Final product photos HA4504 F-15D Mountain Home AFB.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA4504 F-15D Eagle 86-0181/MO, 390th FS, 366th FW Mountain Home AFB, 2003.

McDonnell Douglas F-15D 86-0181 was built as c/n 990/DO61. June 1, 1943 saw the activation of the 390th FS/366th FG, eventually becoming the 390th FS/366th FW and calling Mountain Home AFB, Idaho home in 1982 until 2010. 

Since 1965 the 390th FS “Wild Boars”, “Blue Boars” while in Vietnam, have flown F-4’s, F-111’s and in 1992 received F-15C/D which they continued to fly until 2010 when they moved to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington. The 390th FS have taken part in WWII, Vietnam, “Operation Just Cause” and “Operation Desert Storm”.

Final product photos HA1811 BF110E S9+AM ZG 1.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1811 BF110E S9+AM, 4. Staffel, ZG 1, Winter 1941/42.

After taking part in the Battle of France Zerstorergeschwader 1 (ZG 1 – Destroyer Wing) had the unit named changed to Nachjagdeschwader 1 (Night Fighter Wing) so technically there was no ZG 1 active from June 1940 until January 1942. 

On January 4, 1942 the Zerstorergeschwader was reformed and the Bf-110 provided support for German forces as they advanced eastward into the Soviet Union. On March 1, 1942 Bf-110 S9+AM flown by Georg Schanz and Hermann Muller failed to return from a combat mission.

Final product photos HA1058 F-104B Starfighter 4101 ROCAF.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA1058 F-104B Starfighter 4101, ROCAF, Ching Chuan Kang AB, 1960.

In 1958 the USAF 83rd FIS temporarily deployed F-104As and Bs to Taiwan. The RoCAF showed interest in these aircraft so 22 F-104As and 5 F-104Bs were transferred to the 8th TFS of the 3rd TFW based at Ching Chuan Kang (CCK). The first two F-104s  (F-104B - 4101 and 4102) arrived on May 17, 1960. 

The F-104A and B stayed with the RoCAF until 1966 when they were shipped back to the U.S. who transferred them to Jordan and Pakistan. The F-104As and Bs were replaced with F-104Gs.

Final product photos HA9106 B-24D Liberator "She'Asta"

Hobby Master 1/144 Air Power Series HA9106 B-24D "She'Asta" 530th, 380th BG, 5th Air Force, 1943.

The Consolidated B-24D Liberator “She’Asta” serial 42-40512 c/n 1589 completed manufacturing on March 15, 1943, the first flight was on March 17 and accepted by the US Military March 18, 1943. The aircraft arrived in Australia on May 2, 1943 and originally assigned to the 531st BS then the 530th BS. 

“She’Asta” flew 28 missions and is credited with downing at least 8 enemy aircraft; four on one mission. The aircraft was SOC (Struck Off Charge) with the U.S. Military on December 18, 1943 and transferred to the RAAF on March 3, 1944 with serial A72-5. In 1949 the aircraft was scrapped.

Final product photos HA36607 Delta Dart McChord AFB 1983.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series HA3607 F-106A Delta Dart 59-0141, 318th FIS, McChord AFB 1983.

In October 1960 Convair completed the 332nd F-106, 59-0141. In February 1961 the aircraft was assigned to the 456th FIS Castle AFB, California. On April 24, 1963 59-0141 transferred to the 498th FIS/325th FW at McChord AFB, Washington and three years later it transferred to the 318th FIS/325th FW. 

Except for a short assignment with the 48th FIS the aircraft was with the 318th FIS until November 1983 when it was sent to Davis-Monthan for storage and eventual conversion to a QF-106 drone. On November 6, 1992 the aircraft was destroyed by a Stinger Missile.

 

Final product photos HA1321 A-10C 74th FS "Flying Tigers"

Hobby Master 1/72 HA1321 A-10C Thunderbolt II 74th FS "Flying Tigers", 23rd WG, USAF, 2011.

A-10C Thunderbolt II 81-0964 has been modernized from an “A” variant to a “C”. In 2004 the aircraft went to AMARC before going to the 74th FS/23rd FG in 2006. The 23rd FG re-located to Moody AFB, Georgia in 2007 as one of 3 East Coast Demo aircraft. 

This aircraft is one of only two A-10’s to record an air-to-air kill when it shot down an Iraqi Mi-8 helicopters using its GAU-8 cannon in January 1991. The aircraft was flown by Captain Todd "Shanghai" Sheehy of the 511th TFS.

The F-35 Can't Run On Warm Gas From A Fuel Truck That Sat In The Sun!

The F-35 program continues to work through a litany of problems, but this one is almost laughable. According to the USAF, the troubled fighter cannot use gas from standard green colored USAF fuel trucks if it has been sitting in the sun. Considering that these jets will most likely find themselves operating in the desert or in somewhere in the scorching Pacific, this is a big problem.

Sadly, the answer for the F-35's fuel finicky conundrum, one of many heat related issues with the jets since their testing began, is being addressed outside of the F-35 aircraft itself, in the form of repainting standard USAF fuel trucks with bright white solar reflective paint.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/the-f-35-cant-run-on-warm-gas-from-a-fuel-truck-that-sa-1668120726

Short Sunderland MkIII EJ134, 461 Squadron RAAF, 1943.

Corgi has released a picture of the resin master of AA27501 Short Sunderland MkIII EJ134, 461 Squadron RAAF, 1943 in 1/72 scale. It will be available for pre-order next week!

Hobby Master releases for February 2015.

Hobby Master releases are coming fast and furious! Some good news for February 2015 is that the 1/48 Hurricanes seem back on track and we're seeing a 1/72 Kate after a 3 year absence!

The rest of the catalogue consists of 1/72 scale tail burners. There are two versions of the 474th FDW/31st TFW F-100D from 1958, 492nd TFS F-111F, 60th FIS F-101B as well as USAF and RAAF versions of the awful F-35As.

Corgi AA36709 Ju 88 KG77.

Up on the Corgi Facebook page a photo of the upcoming Ju 88 from KG77 has made its appearance. There's also a link for pics on the Corgi website.

https://www.facebook.com/corgidiecast

http://www.corgi.co.uk/junkers-ju88-a-4-i-kg-77-italy-1942.html

Revised HM releases for January 2015.

Hobby Master has released a revised January 2015 poster. It would appear that the 1/48 Hawker Hurricanes have been replaced by the 1/48 scale P-47D Thunderbolt "Little Chief" and a P-51B of the "Blue Nosed Barstards".

She flies! Bristol Blenheim Mk.I L6739 takes to the skies at IWM Duxford.

Thursday, 20 November 2014 saw the long-anticipated return to flight of the Aircraft Restoration Company’s Bristol Blenheim Mk.I L6739 (G-BPIV) at IWM Duxford following a long-term restoration of more than a decade.  Elliott Marsh writes for GAR.

It would be fair to call the Bristol Blenheim’s first post-restoration flight one of the most eagerly anticipated and important events on the European historic aviation circuit this year.  After taxi trials on Wednesday, 19 November 2014, John Romain (accompanied by John Gilmore) flew the Blenheim from its Duxford base on Thursday, 20 November 2014, carrying out a 20 minute test flight 1520.

http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2014/11/20/aviation-news-she-flies-bristol-blenheim-mk-i-l6739-g-bpiv-takes-to-the-skies-at-iwm-duxford/

Pre-production photos HA8409 P-47D French GCII/5 "Lafayette".

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA8409, P-47D Thunderbolt 419698, French GCII/5 "Lafayette", Amberieu, France 1944.

Pre-production photos HA8408 P-47D Thunderbolt "OK JOHNNIE".

Hobby Master 1/48 Air Power Series, HA8408, P-47D Thunderbolt 226785 "OH JOHNNIE", 1st Lt. Raymond Knight 346th FS/350th FG, Pisa, Italy, 1945.