HM pre-production photos, HL9013, WV-2/EC-121 Warning Star Pacific Missile Range

Hobby Master 1/200 Airliner Series, HL9013, WV-2/EC-121 "Warning Star" 137890, Pacific Missile Range Point Mugu, California 1962.

HM pre-production photos, HA0207, SBD-1 VMB-2 US Marines.

Hobby Master 1/32 Premium Collection Air Power Series, HA0207, SBD-1, BuNo. 1597, Squadron Commander of VMB-2, US Marine Corps, San Diego, 1940. Limited Edition, 200 units worldwide.

HM pre-production photos, HA0151, MiG-21 MF GDR JG3 Red 687.

Hobby Master 1/72 Air Power Series, HA0151, MiG-21 MF German Democratic Republic, Red 687 Jagdfliegergeschwader 3, Preschen Airbase, 1990.

Spitfire Mk.Ia N3200 flies!

The latest Spitfire restoration to emerge from the Aircraft Restoration Company’s (ARCo) hangar at IWM Duxford made its first post-restoration flight on Wednesday, 26 March 2014 when Mk.Ia N3200 (G-CFGJ) took to the skies.  Elliott Marsh writes for GAR.

Spitfire Mk.Ia N3200 was manufactured for the RAF at Woolston, prior to assembly at Eastleigh in 1939.  The aircraft was delivered to the RAF at some point between 8 September 1939 and 20 January 1940, after which it was flown by Sqn Ldr Geoffrey Dalton Stephenson, Commanding Officer of 19 Squadron at RAF Duxford.  Stephenson was shot down in combat on 26 May 1940 whilst flying Spitfire N3200, during the Operation DYNAMO Dunkirk evacuation.

Following its recovery in the mid-1980s, N3200 was registered to Mark One Partners LLC and from 2007 a lengthy restoration was carried out by Historic Flying Ltd, amongst other experienced parties including Airframe Assemblies Ltd on the Isle of Wight and Retro Track & Air (UK) Ltd.  Having garnered much experience in their precedent setting restoration of Mk.I P9374, ARCo/Historic Fying Ltd have kept a lot more of the work in house with N3200, such as the difficult blowing of the perspex canopy. The aircraft emerged in public for the first time in late March 2014 and first flew on the 26th, with ARCo boss John Romain at the controls.

http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2014/03/26/aviation-news-spitfire-mk-ia-n3200-flies/

Airbus A-400M “Grizzly” crosswind testing at Keflavik International Airport.

The Airbus A-400M registration F-WWMZ (c/n. 006), arrived just after daylight (in the morning) and performed multiple crosswind landings followed by taxi back and take-off from RWY 20. 

During the activities the tactical airlifter was observed performing approaches of approximately 30 degrees of crab, for incredibly short-landing rolls. Noteworthy, Keflavik had winds from 080 degrees, at 30 knots, with gusting up to 47 knots.

This “crosswind storm” knocked down a brand new GSM Tele-Communication mast at the Keflavík Ásbrú district (at the old US Naval Station Keflavík Military area) – and Swedish JAS-39 Gripen and Finnish F/A-18 fighter jets (involved in IAM-2014) temporarily based at the airport were forced to cancel their sorties.

Photo courtesy of Eggert Norðdahl 

http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/25/a400m-crosswind-test/

UK Airshow News – Gnat Display Team becomes a three-ship!

The Gnat Display Team has added a third Folland Gnat to its fleet and will be flying three-ship displays at this year’s airshows.

Airshow organisers are now eyeing up the team for its three-ship display routine in this, the 50th anniversary of the Red Arrows first display season; the team originally starting out flying the Gnat.

The Gnat Display Team has been flying two red Gnats at airshows for the past four years, but for the coming season a third Gnat (G-MOUR) – in bright yellow – will be part of the routine. G-MOUR will remain in the Yellowjacks Aerobatic Team colours – to pay respect to the display team that was the precursor to the Red Arrows. 

Kev Whyman says the progression from a pairs to a three-ship display brings a multitude of different options as to how they select and sequence manoeuvres so they can enhance the visual spectacle of their displays. “Our experimentation with the various combinations is taking time”, he says. “But we are looking forward to showing off the results of the hard work. The sleek lines of the Gnat undoubtedly make the Vic formation look very elegant in the sky.”

Photo courtesy of Darren Harber

http://www.globalaviationresource.com/v2/2014/03/25/airshow-news-gnat-display-team-becomes-a-3-ship/

Turkish F-16s down a Syrian MiG-23.

(Reuters) - Turkish armed forces shot down a Syrian plane on Sunday which Turkey said had crossed into its air space in an area where Syrian rebels have been battling President Bashar al-Assad's forces for control of a border crossing.

"A Syrian plane violated our airspace," Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan told an election rally in northwest Turkey. "Our F-16s took off and hit this plane. Why? Because if you violate my airspace, our slap after this will be hard."

Syria condemned what it called a "blatant aggression" and said the jet was pursuing rebel fighters inside Syria. It said the pilot had managed to eject before the plane crashed.

The Turkish general staff said one of its control centers detected two Syrian MIG-23s around 1 pm (1100 GMT) and warned them four times after they came close to the Turkish border.

One plane entered Turkish airspace at Yayladagi, east of the Kasab border crossing, it said. A Turkish F-16 fired a missile at the Syrian jet and it crashed around 1,200 meters (1,300 yards) inside Syrian territory.

Photo courtesy of www.uludagsozluk.com/

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/23/us-syria-crisis-airplane-idUSBREA2M09X20140323

HH-101A “Caesar” for the Italian Air Force makes first flight.

The first AW101 for the Italian Air Force, designated the HH-101A “CAESAR”, made  its maiden flight at AgustaWestland’s Yeovil facility in the UK.

The new helicopter, in an interesting black color scheme, made its first flight at the presence of the Italian Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Pasquale Preziosa and other representatives and dignitaries from military services and public authorities.

The HH-101A will be able to host a combination of up to five crew members plus twenty fully equipped troops or six crew members plus 8 troops for special operations ensuring maximum flexibility.

The helicopters will also feature three M134 7.62 mm pintle mounted Gatling-type machine guns installed on right and left sides and on the rear ramp, armoured cockpit seats, ballistic protection for machine gun operators as well as for critical systems and an Integrated Electronic Warfare System providing self-protection against radar, laser and infrared threats. The HH-101A will also feature an air-to-air refuelling kit for extended range operations.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/21/hh-101-first-flight/

Israel’s new advanced trainer aircraft rolled out.

The first M-346 advanced trainer in the colors of the Israeli Air & Space Force was rolled out at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono Superiore, Italy.

The first of 30 M-346 advanced jet trainer aircraft selected by the Israeli Air Force to replace the TA-4 Skyhawk currently operated by the IAF was presented to the authorities on Mar. 20.

The first M-346 is expected to be delivered to the IAF in summer 2014. The “Master” has also been recently ordered by Poland, the fourth customer of the advanced trainer that is already in service with the Italian and Republic of Singapore Air Force. A total of 56 M-346 have been ordered so far.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/21/m-346-lavi/

Century Wings announces a VF-101 Grim Reapers F-14B Tomcat 1995.

Century Wings 1/72 scale F-14B Tomcat U.S.Navy VF-101 Grim Reapers AD101 1995 TOMATO. The model is due out in May.

Corgi Aviation Archive July to December 2014 Catalogue.

After a seemingly eternal wait Corgi have finally released their July-December 2014 catalogue. WWI models are seriously lacking with only a Sopwith Camel from the Italian front. Inter-war era sees two Hawker bi-planes.

The Ju88 is the standout of the WWII subjects. There's a new tooling in the form of the Gloster Meteor Mk.3. Also interesting is an Argentine Canberra from the Falklands Campaign. On the rotary front there are 3 Blackhawks from the "Blackhawk Down" debacle. 

Overall potentially something for everyone although many were expecting much more in the way of WWI subjects given that this is 2014 and multiple WWII 70th anniversaries like D-Day, Monte Casino, Ploesti and the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot for example.

Corgi AA39704 RAF Hawker Hurricane IIc, F/L Jimmy Whalen DFC, SEAC 1944.

Shuttle landed this model earlier in the week and shared a few of his insights. Interestingly I believe this may be the first Corgi Hurricane that comes armed with bombs. 

Mine arrived today and here are some very poor Galaxy S4 photo's (not at home at present).

The model looks fine, the only issues I can see are:

1: No pitot (a generic problem with this tool)

2: A tiny glue mark on the lower wing (which will be easy to remove once I get home)

3: The exhausts are different to the 'BBMF' version (but correct for the real aircraft (I think)?

The small roundels were an initial shock but are correct.

It looks like it matches the real machine quite well and the colours seem OK. I hope this is is a good indicator that the other models under the old new regime will be as good......

9/10

 Shuttle

Here are some better pictures along with some of my Corgi Hurricanes......

 Shuttle

Hobby Master releases for May 2014.

May sees another good month for collectors with three WWII 1/72 twins in the form of a JG77 Bf110 based in Finland, Pacific theatre A-20G Havoc and what appears to be the same Beaufighter from the April release list.

Israeli aircraft seem to be in vogue with yet another F-16A Netz. There's a good looking VA-144 "Roadrunners" A-4C Skyhawk and Kuwaiti F/A-18C as well as a Spanish RF-4C and F-35A all in 1/72.

In 1/48 we see a Marines F4U-1 Corsair with bird cage canopy and RCAF Mustang III with Malcolm hood. Lets hope HM has corrected the wing to P-51B/C standard.

U.S. Air Force plans to remove almost 500 aircraft over the next five years.

The Air Force is going to shrink over the next five years. This is the result of the structure changes annouced on Mar. 10, follwing the FY15 President’s Budget announced on Mar. 4.

The plan is going to axe some 500 aircraft across the inventories of all three components, reshaping the Air Force as “a smaller and more capable force [...] that can defeat more technologically advanced adversaries” according to SecDef Chuck Hagel.

The reduction will affect squadrons based in 25 States and the District of Columbia; units based abroad will suffer minor cuts, in order to maintain a significant overseas presence. Nevertheless, Osan airbase in South Korea, will lose its A-10s, while RAF Lakenheath, in UK, will probably have to give away a whole squadron.

Over the next 5 years, along with the about 340 A-10s and 33 U-2s, the “adjustment” will cut about 70 F-15Cs, 119 MQ-1 drones, 6 E-8 Joint Stars planes, 7 E-3 AWACS, and 7 EC-130 Compass Call aircraft; such aircraft will be partially replaced by some upgraded F-16s, made available as new F-35s replace them, and 36 MQ-9 Reaper drones,  while all the remaining fleets will (more or less) be upgraded.

http://theaviationist.com/2014/03/12/fy15-adjustment-plan/