Expanding Naval Airwings (part 3)

The naval Airwing for British 1960s aircraft carriers. I recently acquired a 1:3000 model of HMS Victorious (R38) and HMS Eagle (R05). Over the months I have painted for those ships 4 Fairey 'Gannet's' (blue, for ASW patrol), 4 (blue) F-4K 'Phantom' jet fighters, 2 older (blue) de Havilland 'Seavixen' jet fighters and I already had 2 types of Blackburn 'Buccaneer' low level bombers (blue S1's and camouflaged S2's) and Westland 'Seaking' ASW helicopter. All 1:600 scale. Actually, the F-4K Phantoms only flew from the sister ship of HMS Eagle, HMS Ark Royal (R09) in the early 1970s... HMS Victorious had an interesting career: as a new aircraft carrier in 1941 her Airwing attacked the 'Bismarck' battleship and in 1944 the 'Tirpitz'. She survived the second World War, got at  the end of the 1950s an angled flight deck (and type 984 3D radar) and was used for jet aircraft, like the 'Buccaneer' and 'Seavixen'. Her career ended in 1969.

With the embarked aircraft both carriers can detect enemy surface units and/or submarines (using the 'Gannet' patrol aircraft), defend the fleet against air attacks (using the radar equipped 'Sea Vixen' or F-4K 'Phantoms') and destroy surface units by using the famous 'Buccaneer' low level bombers.

The Naval Airwing for my French carrier Clemenceau, consisting of (US-build) Vought F-8 'Crusader' jet fighters and Dassault 'Super Etendard' (tactical nuclear capable: AN-52 bomb & ASMP missile) bombers; both painted in their old blue colors. The 'Super Etendards' were also equipped with AM-39 'Exocet' anti-ship missiles. The ship had a career from 1961-1997 and was relieved by the nuclear aircraft carrier FS Charles de Gaulle (which I have as well). FS 'Clemenceau' was armed herself with 8 x 100 mm guns, which can come to use in a naval wargame... Although her strike aircraft were quite capable, the F-8 'Crusaders' were very old: in the US Navy they were considered the last 'all-gun fighters', although they later flew with short range IR-missiles (Sidewinder). Unfortunately I couldn't get access to 1:600 models of her Brequet 'Alize' (ASW)patrol-aircraft (although they look a bit similar as the Fairy 'Gannet'). She could carry SA 321 'Super Frelon' (ASW) helicopters as well.

My ever expanding Indian Navy has now 2 aircraft carriers with a third in the dockyard. INS Vikrant (R11) is an ex-British 'Majestic' class aircraft carrier. It was from 1961 India's first aircraft carrier and played a major role in the 1971 war with Pakistan. In the 1980s it was equipped with Sea Harrier VTOL aircraft and modernized with a ski-jump ramp. The picture shows her with some Leander-class like Indian frigates of 1990s 'Brahmaputra'- and 1980s 'Godavari'-class. Her career ended in 1997. Her Sea Harrier aircraft could be used as fighters or in an anti-shipping role (equipped with Sea Eagle Missiles).

A much more peculiar Indian Aircraft carrier is INS Vikramaditya (R33). This is a completely re-designed and rebuilt ex-USSR 'Kiev'-class carrier, now with some resemblance of an USSR 'Kuznetsov'-class aircraft carrier. The ship is the 4th 'Kiev'-class (ex 'Admiral Gorshkov' 1987-1996) and was acquired as such in 2004. Part of the deal was an Airwing of MIG-29K ('Fulcrum-D') fighter bombers. The Indian Navy had no requirement for the old Soviet weapon systems and wanted a 14 degrees ski-jump arrangement like the 'Kuznetsov'. Many talks and delays later, the rebuilt ship was finally handed over to India in 2013. More than 60% of the ship is new and most old equipment is refurbished. It can carry 26 MIG-29K fighter bombers, which can be launched simultaneously from 2 deck spots. As she got new engines and new electronics, she didn't inherit the expected USSR naval 'disasters' (see engine problems of 'Kuznetsov'). In the picture the ship is accompanied by modern Indian destroyers of 1990s 'Delphi' class & 2000s 'Visakhapatnam' class and a nuclear submarine.

The next Indian carrier (at my dockyard) is the new (2022) INS 'Vikraat'. Her Airwing will consist of Dassault 'Rafale-M' fighter-bombers. I still have to paint ship & aircraft... 

The Argentine Naval Airwing for Veinticinco de Mayo (ex-HNLMS 'Karel Doorman') and the 1982 Argentine air threat from shore has been expanded as well. I repainted one of my Dutch Grumman S-2 'Tracker' (ASW) patrol aircraft into Argentine colours (light grey, with light blue touches). Together with gray A-4Q 'Skyhawk' bombers, blue Dassault 'Super Etendard' anti-shipping bombers and SH-3 'Seaking' ASW helicopters it forms the Argentine Naval Air Wing. Those aircraft were supported by maritime A-4Q 'Skyhawk' bombers and Airforce A-4C 'Skyhawks' (both camouflaged) and ex-Israel Airforce fighter bombers from Argentine mainland. For targeting the Argentines used a Lockheed 'Neptune' patrol aircraft as well (not in the picture).