SEPECAT Panther

[Stratos]

Soon after the introduction of the Jaguar, the RAF seen interdiction at very low level and behind enemy lines as a daunting task for a single pilot, so it asked for a two seater plane for low level interdiction and strike missions from bases in Germany. Plane should be conventional layout and easy to build but and it must use a single engine to keep costs at bay cause it should have a realtively short range.

 

SEPECAT don't liked the idea of a two seater combat capable Jaguar as it would require a new nose, so it rescued from his archives, the proposal for such plan in the form of the SEPECATt Panther, and finally was the only serious contender (Hawker tried to present a supersonic variant of the Harrier, but costs were too high for such modification and the MoD rejected their proposal). The SEPECAT proposal was accepted for tests and the name Panther soon arise and was well liked. The Panther was a two seater, single engine plane with conventional layout capable of a medium loadout but equipped with low level autopilot and terrain avoidance radars that made the plane a excellent interdictor. Pilots loved the flight characteristics altought being a single engine the plane was a bit underpowered for its weight. The engine selected was the Turbo Union RB-199 used on the Panavia Tornado, tests on the prototypes went fairly smooth and the project was mature enough in late 1976 a mere two years after Jaguar introduction, and first production planes were accepted in 1977 equipping three squadrons based on RAF bases in Germany. Plane remained there until USSR demise when they were progresively retired back to the UK. The swan song of the bird and last operational missions were in ODS when painted in desert pink attaked bridges and military installations with conventional and smart bombs, but this is another story...

 

Plane was started by Cocas, rescued and finished by AngelP, tested by me, and It was based on a Dizzyfugu idea, called the Harpy. Thanks to Ravenclaw for his help with the dragchute!! So here it is, the ground attack SEPECAT Panther.

 

Here some pics with 5th RAF squadron on the Range trying conventional bombs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sokol]

nice aircraft & nice story

 

though: too large an airplane for too small an engine (single engine!)

 

cheers

sokol

[Stratos]

nice aircraft & nice story though: too large an airplane for too small an engine (single engine!) cheers sokol

 

That's why we are on the "what if" section, maybe you can RR uprated the engine and that was enough for the bird to fly more or less properly.

[ValAstur]

Great looking and nice story. Any chance of upgrading the engine to a more powerful one in a latter version for a better performance? PW F100 for example?

[Stratos]

The Panthers last combat flights were in the Iraqi deserts were it attacked some key targets on daring low level missions, but soon the days of the PAnther are over and let space for more modern birds to take its role on the battlefield.

 

Thanks to Valastur for his help with the finflash decals!!

 

 

[+KnightWolf45]

Luv it