[ Italeri 1/72 kits ]
Sepecat Jaguar models in 1/72 scale" using old HELLER kits from France
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[IT] Italeri also released a few 1/72 kits of the Jaguar, the first single seater appearing in 1996. (these also appeared in Revell and Tamiya releases).
Italeri kit #1251 is for a two seater T2 that came in 2005. It is a nice kit but has some inaccuracies.
The about 100 parts are in light grey soft plastic. The stores are also in the kit with a reasonable ALQ-110 ECM pod and recce pod (not used for this model) but the Sidewinder missiles are simplistic and the "bombs" are really bad. The pylons are also unfortunately inaccurate in shape, undersized and are better replaced.
The kit decals are for 3 RAF aircraft:
- no. 41 squadron at Coltishall, 1995 in the standard camouflage;
- no. 6 squadron at Coltishall 2003 in a sand scheme;
- no. 54 squadron at Coltishall 2005 in a Dark Sea Grey scheme.
The recessed panellines are OK. The cockpit is basic. All canopies are separate parts and can be positioned open if desired. In that case, the seats may be replaced by after market ones. The airbrakes #43B + 47B have the required holes but are these a bit inaccurate. The landing gear is nice, the small side door is even a separate part. The large doors are integrally moulded but OK as these are seen closed mostly on parked Jaguars. The gear bay details are very small anyway. A couple of Tracor AN/ALE-40 flare dispensers #52A + 53A are also in the kit but when used should be set more forward and not between the ventral fins.
It was decided to finish this kit in an OMAN AIR FORCE Jaguar T2 in a desert camouflage scheme. World Air Power Journal Volume 11 has some nice photos. At first delivery, the RWR fairings at the vertical tail were not yet fitted and a pair of V/UHF antennas on the top fairing aft of the cockpit. This is as per kit. (Later on the tail fairings and a single antenna were seen on Omani Jaguars; you can find also this tail in this kit).
The few markings came from Model Alliance set 72138; no roundels are seen on the Omani Jaguar aircraft.
The kit was assembled as an early T2. During assembly some putty and sanding is needed. Only at left side a canon is fitted. I removed the small gun barrel that should not be visible. The ventral fins #51B should be positioned at other angles; remove the locator tab, fill and reposition at the correct angle. I replaced the inaccurate wing pylons with spare ones from a Hasegawa kit.
Before installing the smaller detail parts and gear, the model was airbrushed in the appropriate colours. These acrylic paints were used for the OMAN scheme:
- overall first "stone / sand" BSC 361 with Gunze Sangyo 313;
- darker brown pattern BSC 350 with Gunze Sangyo 310.
The gear bays got the usual yellow primer colour. The landing gear was installed and got some extra "hydraulics" made from thin metal wires.
The ejection seats got some harnesses from tape and bits. Wingtip lights and other anti-collision lights were painted and got a transparant drop of Micro Kristal Kleer.
The pair of smaller pitot #16B locations are wrongly indicated in the instructions. These should be located more near the windscreen. Inside the open positioned canopies small mirrors were set from scrap. A semi gloss varnish airbrushed coat gave the model an even sheen.
OMAN
[ area: 310,000 sq.km | capital: Muscat | population: 4,8 million | GDP USD 19,000 per capita nominal ]
Oman is a Sultanate in the east of the Arabian Peninsula. Due to internal conflicts, from the 1930s British support was obtained to maintain control by the governing Sultan. Oman lies strategically in the region with oil exploration and trading shipping routes. In 1959 Oman became completely independent as "Sultanate of Muscat and Oman". In the 1970s, the official name became "Sultanate Oman". Still, rebels are active in the region and also in the neighbouring Yemen. Oman always kept warm relations with the West, particularly the United Kingdom and the United States.
Oman set-up and air force with British equipment from 1959 with some Scottish Aviation Pioneer transports and Percival Provosts. From 1968, the first jets were some 24 BAC Strikemasters. In the 1970s, Hawker Hunters ground attack jets arrived along with transports like BAC 1-11, VC-10 and BN Defenders. From 1977 also some 24 SEPECAT Jaguars were delivered.
The current "Royal air force of Oman" with some 4,100 men is equiped with modern aircraft that operate from some 7 air bases with Adam base being the newest base. It is quite significant for such a small population. Probably no.20 squadron based at Thumrait operated about 20 Jaguars for some 25 years until mid 2014. These were replaced by some 23 F-16C / D Block 50 fighters/ attack aircraft. Some 22 Bae Hawks are also flown, 12 PC-9 trainers and PAC Super Mushshak trainers. As air superiority fighter, a dozen Eurofighter Typhoons are flown from 2017 with some BAe advanced Hawk trainers. There is also a small transport fleet with C-130 and CASA C295. The VIP fleet is an Airbus A320 and Gulfstream G-IV. Helicopter types are Bell 206 and 429, some 19 NH90-TTH, 15 Super Lynx and a few Aerospatiale Puma and Cougars.
... at Thumrait...
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Created this page
December 7, 2020