B-2 stealth bombers round trip mission across the Atlantic.

On Sept. 13, two B-2A Spirit stealth bombers out of Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, flew a round-robin mission across the Atlantic.

What someone saw as a rehearsal of an eventual air strike on Syria, was (more or less) a standard mission aimed at testing the U.S. capability to launch “Global Strike” missions across the globe from CONUS (Continental US).

The entire flight of the two B-2s across the Pond on Sept. 13 was not only announced by the deployment of an E-6 Mercury in Europe, but was also very well documented by North American and British milair monitors.

http://theaviationist.com/2013/09/18/b-2-atlantic-mission/#.UnH3VPmnoms

Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers deploy in Venezuela.

Two Russian Tu-160 strategic bombers deploy in Venezuela after a 13-hour flight across the Pacific.

Two Russian Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers that had left Russia on Oct. 28, have completed a 10,000 miles, 13-hour long range training flight and landed in Venezuela , according to the Russian Defense Ministry .

Talking to RIA Novosti news agency, a Ministry spokesperson said that the two supersonic bombers flew over Eastern Pacific Ocean along the southwest coast of North America, over the Caribbean Sea and landed at the airport in Maiquetía Caracas.

http://theaviationist.com/2013/10/29/tu-160-venezuela/#.Um_kn_mnoms

Narrow escape from SAAF C-130 Hercules nose dive leaves several injured.

A tool box crushed two vertebrae in the back of a female captain and broke the ankle of a loadmaster when the Hercules C-130 cargo plane in which they were flying went into a screaming, out-of-control nose dive at a military show at Roodewal shooting range on Thursday last week.

The pilots, who cannot be identified as they are not allowed to speak to the media, managed to pull the plane out of the dive only 200 feet (60 metres) above the ground to avoid a horror crash in front of a large crowd.

http://www.witness.co.za/index.php?showcontent&global[_id]=108738

Final product photos, FA728003, USN F11F-1 Tiger VF-33 "Astronauts".

Falcon Models, FA728003, 1/72 scale US Navy F11F-1 Tiger 141770, VF-33 "Astronauts", 1959.

Final product photos, FA721010, USMC F9F-5 Panther VMFT-20.

Falcon Models, FA721010, 1/72 scale F9F-5 Panther 125698, VMFT-20, USMC.

Final product photos, FA722020, USAF T-33 Shooting Star RAF Bentwaters.

Falcon Models, FA722020, 1/72 scale USAF T-33 Shooting Star 52-9597, 81st TFW, RAF Bentwaters, circa 1963.

Final product photos, FA726006, Armee de I'Air Mirage F1 CT

Falcon Models, FA726006, 1/72 scale Armee de l'Air Mirage F1 CT E.C. 1/13 "Artios".

Sea Vixen "Foxy Lady" celebrated her 50th Birthday this past week.

Fans gathered on Wednesday 16th October to celebrate 50 years to the day since the first flight of Sea Vixen FAW2 XP924 "Foxy Lady". 

The aircraft is owned and operated by DS (Drilling systems) Aviation. Based out of Bournemouth International Airport in the UK,XP924 is a cold war naval fighter and is the last flying example of the type in the world.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-news/sea-vixen-50th-birthday.html

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sea-Vixen-FAW2-G-Cvix-Foxy-Lady/504439626256242

Aviation 72 - Saab Viggen AJ37 - RAF Fairford '95

Regtheveg posted some clear photos of the new Aviation 72 AJ37 Viggen, AV7242001, on the DHP forum. 

The splinter camouflage is not a crisp and sharp as on the actual aircraft and the undercarriage is fixed down and not as detailed as it could be. The cockpit is glued shut and there is no pilot. A metal stand is included.

For the Saab Viggen enthusiast there are few choices. This is a decent representation of the Viggen and a grey JA37 scheme may look even better. Lets hope there are plans for the fighter variant in the future. 

Altaya did offer an alternative but is no longer freely available.

Oxford Aviation Morane Sauliner 406C Escadron de Entrainement Toulouse 1941

Oxford Aviation 1/72 scale Morane Sauliner 406C Escadron de Entrainement Toulouse 1941 (Vichy French Air Force) posted by Regtheveg on DHP.

Yak 18 crashes in Stellenbosch field.

Cape Town - A witness has described how the pilot of a light aircraft on Thursday took off from the Stellenbosch airfield and then desperately tried to turn and land again. Instead, he crashed and died.

The drama unfolded just south of the Stellenbosch airfield on Thursday at around 1.30pm.

A witness told the police the plane took off, but that he had heard “strange noises”.

“They saw the pilot trying to turn the plane, but he did not succeed and the plane crashed to the ground at Brakersdal Farm on Annandale Road, and caught fire.”

http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/western-cape/plane-crashes-in-stellenbosch-field-1.1597437#.Umrbjfmnoms

Lone Star Museum P-51 crashes off Galveston coast.

A US pilot and his British passenger have been killed in a joyride flight after their Second World War P-51 Mustang fighter crashes off Galveston coast.

 

Police said Keith Hibbett, 51, of Denton, Texas, was flying the plane, and John Stephen Busby, 66, from Britain, was the plane's only passenger.

The cause of the accident has not been determined, but the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control just before the crash at about noon local time, Federal Aviation Administration spokesman Lynn Lunsford said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2474769/US-pilot-British-passenger-killed-joyride-flight-WWII-P-51-Mustang-fighter-crashes-Galveston-coast.html

Hobby Master response to their incorrect 1/48 scale P-51B/C wing.

Hobby Master's response to the incorrect wing  on its P-51B and C variants can only be described as extremely disappointing.  

While one understands that tooling changes are costly it calls into question HM research and development as well as the rational for using the same wing for both the P-51D and P-51B/C.

The response from William Liu at Hobby Master:

About the P-51B, as you may know, we are not feeling very good about it indeed. 

The worse thing is that all parts have been assembled and production goes too quickly. 

This certainly made many collectors disappointed. But I also need to face the reality is that no remedy can be made. 

We will make the corrections on the second release but probably not on the wing root since the change is too big.

Regards,

William.

If the wing root issue is not appropriately addressed the only option for an accurate 1/48 scale P-51B/C Mustang will be the now out of production Eagles International model.

Update 25/10/2013 - Hobbymastercollector.com

Hobby Master regrets they can't do anything to correct the wing on the first release of their P-51B, HA8501, it is too far along in the process. Hobby Master has delayed any further releases so they can correct the problem. How long this will take is anyone's guess because this will require new tooling.

Engine Nacelles and Propellers Ready For B-29 “Doc”.

In 1987, after sitting more than 40 years in the Mojave Desert where it was a sun baked sanctuary for birds and many other desert creatures, Doc was rescued by a group of historians with a dream. The group, led by Tony Mazzolini and backed by the United States Aviation Museum, had a plan to restore the B-29 and eventually get it back into the air.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-news/engine-nacelles-propellers-ready-b-29-doc.html#more-8359

P-51D “Red Nose” to Join The B-17 “Memphis Belle” and The Liberty Foundation

Like in the old days when the “Little Friends” were escorting the B-17s over the sky of Berlin. In modern days warbird organizations often come together to offer warbird ride programs combining different type of aircraft.

Today we received the confirmation that the CAF Dixie Wing P-51 Mustang “Red Nose” will join the Liberty Foundation’s tour in Thomasville, GA, Jacksonville and Tampa, FL. 

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-news/p-51d-red-nose-join-b-17-memphis-belle-liberty-foundation.html#more-8286

The Latest Progress On The Vulcan’s Wing Modification.

The Vulcan team has been undertaking preparatory work ahead of the main flying life extension project to ensure they can continue the more costly elements just as soon as funds are secure. 

This work (in stages one and two of the wing modification share issue) has already resulted in an accurate 3D computer model of the wings where strengthening is required, and the production of the formers that will be needed on which to shape the complex curved skins – a project being undertaken by Beagle Technology Group in Christchurch, Dorset.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbird-news/latest-progress-vulcans-wing-modification.html#more-8181

Pre-production photos HA8501 P-51B Mustang "Shangri La".

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA8501, P-51B Mustang VF-T "Shangri La", Captain Don Gentile 336th FS, 4th FG, WWII. 

It would seem HM have elected to use the P-51D wing for the P-51B in this pre-pro. Lets hope they change it before it goes into production. The P-51B/C has 4 guns and a different wing leading edge shape at the wing root.

Pre-production photos HA3014 FB-111A "Ruptured Duck"

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA3014, FB-111A "Ruptured Duck" 393rd BS, 509th BW, Pease AFB, 1989.

Final product photos HA2908 AD-6 Skyraider VA-85 Black Falcons

Hobby master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA2809, AD-6 Skyraider USS Forrestal, VA-85 "Black Falcons", 1959.

VA-85 has been assigned to two Navy squadrons but the first one didn’t last long. The second VA-85 began as 859th Reserve Squadron on February 1, 1951 equipped with Grumman Avengers. On February 4, 1953 the 859th became VA-85 which existed until September 1994. 

It wasn’t until 1958 that they became known as the “Black Falcons”. Throughout VA-85s career they flew 2 types of aircraft, three variants of the Douglas Skyraider and the Grumman A-6 Intruder and all deployments were off the USS Forrestal.