We were given a brief to replicate the new Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft which came into service with the RAF and we were given a 6 foot scale model to work with to make it from as they were not in service at the time. The whole fuselage was made as a wooden pattern and then fibreglass moulds were taken from them and subsequently the mouldings which were built around an aluminium frame mounted to a trailer we also built. The whole thing from start to finish was designed and built in our factory.

The cockpit is replicated from the original as we were able to get a look at the actual ones which were coming into service at that time. The wings and tail fold hydraulically and the nose removes to make the Eurofighter replica conform to road going dimensions. Everything is carried on board including computers for the cockpit screens, amplifiers for sound, handrails, steps, replica armament and fuel tanks. There is an on-board generator to power all the equipment as well as a compressor to inflate the overhead para-wing canopy if required. The aircraft stows with push button hydraulics operated by one person and the armament locks the wings together when deployed. The only two things which we didn’t make were the ejector seat which came off an RAF aircraft and the canopy which was purchased from the manufacturers of the Eurofighter canopies.

The Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft replica is deployed at air shows across the UK as a tool for the RAF Marketing and recruitment drive and draws crowds and queues wherever it goes. There are three computers which power the moving map display, the radar and also the main screen, which is also liked to the joystick so a recruitment game can be played on board the aircraft, which also logs the potential recruits details.