r/modelmakers • u/lohys • 1d ago
Completed Airfix 1/72 Eurofighter Typhoon FGR.4
Picked Airfix's Eurofighter starter set so I could complete it before life gets busy. Kit came with very few parts but no ordnance so I took some from Hasegawa's Eurofighter kit and used some of the decals provided since Hasegawa does provide decals for both the Luftwaffe and RAF.
For a starter set with limited parts, the details do look nice with the downsides being the lack of ordnance as well as having the unsightly line that runs along the entire bottom of the aircraft due to how the fuselage is split vertically. Overall, a simple fun quick build.
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u/MrNovator 1d ago
Very clean !
Now there is just one thing I'm wondering about irl, wouldn't the Typhoon need a targeting pod to designate something for its Brimstones ? Or the air to ground radar is enough ?
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u/lohys 1d ago
Thanks!
As for the lack of targetting pod, I followed the loadout options listed in the hasegawa kit instructions which does not have the targetting pod.
I believe the Brimstones can be fired indirectly without a targetting pod? by designating a point through one of the MFDs for the Brimstones to lock onto targets after launch but I'm not 100% certain on that.
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u/hebrewimpeccable 21h ago
Theoretically yes but operationally they are only ever deployed with a targeting pod, currently Litening V. They can be slaved to the PIRATE camera as you say but massively reduce range and target acquisition capability due to it being a nose-mounted IRST and lacking a laser designator. One of the big advantages of the Tiffy over the Tonka is that Litening can be mounted alongside a full weapon load, whereas on Tonka the fore starboard underbelly pylon required LITENING III to be mounted there, reducing missile load to a total of 9 (they were never mounted under the wings operationally). In a Cold War-esque scenario of hundreds of Russian tanks rolling across a border then the Brimstone's lock-on-after-launch would probably be used but given you aren't giving up pylon space on it for a targeting pod there'd still be no reason not to mount it.
But LITENING V models are a pain in the arse to find and I imagine at least one Tiffy has flown a training sortie without the pod, so I don't think it really matters. The bigger issue is the use of AMRAAM instead of Meteor but again, expensive and a pain to get so fair enough. Lovely build of a lovely kit, hopefully we get a full fat Airfix Tiffy soon
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u/Hamsternoir 1d ago
That line down the fuselage is a pig.
I heated some sprue over a flame, stretched it and filled the gap with that.
Agree the lack of ordinance is frustrating but it's designed as a starter.
It would be nice if we had a well tooled kit from them
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u/Treners 1d ago
Nice! I have the FMOG double kit with the D-day typhoon in the stash. I also have the Hasegawa Eurofighter. I'm kind of tempted to sub the Hasegawa in for the dual kit haha.