Wings and Wheels 2013, Ysterplaat AFB cancelled.

The Wings and Wheels show scheduled for AFB Ysterplaat next weekend has been cancelled, depriving Western Cape aviation enthusiasts of what was set to be a major attraction that would have set the tone for the festive season in the province.

The show’s provisional flying programme released last week ran through from 2 Squadron Gripens and the Silver Falcons display team to Super Lynx and Rooivalk on the military side, with supporting aircraft including the venerable C-47TP and Oryx helicopter.

A Hawker Hunter and Buccaneer were also scheduled to fly along with an L-39 and Pitts Specials and Harvards showing the aerobatic skills of pilots in close formations. Other aircraft on the flying programme included the first visit to Cape Town of a P-51 Mustang.

http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=32857:ysterplaats-wings-and-wheels-show-canned&catid=35:Aerospace&Itemid=107
http://www.saairforce.co.za/news-and-events/1260/saaf-struggles-to-justify-wings-and-wheels-show-cancellation

Sky Guardians 1/72 Su-30MKK Chinese Air Force.

Merit International has posted some pictures of the new Witty / Sky Guardians tooling, the 1/72 Su-30MKK Chinese Air Force 18th Air Division 53rd Aviation Regiment Changsha Base.

http://merit-intl.com/meritnew/?dest=products&sku=WTY-72030-002

Final product photos, SM6011, F-84G Thunderjet 110145, RNAF 1957.

SkyMax 1/72 Flying Heroes Series, SM6011, F-84G Thunderjet 110145, Royal Norwegian AF, 1957.

Final product photos, HA7414, Fw 190A-6 "White 2" Gerhard Vivroux

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA7414, Fw 190A-6 "White 2" flown by Gefreiter Gerhard Vivroux Sturmstaffel 1, Dortmund, February 1944.

On October 19, 1943 a special unit of 18 volunteers was formed and called “Sturmstaffel 1” and Gerhard Vivroux joined the unit that same day. Their task was to stop the heavily armed USAAF Bomber Units. “Sturmstaffel 1” was originally based at Dortmund until February 29, 1944 when they moved to Salzwedel. 

The unit was originally equipped with FW-190A-6s and Vivroux was assigned “White 2”. On March 4, 1944 Vivroux scored his first of 11 victories, a B-17. Ten victories were bombers and his 11th and final was a P-51. On October 6, 1944 Vivroux was hit by fire from a bomber but managed to land his FW-190 but died the next day at age 21.

Pre-production photos, HA4205, A-20G Havoc "Miss Pam".

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA4205, A-20G Havoc 43-21904 "Miss Pam", 388 BS, 312 BG New Guinea, 1944.

Pre-production photos, HA1422, A-4H Skyhawk 109th Sqn. Israeli AF.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA1422, A-4H Skyhawk No.03, 109th Valley Sqn. 1970.

WW1 Bomber Wings Found in Garage.

The unique remains of a First World War Handley Page O/400 bomber aircraft have been saved by a team from the RAF Museum.Members of the Michael Beetham Conservation Centre at the RAF Museum Cosford, have succeeded in rescuing a number of wing sections from a 95 year old bi-plane bomber which had been used to support a garage roof in Connah’s Quay, Flintshire. The 25 foot long wooden wing sections included four examples of the lower starboard wing and one lower port wing.

 The RAF Museum was first alerted to the existence of the wings in April this year when an email was received suggesting that the roof of a building, which was due for demolition, had been constructed using wing components from a Second World War Wellington bomber.  However, the Museum’s curatorial staff instantly recognised that the wings were from a much earlier aircraft.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/avaition-museum-news/ww1-bomber-wings-garage.html#more-8953

http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/cosford/whats-going-on/news/WW1_Bomber_Wings_Found_in_Garage/

Pre-production photos, HA4401, F-35A 461st FLTS, 412 TW, Spring 2013.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA4401, Lockheed Martin F-35A 461st FLTS, 412 TW, Spring 2013.

An Image of the Iranian F-313 Stealth Fighter emerges.

Earlier this year Iran unveiled the Qaher F-313 stealth fighter jet "one of the most sophisticated fighter jets in the world", according to Tehran.

Even if Iranian media outlets published articles that listed the aircraft’s top features, based on the first (and only) images released on Feb. 2, 2013, we explained that the Qaher would never fly unless it was extensively modified and improved.

No more images of the F-313 have been released since then, until a new photo (taken by a user nicknamed “Iranian Spotters”) has emerged on Pakistan Defense forum, an image that allegedly shows the Qaher being moved to be prepared for taxi tests.

http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/23/f-313-new-photo/

F-16 solo, diving towards the ground while turning and releasing flares.

An amazing cockpit shot. This one was taken from the Solo Türk, the F-16 solo aerobatics display team of the Turkish Air Force during a display in Girne, Kyrenia, Cyprus.

While diving and turning, the pilot released flares, high-temperature heat sources used to mislead surface-to-air or air-to-air missile’s heat-seeking targeting systems, creating the pyrotechnic visual effect you can see behind the plane.

http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/16/solo-turk-flares/

Russia’s Fifth Generation Stealth Fighter Jet has got a new paint scheme.

Sukhoi has just released images of Russia’s 5th generation stealth fighter, the T-50 (PAK FA – Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii — Future Tactical Air System), wearing a new color scheme that seems to have replaced the previous splinter livery.

The new color scheme loosely reminds the one of a shark, with the upper section painted in dark grey with white underneath. Russian camo scheme are always extremely interesting. And cool.

http://theaviationist.com/2013/11/20/t-50-paint-scheme/

Final product photos, HA7907, Boeing F4B-3 VF-1B "High Hats".

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA7907, Boeing F4B-3 1-F-1 (BuNo A8898) VF-1B "High Hats" CV-3, USS Saratoga, circa 1932.

On July 1, 1922 Fighter Squadron One was established as VF-1 High Hatters. On July 1, 1927 VF-1 became VF-1B and joined the USS Saratoga CV-3 in January 1928. The High Hatters flew the F4B-3 from January 31, 1932 until March 19, 1932 in the Canal Zone / Caribbean. VF-1B remained with the USS Saratoga until November 1934. 

On July 1, 1934 VF-1B was once again re-designated VB-2B. In 1949, after several designation changes they finally became VF-14 that still exists today. This aircraft 1-F-1 is the first aircraft of the first section of VF-1B, the Squadron Leader's aircraft.

Pre-production photos, HA8210, F4U-1 Corsair Eight Ball.

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA8210, F4U-1 Corsair "Eight Ball / Dangerous Dan" VMF-213, Guadalcanal.