Russia’s Bear: The old-fashioned plane still thriving.

The Tupolev Tu-95 first thundered over Soviet parades in the mid-1950s. Why does this giant, propeller-driven bomber still make headlines nearly 60 years later? Stephen Dowling investigates.

It first rumbled into the skies back in the early 1950s, an aerial giant that epitomised Soviet military might. Even its codename – ‘Bear’ – underlined its great size and strength.

When the Tupolev Tu-95 first appeared in front of Western observers in 1956, it did so amid a revolutionary surge in aviation design; the decade after the end of World War II saw jet technology become ascendant. Yet the Bear had propeller-driven engines, which even then seemed archaic.

Few would have believed it would still be on the front-line nearly 60 years later, serving as a strategic bomber, maritime patrol aircraft – and the world’s noisiest spy plane.

Last week, the Bear appeared in various British news outlets as two of them were escorted off the UK coast by RAF fighters. It was a traditional, routine patrol for Bears during the height of the Cold War – a routine Russia has recently reinstated. Yet the story of why the Russian Air Force continues to rely on this machine nearly 60 years later is more interesting than the sensationalist headlines.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150225-the-worlds-noisiest-spyplane

British Para to receive the Victoria Cross.

A British soldier is to be awarded the Victoria Cross on Thursday for helping rescue a joint UK-US force in danger of being overrun by the Taliban in Afghanistan’s Helmand province.

Lance Corporal Joshua Leakey, 27, of the Parachute Regiment, ran across an exposed hillside raked with machine-gun fire three times to arrange the evacuation of casualties, rally his comrades, return fire and retake the initiative. Eleven Taliban fighters were killed.

It is only the 15th time the military award, the highest in Britain, has been made since the second world war. It is also almost 70 years since another member of Leakey’s family won the Victoria Cross.

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/feb/26/victoria-cross-awarded-to-lance-corporal-for-afghanistan-rescue

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2969387/Keeping-family-Victoria-Cross-hero-Para-fought-20-Taliban-save-comrades-70-years-cousin-given-honour-gallantry-World-War-Two.html

Red Arrows Reveal Historic Tail Fin Redesign

The Red Arrows aerobatic team has revealed the first livery change in its history, after unveiling a newly redesigned tail fin.

Sky News was given exclusive access to film the team's nine pilots at RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire as they headed into the skies with their new-look Hawk T1s, featuring elements from the Union Flag.

It replaces a one-off tailfin design brought in for 2014 to mark the Red Arrows' 50th display year.

Squadron Leader David Montenegro, known as Red 1, said: "This year we have put a new tailfin on which really signifies the next 50 years of the team, continuing to represent all of the RAF personnel that protect and defend the United Kingdom."

As the new team leader, it is his job to choreograph the display that will be performed around 80 times between May and September.

http://news.sky.com/story/1433625/red-arrows-reveal-historic-tail-fin-redesign
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-31621958

Two Turkish RF-4Es crash, killing the crews.

ANKARA — Two Turkish RF-4E Phantoms crashed Tuesday during a reconnaissance mission in eastern Turkey, killing the four pilots.

The aircraft took off from the Erhac Air Base near Malatya in eastern Turkey. Malatya's governor, Suleyman Kamci, said the aircraft disappeared from radar shortly after they took off for the reconnaissance mission.

Rescue teams were deployed to an area where locals reported an explosion. Unofficial reports said the aircraft could have collided in midair.

During a debate in the Turkish Parliament, Interior Minister Efkan Alam confirmed the death of all four pilots on board. The General Staff also confirmed the death of four pilots.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/air-force/2015/02/24/turkey-crash-jets-f4-reconnaissance-pilots/23947257/

Bugatti has sold the very last Veyron.

The fastest car in history is all sold out. Middle Eastern customer buys 450th, and final, Veyron GSV.

That's it. No more. Bugatti has today confirmed that the last ever Veyron model to be produced has been sold to a customer in the Middle East.

Fittingly, it's called ‘La Finale', and takes the shape of the Grand Sport Vitesse, which means this lucky customer has picked up a 1183bhp open-topped monster with 1106lb ft of torque, and the ability to get from 0-62mph in just 2.5 seconds.

The top speed? 267.86mph, of course. This final model - number 450 - will be showcased at next week's Geneva Motor Show, alongside the very first Veyron ever built, book-ending a very fast period in the company's history.

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/last-ever-bugatti-veyron-sold-450-2015-02-23

SA Navy Sea Lynx makes emergency landing on Milnerton Golf Course.

CAPE TOWN – A South African Navy helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing at the Milnerton Golf Club after the cockpit caught fire on Monday afternoon.

Residents living near the golf course told Eyewitness News that the pilot made the emergency landing on the 11th hole. There were no injuries, but residents said they were shaken by the incident.

Military police cordoned off the 11th hole where the chopper stood and nobody is being allowed near the scene as they work on the helicopter, which experienced an apparent electrical malfunction.

One resident told EWN she was blow drying her hair when she heard a loud noise above her house and a sudden “thud” when the chopper landed on the green.

http://inagist.com/all/569859906326687744/

http://m.ewn.co.za/2015/02/23/Helicopter-makes-emergency-landing-on-golf-course

F-16 flies back to base missing half its wing.

Last October there was a nearly fatal collision between two F-16 Vipers from the 125th Fighter Squadron of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. All we knew at the time was that one of the jets went down in a field after the pilot safely ejected, while the other managed to land with a damaged wing. But "damaged" was putting it lightly. Half of the wing was completely sheared off.

The extent of the damage is remarkable, with a massive portion of the wing ripped off like a shark took a chunk out of it mid-air. Even more remarkable is that the pilot of the stricken Viper was able to safely fly back to base, well over 100 miles from where the collision occurred.

http://foxtrotalpha.jalopnik.com/this-f-16-viper-managed-to-fly-back-to-base-missing-hal-1687086936

Red Bull stunt racers collide mid-air and survive at Aero India.

Two pilots from the Red Bull aerobatic team miraculously escaped death on Thursday, when their planes collided mid-air during the Aero India 2015 air show in Bangalore. While both planes were severely damaged in the collision, the pilots escaped unscathed and managed to land safely.

http://abcnews.go.com/International/stunt-planes-collide-mid-air-pilots-manage-land/story?id=29077250

Return of the ‘Ghost Rider’!!!

For the very first time, a Boeing B-52 Stratofortress has moved from the boneyard back into the sky again. The veteran bomber took off from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona for the first time following its restoration on Friday, the 13th of February. 

Technicians at the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, otherwise known as AMARG, pulled the BUFF from the massive storage yard beside Davis-Monthan during 2014 to replace a damaged aircraft in the active fleet which the Air Force deemed beyond economic repair.

The newly restored Stratofortress, serial number 61-0007, had been in 1000-level storage at AMARG alongside twelve other B-52Hs, far away from the ragged, chopped up Stratofortress carcasses on the other side of the boneyard. 

Unlike other 1000-level aircraft, or inviolate storage where an airframe is made safe and preserved without losing any parts to salvage, these bombers are looked after in a far more detailed and careful fashion at AMARG. 

Each Stratofortress in this small group has its own plane captain at the base whose primary responsibility is to monitor its health regularly and quickly intercede when maintenance is necessary. This practice has clearly shown its worth, judging by the mere months it took to return the aircraft to flight following years of storage.

http://www.warbirdsnews.com/warbirds-news/fun-facts/return-ghost-rider.html

In France, Relief Over Rafale Sale to Egypt.

PARIS — France appears to have won precious time on the Rafale program, with Egypt buying the twinjet fighters in an arms package worth €5.2 billion (US $5.9 billion), relieving domestic budgetary pressure.

Egypt has decided to buy 24 Rafale fighter jets and a multi-mission frigate, with a contract signing to be held in Cairo on Feb. 16, President François Hollande said in a Feb. 12 statement.

http://www.defensenews.com/story/defense/air-space/strike/2015/02/15/france-relief-rafale-sale-to-egypt/23353207/

Footage from inside a Russian Tu-95 shows the Bear’s coaxial contra-rotating propellers.

Here’s an interesting footage filmed form inside a Russian Tu-95 Bear bomber like the ones that skirt northern Europe’s airspaces every now and then.

Although it does not show anything special about the plane, the rare video lets you have a close look at the eight-bladed coaxial contra-rotating propellers Kuznetsov NK-12 engines of the Tu-95.

Indeed, the only propeller-powered strategic bomber still in operational use today, features the typical two propellers, arranged one behind the other, which increase efficiency and performance.

An in-flight, engine shutdown and restart cycle can be seen in the clip.

http://theaviationist.com/2015/02/15/bear-contra-rotating-blades/

F-18 Hornet performs an airborne pickup of a Tomahawk Block IV cruise missile.

On January 27, a Tomahawk Land Attack Missile (TLAM) was tested against a moving target at sea off San Nicolas Island, California.

What is more, the TLAM was launched from a ship and guided into its target by an F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

A video of the test was published by USNI News. It shows the missile launched from guided missile destroyer USS Kidd (DDG-100) and picked up by the aircraft, fly at low altitude towards the target chased by the Super Hornet and punch a hole through a container on a ship (scaring some pigeons away).

The Tomahawk IV can hit at a range of 1,000 miles and can adjust its flight path to pursuit moving targets. Guidance will eventually come from various platforms, including ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft and, most probably, drones.

According to USNI News, the new Tomahawk variant could serve as a gap filler until the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LARSM), the navalized version based on  the JASSM-ER, will be able to support the Navy’s “distributed lethality” warfare strategy.

http://theaviationist.com/2015/02/13/tlam-guided-by-hornet/

Corgi AA27104 Messerschmitt BF109G-2 Black 6 RAF Museum Hendon.

Here are some pictures of the new Messerschmitt Bf109G-2, as preserved at RAF Museum Hendon. Apart from the know issue it is very nice and a great addition to my collection.

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The issue referred to relates to the aerial but some would point out that it has a single machine gun. It appears Black 6 has been seen with various gun configurations.

Corgi AA38706 Spitfire PR.Mk XIX, RAF No.81 Sqn, Ted Powles.

Here are some photos of my production sample of the Supermarine Spitfire PRU XIX. Some nice touches including the aerial and no QC issues though the wing gap could be improved. The scheme really suits the Spitfire as well.

With the other current Corgi Spitfire toolings it looks very good.

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Corgi AA38107 Sopwith Camel F1, B6372, Capt. M. B. Frew, 45 Squadron RFC, 1918.

Here are some shots of the latest Corgi WWI release, the Sopwith Camel. I couldn't see any QC issues on this one and the colours and rigging are all very good. An interesting scheme as well with some nice markings.

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Pre-production photos Aviation 72 Saab Gripen Swedish Air Force.

Aviation 72 AV7243001 Saab Gripen 7/02 Swedish Air Force due for release May 2015.

Pre-production photos Aviation 72 Short Tucano RAF ZF168.

Aviation 72 AV7227001 Short Tucano ZF168 RAF Black Scheme due for release May 2015.

Aviation 72 Westland Gazelle AH.1 Army Air Corps XZ310.

Photos of the Aviation 72 AV7224002 Westland Gazele AH.1 Army Air Corps due for release in the 1st quarter of 2015.

Shuttle reviews Corgi AA27401 Gloster Meteor F3, No. 616 Sqn., Lubeck, 1945.

Here are some photos of the new Gloster Meteor F3 AA27401, EE246 YQ-A, 616 Squadron, Lubeck, 1945 with the older tooling (plus a couple of WWII contemporary aircraft). Overall, the new tool is a really good effort. No bad joins, some crisp detail, solid undercarriage and the colours look spot on. 

There are two issues, the upper wing roundels and the missing tampo printed air brakes. However, IMHO they don't really appear apparent to the casual observer. 

What really does appeal is the improvement over the first tooling and the much tighter detail. I hope this release paves the way for the Hurricane, Mustang and Sunderland....!

This model fills an important gap for the WWII collector as it is the plane that moved the RAF into the jet age and saw limited combat service as well. Six years earlier the RAF was intercepting Heinkels with the Gloster Gladiator....!

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