1/72 Valom Ouragan Toofani

Gallery Article by Navin Bala on Jan 26 2013

India Republic Day

 

 

I decided a while back to start building the Valom Ouragan.  Wasn't sure what markings to paint her in and while I was working on the cockpit my dad sat beside me and asked me if i was building a Toofani, as it is known in the IAF.  I told him I was and showed him the cover with the 29 Sqn Scorpions markings.  He then sat back in his chair and said, Ah! are you gonna build her in a sand camoflauge?  That got my eyebrows raised.  I had never seen or heard of a camoflauged Toofani in the Indian Air Force let alone a Sandy camoflauged.  (Later I have been shown a bunch of interesting uncatalogued camos of IAF Toofanis)  I proceeded to ask him more about it and he told me when he was re-equipping No47 Squadron "Archers" with MiG21 Type-77s he saw their previous mounts "The Toofanis" in varied camoflauges and one that got his interest was the sandy brown one.  I set out researching and came to naught.  So I went back to dad and we talked shades and hues of brown for days till I came with a colour I liked.  That ended horribly and I had to re do the paint job but this time Dad was satisfied that it was the right colour that he saw.

 

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Now came the tough part.  The Squadron insignia was an Archer with his Bow stretched. Again lack of patience for a custom decal set in and I decided to brush hand paint it as it would have been on the real aircraft.  The pics are the result of my work of passion mixed with a dash of nostalgia and helping of history. 

I hope you enjoy my rendition of Dassaults first foray into Indian Air Force Aircraft with their MD450 Ouragan, Renamed "The Toofani " In IAF Service. 

Jai Hind

Navin Bala

      

Photos and text © by Navin Bala