Shipbucket

FaR-6 Vulture planned in 1979 and production began in 1980~81 to replace the old ROf/L-88 naval strike aircraft for the IAE navy and carrier force. It stayed in service for the nest 30 years in carrier strike groups but was replaced by YoR-G9 in the 2011s.



General characteristics
• Crew: 1
• Length: 15.2m
• Wingspan: 9.58 m
• Height: 4.7 m (with gear)
• Wing area: 40.3 m²
• Empty weight: 6,804 kg
• Average attack payload: 10419 kg
• Max takeoff weight: 14,000 kg
• Fuel capacity: 3000Ltr internal / 6,800 L maximum
• Powerplant: 1 × Shvetsov-E2T29 afterburning turbofan engine, 78.48kN (17643 lbf) thrust dry, 112.81 kN (25360.69 lbf) with afterburner

Performance
• Maximum speed: 1,836 kph / Mach 1.4
:1180kph at sea level/ Mach 0.95
• Range:  max-5869km range on internal tanks /11,200 km at 0.7mach (4x drop tanks)
• Service ceiling: 15,060 m
• Rate of climb: 255 m/s
• Wing loading: 350 kg/m2 
• Thrust/weight: 0.69 (with Ab- 1)
• Landing area: min-508m(with revthrust- 445m)
• Take off: min- 599.9m, max- 669m

Armament
• Guns: 1× 20mm Domingo 554 machine gun 1000 rounds per gun (rof- 600-790 rpm)
• Hardpoints: 9 total (6× under-wing, 3× under-fuselage) with a capacity of 7189kg
• Rockets: Molka 70 mm unguided rocket pods, 20 rockets per pod
• Missiles: ** Air-to-air missiles:
• Armento Agusta-9D (AIM9D)
• Air-to-surface missiles:
• Malta M550 Mage-II (AGM-65)
• Rotonova R91 laser-guided cluster missle
• Bombs:Unguided
• Mk.69 (250 kg)
• Mk.70 (500kg)
• Mk.71 (750kg)
• Mk.72 (1000kg)
• Bombs:Guided
• GMk.69 (1000kg)

Avionics
• Ticonderoga - N1G3R Doppler groundspeed and drift detector
• Mikongo mod.91 laser target designator (28km)
• AN/SN-90(V) Inertial reference system
• AN/SN-91(V) navigation/weapon delivery computer
• Texas Instruments AN/AP-126(V) Terrain-following radar (TFR)
• AN/AQ-7(V) Head Up display (HUD)
• P-953A/AJQ solid state Air Data computer (ADC)
• AN/SN-99 Projected Map Display (PMD)

Hood wrote: ↑December 18th, 2022, 11:16 am Dassault Étendard VII


Dassault Étendard VII, Chilean Navy, July 1982

In July 1977 the Chilean Navy acquired the Centaur-class aircraft carrier HMS Bulwark from the United Kingdom to keep up with the naval capabilities of Argentina and Brazil who had smaller, but modernised Majestic-class carriers. After a refit and refurbishment the carrier entered service as the Almirante Cochrane in February 1979.

Chile needed to find a suitable aircraft. The Almirante Cochrane lacked a steam catapult or angled deck so a V/STOL aircraft was the only solution. McDonnell Douglas and the US government offered the AV-8A Harrier at very good terms but it lacked a radar and anti-ship capability which the Chileans felt were essential. Hawker Siddeley offered to develop a fighter version of the Harrier with a radar but this was too expensive [in my AU world the Sea Harrier FRS.1 does not exist]. Dassault offered the only suitable alternative, the Étendard VII.

The Étendard VII had been developed alongside the PH75 nuclear-powered helicopter carrier proposal (the Arromanches being laid down in September 1979) to ensure that the Marine Nationale retained a fixed-wing fighter capability. Drawing on the lessons of the Mirage IIIV and Balzac V as well as the F1 programme, Dassault came up with a small delta-winged fighter powered by an Adour turbojet fitted with a swivelling tailpipe and two Rolls-Royce/Allison XJ99 turbofan lift-jets to provide V/STOL performance. An Agave radar was fitted and the aircraft could carry two AM39 Exocets. The resulting design was not unlike the abortive Convair Model 200A proposed for the USN's Sea Control Ship concept. First flown in June 1979 the Étendard VII entered French service in January 1982. As early as March 1979 the Chileans ordered a dozen, the Almirante Cochrane sailing to France to collect them in March 1982. By the end of that year the type was fully operational as tensions rose with Argentina due to the Falklands/Malvinas conflict that year.

Six of the aircraft were lost in crashes during its service career, the type was retired from Chilean service in May 2002, they had been land-based since 1997 when the aging Almirante Cochrane was decommissioned and scrapped.

General characteristics

Crew: 1 (pilot)
Length: 15.7 m (overall including pitot), 15.2m (excluding pitot)
Span: 8.37 m
Height: 4.07 m
Empty weight: 14,985 lb (6,797 kg)
Gross weight: 19,870 lb (9,012 kg)
Powerplant: 1x SNECMA Atar 9K-55-V turbojet engine, 10,890 lbf (48.4 kN) thrust dry, 15,800 lbf (70.2 kN) with afterburner, fitted with a swivelling exhaust nozzle and 2x Rolls-Royce/Allison XJ99 turbofan lift-jets, 9,000 lbf (40 kN) thrust each

Performance

Maximum speed: Mach 2.2
Combat range: 250 miles (400 km)
Ferry range: 1,240 miles miles (2000 km)
Service ceiling: 66,000 ft (20,000 m)
Rate of climb: 238 m/s (46,800 ft/min)

Avionics
Radar: Thomson-CSF Agave

Armament

2x 30 mm (1.18 in) DEFA 553 cannon with 125 rpg
Hardpoints: 1 centreline and six underwing pylons with a capacity of 12,125 lb (5,500 kg) with provisions to carry combinations of:
Rockets: 4x Matra rocket pods with 18x SNEB 68 mm rockets each
Bombs: various
Missiles: 2x Matra R550 Magic AAMs, 2x AM.39 Exocet ASMs or 2x AS.30L ASMs
Other: reconnaissance pods or drop tanks

I hope you plan to draw those french and chilean ships.........

Northrop F-7 Shark



The story of the Northrop F3T Shark -older cousin of the better-known F-5 Tiger- begins in the mid-1950s as the US Navy issues a request for a light jet fighter to operate from its light carriers. Northrop’s bid won the navy’s approval and in 1957 the first prototype of the Shark, the XF3T, made its maiden flight. Two years later, the US Navy decided to retire its remaining escort and light carriers, ending the frontline career of the F3T merely eight months after it entered service. Nevertheless, the T-36 Shark would endure as the US Navy’s main advanced trainer until the 1980s.

However, the international career of the type was more successful. The F3T (redesignated F-7 in 1962) was exported to a number of countries looking for a low-cost modern fighter, much like his successor the F-5 Tiger would be. The Argentine Navy (Armada de la República Argentina) received its first F-7 in 1963 with its new aircraft carrier Veinticinco de Mayo, the former Saipan-class light carrier USS Curtiss. Both the carrier and the F-7s had been intended to go to China, but after the 1959 Sino-American split they had been seized by the US and quickly re-sold to Argentina. At first only flying the F-7A, Argentina later acquired some radar-equipped F-7Cs and land-based F-7Es for its Air Force.

The Argentine Navy’s F-7 Sharks saw action together with the nation’s Skyhawks and Étendards during the Falklands War against the Royal Navy. Most of the C models went down with Veinticinco de Mayo when she was sunk by HMS Ark Royal’s Blackburn Buccaneers on May 1st or were destroyed attempting to bomb the British battlegroup. 3-A-250 was shot down on that day by a Fairey Stingray FAW.11 piloted by Lt. Cdr. Gareth Dewey and his observer Lt. Sean Doyle, the pair’s first of five confirmed kills, the only aces of the conflict.

The Argentine Navy continued to fly the Shark after the war and the last ones were retired in 1999, at which point they were the last F-7s in service.

General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 36 ft 1 in (11 m)
Wingspan (without missiles): 24 ft (7.3 m)
Height: 8 ft 2 in (2.5 m)
Empty weight: 5,980 lb (2,713 kg)
Gross weight: 10,247 lb (4,648 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 11,875 lb (5,386 kg)
Powerplant: 2 x General Electric J85-GE-5A afterburning turbojet engines, 2,680 lbf (12 kN) thrust each dry, 3,850 lbf (17 kN) with afterburner

Performance
Max speed: Mach 1.1 (854 mph; 1,375 km/h; 742 kn) at 34,000 ft (10,360 m)
Combat range: 262 nmi (300 km; 186 mi) with two sidewinders and external fuel tanks
Ceilling: 41,000 ft (12,500 m)
Rate of climb: 29,000 ft/min (146 m/s)

Armament and avionics
Guns: 1 or 2 x 20 mm Colt Mk 12 cannon with 60 rounds per gun (portside gun can be removed and relaced with a refueling probe)
Hardpoints: one centerline and two underwings, plus two wingtips pylons
Bombs and missiles: up to 3,500 pounds (1,580 kg) of ordnance, including various bomb types and AIM-9 sidewinder air-to-air missiles
Radar: AN/APQ-153 fire-control radar

This aircraft is a joint French-American light carrier attack aircraft, using experimental 4th generation technologies and the YF-17 as the basic design.

It can carry:
1x Exocet or Harpoon (French or American service)
6x 500 lb bombs or smart bombs
2x30 mm DEFA cannons
2 Sidewinder missiles

It has a max top speed of Mach 1.2 and is designed for naval attack, although it can achieve ground attack as well.
One enters French Carrier service on combat trials, as well as a trio of American patterns on the Nimitz for trials.

(Outside this challenge, I am really happy with how this is my first ever drawing I made by myself)

The early history of V/STOL aviation contained a great many paths not taken. With the Harrier being one of the core aircraft that inspired this challenge I felt it was only right to take one of the more unusual paths not taken, the Ryan Proposal for a V/STOL version of the F-104, featuring the spinning Dorito Wing of death.

For over a century the Kingdom of the Isle's South Sea Colony was a quiet backwater of the empire. With it's remote, sheep based economy, few in the Kingdom gave the desolate island's much thought, if they were even aware of them at all. All of this changed when the Southern Coalition invaded the islands in early 1982 and suddenly forced them into the spotlight. Retaking the islands became a matter of national honor. During this brief, but intense conflict both sides made extensive use of light attack aircraft, with the backbone of the Kingdom's air power being the Sea Air Arm's Model 104-V Sea Sparrow.

Developed in the 1960s the Sea Sparrow was a navalized VTOL version of the Mockheed Company's popular Sparrow interceptor. Unlike the original land based "Sparrow" which was a conventional interceptor, the Sea Sparrow was a V/STOL attack aircraft. The most notable difference between the Sparrow and the Sea Sparrow was the wing. Instead of the low slung trapezoidal wing of the Sparrow, the Sea Sparrow had a unique Rotary Wing mounted on a pedestal atop the fuselage. This wing was the key to the aircraft's V/STOL performance. At low speeds the wing tips would be angled and the entire wing would rotate, allowing it to function like a helicopter rotor. Power for rotation was provided via a gearbox connected to the engine with. counter torque provided by partial diversion of the jet exhaust. At higher speeds, the airflow would be cut, the wing tips returned horizontal and the wing's rotation halted, after which it would function as a conventional delta wing. Other changes included a TV bombing sight and various weight reduction measures.

The Sea Sparrow was relatively lightly armed compared to more conventional aircraft, having only 3 under fuselage weapon stations. The center line station was rated for payloads of up to 1000 kgs, while the port and starboard stations were each rated for up to 500 kgs. Maximum Payload was 1200 kg across all 3 stations. The center line station was "wet" to allow for the use of a drop tank and featured a PAL interlock for nuclear weapons carriage. The Sea Sparrow lacked the internal cannon of the Sparrow, with it being removed to save weight for the V/STOL system.

The Sea Sparrow was adapted by the Sea Air Arm in 1977 after the failure of the domestically developed Puffin. Despite widespread and later proven allegations of corruption (part of the infamous "Mockheed Affair"), the choice was fairly obvious as the cancellation of the Puffin by The Treasury several years prior had left the Sea Sparrow as the solve western fixed wing fighter capable of operating from the Kingdom Navy's newly developed Through-Deck Aviation Cruisers. During the war over the South Sea Colony, Sea Sparrows were used extensively to both conduct air strikes provide cover against enemy fighters. In addition the Sea Sparrow was used to conduct what was the most controversial mission of the war, Operation Buck Breaker. Buck Breaker was a nuclear strike conducted against open ocean 12 miles ahead of a coalition convoy. Intended as a show of force, the strike served as a signal that the Kingdom would use any means necessary to end the conflict. The convoy turned around and soon after the occupation force on the island surrendered.

Armament:
3 x Hardpoints Rated for 500 kgs
1 x Station Rated for 1000 kg
Maximum weapons payload of 1200 kg

Sample Payloads:
Strike Mission
2 x SRAAM + 1 Heavy Weapon (AShM or Special Weapon)
4 x 220Kg GP Bombs (2 per side station, center line station obstructed)
2 x 220Kg bombs + Drop Tank

Ground Attack
2 x 220Kg bombs + Gunpod
Air Defense Mission:
2 x MRAAM + Drop Tank or Gunpod

TL;DR
Dorito go Spin

Kuching Aerotech Q-2 Qilin



In 1972, the Grand Fleet of Lanfang was looking to replace its aging fleet of naval aircraft. While proposals were thrown around to simply purchase A-4 Skyhawks from the Americans, Lanfang instead proposed to make their own carrier jet aircraft, a task that they have never done before.

The requirements for the program included the ability to operate the aircraft from the now aging Implacable-class carriers, Jiang-Wubo and Xie-Guifang, which the Navy is reluctant to relinquish as the only other carrier left would be the Zhang-Hongjiang(formerly USS Wasp, an Essex-class Aircraft Carrier). In the end, the Q-2 Qilin was conceived. Initial tests impressed the Navy, and the aircraft entered production mostly without issues.

The aircraft would first see combat in the 1980 Indochinese war, where Q-2Cs were used in the infamous attack on Ream naval base. Air-launched Harpoon missiles saw the few corvettes of the Khmer Navy sunk in harbor. Across the duration of the war, the Q-2C Qilins frequently tussled with Chengdu J-7s and Nanchang Q-5s from both the Khmer Air Force and the People's Liberation Army Air Force(PLAAF). They were also used for ground attack roles, though their lack of CCIP proved to be a detriment.

The Q-2s would continue to serve in both the Lanfang air force and the Grand Fleet until the 2010s, seeing action one last time during the Lahad Datu Standoff of 2013, where Q-2Ls, the last variant of Q-2s aircraft, bombed insurgent positions in Lahad Datu. The Air Force would phase out its fleet of aging Qilins in 2014, and the Navy in 2016

General Characteristics

Crew: 1(pilot)
Length: 17.15m
Span: 9.32m
Height: 4.35m
Empty weight: 6,697kg
Fully loaded: 8,992kg
Powerplant: 2x Orpheus Mk.803

Performance

Maximum Speed: Mach 1.6(1975.68 kilometers per hour)
Maximum Cruise Speed: Mach 0.92(1136.016 kilometers per hour)
Range: 1,400 km (870 mi, 760 nmi)
Service ceiling: 18,000 m (59,000 ft)
Rate of climb: 203 m/s (40,000 ft/min)

Armaments

1x 30mm ADEN revolving cannon

7x Hardpoints(3 on each wing, 1 centerline)
Missiles- AIM-9Ls, AGM-12B Bullpups, AGM-78 ARM, AGM-84 Harpoon
Bombs- GBU-12A, MK83
Unguided Rockets- Hydra-70s in LAU-3 rocket pods

RAIDER1_1 wrote: ↑December 19th, 2022, 7:50 am

Hello RAIDER1_1. I was browsing the challenge thread and noticed several issues with you entry. Some of them are minor and can be easily fixed.

• In contrast to earlier challenges, you can no longer show figures standing next to your vehicle. They are one of the "other elements" alluded to in Challenge Rule 2. Figures must be depicted at their respective stations within the vehicle if shown.
• Munitions should be shown on the aircraft itself rather than an encyclopedia-style collection of possible arms. Again, this comes under "other elements". I think it would be a great opportunity to add some pylons to your aircraft.
• You have included two flags and an insignia. Challenge Rule 2 permits "one of the following: unit insignia, manufacturer logo, national flag", not all three. Please select one and remove the other two.
• Your stated empty weight exceeds the maximum by 7.1 kilograms (assuming the 6,811 figure described is in kilograms). You can probably get away with just editing the figure to 6,804. With that said, your design appears to be quite large in general and I am not sure either value would reflect the empty weight if it existed in real life. I am not an aeronautical engineer so it is not something I can say with confidence. You might want to discuss with more knowledgeable people in Discord, lest you receive a low Design Quality score.
• Challenge Rule 4 states: "If two or three views are included, they must depict the same example of the system, in the same configuration, at the same point in time." You should only show your aircraft with the gear down or gear up, not both. I would recommend the former since you have the front view with the gear down.

Min wrote: ↑December 20th, 2022, 3:45 pm

Greetings Min. It's great to see a new challenge participant. Unfortunately, I have a couple of issues with your entry. Please consider resolving them before the challenge deadline. First, Challenge Rule 4 states: "If two or three views are included, they must depict the same example of the system, in the same configuration, at the same point in time." The same weapons should be seen in all views of your aircraft and the landing gear should either be up or down, not up in one view and down in another. Apologies if my wording in the opening post is confusing. Second, the collection of weapons you have shown in the top right should be removed. They are among the "other elements" alluded to in Challenge Rule 2 which are no longer permitted. You can still show a selection of weapons on the aircraft itself, as you have done excellently in the bottom right view.

BDA Lance
The BDA Lance started development in the late 50s, in an attempt to develop a light attack aircraft with STOL capability. A series of modifciations and upgrades to avionics, radar and other internal and external systems would lead to the BDA Lance Serie II which entered service in 1975.

General characteristics:
Crew: 1
Length: 10.2m
Wingspan: 9.9m
Height: 2.7m
Empty weight: 4'350kg/9'590lbs
Max takeoff weight: 8'250kg/18'188lbs
Powerplants: 4x Arigna A-112, 10.5kN thrust each

Performance:
Maximum speed: 1'095km/h at sea level
Range: 1'900km
Service Ceiling: 13'700m/44,900ft

Armament:
2x 20mm cannons with 100 rounds each
2 hardpoints for various bombs, rockets and AA missiles
A bomb bay (may also hold an additional fuel container)

The upper wing pylon can only be equipped with either AA missiles or rocket pods

The aircraft that would become the A.65 originated from a design exercise by the National Agency for Aeronautic Engineering and Design (NAAED) seeking to develop a lightweight transonic fighter that might supplant the Mystères that then constituted the Aerarmeon’s air superiority force. This changed in the late Fifties when reconciliation with Great Britain resulted in an opportunity for Montalvo to acquire the ex-HMS Indomitable. The A.65’s progenitor, being light and rugged, seemed an ideal candidate for carrier operations, and resources were allocated to bring the project to maturity.

In short order the Indomitable deal fell through, and it had become evident that the NAAED project would not be competitive with third-generation fighter jets. The design was nonetheless promising enough that it was greenlit as a strike fighter, with maritime attack as a core capability. The prototype A.65A first flew in 1965; the type entered service in 1968 named for the Kitefin - an aggressive predator known for taking bites out of prey larger than itself.

Powered by a version of the JT8D turbofan militarized with the help of engineers from Volvo Flygmotor (whose efforts in parallel would result in the Viggen’s afterburning RM8) the Kitefin had excellent performance and agility for an attacker. Short range was its greatest limitation, requiring external fuel stores that significantly impacted its effective payload. That payload consisted of up to 3,600 kg of stores on four underwing and one center-fuselage hardpoint, two wingtip pylons for air-to-air missiles only, and a 30mm cannon in the lower fuselage offset to port. The ca.1982 example pictured, in service with 2.Atakeskadro ("2nd Attack Squadron") is carrying two external drop tanks, two AS-30 missiles, and a pair of R.550 Magic II missiles. In the antiship role, the Kitefin typically carried a pair of AS-30 (later AS-30L) missiles as shown here, or a single Exocet missile on its center-fuselage hardpoint.

Offered for export, the Kitefin was successfully marketed to the Brazilian navy. The Kitefin was also offered to France in 1973 as a replacement for the Étendard IV, though this offer and others like it were frustrated by Dassault's influence on the French government, which resulted in the selection of the Super Étendard instead.