisis. He retired from the US Air Force on August 1, 1981.

On 18 November 1972, Major Clarke was flying this particular A-7D S/N 70-0790 from Korat on a nine-hour rescue support mission over Thanh Hóa, Vietnam for a CSAR mission to rescue a downed F-105F Wild Weasel crew. Maj. Clarke made a number of passes through low cloud to locate the downed F-105 Wild Weasel crew through heavy AA fire and directed a HH-53 to do a DF letdown on him for the rescue, for which he received the Air Force Cross.

The mission lasted a total of 8.8 hours during which Clarke and his wingman took a number of hits from 0.50 cal (12.7 mm) anti-aircraft fire. For his actions in coordinating the rescue, Clarke was awarded the Air Force Cross, the USAF's second-highest decoration for valor.

Major Colin Arnold "Arnie" Clarke


Major Clarke's A-7D in flight, with him at the controls.


A-7D Corsair IIs 70-0976, 70-0989 and 70-0970 of the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing in the skies over Southeast Asia. '976 and '989 were retired to AMARC in 1992, '970 (Major Clarke's bird) is on permanent display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.



His A-7D (AF Serial No. 70-0970) was eventually placed on display on 31 January 1992 at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.

Major Clarke's Air Force Cross Citation reads:

The President of the United States of America, authorized by Title 10, Section 8742, United States Code, takes pleasure in presenting the Air Force Cross to Major Colin Arnold "Arnie" Clarke (AFSN: 0-73845), United States Air Force, for extraordinary heroism in military operations against an opposing armed force as Pilot of an A-7 aircraft of the 354th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, Korat Royal Thai Air Base, Thailand, in action as On-Scene Commander for search and rescue operations over North Vietnam, on 18 November 1972. On that date, Major Clarke directed an extremely complex mission that resulted in the successful recovery of two downed airmen despite adverse weather, mountainous terrain, and intense hostile ground fire. Disregarding these hazards, his own safety, and battle damage to his aircraft, he personally guided the rescue helicopter to the survivors' location, suppressed hostile defenses, and continued to direct rescue efforts even though he sustained additional damage to his aircraft. Through his extraordinary heroism, superb airmanship, and aggressiveness in the face of the enemy, Major Clarke reflected the highest credit upon himself and the United States Air Force.

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 46 ft 2 in (14.06 m)
Wingspan: 38 ft 9 in (11.8 m)
Width: 23 ft 9 in (7.24 m) wings folded
Height: 16 ft 1 in (4.9 m)
Wing area: 374.9 sq ft (34.83 m2)
Airfoil: NACA 65A007 root and tip
Empty weight: 19,127 lb (8,676 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 41,998 lb (19,050 kg) overload condition.
Fuel capacity: 1,338 US gal (5,060 l; 1,114 imp gal) (10,200 lb (4,600 kg)) internal
Powerplant: 1 × Allison TF41-A-2 non-afterburning turbofan engine, 15,000 lbf (66.7 kN) thrust

Performance
Maximum speed: 600 kn (690 mph, 1,100 km/h) at sea level
562 kn (1,041 km/h; 647 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) with 12x Mk82 bombs
595 kn (1,102 km/h; 685 mph) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m) after dropping bombs
Range: 1,070 nmi (1,231 mi, 1,981 km) maximum internal fuel
Ferry range: 1,342 nmi (1,544 mi, 2,485 km) with maximum internal and external fuel
Service ceiling: 42,000 ft (13,000 m) [48]
Rate of climb: 15,000 ft/min (76.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 77.4 lb/sq ft (378 kg/m2)
Thrust/weight: 0.50 (full internal fuel, no stores)
Sustained maneuvering performance: 5,300 ft (1,600 m) turning radius at 4.3g and 500 kn (930 km/h; 580 mph) at an All Up Weight (AUW) of 28,765 lb (13,048 kg)
Take-off run: 1,705 m (5,594 ft) at 42,000 lb (19,000 kg)

Armament
Guns: 1× M61A1 Vulcan 20 mm (0.79 in) rotary cannon with 1,030 rounds
Hardpoints: 6× under-wing and 2× fuselage pylon stations (for mounting AIM-9 Sidewinder AAMs only) with a capacity of 15,000 lb (6,800 kg) total capacity, with provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 4× LAU-10 rocket pods (each with 4× 127 mm (5.00 in) Zuni rockets)
Missiles: *** 2× AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile
2× AGM-45 Shrike anti-radiation missile
2× AGM-62 Walleye TV-guided glide bomb
2× AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile
2× AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missile
2× GBU-8 HOBOS electro-optically guided glide bomb
Bombs: *** Up to 30× 500 lb (230 kg) Mark 82 bombs or Mark 80 series of unguided bombs (including 6.6 lb (3 kg) and 31 lb (14 kg) practice bombs)
Paveway series of laser-guided bombs
Up to 4× B28, B43, B57, B61 or B83 nuclear bombs
Other: up to 4 × 300 US gal (1,100 l; 250 imp gal), 330 US gal (1,200 l; 270 imp gal), or 370 US gal (1,400 l; 310 imp gal) drop tanks

Avionics
AN/ASN-90(V) Inertial reference system
AN/ASN-91(V) navigation/weapon delivery computer
AN/APN-190(V) Doppler groundspeed and drift detector
Texas Instruments AN/APQ-126(V) Terrain-following radar (TFR)
AN/AVQ-7(V) Head Up display (HUD)
CP-953A/AJQ solid state Air Data computer (ADC)
AN/ASN-99 Projected Map Display (PMD)


No.355 of 600 manufactured


The box comes with this wonderful USAF SEA camo wraparound.



354th TFW logo visible




Model armed with 2 X AIM-9s on the fuselage stations, 2 X A-7 drop tanks, 12 X Mk.82 500-lb GP bombs, 6 X Mk.20 Rockeye cluster bombs.

















IFR receptacle above and behind the cockpit, offset to port.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II #70-0970, 356th TFS "Green Demons", 354th TFW, United States Air Force, Korat AB, Thailand, 1972 (JC Wings)

Congratulations on a very beautifully crafted scale model and that too of an aircraft flown by an outstanding pilot. The Corsair A-7 is a well proportioned machine that fulfills Mon. Dassault's statement that if it looks right it will fly right. The A-7, A-4, & British Buccaneer were the three machines of the 1960s that bucked the trend of go supersonic and were sensibly designed for warload and range and ground attack capability rather than merely flying fast ie fly real missions In the 1970s this trend got modified a bit with the ability to use an afterburner to accelerate away or take off with a heavy load and the Sepecat Jaguar and MiG-27 filled that design philosophy. Of the 3 from the 1960s in terms of having the right wing for fast lo-lo-lo profile with a full warload the A-4 had the most right wing, followed by the Buccaneer and then the A-7. The A-7 in its time was known for reliability and accuracy and served its Air Forces very well. Though thanks to its small size and better wing the A-4 Skyhawk lasted longer. I have always found the A-7 to be a handsome machine. As always your photo skills are tops. I think I'm going to slavishly copy your angles.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Ling-Temco-Vought A-7D Corsair II #70-0970, 356th TFS "Green Demons", 354th TFW, United States Air Force, Korat AB, Thailand, 1972 (JC Wings)

Another great model for your USAF Vietnam Era collection.

Interestingly the A-7 was offered to Pakistan also but they decided to go for the F-16 instead.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

US Air Force A-7Ds flew a total of 12,928 combat sorties during the war with only six losses - the lowest of any U.S. fighter in the theater. The aircraft was second only to Boeing B-52 Stratofortress in the amount of ordnance dropped on Hanoi and dropped more bombs per sortie with greater accuracy than any other U.S. attack aircraft.

Thats a very low loss ratio considering the US Navy lost 100 A-7 Corsairs in the Vietnam war.

https://military-history.fandom.com/...he_Vietnam_War

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Congratulations on a very beautifully crafted scale model and that too of an aircraft flown by an outstanding pilot.

Thank you sir. Yes, an A-7, especially the D variant, was on my wishlist. When this A-7D came up for pre-order with DBJets, I pre-ordered it without having second thoughts.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Another great model for your USAF Vietnam Era collection.

Thank you. Yes, it compliments my 1:72 F-4D and F-100D well.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Interestingly the A-7 was offered to Pakistan also but they decided to go for the F-16 instead.

Thank you for sharing the pic of an A-7 in PAF markings, hadn't seen this before. Going by the lack of IFR receptacle behind the cockpit, I suppose this was a Navy A-7E painted in SEA markings. Guess the Americans went all out to convince the Pakistanis to buy the A-7D!!

EDIT: 159926 was an ex-US Navy A-7E that was later sold to Greece as an A-7H between 1975-1980.



Here's what Pushpindar Singh & Ravi Rikhye's book "Fiza'ya - Psyche of the PAF", has to say about the A-7D sale to Pakistan.


The Pakistanis were offered the F-5E and the F-20 later, but they were unimpressed with the F-5E and did not want to be Guinea pig for the F-20. Rather, they were fixated with the idea of buying a small number of the F-16A/B initially, which they admirably did and got to acquire thanks to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

[skanchan95]

1:350 Type 877EKM Kilo/Sindhughosh class Submarine (Easy model)

Running silent, running deep, we are your final prayer
Warriors in secret sleep, a merchantman's nightmare
A silent death lies awaiting, for all of you below
Running silent, running deep, sink into your silent sleep

These lines from Iron Maiden's song - "Running Silent, Running Deep" sums up what the "Silent Arm" of the Navy does.

The Soviet designation Project 877 Paltus (meaning "Halibut" - a flounder type Flatfish), NATO reporting name Kilo class, is a class of diesel-electric SSKs designed and built in the Soviet Union for the Soviet Navy, for anti-submarine (ASW) and anti-surface ship (ASuW) warfare and is currently in service with the Navies of Algeria, China, India, Poland, Iran, Romania, Russia and Vietnam.

These attack submarines are mainly intended for anti-shipping and anti-submarine operations in relatively shallow waters. Nicknamed the “Black Hole” submarine by the U.S. Navy, the Kilos are extremely quiet. The class has been built more or less continuously for thirty years, a testament to their effectiveness at sea. The Kilo class normally dives to just 787 feet, with a maximum diving depth of 984 feet. The submarines do particularly well in shallow water, where a pair of ducted props powered by low-speed motoring motors likely allows it to operate closer to the sea floor.

A lot of silencing went into the Kilos. The hull is described as having the approximate shape of a drop of water and greatly reducing water resistance over older, World War II–era submarine designs. The propulsion plant is isolated on a rubber base so it doesn’t touch the hull, preventing vibrations from turning into noise that can be heard outside the boat. The ship has a rubbery anechoic coating to deaden noise emanating from the submarine, which occasionally gives the submarines a blocky appearance noticeable in photographs. The air regeneration system can keep the crew supplied with oxygen for up to 260 hours, giving the ship almost two weeks’ worth of underwater endurance.

The Kilo class was originally meant to serve the navies of the Warsaw Pact countries, replacing older Whiskey- and Foxtrot-class boats. The sub measures just 238 feet long by thirty-two feet wide, and displace 3,076 tons submerged. The ship has a crew of just twelve officers and forty-one enlisted men, and has an endurance of forty-five days before needing to be resupplied.

Kilo Class submarines in Indian Navy service
In Indian Navy service, the Kilo class submarines (Type 877EKM) were designated as Sindhughosh Class submarines. INS Sindhughosh (S55) was the lead ship of the class, commisioned on April 30, 1986 under the command of Cdr K C Varghese. It was followed by INS Sindhudhwaj (S56), INS Sindhuraj (S57), INS Sindhuvir (S58), INS Sindhuratna (S59), INS Sindhukesari (S60), INS Sindhukirti (S61), INS Sindhuvijay(S62), INS Sindhurakshak(S63) & the last ship- INS Sindhushastra (S65). The Kilo class submarines were to replace the older Foxtrot(Kalvari) class submarines commisoned in the last 1960s.

Tragic loss of INS Sindhurakshak S63
On 14 August 2013, the Sindhurakshak sank after explosions caused by a fire on board when the submarine was berthed at Mumbai. The fire, followed by a series of ordnance blasts on the armed submarine, occurred shortly after midnight. The fire was put out within two hours though, due to damage from the explosions, the submarine sank and was partially submerged in 15 metres deep water at its berth, with only a portion of the sail visible above the water surface. Three sailors on board reportedly jumped off to safety. Navy divers were also brought in as there was a possibility that 18 personnel were trapped inside and Defence Minister A. K. Antony confirmed that there were fatalities. Other sources stated that a small explosion occurred around midnight which then triggered the two larger explosions.

Due to the explosion, the front section of the submarine was twisted, bent and crumpled, and water had entered the forward compartment. Another submarine, INS Sindhughosh was berthed very close to Sindhurakshak in the congested Mumbai naval dockyard; and sustained minor fire damage, though the navy did not release details of the extent of damage. Sindhurakshak's double hull was credited with preventing further damage to surrounding vessels. Official sources at the time said it was "highly unlikely" the submarine could be returned to service. The navy planned to begin salvage operations after the rescue operation was completed. By 19 August, seven bodies had been recovered, with 11 still missing. On 31 August, six of the eleven recovered bodies had been identified and sent home for last rites with military honours.

The Navy's preliminary report indicated that "an accident or inadvertent mishandling of ammunition" was the cause of the explosions; the full incident report would only be completed after the submarine was raised. The salvage contract was awarded on 31 January 2014 to Resolve India, a subsidiary of the US-based Resolve Marine Group. The submarine was brought to the surface on 6 June 2014. In December 2014, a naval court of inquiry arrived at the preliminary conclusion that human error as a result of crew fatigue caused the disaster. A senior officer stated that "the crew was working beyond their prescribed hours. Fatigue and exhaustion may have triggered human error that led to the accident. Standard operating procedures were violated at several levels". A 2017 report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India quoted the Navy's Board of Inquiry stating that "Submarine authorities concerned didn’t properly assess the crew fatigue, besides, the submarine was holding ammunition nearing life expiry".

Initially, the navy was hopeful of using Sindhurakshak after it was salvaged, but on Navy Day 2015, Vice Admiral Cheema confirmed the Sindhurakshak would be disposed of.[50] After a period of use for the training of marine commandos, the submarine was sunk in 3000 metres of water in the Arabian Sea during June 2017


After the loss of the INS Sindhurakshak, eight of the 10 Sindhughosh submarines of the class are o. INS Sindhuvir(S58) was decommissioned in March 2020 and transferred to the Myanmar Navy after a refit by Hindustan Shipyard Ltd, where she now serves as the UMS Minye Theinkhathu - the country's first ever submarine.

General Characteristics
Class and type : Kilo/Sindhughosh-class Attack submarine
Displacement: 2325 tons surfaced,3076 tons submerged

Length: 72.6 m (238 ft)
Beam: 9.9 m (32 ft)
Draught: 6.6 m (22 ft)

Propulsion:
2 × 3,650 hp (2,720 kW) diesel-electric motors
1 × 5,900 hp (4,400 kW) motor
2 × 204 hp (152 kW) auxiliary motors
1 × 130 hp (97 kW) economic speed motor

Speed-
Surfaced: 11 knots (20 km/h)
Snorkel mode: 9 knots (17 km/h)
Submerged: 19 knots (35 km/h)

Range-
Snorting:6,000 mi (9,700 km) at 7 kn (13 km/h)
Submerged:400 miles (640 km) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h)
Endurance: Up to 45 days with a crew of 52

Test depth
Operational depth: 240 m (790 ft)
Maximum depth: 300 m (980 ft)
Complement: 52 (incl. 13 Officers)

Armament-
9M36 Strela-3 (SA-N-8) SAM launcher
Klub-S (3M-54E) Anti-Ship/Land Attack Cruise Missiles
Type 53-65 passive wake homing torpedo
TEST 71/76 anti-submarine, active-passive homing torpedo
24 DM-1 mines in lieu of torpedo tube





















INS Sindhughosh (S55)

[skanchan95]

1:72 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15C Eagle 85-0102 "Gulf Spirit" 58th TFS "Mighty Gorillas", 33rd FW "Nomads", United States Air Force (Easy Model)

The F-15 does not need any introduction as it is among the most successful modern fighters, with over 100 victories and no losses in aerial combat, with the majority of the kills by F-15s of the Israeli Air Force.

F-15C 85-0102's Triple A2A Victories
During Desert Storm F-15C Eagle 85-0102, scored three air to air victories in a span of 10 days.
First Kill: January 29, 1991- Captain David Rose downed an Iraqi MiG-23 using an AIM-7M Sparrow.
Second & Third Kills: February 7, 1991 Captain Anthony Murphy shot down two Iraqi Su-22s using two AIM-7Ms.

F-15C 85-0102 was assigned to Colonel Richard N "Rick" Parsons, Commander of the 33rd TFW and bears his name but his victory over an Iraqi Su-22 came in another F-15C ( S/N 84-0124). On Feb. 7, 1991, Parsons downed an Iraqi Su-22 using an AIM-7, making him the only wing commander to record an aerial victory in Operation Desert Storm.

After having a decorated career in the USAF and retiring as a Colonel, Parsons began a second career as a Certified Financial Advisor in Monument, Colorado. Col Parsons, passed away on May 25, 2021, aged 77, at his home in Colorado.








Three Iraqi flags represent Rose and Murphy’s kills and the green star is Colonel Parsons.






On the engine intake, squadron logos for the 58th, 59th and 60th Tactical Fighter Squadrons had been painted. The three squadrons were a part of the 33rd TFW and painted on the F-15 flown by the commander of the 33rd TFW, as is the 'Gulf Spirit' logo. 58th & 60th TFS are still a part of 33rd FW and currently fly the F-35A while the 59th TFS was deactivated in 1999.


The three squadron colors are visible above the tail flash.





















With its smaller 1:100 model






F-15C 85-0102 today with JZ tail code assigned to 122nd Fighter Squadron, 159th FW, Louisiana Air National Guard - still carries the three kill marks from the Gulf War and is now named "Death's Ace"

[skanchan95]

1:72 Mi-25 Hind S/N 2119, 4th Attack, Transport & Special Operational Helicopter Squadron, Iraqi Army Aviation Corps, 1983(Easy Model)

Devil's Chariot, Mutalai (Tamil for Crocodile/Alligator) ...couple of the names the fearsome Mi-24 got from it's enemies. Flying tank, Drinking Glass ...names the Hind got from its crew

Developed in the 1960s by the Soviet Union as a fire-support helicopter, more than 2,000 Hinds have been produced. The core of the aircraft was derived from the Mil Mi-8 (NATO reporting name "Hip") with two top-mounted turboshaft engines driving a mid-mounted 17.3 m five-blade main rotor and a three-blade tail rotor. The engine configuration gave the aircraft its distinctive double air intake.

The Mi-25 is the export variant of the Soviet Mi-24D Hind-D. The Mi-24D has tandem seating and separate cockpits for the pilot and gunner. It is armed with a single 12.7mm four-barrel Yak-B machine-gun under the nose. It can also carry four 57mm rocket pods, four SACLOS 9M17 Phalanga anti-tank missiles (a significant enhancement compared to the MCLOS system found on the Mi-24A), plus bombs and other weapons.

The Mi-35 is the export variant of the Russian Mi-24V Hind-E. It was a later variant of the Mi-24 which entered production in 1976. It was armed with the more advanced 9M114 Shturm (AT-6 Spiral). It was the most widely produced version with more than 1,500 made.

Given the codename ‘Hind’ by NATO in the Cold War years, this fearsome helicopter is also known by other names by those who have either operated it or who had had to deal with it. The Mujahideen guerrillas described it as the ‘Devil’s Chariot’ during its deployment to Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion and occupation between 1979 and 1989.

LTTE cadres were scared of the Mi-24 attack helicopters of the Indian Air Force which they called ‘Mutalai’ which means alligator in Tamil

The Hind remains in service with more than twenty countries, including both India (IAF) and Pakistan (PAAC).

Iraqi Mi-25s
The Soviets were very slow to supply Mi-25s (the down-graded export variant of the Mi-24D) to Iraq: in 1980, only between six and eight examples were delivered, of which four were lost to Iranians by the end of the year.In an effort to help improve the identification process, the IrAAC started to paint large national flags in several sections of its helicopters.

The Mi-25 saw considerable use by the Iraqi Army during the long war against Iran. Its heavy armament caused severe losses to Iranian ground forces during the war. However, the Mi-25 lacked an effective anti-tank capability, as it was only armed with obsolete 9M17 Skorpion missiles.This led the Iraqis to develop new gunship tactics, with help from East German advisors. The Mi-25s would form "hunter-killer" teams with French-built Aérospatiale Gazelles, with the Mi-25s leading the attack and using their massive firepower to suppress Iranian air defenses, and the Gazelles using their HOT missiles to engage armoured fighting vehicles. These tactics proved effective in halting Iranian offensives, such as Operation Ramadan in July 1982.

This war also saw the only confirmed air-to-air helicopter battles in history with the Iraqi Mi-25s flying against Iranian AH-1J Cobras on several separate occasions. In November 1980, not long after Iraq's initial invasion of Iran, two Iranian Cobras engaged two Mi-25s with TOW wire-guided antitank missiles. One Mi-25 went down immediately, the other was badly damaged and crashed before reaching base. The Iranians repeated this accomplishment on 24 April 1981, destroying two Mi-25s without incurring losses to themselves. One Mi-25 was also downed by an IRIAF F-14A.

The Iraqis hit back, claiming the destruction of a Cobra on 14 September 1983 (with YaKB machine gun), then three Cobras on 5 February 1984 and three more on 25 February 1984 (two with Falanga missiles, one with S-5 rockets).A 1982 news article published on the Iraqi Observer claimed an Iraqi Mi-24D shot down an Iranian F-4 Phantom II using its armaments, either antitank missiles, guns or S-5 unguided rockets. This claim was later debunked.

After a lull in helicopter losses, each side lost a gunship on 13 February 1986. Later, a Mi-25 claimed a Cobra shot down with YaKB gun on 16 February, and a Cobra claimed a Mi-25 shot down with rockets on 18 February. The last engagement between the two types was on 22 May 1986, when Mi-25s shot down a Cobra. The final claim tally was 10 Cobras and 6 Mi-25s destroyed. The relatively small numbers and the inevitable disputes over actual kill numbers makes it unclear if one gunship had a real technical superiority over the other. Iraqi Mi-25s also claimed 43 kills against other Iranian helicopters, such as Agusta-Bell UH-1 Hueys.

In general, the Iraqi pilots liked the Mi-25, in particular for its high speed, long range, high versatility and large weapon load, but disliked the relatively ineffectual anti-tank guided weapons and lack of agility. The Mi-25 was also used by Saddam Hussein in chemical warfare against Iranians and Kurdish civilians in Halabja. Saddam's eldest son - Uday, when he was much younger(and probably less eccentric), was a qualified Mi-24 pilot and was posted to the frontlines during the Iran-Iraq war, but he flew the helicopter so recklessly most of the times that gunners and flight engineers refused to fly with him. So he was relegated to fly as the gunner on the Hind. There is even a picture of him in Iraqi AAC uniform greeting his father near the frontlines.

Iraqi Hinds were also used in the Invasion and Kuwait and the Gulf War. An Iraqi Mi-24 was shot down by a laser guided bomb dropped by a USAF F-15E Strike Eagle.- the only such kill ever in history.

General characteristics
Crew: 2-3 (Pilot, Weapons System officer/Gunner and Flight Engineer/Technician)
Capacity: 8 troops / 4 stretchers / 2,400 kg (5,291 lb) cargo on an external sling
Length: 17.5 m (57 ft 5 in) fuselage only
19.79 m (65 ft) including rotors
Wingspan: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) stub wings
Height: 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in)
Empty weight: 8,500 kg (18,739 lb)
Max takeoff weight: 12,000 kg (26,455 lb)
Powerplant: 2 × Isotov TV3-117 turboshaft engines, 1,600 kW (2,200 shp) each
Main rotor diameter: 17.3 m (56 ft 9 in)
Main rotor area: 235.1 m2 (2,531 sq ft) NACA 23012[136]

Performance
Maximum speed: 335 km/h (208 mph, 181 kn)
Range: 450 km (280 mi, 240 nmi)
Service ceiling: 4,900 m (16,100 ft)

Armament
Nose mounted 12.7 mm Yakushev-Borzov Yak-B Gatling gun - Maximum of 1,470 rounds of ammunition.
PKB passenger compartment window mounted machine guns

External stores
Total payload is 1,500 kg of external stores.
Inner hardpoints can carry at least 500 kg
Outer hardpoints can carry up to 250 kg
Wing-tip pylons can only carry the 9M17 Phalanga (in the Mi-24A-D) or the 9K114 Shturm complex (in the Mi-24V-F).

Bomb-load
Bombs within weight range (presumably ZAB, FAB, RBK, ODAB etc.), up to 500 kg.
MBD multiple ejector racks (presumably MBD-4 with 4 × FAB-100)
KGMU2V submunition/mine dispenser pods
First-generation armament (standard production Mi-24D)
GUV-8700 gunpod (with a 12.7 mm Yak-B + 2 × 7.62 mm GShG-7.62 mm combination or one 30 mm AGS-17)
UB-16 S-5 rocket launchers
UB-32 S-5 rocket launchers
S-24 240 mm rocket
9M17 Fleyta (a pair on each wingtip pylon)

Second-generation armament (Mi-24V, Mi-24P and most upgraded Mi-24D)
UPK-23-250 gunpod carrying the GSh-23L
B-8V20 a lightweight long tubed helicopter version of the S-8 rocket launcher
9K114 Shturm in pairs on the outer and wingtip pylons







In the Hind, the pilot's cockpit is located above and behind the Gunner's cockpit, and is accessed from the right side of the aircraft, whereas the Gunner's cockpit is accessed from the left. The Yakushev-Borzov YakB-12.7 machine gun on the chin.























The only two dedicated attack helicopters ever flown by the IAF.

[Foxbat]

The MiG-25 was inducted into IAF service on 17 Aug 81 at Bareilly to fullfill the need of a strategic reconnaissance aircraft. On that day No.102 Squadron under the command of Wg Cdr Apram Jeet Singh VrC was formed with five MiG-25Rs and two MiG-25Us. The first sortie took place on 25 Aug 81, when a two seater was flown by the CO A J Singh with the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Idris Latif as his second pilot.

During the initial days, one aircraft was wrecked while being air tested by a Russian Pilot. the aircraft was replaced with a new one in due course at no additional cost. Another aircraft was lost in 1985 at Jodhpur when an aircraft crashed on approach. The pilot perished in the accident.

The Squadron operated under the functional control of Air HQ directly. Only later in its career did the control shift to Central Air Command. Bareilly had been the parent base of the aircraft throughout its career. The aircraft did undertake sorties from other airbases as well in course of its missions.

The first operational mission was flown in October 87. It was displayed publicly at Tilpat Air Power Demo in March 89. In October 1990, Peter Steinmann took several air to air photographs of the aircraft that attained world exposure. On 24 Oct 95, the then CO Gp Capt Sumit Mukerji and Wg Cdr Y S Babu flew a two-seater to photograph the eclipse over India.

The aircraft was used during the Kargil conflict, Wg Cdr P J Thakur of the Squadron was mentioned in dispatches.

No.102 Squadron was numberplated in 2003 and the aircraft were used to form "A" flight of No.35 Squadron "The Rapiers" which had given up its ELINT Canberras by that time.

Over the years atleast three MiG-25s were lost on routine sorties. During its entire tenure with the IAF, only 42 IAF pilots were ever qualified to fly this fighter.

The aircraft's original calendar life was 15 years. In 1995, a life extension programme pushed the MiG-25s for another ten years. In 2001, another programme propelled the jets until 2005. The final extension was made in 2005. Finally, the IAF decided the machines wouldn’t be pushed any more.

The aircraft was finally phased out on 1st May 2006. At that time three single seaters (KP351, KP354 and KP355) and the two trainers (DS361, DS362) were still operational. An addtional fourth single seater aircraft (KP3106) was also extant but had been withdrawn from use for years.

1:72 Scale Indian Air Force Mig-25RU "Foxbat" DS362, No.102 Squadron, Chabua Air Force Station, also known as "Garuda" in Indian service.





Apart from the unusual twin canopies is the fact the instructor sits in the front cockpit and the trainee at the rear.












The real DS362 in the 1980s-90s.




DS362 still survives and is on display in Air Force Academy Dundigal, Hyderabad, very close to where I lived but it was off limits for civilians.



This is a great and extremely detailed but very complex kit made by a Ukrainian manufacturer called ICM, coincidentally I finished it the day of the Russian invasion.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

1:72 Scale Indian Air Force Mig-25RU "Foxbat" DS362, No.102 Squadron, Chabua Air Force Station, also known as "Garuda" in Indian service.

Superb!!! Another brilliant build, Foxbat!!! Love the fact that you got a very important detail right - the orientation of the finflash on the port side tail fin - it is a detail that can be easily missed/overlooked. Well Done and the model is a treat to look at.

Are you sure about the Chabua part? believe the MiG-25s were based all their service life at AFS Bareilly. No. 102 Sqn, based in Bareilly was numberplated in 2003 and their assets transferred to A Flight of 35 Sqdn. Even No. 35 Sqn was based in Bareilly.

I remember during the retirement ceremony, No. 24 Sqdn with their Su-30K/MKs were based in Bareilly too(moved in from AFS Lohegaon, Pune). After the retirement of MiG-25s in 2006, No. 35 Sqdn moved to AFS Bakshi ka Talab in Lucknow.

After 102 Sqn was re-raised on the Su-30MKI in 2011, they were based in Chabua.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

The MiG-25 was inducted into l
No.102 Squadron was numberplated in 2003 and the aircraft were used to form "A" flight of No.35 Squadron "The Rapiers" which had given up its ELINT Canberras by that time.

Yes, and the B Flight of No. 35 sqn operated specially modified EW MiG-21Ms.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

The MiG-25 was inducted into IAF service on 17 Aug 81 at Bareilly to fullfill the need of a strategic reconnaissance aircraft.

1:72 Scale Indian Air Force Mig-25RU "Foxbat" DS362, No.102 Squadron, Chabua Air Force Station, also known as "Garuda" in Indian service.

The real DS362 in the 1980s-90s.

DS362 still survives and is on display in Air Force Academy Dundigal, Hyderabad, very close to where I lived but it was off limits for civilians.

This is a great and extremely detailed but very complex kit made by a Ukrainian manufacturer called ICM, coincidentally I finished it the day of the Russian invasion.

This model surely goes into the Hall of Fame of this thread not only because it is a MiG-25 that too in IAF roundels but also because it has been hand built by Foxbat. An absolute masterpiece.

Foxbat, congratulations on this creation and kudos to you for the time and sweat you have invested. The sheer number of parts is mind numbing. And your paint job is going to give competion to member Basu Roy.!!!:-) Thank you for sharing the history of this icon with the IAF. There never will be another MiG-25 because satellites have replaced them in that role. Like the iconic giant flying boats of a different era the MiG-25 will remain the greatest ever.

[V.Narayan]

Boeing 777 BBJ:: IAF Communications Squadron::Inflight200, metal diecast
Model is of a very decent quality. Lines are painted rather than etched. Wingspan ~13 inches; Length ~14.5 inches

This aircraft needs no introduction to readers of this thread. It has been covered in earlier pages. I decided to buy it, even though it occupies a hell of a lot of cabinet space, to continue building my IAF collection. Personally I was initially not in favour of such grandiosity. But have changed my mind given that the carriage represents the Indian nation. Sure beats the way Imran Khan travels in a regular Gulfstream IV mid-upper business jet!

I was on tour for a few days. While travelling I don't access Team BHP. And on my return only saw the MiG-25 post. Only now I realized that Sandesh has fired three beautiful models onto the thread!

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 Mi-25 Hind S/N 2119, 4th Attack, Transport & Special Operational Helicopter Squadron, Iraqi Army Aviation Corps, 1983(Easy Model)

The finish seems almost as good as HobbyMaster! Quite a pity they struggled with hot and high in IAF service. The Mi-24/25 like the BMP-1, Osa missile boats, Styx SSM, Kashin destroyers, AK-47 reflect how Soviet thought on weapon design and concepts was often a jump ahead of the West. When it made its debut the West did not have anything close. Only the Huey Cobra gunships of the US Marines were poor cousins. Now a well armed and well armoured attack helicopter is a type by itself. Makes a great comparison with the AH-64. An Mi-25 powered by engines with 25% more power would have done the trick but there was no engine available in that range.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:72 McDonnell Douglas/Boeing F-15C Eagle 85-0102 "Gulf Spirit" 58th TFS "Mighty Gorillas", 33rd FW "Nomads", United States Air Force (Easy Model)

Another fine F-15 for your collection.

Originally Posted by skanchan95

1:350 Type 877EKM Kilo/Sindhughosh class Submarine (Easy model)

A classic. what a delightful surprise to see a Kilo here. A first for this thread. Thank you Sandesh. What else do they make in warships?

They say a picture is worth a 1000 words. 11,000 words follow.

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

Superb!!! Another brilliant build, Foxbat!!! Love the fact that you got a very important detail right - the orientation of the finflash on the port side tail fin - it is a detail that can be easily missed/overlooked. Well Done and the model is a treat to look at.

Are you sure about the Chabua part? believe the MiG-25s were based all their service life at AFS Bareilly.

Thanks. Yes I remember you pointed out an error by me on the IAF Mig-21 and had said only the Mig-25 has it on backwards, this ICM model is extremely well researched and the directions did show the correct orientation.

My mistake (courtesy Wikipedia), when the squadron was based in Chabua it had Su-30MKIs and the Mig-25s only operated from Bareilly. A Mig pilot(Anshuman Mainkar) had pointed the same on Twitter.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

This model surely goes into the Hall of Fame of this thread not only because it is a MiG-25 that too in IAF roundels but also because it has been hand built by Foxbat. An absolute masterpiece.

Foxbat, congratulations on this creation and kudos to you for the time and sweat you have invested. The sheer number of parts is mind numbing. And your paint job is going to give competion to member Basu Roy.!!!:-) Thank you for sharing the history of this icon with the IAF. There never will be another MiG-25 because satellites have replaced them in that role.

Thanks, yes it came out very well. The two seater is very awkward looking but its the only one which came in IAF colours and I really wanted the "Garuda" Squadron logo on the nose.

The two 1:72 Scale Foxbats in my collection, Soviet Air Force Mig-25PD (advanced interceptor) and Indian Air Force Mig-25RU (Two-seat conversion trainer for reconnaissance versions).

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Boeing 777 BBJ:: IAF Communications Squadron::Inflight200, metal diecast

She sure looks beautiful. Congratulations!!!
IF200 models have great detailing on their models. Just look at the landing lights on the wings, it's not been painted but installed as separate pieces. Unlike Hogan, IF200 waited to release the VIP 777 in full markings and correct serial number in the correct locations and size.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The finish seems almost as good as HobbyMaster!

Yes Sir, it does look good, but believe me installing those main rotor blades on the hub was a nightmare. Every now and then the "rotor blade legs" that sit on the hub sort of slips out and if you try and push it back in place, the others come off. Avoiding using glue to hold it in place as I am worried that it might snap off.

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

A classic. what a delightful surprise to see a Kilo here. A first for this thread. Thank you Sandesh. What else do they make in warships?

In the 1:350 scale ,Easy model makes this Kilo submarine and a Chinese SSBN, not sure of its class.

But in the smaller 1:700 scale, they seem to have more variety...WW2 American submarines, U-boats, Typhoon Class SSBN & an Akula Class SSN.

Originally Posted by Foxbat

The two 1:72 Scale Foxbats in my collection, Soviet Air Force Mig-25PD (advanced interceptor) and Indian Air Force Mig-25RU (Two-seat conversion trainer for reconnaissance versions).

You really ought to make a 102 sqdn MiG-25R now, what a sight iot would be beside your MiG-25RU!!!

[skanchan95]

1:72 Norinco ZTZ-99/Type 99 Main Battle Tank, PLAGF (Panzerkampf)

The Type 99, also known as ZTZ-99 and WZ-123, developed from the Type 98 MBT, is a third generation main battle tank fielded by the Chinese People's Liberation Army. It was made to compete with other modern tanks. It is currently the most advanced MBT fielded by China. The ZTZ-99 MBT is a successor to the Type 98G tank manufactured for the People's Liberation Army.

The tank entered People's Liberation Army Ground Forces(PLAGF) service in 2001.The People's Liberation Army Ground Force (PLAGF) is the sole operator of the Type 99 so far and the tank hasn't been exported. The Type 99 forms the core of China’s modern maneuver combat capabilities, with over 1,200 tanks built for the past two decades.

Specifications
Type : Main battle tank
Place of origin : China

Designer : Norinco (North Industries Corporation, China)
No. built : 1,200 +

Specifications
Mass: 55 tonnes
Length Hull: 7.6 metres (25 ft)
Gun forward: 11 metres (36 ft)
Width Hull: 3.7 metres (12 ft)
Height Hull: 2.35 metres
Crew : 3

Armor : Anticipated to be welded turret with applique and modular composite/reactive armor

Main Armament: ZPT-98 125mm smoothbore gun (38 Rounds; autoloader)
Secondary Armament: QJC-88 heavy machine gun/Type 86 coaxial machine gun

Engine : 150HB liquid-cooled V12 twin-turbo diesel 33.9 litre 1,500 hp (1,119 kW)
Power/weight : 27.78 hp/tonne
Suspension: Torsion bar suspension
Operational Range: 600 kilometres (370 mi)–650 kilometres (400 mi)
Maximum speed Road: 76 kmph (47 mph)
Off-road: 54 kmph (34 mph)

[skanchan95]

1:72 Type 59D Main Battle Tank, PLAGF (Panzerkampf)
The Type 59 main battle tank, also known as WZ-120, is a Chinese-produced version of the Soviet T-54A tank, an early model of the ubiquitous T-54/55 series. The first tanks were produced in 1958 and it was accepted into service in 1959, with serial production beginning in 1963. Over 10,000 of the tanks were produced by the time production ended in 1980 with approximately 5,500 serving with the Chinese armed forces. The tank formed the backbone of the Chinese People's Liberation Army until the early 2000s with an estimated 5,000 of the later Type 59-I and Type 59-II variants in service in 2002. The Type 59 was modified several times during its service. It was also the basis of several later Chinese tank designs including the Type 69 and Type 79 tanks.

After the signing of Sino-Soviet Treaty of Friendship, Alliance, and Mutual Assistance in the 1950s, the Soviets agreed to assist China in building a tank manufacturing facility to manufacture the T-54A MBT in 1956. Initially, the tanks were assembled with Soviet-supplied parts, which were gradually replaced by Chinese-made components. The tank was accepted into service by the PLA in 1959, and given the designation Type 59.

Over the years, the Type 59 design was enhanced with various domestically developed and western technologies; When the PLA captured a Soviet T-62 during the Sino-Soviet border conflict in 1969, improvements based on the T-62 were incorporated into the Type 59 design to become the Type 69 MBT. The Type 69 was further upgraded with Western technology and became the Type 79 MBT. The Type 59 was therefore, the first in China's first generation of main battle tanks.

The Type 59 was also fielded during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, in the Battle of Longewala and Battle of Chamb, where Pakistani Type59s tanks faced Indian T-54 and T-55 tanks.


Specifications
Manufacturer : First Inner Mongolia Machinery Factory/Norinco, China
Produced: 1958–1985
No. built: 10,000

Mass: 36 tonnes (35 long tons; 40 short tons)
Length: 6.04 metres (19.8 ft) (hull)
Width: 3.27 metres (10.7 ft)
Height: 2.59 metres (8 ft 6 in)
Crew: 4

Main Armament: 100 mm rifled gun
Secondary Armament: 2 x Type 59T 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun,[3] Type 54 12.7 mm air-defence machine gun

Engine : Model 12150L V-12 liquid-cooled diesel 520 hp (390 kW)
Power/weight Ratio : 14.44 hp/tonne
Suspension: torsion bar
Operational range: 450 km, 600 km with external tanks
Maximum speed: 50 kmph















The Type 59D with the original Soviet T-55 (Hobbymaster)