Super Tucano Fab

[Mariela Laflam]

Embraerwas awarded a contract in 1995 to develop a variant of the Super Tucano, known as the ALX or light attack aircraft, for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB). One of the main missions of the aircraft is border patrol under the Sistema de Vigilancia da Amazonia (SIVAM) programme and so the ALX was optimised for the environmental conditions of the Brazilian Amazon. The first production aircraft was completed in 1999.

The Brazilian Air Force awarded Embraer a contract for 76 Super Tucano / ALX aircraft with options for a further 23 aircraft in August 2001. 51 of these aircraft are two-seater versions, designated AT-29, which replaced the AT-26 Xavante advanced jet trainers, while the remaining 25 aircraft are the single-seat A-29 ALX versions.

The Super Tucano aircraft is a durable and versatile aircraft equipped with a powerful turboprop arrangement. It is claimed to be the only military type-certified aircraft in the light attack class. The aircraft ensures low operational and sustainment costs.

The flight envelope of the aircraft is 7g and -3.5g. Its small size, small visual and radar signatures, together with high speed and agility, give the aircraft high-survivability. Additional survivability features include armour protection and critical systems redundancy.

Embraer announced the signing of a contract with the Dominican Republic for ten Super Tucano aircraft for pilot training, internal security, border patrol and counter-narcotics trafficking missions in August 2001. The order was reduced to eight aircraft in January 2009. The first two Super Tucano aircraft were delivered to the Dominican Republic on 18 December 2009. Three were delivered in June 2010 and the remaining three in October 2010.

Venezuela selected the EMB-314 Super Tucano in February 2005. A total of 12 aircraft were to be ordered, with a further 12 planned. The sale fell through because it was thought the US would block the transfer of US-built components.

The Columbian Air Force placed a contract for 25 Super Tucano aircraft in December 2005. The first five were delivered in December 2006, with the final delivery completed in August 2008. The aircraft are used for border patrol and internal security. Elbit Systems was contracted to supply the avionics suite.

In April 2008, the Chilean Air Force selected the EMB-314 Super Tucano, with a requirement for 12 aircraft. A contract for the 12 aircraft was signed in August 2008. Embraer delivered first four of the 12 aircraft to the Chilean Air Force on 23 December 2009. The Dominican Republic placed a contract for eight Super Tucano aircraft in late 2008.

The Ecuadorian Air Force (EAF) ordered 24 Super Tucano aircraft in March 2009 as part of a $270m agreement signed with Embraer in 2008. A total of six Super Tucanos were delivered by April 2010. The EAF reduced its order from 24 to 18 in May 2010 to acquire 12 second-hand Cheetah C fighters from Denel Dynamics.

Embraer signed a contract with the Indonesian Ministry of Defence in November 2010 to supply eight A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advance trainer aircraft for superseding a fleet of OV-10 Broncos. It also included the supply of ground support stations and an integrated logistics package. The contract was finalised and became effective from 9 June 2011. The first four aircraft were delivered in August 2012.

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) awarded a contract to Embraer for six A-29 aircraft in November 2017. Deliveries to the PAF were completed in October 2020. The aircraft are in service with the 15th Strike Wing of the PAF.

The contract also includes ground training equipment, mission planning devices, mission debrief systems, ground support systems and additional mission equipment the NAF. The first A-29 completed its inaugural flight for the NAF at a production facility in Jacksonville, Florida, in April 2020. The first batch of six A-29 Super Tucanos was inducted into the NAF in August 2021, while the remaining six A-29s are expected to be delivered to the NAF by the end of 2021.

The Lebanese Air Force (LAF) took the delivery of four A-29 aircraft in June 2018, completing an order for six aircraft. The first two aircraft of the order were delivered to the LAF in October 2017. The acquisition contract also included logistics support, spares, and training.

A-29 Super Tucano was selected by the US Air Force (USAF) for its Light Air Support (LAS) programme in December 2011. Under the $355m contract, 20 aircraft were expected to be delivered in partnership with SNC, who was the prime contractor of the programme. The contract was cancelled in February 2012 due to concerns over the procurement process. The USAF placed a $427m order with Embraer to deliver 20 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to the Afghan Air Force, in February 2013. The first aircraft was rolled out in September 2014.

The all-glass cockpit is fully compatible with night-vision goggles. Brazilian AF ALX aircraft are equipped with avionics systems from Elbit Systems of Haifa, Israel, including a head-up display (HUD), advanced mission computer, navigation system, and two 6in x 8in colour liquid crystal multi-function displays.

The head-up display with 24 field of view and the advanced weapon delivery system are integrated through a MIL-STD-1553B data bus. The pilot is provided with a hands-on throttle and stick (HOTAS) control.

The pilot is protected with Kevlar armour and provided with a zero/zero ejection seat. The clamshell canopy, hinged at the front and rear and electrically activated, is fitted with a de-icing system and features a windshield capable of withstanding, at 300k, the impact of a 4lb bird. A Northrop Grumman onboard oxygen generation system (OBOGS) is installed.

Weapons The aircraft is fitted with two central mission computers. The integrated weapon system includes software for weapon aiming, weapon management, mission planning and mission rehearsal. Onboard recording is used for post mission analysis.

There are five hardpoints for carrying weapons, and the aircraft is capable of holding a maximum external load of 1,500kg. The aircraft is armed with two wing-mounted 12.7mm machine guns with a rate of fire of 1,100 rounds a minute and is capable of carrying general-purpose bombs and guided air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Brazilian AF aircraft are armed with the MAA-1 Piranha short-range infrared guided air-to-air missile from Orbita.

The two-seat AT-29 is fitted with a forward-looking infrared AN/AAQ-22 SAFIRE turret on the underside of the fuselage. The SAFIRE thermal imaging system supplied by FLIR Systems is for targeting, navigation and target tracking. The system allows the aircraft to carry out night surveillance and attack missions. In July 2012, Embraer and Boeing signed a cooperation agreement to add new weapons integration capacity on the A-29 Super Tucano to satisfy the requirements of the US Air Force LAS programme.

EMB-314 Super Tucano is powered by a PT6A-68A turboprop engine, developing 969kW. The power plant is fitted with automatic engine monitoring and control. The ALX aircraft has a more powerful engine than the EMB-314.

The range and service ceiling of the Super Tucano are 4,820km and 10,670m respectively. Its maximum endurance is six hours and 30 minutes. The aircraft weighs 3,020kg and has a maximum take-off weight of 5,200kg.

It looks like a promising build! I'm particularly interested to see how well the etched set will "fit" on the exterior of the model, because it seems to be a bit on the thick-side of things. At least, when I look at the photo this is the impression that it gives me.

I've decided against getting the PE, partly because I agree that it looks too thick and partly because I'm really only interested in a "simple" build and also I'm not sure how much it would enhance the kit as the moulded detail looks nice.

I built their Spitfire Vb and the details and fit were great but they squashed the Cockpit and the spine of the fuselage is all wrong. Not sure about other HB kits as I have not bought anymore after that .

Great start, I too am beginning to think the PE detail sets are becoming too expensive. I recently purchased the KH Huey and then the Big Ed set. The bottom dropped out again! Of our SA Rand so the Ed set cost me 50% more than the kit. I'm sure I'll not be using all of it!!!

I "normally" build 1:48 aircraft, mainly Eduard or Tamiya kits but I have a couple of Revell & Airfix in the stash, I know that Eduard often re-box other manufactures but finding "reasonable" kits is always a joy, especially if they're from someone I've not built before. Its what this forum is really good about seeing others builds and thinking, that's a nice kit I wonder if I could build it to that standard? inspiration and challenges at the same time.

I'm lucky enough to have some 1:32 kits, the Tamiya Spitfire that I'm building my way back to, a couple of Wingnut Wings kits, shame they went bust, and the Meng Dr.1 Triplane which is the Wingnut kit but with poorer instructions. I've just ordered the Das Werk Ju EF-126/EF-127, just because its looks an "interesting" aircraft and the kit was very reasonably priced at under 40.

There's one kit that I will build this year, it's my favourite aircraft, the Lukgraph DH-89 Dragon Rapide, it's also the most money I've spent on a kit (120) but it was the first aircraft I went on, 1960's pleasure flight along the Cornwall coastline, there's something about the Rapide that captures the elegance of a bygone age.

"normally" I wouldn't mind a bit of faffing with the PE, but I'm really just trying to get back up to speed so that I can tackle my 1:32 Spitfire and get back to the Stuka kit-bash, I've had one or two or twenty ideas on how to move that build forward so hopefully they'll be back on the bench in the not too distant future.

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