1/72 RoG Typhoon FGR.4 (X4)

by Ian Buick

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ZJ933 DF , ZJ941 DG , ZJ942 DH , and ZJ943 DK of  11 Squadron RAF make up the four-ship I have wanted to do for some time. With these jets leading the way for the Block 5 Typhoon`s initial ground attack capability I couldn`t resist hanging a pair of Enhanced Paveway III on each jet. This meant converting spare pylons to the shape of the Typhoon`s inboard wing pylons and a slight modification to Hasegawa`s standard Paveway III.

With these new aircraft picking up the designation FGR.4 earlier this year (2008), the Typhoon has taken on a true multi-role capability and, therefore, my fourship carries the obligatory AAMs as well as the GPS/laser guided Paveways.

The builds followed a similar route to the other Typhoons I have posted on ARC so I won`t go over the details again, but one or two things were altered for this build. For example, I scratchbuilt intake tunnels from plasticard as I did not have enough Tornado fuel tanks to go round four jets. I also had to convert the Hasegawa targeting pod to Litening III by moving the airscoop from starboard to port as used by The RAF. I also think the Hasegawa pod is a little too long.  

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The usual items left off this otherwise excellent kit by it`s makers were added but, yet again, it was the canopies that gave the most trouble. I foolishly managed to forget previous canopy problems with the Revell kit and managed to get paint between the console cowl and forward transparency on three of the builds.

This is where I grew great strength from the tales of dedication I regularly read in The ARC forums, I stuck with it, and salvaged the situation with much greater ease than I had expected. 

Decals were converts from the kit sheet, cut to need.

I also noticed that the rear aerials/fins on the underside of the fuselage, just ahead of the `burner cans, could do with being picked out in a dark colour such as gunmetal or black, which the kit instructions don`t cover.

If you want to check out my previous detailing of the Revell Typhoon;

Two-seat T.1 0f 29 Squadron-

http://www.arcair.com/Gal6/5901-6000/gal5976_Typhoon_Buick/00.shtm

Single seat FGR.4 of 11 squadron, publicly known as F.2 at the time of building-

http://www.arcair.com/Gal7/6801-6900/gal6871-Typhoon-Buick/00.shtm

Enjoy,

Cheers, 

Ian

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Photos and text © by Ian Buick