Israeli F-82I Ayit
Posted: April 28th, 2017, 2:07 pm
Yes, it's a whatif! I hope you like it as much I enjoyed building it.
David
We all thought the first modified/reverse-engineered aircraft in the Israeli Air Force's inventory was the Mirage/Nesher/Kfir but not so. In the 1950s, Israel created the F-82I Ayit.
After the Korean War, Israel acquired 15 surplus USAF F-82G nightfighters. The F-82s served Israel well through the Fifties but accidental damage to one two days after delivery in 1953 prompted an interesting experiment. Israel had been trying to buy a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft with little success but an engineering analysis suggested the damaged aircraft could be used to create a prototype of their own.
The Israeli engineers used the undamaged port fuselage and wing from the crashed F-82G and a spare starboard wing but added a section to increase the wing span. The result looked similar to the P-51H but was much larger. To get the required performance, they managed to acquire and fit a RR Griffon engine in an extended nose. A vertical and an oblique camera were fitted in the rear fuselage.
Early flight tests of the prototype showed poor pitch characteristics, so enlarged tailplanes were added to improve control. The F-82I Ayit was born and 2 more were built by dismantling another of the F-82Gs. By the mid 1950s, it was clear that Israel would be moving quickly into an all-jet combat force and no further examples were built but the 3 F-82I Ayits provided high altitude photo-reconnaissance until 1960. This one is the second built just after delivery in 1955.
I think I prefer it without the drop tanks so they are just a press-fit at the moment.
and just to compare to a normal P-51D (the original Airfix mould!!!)
It's a Monogram/Revell F-82 with resin Merlin engine attached 2 scale feet further forward than it should be and a Griffon Spitfire prop from the old Hawk F22 kit. The wing root extensions were made by halving the center wing of the G-82 and the tailplanes were done the same way with the F-82 tailplane.
David
We all thought the first modified/reverse-engineered aircraft in the Israeli Air Force's inventory was the Mirage/Nesher/Kfir but not so. In the 1950s, Israel created the F-82I Ayit.
After the Korean War, Israel acquired 15 surplus USAF F-82G nightfighters. The F-82s served Israel well through the Fifties but accidental damage to one two days after delivery in 1953 prompted an interesting experiment. Israel had been trying to buy a high altitude reconnaissance aircraft with little success but an engineering analysis suggested the damaged aircraft could be used to create a prototype of their own.
The Israeli engineers used the undamaged port fuselage and wing from the crashed F-82G and a spare starboard wing but added a section to increase the wing span. The result looked similar to the P-51H but was much larger. To get the required performance, they managed to acquire and fit a RR Griffon engine in an extended nose. A vertical and an oblique camera were fitted in the rear fuselage.
Early flight tests of the prototype showed poor pitch characteristics, so enlarged tailplanes were added to improve control. The F-82I Ayit was born and 2 more were built by dismantling another of the F-82Gs. By the mid 1950s, it was clear that Israel would be moving quickly into an all-jet combat force and no further examples were built but the 3 F-82I Ayits provided high altitude photo-reconnaissance until 1960. This one is the second built just after delivery in 1955.
I think I prefer it without the drop tanks so they are just a press-fit at the moment.
and just to compare to a normal P-51D (the original Airfix mould!!!)
It's a Monogram/Revell F-82 with resin Merlin engine attached 2 scale feet further forward than it should be and a Griffon Spitfire prop from the old Hawk F22 kit. The wing root extensions were made by halving the center wing of the G-82 and the tailplanes were done the same way with the F-82 tailplane.
