Shipbucket

Does exactly what it says on the tin. I've been on a Kiwi kick lately and cooked up a few what-if's either based on reality or just going completely off into the deep end (I blame the tablets). First the more realistic options:

Dassault Mirage III

Denied the ability to replace their Vampires with a more modern fighter in the 1960s, the RNZAF soldiered on with the Canberra as its primary combat aircraft. With the decision on a replacement approaching in the late 1960s the Air Force examined several options, specifically the F-111A, F-4C, A-4K, F-5A and Mirage IIIE. The RNZAF’s preference for the F-111 or F-4 was overruled by the government in Wellington in favour of something cheaper. 18 aircraft were required and after some hard negotiation a compromise between the politician's preference for the cheap Scooter and Air Staff's desire for the Phantom was reached: the Mirage III would become New Zealand's new combat aircraft. To save on time they were the IIIO(A) variant ordered off the Australian production line (with inevitable reparations to Dassault).



Entering service in 1970 the 14 single-seat and 4 two-seat aircraft operated in the interceptor (AIM-9D and R.530) and ground attack roles. Surplus Australian aircraft were obtained in the mid-1980s, bringing the fleet to 24 aircraft. As time went on, the 60s-era Mirage began to show its age and the RNZAF began looking at a replacement. Rather than purchase a new type the Air Force settled on a comprehensive upgrade, initiated in 1986: Project Kahu.



Project Kahu incorporated a completely new avionics package: the Hughes APG-66 radar from the F-16, ARL-66 radar warning receiver, MIL-STD 1553B databus and Litton LN-93 Inertial Navigation System. The cockpit was reconfigured with HOTAS controls, improved ‘glass’ displays, new HUD and a Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat. The most obvious external changes were the incorporation of fixed canard foreplanes on the intakes, in-flight refuelling probe, ILS blade antenna behind the cockpit and missile stations under the forward fuselage (similar to the Atlas Cheetah), but the engine was also changed for the Atar 09K turbojet. Armament now included AIM-9L Sidewinders, AIM-120A AMRAAM (from 1993), AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-65 Maverick and Paveway II laser-guided bombs.

The aircraft remained in service until replaced by 28 USAF surplus F-16s upgraded to E/F standard in 2005.

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Oh good, my dog found the chainsaw!

Excellent work and an wonderful backstory that mirrors the A-4 life too.

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Hood's Worklist
English Electric Canberra FD
Interwar RN Capital Ships
Super-Darings
Never-Were British Aircraft

Cheers Hood

And now, for pure fantasy, into the deep end...

F-5 and Jaguar in RNZAF Service

During the 1960s the number of Vampires and loaned RAF Venoms used by New Zealand was beginning to wane due to training attrition and action over Borneo and South Vietnam. Australia was preparing to take delivery of supersonic fighters and the RNZAF wanted to follow suit. The Air Force proposed replacing the Venom and Canberra with the American F-4E Phantom II, but the government would not stretch to funding such an expensive aircraft. As a compromise 30 F-5 Freedom Fighters were ordered, giving New Zealand its first supersonic aircraft (albeit one with no radar) while the Canberra was retained. The F-5 entered service from 1966.



Consideration was given to upgrading the F-5A to accommodate radar through the late 60s. Instead Northrop and the US government offered the RNZAF the option to part-exchange its F-5A/B fighters for the faster, more capable F-5E/F for less than the cost of the upgrade. The RNZAF took them up on the offer, re-equipping with the F-5E in 1974 and transferring its Freedom Fighters to South Vietnam.



The Canberra was becoming increasingly tired by this time and a replacement was urgently needed. After evaluating the possibility of secondhand F-101s and F-105s Wellington ordered the SEPECAT Jaguar International. 24 aircraft were obtained, entering service in 1976.



As the 1980s progressed the need to upgrade the RNZAF’s capability became apparent. Modern fighter aircraft such as the F-16 were examined but passed over due to the cost involved, in favour of two upgrade programmes: Kahu and Taranui.

Project Kahu (Maori for Swamp Harrier) upgraded the 24 F-5E’s and 6 F-5F’s with General Electric APG-67 radar from the F-20 Tigershark, ARL-66 radar warning receiver, VIR130 ILS, MIL-STD 1553B databus and Litton LN-93 Inertial Navigation System. The cockpit was reconfigured with HOTAS controls, improved F-20-style glass displays, new Ferranti holographic HUD and a Martin-Baker zero-zero ejection seat. The upgrade meant that the RNZAF’s F-5 was now on a par with any 4th-generation fighter. Armament was expanded to include AIM-9L, AIM-120A & AGM-65 Maverick missiles and the Paveway II LGB.



Project Taranui (Maori for the Caspian Tern) started out life as a straightforward attempt by the RNZAF to improve the Jaguar’s maritime capability. Rather than put the upgrade to tender as with Kahu, the decision was taken to just fly the Jag’s to Hindustan Aircraft Ltd in India and upgrade them to Jaguar IM standard. This was almost halted by the Rainbow Warrior incident in 1986 (since the IM used French radar) but HAL offered to integrate the Ferranti Blue Fox radar instead. In the end Franco-Kiwi relations improved and the Agave radar was installed. 18 singe-seat Jaguars underwent the upgrade, plus two attrition replacements purchased from the RAF. Once back in New Zealand the aircraft also received the same INS, ILS, HUD and databus upgrades as the F-5. New weaponry consisted of the Sea Eagle anti-ship missile, AIM-9L, AGM-65 and Paveway LGB, the latter being guided by surplus USAF Pave Spike pods mounted on the centreline. Although its aircraft did not participate in the Gulf War, the RNZAF took note of the events in Iraq. Its Jaguars went through a further upgrade in 1996, integrating the British TIALD designator pod and more powerful engines. This allowed for improved LGB delivery, especially important when RNZAF aircraft were deployed in support of ground troops in East Timor in 1999.

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Oh good, my dog found the chainsaw!

Nice work on paint schemes.

As a fellow New Zealand AU artist, I can truly say fantastic job! Really great work!

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Projects:
Zealandia AU
John Company AU
References and feedback is always welcome!