hellohikaru

Got them some time ago in that Rowboat Technical Files.

Notice how the VT-1's tail is just like the other VF-1s unlike the Hasegawa kit.

Tail like the Bandai/Taka /172

Just wondering..

The duck billed VF-11, is that the Studio 1/2 Eye kit ?? At the moment this all sound too good to be true. Then Hasegawa will consider doing the VF-5000 and VF-17 next.

DH Please tell us more about the Persian Cats. How are the R-33 missiles intergrated ? Did they need to modify the pylons for them ? (Better yet any pics of them carrying all six at the same time) I didn't know that the Iranians had the doors removed from the start since they were very few pictures taken from the right, but i am sure USN F-14 had the doors removed around the mid 80s. I seen a Black Knight without the doors.

wow...that a really nice camo scheme. Kinda like those Aggressors schemes. I didn't know that had Phoenix bootlegs though they have used modified Hawk SAMs on their Tomcats. And they are removing the refuleing doors just like USN tomcats.

That's not too hard to answer. Which one is the more recent thing ? The Tiger was designed using many things already established in the A129 and other European helicopter designs. The Mangusta is the first european attack helo grown developed from A109. The Mangusta is really small and light compared with Apache and Tiger. But i think no many were procured by the Italians because of changing doctrine rather than the helo's ability. If all goes well for the Tiger then it will be one of the most capable gunships around even if it lacks a radar(the mangusta likewise).

Thanks yellowlightman i needed that. @wolfx Whatever information the conpendium has says the VA-3C is 18.73m long while VA-3M is 15.89m Wingspan for VA-3M is 16.2m Compare with the VF-17D/S which is 15.63m long and has a wingspan of 14.18m. so even the downsized VA-3M is bigger than the VF-17. VB-6 is 29.78 m in length with a span of 24.42 m

So they only produce 2 VF-22S then. What version did Gamlin use ? I heard a website calling it the VF-22C it should be unofficial then.

yeah..i know i am being nitpicky with the variants

I guess they use Air Force Delta Strike style flight suits and helmets to show case the faces and bodies of the character better, our current helmet cover up pretty much everything. The stealth thing doesn't look like it could get off the ground. Kinda like a cheap rip-off from the old F-19 kit.

I have VF-X-2 and at the VF select screen there is only VF-1X, VF-11B, VA-3M, VF-17D, VF-1X Super, VF-19A, VF-22, VF-11B Armoured, VF-1X Armoured and VB-6. There is no VF-22S, VF-4 or VF-3000. VF-5000B was to have replaced one of them in the US release.

The author of that editorial is the a MWer right ?

China's J-11 are licensed manufactured SU-27SKs not Su-30s. They also have Su-30MKK3 purchased directly from Russia plus Su-27 delivered from Russia. AFAIK they halted production of the J-11. Most likely J-10 has prove satifactory or the J-12 project is going better than expected. The J-10 is already in service for 2 years. I think there are like 40 of them but they may be more. On paper they definitely overwhelm the ROCAF though ROCAF pilots have more experience with their F-16 and Mirage 2000-5 than PLAAF with their J-10s and Su-30s.

Awesome!! The first one reminds me of the VF-5000. btw Striderhiryu, are you japanese ?

"It certainly isn't"? No planes in existance can best the F-15 over-all, maybe match it. The F-14, the Flanker and the F-22 are it's only serious competion, maybe you Euro's would throw in the EF2000? The Rafale is good, but it's French. Also, why should S. Korea buy Euro designs? (Russian designs go to N. Korea of course) Is the EU or France risking so much as a single pinky toe on the Korean peninsula? Will they come to the rescue if the North invades? And it's always wise to have your main ally share the same machines in case you need parts or mechanics in a pinch. I believe Non-US EU troops were in Korea during the 50s and with a UN mandate they will most probably travel over again should a full scale war break out. I don't think F-15K would be a good choice since it would probably cost just as much as the EF and it is an much older design that might not cope well with future threats. The problem with buying the Rafale is its high cost, lack of match with other ROKAF equipment and the French sometimes screwing with their expensive spare parts and weapons. Maybe more KF-16s upgraded to block 60 or F-35 would do better if they must insist on US hardware so much.

-Most of the Patlabor "labors" especially the construction labors, the Ingram and the Brocken. -Nove and other powered armour from Dorvack -Votoms -Tetsujin

Shin The Phillipine AF should get more CAS types like a A-37 or something since thats the more likely task they will get. Maybe YAK-130 can fit the bill ? Even RMAF Hawk 200 can chase away PAF aircraft and nothing can be done about it. btw i heard something about the Austrian Typhoon deal. Apparently the cost of the Gripen was only like 4% less than the EF while projected flight performance is like 30% or more less. Gripens aren't cheap.

Japan can use the F-22J Sushi Raptor as a F-15JKai replacement. It has the range needed to patrol a long peninsula surrounded by oceans like Japan unlike many of the other fighters. I don't think cost is the major concern since they purchased their F-15 and F-4 at about double price or more. Remember their F-15J were without many sensitive components like electronic warfare equipment. The stealthy airframe is only part of the package so the US might allow it. Another note is that Japan doesn't have time to develop a new fighter and the F-15J will not last forever. So they can't even do another F-2 stunt. Maybe they should make them into F-15J Active Kais give them canards and tvc As for the F-2 replacement if that is urgent, the shortlisted candidates look somewhat like this: Rafale- Not likely since it is French and Japan doesn't use much French equipment if at all. What about license production, how much will Japan get ? Typhoon- Powerful counter-air fighter with A-G capability down the road. Also breaking with tradition here. Maybe EADS can allow Mitsubishi participation in the assembly program. The Japanese will always insist on some level of tech transfer. F-35- Could join the partnership but what benefit other than becoming a money cow for the program ? F-35 not the ideal air combat fighter but powerful ground attack. Shortnet/F-15 Strike Eagle- Boeing would most probably allow license production for either type. F-15 tooling already exist. But both designs are already like 3 decades old. Japan needs to progress as well since those designs are not much better than the F-2 and F-15J currently at hand.

Australian Airlines is a pretty old airline. They were originally TAA(Trans Australia Airlines) and handle domestic routes i think. They became Australian during the mid 80s and were bought over by Qantas in the early 90s. Thats why you see 737s in Qantas.

Japan has a through deck "helicopter cruiser" but couldn't purchase AV-8J for it supposedly because of opposition from both within and outside Japan. Nothing new really. And now that the line has been close they is little chance of buying it. Maybe the opt for the F-35B if that ever happens. The F-22's attack capability is no more than a JDAM launcher. And the JDAM is pretty much a guided dump bomb. The JASDF version may not have the same air to ground weapons capability too. Japan needs the best fighter it can buy and they certainly can afford the Raptor. Another thing is public image. The conservative and the anti-military among the Japanese public loathes at the military and the F-35 is known for its role as an attack aircraft thanks to all the media hype.

You guys are all pretty good. Are you all using tablets ? My ability to freehand with the mouse ain't exactly brilliant.

I second that. India has never operated much American military hardware and they ain't about to start either. Their present equipment wouldn't be compatible with the F-16. India also mention buying Gripen to prevent Pakistan from doing so.

Japan needs a need air defence fighter and the F-35 which is more of a ground attack type wouldn't bode well with its pacifist stance. They can't even buy AV-8J for the maritime role. I think they need the best fighter they can buy, hopefully they go europe these time and get the EF2000 if they can't get F/A-22J