Israeli F-82I Ayit

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DavidWomby
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Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by DavidWomby »

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.

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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.


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I think I prefer it without the drop tanks so they are just a press-fit at the moment.

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and just to compare to a normal P-51D (the original Airfix mould!!!)

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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.
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by ShaunW »

An interesting and plausible looking Mustang development David with a good back story (I also prefer it without the drop tanks but realistically it would probably have required the additional fuel for long distance recce missions). Great work!
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iggie
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by iggie »

Nice one! There's a hint of the Spiteful about it to my eye (but it might be all the squinting of late dealing with ship photo etch!)
Best wishes

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DavidWomby
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by DavidWomby »

Thanks, Shaun and Iggie. I can see a Spiteful and an MB5 in it myself.

David
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

I'll +1 Shaun's comments, since I wanted to say interesting and plausible but he got in first :)
And it's a rather good-looking aircraft ...
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DavidWomby
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by DavidWomby »

Thanks, John. It came out just as good as I imagined it would look.

David
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by celt »

Well tidy,I agree with iggie,it has a hint of Supermarine about it.
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skypirate
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by skypirate »

Spiteful, MB5, 109H and Cavalier Mustang rolled into one!
It does look very plausible.

Cheers,

David
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by Dazzled »

Superbly imaginative and well engineered. 8-)
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by Migrant »

Very cool imagineering. I like the comparison with the regular P-51, really emphasizes your design's size. And I like it with the drop tanks, FWIW :)
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DavidWomby
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Re: Israeli F-82I Ayit

Post by DavidWomby »

Thanks, gentlemen.

David
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