Shuttle's Report - Duxford 16 December 2014.

Just a couple of quick shots that are an interesting comparison - the P51K was moved today to make way for the F-15A to begin getting some fresh paint. Both aircraft will be going into the American Air Museum once the refurbishment work is complete late next year.

The website below is well worth a visit.

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/

Shuttle

Shuttle's Report - Duxford 9 December 2014.

With me being away for a few weeks during December I was unable to post any updates on Duxford. Shuttle made a couple of visits in December so here they are.

A quick set of photos concentrating on the Blenheim, Mustang and a classic WWI fighter. The Blenheim is now parked up in hanger 3 and looks like it is tucked away for the winter with some neat blue covers. The AAM Mustang is now finished (it was having the suspension system fitted), Frankie had been doing air tests and the BrisFit just looked very nice.

 Shuttle

UK base selected to host first U.S. F-35 jets in Europe.

The Pentagon has plans to base two squadrons of F-35s at RAF Lakenheath: the UK base, home of the 48th Fighter Wing equipped with F-15C and F-15E Strike Eagle jets, will be the first U.S. Air Force in Europe installation to host a unit flying the 5th Generation Joint Strike Fighter.

Each of the squadrons will receive 24 F-35s, totaling 48 aircraft assigned to RAF Lakenheath once full mission capability is achieved.

http://theaviationist.com/2015/01/09/uk-base-selected-to-host-first-u-s-f-35-jets-in-europe/

Hobby Master releases for March 2015.

March 2015 sees a rehash of delayed releases from previous months like the 1/48 scale Hurricanes, the Joe Engle F-100, Iceland F-4E, Canadian AETE CF-18B, RAAF F-35A and Japanese Kate WWII bomber. Of interest is a NASA liveried F-16A.

Final production photos HA4550 F-15J 204th TFS, JASDF.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA4550 F-15J Eagle 62-8866, 204th TFS, JASDF, 2014.

McDonnell Douglas F-15J Eagle 62-8866 c/n 066 was procured by the Nihon Koku Jietai (Japanese Air Self Defense Force, or JASDF) in 1986 and assigned to the 204th Hikotai. The JASDF initially acquired 88 F-15J’s beginning in July 1981. 

In 1984 the 204th was the third squadron to be equipped with the F-15 replacing the F-104J’s they had been flying since 1964. Early in 2009 the 204th Hikotai moved to Naha, Okinawa trading bases with the 302nd Hikotai that moved their F-4EJ’s to the former 204th base at Hyakuri.