Rhodesia - 1980's

[ndicki 22]

WOW! Coin ops? excellent! Is not the AC47 used by the South Africans? The Rhodesian Air Force used it? Is a perfect COIN plane

 

Steady, china, steady - the AC-47 is a strictly American concept and was not adopted by any other Armed Forces. To begin with, it's a rich country's aircraft - look at the expenditure in rifle ammunition. Rhodesia could not afford that kind of wastage. And frankly, I'm not certain that the AC-47 was any more effective than a couple of golf bombs, despite the obvious psychological impact.

 

The Dak was used both by RhAF and SAAF as a transport/psyops aircraft - it was not armed and did not carry out (therefore) any kind of strike. It was however used for dropping parachutists as part of the "Fireforce" concept.

[gregair 0]

Steady, china, steady - the AC-47 is a strictly American concept and was not adopted by any other Armed Forces. To begin with, it's a rich country's aircraft - look at the expenditure in rifle ammunition. Rhodesia could not afford that kind of wastage. And frankly, I'm not certain that the AC-47 was any more effective than a couple of golf bombs, despite the obvious psychological impact.

 

The Dak was used both by RhAF and SAAF as a transport/psyops aircraft - it was not armed and did not carry out (therefore) any kind of strike. It was however used for dropping parachutists as part of the "Fireforce" concept.

 

 

Hey Ndicki, I am not saying that you must have the gunship Dakota in your mod however the SAAF did have one or two modified to carry a 20mm cannon out the cargo door, same as the Allouette 3.

 

They were successfully used by the SAAF in the guship role in Angola / Namibia Border area.

These are mentioned in the book "From Fledgling To Eagles" SAAF in the border war, by Brig Gen D Lord.

 

Also here is a piece from the memorial page of the DC3 Aviation Museum s memorial list >

 

"After returning to the SAAF during our bush-war, he saw action in the

operational area, once again with the Dak, and claimed the first kills in

the South African version of the "Dragon" which was a C-47 with a 20mm

cannon mounted in the door.

 

Keep at it guys, this is going to be an awsome mod!

[gregair 0]

A photo of the 20 mm mounting on the SAAF "Dragon Dak" number 6859 taken in 1985.

 

 

[Stratos 3,177]

See? How cool will be to fly this little gem?

[ndicki 22]

Fair enough, I stand corrected as far as SAAF is concerned. But what I said is still valid for the RhAF!

 

Back to painting that Hunter...

[ndicki 22]

And fitting it with Sidewinders. Yes, that shocked me, too. At least two Hunters were equipped with IRMs by SAAF workshops in early 1979. I didn't know, either.

[gregair 0]

Hey Ndicki, this is gonna be one hot mod!

 

Do you have any skills with decals? Modifying them and setting them to appear correctly?

[ndicki 22]

No probs. That is something I can do. Check this Hunter: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=37734

 

I need someone to knock out a pylon/rail, though, that I can fit here. It could go in as a fake pilot or as a fixed drop tank, if I've understood the work-arounds.

 

 

 

Hey, anybody got "I wish I was a blue job" by John Edmond? Mine's gone funny. I was thinking we could use it somewhere.

 

 

"I wouldn't have to walk if I could fly..." I should have listened!

Edited March 7, 2009 by ndicki

[Emp_Palpatine 501]

Hey, great idea for a mod!

Rhodesians never die!

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

No probs. That is something I can do. Check this Hunter: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=37734

 

I need someone to knock out a pylon/rail, though, that I can fit here. It could go in as a fake pilot or as a fixed drop tank, if I've understood the work-arounds.

 

 

 

Hey, anybody got "I wish I was a blue job" by John Edmond? Mine's gone funny. I was thinking we could use it somewhere.

 

 

"I wouldn't have to walk if I could fly..." I should have listened!

 

I have the entire John Edmond and Clem Tholet Discography, I got us covered.

 

I wish I was a Blue Job up in the sky, I wouldn't have to walk if I could fly, but I'll be a Brown Job until I die, with ten years to go in the RLI

[ndicki 22]

It'd be better than the bloody awful stock UI music, in any case!

[+aleks 9]

i think that SAAF will keep an eye on this case....

[ndicki 22]

i think that SAAF will keep an eye on this case....

 

You need to reduce the shine, but it's looking good!

 

This where I'm at:

[Jeremiah Weed 0]

Wow, that rail is coming a long quite nicely

[ndicki 22]

Wow, that rail is coming a long quite nicely

 

Not if you look too closely it isn't. It's square edged, start with that! We need a modeller...

[ndicki 22]

Next stage is visible here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=37803

 

Nearly finished. One afternoon to dirty it up and make it look a bit less pristine, and it'll be ready for upload.

[gregair 0]

Next stage is visible here: http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=37803

 

Nearly finished. One afternoon to dirty it up and make it look a bit less pristine, and it'll be ready for upload.

 

 

That Hunter is looking awsome Dude, good job!

[ndicki 22]

You wait - AleDucat has done a REAL Sidewinder pylon - it looks beautiful!

[Spinners 15,981]

OT (forgive me) but there are some amazing Rhodesian and South African TSR.2 profiles here

 

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,8838.120.html

[ndicki 22]

OT (forgive me) but there are some amazing Rhodesian and South African TSR.2 profiles here

 

http://www.whatifmodelers.com/index.php/topic,8838.120.html

 

I saw the Lightnings, too - interesting idea... One mistake, though - the serial numbers. Probably 776 of 2 Sqn, since 7 Sqn flew choppers, and 6 Sqn was a training squadron. (The serials are not difficult to work out, just deliberately obscure...) So they got them to replace the Vampires - OK, but the Lightning isn't a ground attack aircraft. It would have gone to No.1 Sqn to replace the Hunters. But still... And the "R" prefix was not used on the aircraft, even when the serial was, which wasn't often.

 

The TSR would have been 566 from 2Sqn, for similar reasons. Interesting ideas...

 

Nice ideas, though!

[ndicki 22]

I think I'm going to stick that pylon on the Gina, too. Seems a waste not to profit from the technology available...

[gregair 0]

A quick Zambian Mig-21

 

[gregair 0]

Some interesting info I recently read.

 

The Rhodesians bought 28 T-28 Trojan /Fennec's from France!

 

They were on a ship very near to Cape Town, South Africa where the would have been offloaded and moved to Rhodesia when France instructed the ship

not to go into port but turn around and return with the aircraft.

 

The reason for this was that the USA had got wind of the deal and threatened to revoke US licences that France had to build US equipment.

 

Bad luck!

[ndicki 22]

I've heard that before - given as the reason why the Trogs were called Trogs! Except these ones were AL-60s instead. Not at all the same aircraft...

 

Is there a T-28 for SF? We could use them for a bit of what-iffing!

[Shaolin 0]

On capun's site is a beta T-28D...