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The Alternative RAF and FAA
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By Ralph Morton
The options shown below were
all considered at some point to be practical and affordable (usually only
briefly), but they provide an interesting basis for models.
Prototype first flight in April 1964. 2 Prototypes in White and Yellow. Squadron service in 1967 as Hawker Siddeley 730 B1. Delivery aircraft operate in Green/Grey camouflage with white undersides. 50 aircraft delivery from 1967-71. 617 Sqn aircraft have special lightning flash tails. Wrap around livery from 1973. Light grey all over scheme from 1990. 30 aircraft still in service
in 2000. BAC Concorde C.1 Successful airline introduction of the Concorde in 1973 (by BOAC, Air France, Pan Am and JAL) prompts the RAF to re-consider its transport requirements. 5 Concorde C1s replace the VC10s at Brize Norton in standard RAF colours from 1976. They remain in service in 2000. BAC Lightning F.8 The two-seat Lightning F8 emerges in 1968 as an Air Defence fighter with additional armament based at first on extra Red Tops. Swing-wing versions are developed. Lightnings in various versions
remain the RAF's principal fighter until 2000. They are also adopted
as Sea Vixen replacements for the FAA in 1972. BAC TSR.2 "Tornado" Prototype first flight in Spring 1963. All test aircraft operating by January 1964. "Tornado" name allocated by MOD and BAC. First delivery aircraft to OCU at Coltishall in September 1964. Initial 50 aircraft in service by January 1966. Standard Green/Grey camouflage with white undersides. Additional batches of aircraft ordered in July 1967 for UK and Australia. US asks for loan of 5 aircraft for use in Vietnam (following shortage of F-105s and failure of F-111s). First Australian aircraft enters service in January 1969. In February 1969 US orders 100 TSR.2 s for licence production in US by Republic and Boeing. 150 RAF TSR.2 aircraft in service by 1973 in UK, Germany, Cyprus and Singapore. All aircraft receive wraparound livery. Light grey all over scheme from 1990. Used in Desert Storm in 1991. Gulf pink livery. 100 aircraft still in service in 2000. The chaos surrounding the UK's attempts to develop a high altitude long range fighter comes to a head in 1957 and despite the high cost of the aircraft in Dollars, the UK begins a joint programme with Canada to develop the CF-105 Arrow. The Arrow succeeds the Lightning as the RAF's main air defence aircraft in 1965. Initial versions are in white, later plain metal finish. Weapons are Sidewinder and Sparrow (later Skyflash). From 1975 RAF Arrows adopt "Air Superiority" grey colours and matching low-viz markings, together with modified F18 style cockpits. Some 100 RAF Arrows are still
in service in 2000. Hawker Siddeley HS 1154 "Harrier" MOD decides to order in Spring 1962 as part of UK Mobile Force. Prototype first flight in January 1964 Initial versions for RAF service only. OCU set up at Wittering in April 1967. 150 Harrier GR1 and T2 aircraft replace Hunters in 2 UK, 2 Germany, 2 Gulf and 2 Singapore based squadrons between 1967 and 1971. AV8 derivative ordered by US Marines in 1968. Two seat Sea Harrier derivative ordered for service on RN carriers Furious (CVA-01) and Eagle (Ark Royal stored from 1968 as spares ship) in 1974 as Phantom replacements. Sea Harrier enters service in 1981 on Eagle. Delivery markings of Grey and White FAA scheme. Falklands crisis of 1982. Eagle deploys with Sea Harriers/Buccaneers and Furious with Phantoms/Buccaneers. Wrap around grey on all aircraft. Ark Royal (CVA-02) enters service in 1984 as Eagle replacement. Eagle (CVA-03) enters service in 1994 as third of class ship. Amraam replaces Skyflash on all aircraft by 1991. All Harrier and Sea Harrier
aircraft in service in 2000.
MOD decides to order in Spring 1962 as part of UK Mobile Force. Prototype first flight in January 1964 OCU established in April 1965 at Thorney Island. 50 aircraft in service by 1968 at Abingdon and Benson in UK, as well as in Gulf and Singapore. Initial aircraft in white and grey "Transport Command" colours, changing to Brown and Sand Air Support Command colours. Additional 25 aircraft from 1971 as part of continued Far East and Gulf presence. Force consolidated at Lyneham in 1975. From 1976 operated in Green/Grey Wrap-around. All grey colours from 1992. 60 aircraft in service in 2000. UK swing-wing programmes in the 60's The UK had various paper projects in the early 60s for swing-wing aircraft designs to fill the fighter (Phantom) and strike (Buccaneer) roles in the 1970s. The aircraft would have been
in effect mini-TSR2s with swing-wings and in some cases Harrier-style
vectored thrust jets. US manufacture General Dynamics F-111K "Tornado" Despite the UK withdrawal from the Far East, US pressure forces the Government to retain the F111 order in 1967. Prototype aircraft flown in 1968 OCU established at Coltishall in Summer 1969. Given "Tornado GR1" name. All 50 UK aircraft in service by 1971. Standard Green/Grey camouflage with white undersides. Squadrons operate in UK and Cyprus. Additional 50 aircraft ordered in 1972 for NATO roles. Wrap around colours adopted in 1973. UK F111s operate in the Gulf in Pink livery. Light grey colours introduced in 1992. Some 75 aircraft remain in service
in 2000. Phasing out in favour of F-15K.
The introduction into service of CVA-01 Furious in the early 70s and its sister ship Eagle in the 80s would have needed an up to date fighter instead of the Phantom. At the same time the RAF needed an all weather successor for its Phantoms. Money saved from using the Buccaneer S2 in RAF and RN service rather than the more expensive TSR2/Vigilante/F111/Tornado options is put into the purchase of a highly effective counter to the emerging Soviet Backfire force in the North Atlantic. BAC and Rolls Royce work closely with the US contractors to produce an F-14K, which flies in 1978. The joint RAF/FAA OCU for the F14K is established at Cottesmore in 1980. The first FAA squadron of F14Ks is aboard Furious in time to join Ark Royal and her Phantoms in the South Atlantic to deter Argentina in early 1982. By 1985 RAF and FAA squadrons have some 165 F14Ks operating in the UK and on board CVA 01 Furious and CVA 02 Eagle. All aircraft are operated initially in USN style grey with UK low visibility markings. Some FAA aircraft receive a darker grey. All aircraft remain in service
in 2000. The RAF is divided between those who want the F-18 and those who are prepared to wait for a UK/European solution to the question of replacing Jaguars and Germany-based Phantoms. The "Sale of the Century" sees the F-16 pitted against the Mirage F.1 for the NATO order in the late 70s. BAC (later British Aerospace) develops a relationship with Lockheed to try and market Jaguars to forces needing a strike aircraft rather than the early fighter-only F16s. However, F16 proves so successful that BAC decides to throw in its lot with the US firm. The new Conservative Government in 1979 orders the F-16K off the shelf to replace two RAF Phantom squadrons in Germany from 1985. Follow-on orders for replacement of the UK Jaguar force from 1987 (4sqns). The F-16K is well-liked by the RAF, despite being a single engined single seat fighter. The aircraft are maintained in standard grey with low-viz markings. Some RAF F-16s in the Gulf are used in the strike role in Gulf Pink. Some 200 F-16s are in service
with the RAF in 2000. Lockheed C-5K Galaxy These enter service in 1971 in standard white/grey colours at Brize Norton. Repainted light grey they remain
in service in 2000. McDonnell Douglas F-15K "Eagle" UK F-15 programme announced in January 1976 as successor to Phantom. First RAF Eagle F.1 aircraft in service from June 1978. 150 aircraft enter RAF service from 1978 to 1984. 6 squadrons in UK and 2 in Germany. UK Strike Eagle option taken up in 1992. 50 aircraft delivered from 1995-2002. All aircraft operated in light
grey, except for some pink Gulf aircraft. McDonnell Douglas F-18K "Hornet" RAF selects F-18K Hornet in 1985 as Phantom/Jaguar successor, following Australian and Canadian orders. F-18 FGR.1 Hornet OCU established at Coltishall in Summer 1987. 150 aircraft enter service with 4 squadrons in UK and 4 in Germany between 1987 and 1990. All aircraft in light grey, except some pink Gulf aircraft. Fleet Air Arm Hornets could
enter service in the same timeframe replacing Phantoms on CVA-01 ships
(Ark Royal unlikely to survive this long) or on new-build CVs. McDonnell Douglas A-4K Skyhawk Faced with the inability of its light fleet carriers to operate new generation UK and US aircraft, the Royal Navy decides to follow the US in deploying a small number of A-4 Skyhawks as "shadow plane" chasers on "Bulwark", "Albion" and "Centaur" which operate as Commando/ASW ships but retain their catapults. An OCU and single squadron of A-4s are leased from the USN and operate between 1962 and 1968. They are initially in all white RN colours with pale markings and then in a mixture of FAA Grey/White and RAF Green/Grey/White.
North American RA-5K Vigilante Faced with the mounting costs of the TSR.2 and noting the interest of the RAAF in the Vigilante, the UK Defence Staff looks at the Vigilante as a joint RN/RAF strike aircraft. In 1962 CDS Mountbatten persuades the Government to order 2 CVA-01 ships operating a strike force composed of Vigilantes, and Phantoms as multi-role aircraft. Disillusioned with the UK Aircraft industry's performance and the RAF's support for the unsuccessful TSR.2, PM Macmillan agrees to the package as part of the Nassau agreement. In 1964 a joint RAF/RN OCU is set up for the Vigilante at Marham (replacing RAF Valiants). Modifications to the Vigilante allow it to carry the new WE.177 weapon under development for TSR2. By 1966 Vigilantes have replaced Valiants and Canberras in the UK and Germany, and more are on order to replace Vulcan and Victor B.1s. Development of the Vigilante to meet RAF and RAAF requirements by North American, BAC and CAC produces a radically new aircraft with many TSR2 features. CVA-01 Furious enters services in 1970 replacing Eagle and Ark Royal. It carries Phantom and Vigilante aircraft. A joint UK/US strike fighter replacement for Phantom and Vigilante emerges in 1966 as a long term programme. The failure of the early F111s leads to the plane's cancellation in 1966. Initially USN Vigilantes are revamped to RAF/RAAF specs and sent to Vietnam. Joint UK/US strike fighter resembling Tornado/F15E comes into service in 1975. Ordered by the RAF in 1962 as "interim" Canberra replacement after TSR.2 delays lead to cancellation of project in favour of "Blue Water" missile for NATO ground forces, including FRG and US. Offset for US cancellation of "Sergeant" SSM. Increased production run of F-105s allows US to order additional aircraft after Vietnam losses. OCU established in 1964. Thunderchief GR.1s replace Canberras in service in Germany, and later in the UK and Cyprus. 50 aircraft initially. Green/Grey camouflage with white undersides. Success of RN Buccaneer programme sees RAF purchase this aircraft rather than order additional Thunderchiefs in 1966. RAF Thunderchiefs in Germany
transferred to USAF for use in SE Asia from 1967. Vought F-8K Crusader OCU established at Yeovilton in April 1964. First FAA Crusader squadrons join HMS Eagle in Summer 1965. Aircraft operate in all-over white with pale markings initially. Sidewinders only carried. In 1966 colour scheme changed to grey upper, white lower and standard markings. Ark Royal re-enters service in 1970 carrying 2 Crusader, 2 Buccaneer squadrons. UK operates 4 carrier force with Crusaders/Buccaneers until 1974. 2 carrier force based on Ark Royal and Hermes operates until 1982. Hermes only deploys to the South Atlantic, together with the new CVS Invincible. Last FAA Crusaders retired in
1983. Dassault Mirage IVK The escalating cost of the TSR2 forces its cancellation in 1963. BAC and Dassault persuade the Government that the Mirage IV can be purchased as a replacement for V force aircraft and Canberras. The Mirage IV (possibly re-engined and modified to suit RAF requirements) is rushed into service with the Marham based OCU in 1965 following the withdrawal of Valiant aircraft assigned to SACEUR. They operate initially in plain metal with RAF markings. RAF squadrons are gradually re-equipped from 1965 to 1970 with between 50 and 100 Mirage IVs replacing the Canberra and then the Vulcan. They operate in Green/Grey with white undersides. In 1973 all receive wrap around camouflage. Some aircraft in the Gulf receive Gulf pink. By 1993 remaining aircraft in the UK receive an all grey finish. No aircraft remain in service
by 2000. Dassault Rafale AFVSTOL (Anglo French VSTOL) aircraft Rolls Royce was very keen on the impractical Dassault Mirage III V strike fighter project. France wanted this aircraft as a simple single nuclear bomb carrying replacement for its US Super Sabres. However, the aircraft was too complicated and too expensive (like the UK HS 1154, but much worse). Both RAF and Armee de l'Air ended up with Jaguars. Had the Mirage IIIV been a success,
a joint UK/French programme could have introduced the aircraft in 1971.
Camouflage and markings as for Jaguars. AFVG (Anglo French Variable Geometry) aircraft This aircraft looked very much like the French Mirage G aircraft and was considered by the UK as a Tornado style aircraft to supplement the 50 aircraft F111K force from about 1975. British Aerospace-Dassault (or
SEPECAV like SEPECAT) Tornado GR1 (I think Tornado is the same in both
lingos) enters service in UK and French versions in about 1975.
France had intended an M (Maritime) version for the Aeronavale, so the
FAA might have been able to order some for the Ark Royal in 1970. Saab Gripen The mounting costs of the Eurofighter
programme and the poor state of the RAF's air defences prompts re-consideration
of the Gripen for the RAF as a Phantom and later Jaguar replacement from
about 2000. Light grey with low viz markings. Saab Viggen In the mid 1960s faced with the high cost of UK and US aircraft, the UK decides to order the Saab Viggen as a Fighter and Strike Aircraft. Initial Viggen deliveries in the late 60s are bare metal aircraft with standard markings, then standard Green/Grey over white. From 1973 all Viggens wear a Wrap-around scheme. In 1990 some Viggens receive
Gulf Pink colours. Later the whole fleet gets light grey. AVS A little known and short-lived
programme between the US and West Germany for a strike fighter to replace
NATO Starfighters and US Super Sabres, Thunderchiefs etc. The German
participation in this plane led to Tornado in 1968. A UK/US/FRG
programme to develop a Tornado class strike fighter could have emerged
in 1967 if the US had been sufficiently disillusioned with the F111. Sukhoi Su-27 (or Mig-29) The Sukhoi Su-27 and its derivatives
and the Mig-29 have featured briefly as possible alternatives to the Eurofighter.
Both would be in light grey with low viz markings. Gulf pink a possibility.
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