Storm from the Sky 1941: The German Aerial Invasion of Crete and its Impact on WW2 Aerial Tactics
Coming soon from Pen and Sword and authors Jeffrey Plowman and Mark M J Wilson is The Battle of Crete: Storm from the Sky 1941: Then and Now, and analysis of the German airborne invasion of Crete, detailing the battle’s chaos, defenders’ resolve, and the operation’s lasting impact on WWII airborne tactics.
Operation Merkur, the German airborne invasion of Crete, is an iconic operation in military history. It pitched an elite airborne division against Creforce, a rag-tag force of British and Commonwealth escapees from Greece. The outcome to the Germans seemed assured. Yet, not only had the Germans underestimated the size of the defending force, they lacked an appreciation of the willingness to fight of the defenders, and had wrongly understood the reception they would receive from the Cretan civilians. To add to their woes their uniforms were ill-suited to the climate and other conditions they were to encounter on the island, and the dropping of their primary weapons in separate containers proved to be a grave doctrinal error.
For many of the fallschirmjäger, the events of the first day ensured that this turned into a struggle for their own personal survival as the need for water and ammunition became paramount, while being hunted by Allied troops and civilians alike. It was a disaster and could have been fatal to the invader, except for the intransigence in the higher levels of command of their foes. Continue reading Storm from the Sky 1941: The German Aerial Invasion of Crete and its Impact on WW2 Aerial Tactics
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Arma Hobby Releases PZL P.11c Kit With 3D Printed Details, Four Liveries
Arma Hobby has released a new PZL P.11c “Pursuit Brigade” model kit in 1/72 scale.
The PZL P.11c was a Polish single-seat fighter of the mid-1930s, distinguished by its all-metal construction, high-mounted gull wings, open cockpit, and fixed landing gear. Powered by a Bristol Mercury radial engine, it reached about 375 km/h (233 mph) and carried two or four 7.92 mm machine guns. An advanced design when introduced, it had become obsolete as faster fighters entered service, yet remained Poland’s principal fighter when Germany invaded in September 1939, bearing much of the country’s air-defense effort against the Luftwaffe.
The kit (70018) includes includes fine 3D-printed details replacing the photo-etched parts from the earlier edition, and Cartograf decals with marking options for four aircraft representing all four squadrons of the Polish Pursuit Brigade: 111, 112, 113 and 114.
The kit is now available (Buy on eBay). Check out livery profiles and kit contents below.
Continue reading Arma Hobby Releases PZL P.11c Kit With 3D Printed Details, Four Liveries
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1971 Piper Cherokee For Sale: “160 hp Upgrade, Fresh IFR Certification”
A 1971 Piper Cherokee 140/160 has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):
3468TT, 400SMOH, Aspen PFD, Garmin IFR with GMA-345 Audio Panel with 4 place intercom, GNC-355, Navigator, GPS-175 #2 GPS, GTR-225 Comm #2, Stratus ADS-b (out) Transponder, True-Trak Autopilot with Altitude hold, new 406Mhz ELT, fresh IFR Cert. 160 HP upgrade, Wheel Pants (included but not installed), Power Flo High Performance Exhaust, E.I. digital OAT, High Torque Starter, Pitot Heat, Flashing Tail Beacon, Rosen Style Visors, LED Landing Light. Very Good Paint and Interior, White with Navy Blue and Las Vegas Gold, Grey Vinyl seats and Side Panels. Fresh IFR Certification, March 2026 Annual. Flown regularly. Hangared at KOJC
The aircraft is located in Olathe, Kansas and is currently available for US $105,000, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos.
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Sword Models to Release New Tool Fairey Firefly Mk.5 / FR.Mk.5 Kits
Sword Models has announced the upcoming release of a new tool, 1/72 Fairey Firefly that will be available in to boxings: Firefly FR.Mk.5 (SW72164 / FAA, RCAF, Kon. Marine) and Firefly Mk.5 over Korea (SW72165).
The Firefly Mk.5 was a postwar development of the British two-seat carrier aircraft, combining a Rolls-Royce Griffon 74 engine with power-folding wings and equipment suited to tropical operations. Introduced in 1948, it formed the basis of fighter-reconnaissance (FR), night-fighter (NF), and anti-submarine (AS) versions; the FR.Mk.5 was a specific variant of the Mk.5 armed with four 20 mm cannon and able to carry bombs or rockets. The FR.Mk.5 undertook reconnaissance and strike missions, notably flying ground-attack sorties from Royal Navy carriers during the Korean War.
Both boxings will be available some time in November. Additional details are scarce, although Sword did release box art, livery profiles and a few sprue photos which can be seen below.
Continue reading Sword Models to Release New Tool Fairey Firefly Mk.5 / FR.Mk.5 Kits
1976 Bellanca Super Viking For Sale: “Great Condition, Fully IFR Equipped”
A 1976 Bellanca Super Viking has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):
This 1976 Bellanca Super Viking is a distinctive single-engine aircraft known for its sleek lines and performance-oriented touring design. The Super Viking family has long appealed to pilots seeking an individual alternative to more common four-seat personal aircraft. The aircraft is described as fully IFR equipped and in great condition, with a figure of 1,500 supplied in the notes.
The aircraft is located in Saint Augustine, Florida with offers currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.
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USAF Museum to Restore CASA 2.111H / Heinkel He 111 [Video]
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio has announced the upcoming restoration of their CASA 2.111H (Spanish HE-111H).
The CASA 2.111H was a Spanish-built development of the German Heinkel He 111H-16 twin-engine medium bomber, manufactured under license by Construcciones Aeronáuticas S.A. First flown in May 1945, the CASA 2.111 retained the Heinkel’s distinctive glazed nose and broad wings. Early aircraft used German Junkers Jumo engines, while later examples received British Rolls-Royce Merlins because of engine-supply difficulties. The type served with the Spanish Air Force into the early 1970s and became familiar to cinema audiences portraying Luftwaffe bombers in the 1969 film Battle of Britain.
The museum’s example was donated by the Spanish Air Force and has been in the museum’s storage facility for some time. The newly released photos / video, which can be seen below, appears to show the aircraft being relocated to the restoration hangar. As of this writing, additional details, such as a timeframe for completion, have not been announced.
Continue reading USAF Museum to Restore CASA 2.111H / Heinkel He 111 [Video]
LukGraph Shares First Test Prints For Ambitious, Entirely New DH.89 Dragon Rapide Kit
LukGraph has shared the first test print photo for their “entirely new,” fully printed de Havilland DH.89 Dragon Rapide project.
The DH.89 was a British twin-engine biplane airliner that first flew on 17 April 1934. Designed to carry six to eight passengers, it combined lightweight wooden construction with two 200 hp Gipsy Six engines, becoming one of the most successful British short-haul transports of the 1930s. During the Second World War, military versions served as the Dominie, principally in navigation training and communications roles. A total of 728 Rapides and Dominies were built, and many continued flying commercially after the war, notably on regional and island routes.
This is a complete redesign from the 1/32 Dragon Rapide LukGraph developed back in 2020, with “every curve, panel, surface and rivet carefully reconsidered.” Plans are to release the new kit in 1:72, 1:48, 1:32, and 1:24 scales. The 1/32 offering is especially ambitious, and will include four different boxings featuring around 15 different paint schemes in total. They note that the project is progressing very well with ongoing testing, printing and refining underway.
Click below to check out test print photo, as well as renderings.
Kitfox II For Sale: “Fresh Annual, Always Hangared”
A Kitfox II has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):
Kitfox 2 LSA Aircraft. (Kitfox II). Built in Canada and certificated in 1999. Engine: Rotax 582 Liquid Cooled. Total engine Hours:73 Hrs. Total Airframe Hours: 73 Hrs. Fresh annual been completed. New Tires, Fuel pump overhauled, Carburetor Cleaned and balanced. Always hangared. Aircraft based in GTF (Great Falls, Montana. Purchased in August of 2017 and Imported to the USA. FAA Experimental Certificate issued in November of 2021.
The aircraft is located in Great Falls, Montana and is currently available for US $33,000 although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.
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Coming Soon: Four-Volume History of Lend-Lease and Soviet Aviation in WW2
Coming soon from Helion and Company and author Vladimir Kotelnikov’s new series Lend-Lease and Soviet Aviation 1941–1945 which examines how Allied Lend-Lease aircraft supported Soviet aviation during the Second World War and influenced its postwar development.
Volume 1 traces the programme’s diplomatic origins, delivery routes, and early operational use in 1941–42, highlighting the challenges of introducing Hurricanes, Kittyhawks, and other Western aircraft into Soviet service. Volume 2 focuses on British and American fighters—including the Hurricane, Spitfire, P-40, Airacobra, and Kingcobra—examining their delivery, deployment, technical characteristics, and influence on Soviet tactics. Volume 3 covers bombers, transports, and maritime aircraft, including the A-20 Boston, B-25 Mitchell, C-47, and PBY Catalina, assessing their contributions to combat operations, frontline supply, and naval warfare. Volume 4 evaluates the programme’s overall impact from 1941 to 1945, weighing operational successes and shortcomings, examining maintenance and supply challenges, and exploring how Allied deliveries relieved pressure on Soviet industry and shaped postwar aircraft development and doctrine. Drawing on Soviet and Western archives, operational records, and first-hand accounts, the series combines rare photographs, colour profiles, maps, and technical and statistical tables to document Lend-Lease aviation’s contribution to Soviet victory and its lasting legacy.
The books will be available in paperback format. Vol 1 has 72 pages, while vol 2 has 104 pages. Both will be available on January 15, 2027. Vol 3 has 104 pages and will be released on November 30, 2026. Vol 4 has 104 pages and will be released on December 31. All four volumes are currently available for pre-order.
Product Page (Vol 1)
Product Page (Vol 2)
Product Page (Vol 3)
Product Page (Vol 4)
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MiniArt to Release 1/48 Junkers F13 (Mid) in Italian, Czechoslovakian, Austrian and Bolivian Service
MiniArt has announced the upcoming release of a 1/48 Junkers F13 (Mid Production) in Italian, Czechoslovakian, Austrian and Bolivian Service.
The F13 was a pioneering all-metal airliner, with the mid-production versions helping to expand aviation during the 1920s and 1930s. Its corrugated duralumin construction, cantilever wing and enclosed four-passenger cabin offered a practical design for early commercial operations. In Italy, Transadriatica used the F13 on international routes, inaugurating its Venice–Klagenfurt–Vienna service in August 1926; in Austria, Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG (ÖLAG) operated the type on its developing airline network. Czechoslovak examples served both airline and military aviation organizations, while Bolivia’s Lloyd Aéreo Boliviano employed F13s to establish vital air links across difficult terrain. Together, these operators demonstrated the design’s adaptability to European transport networks and the demanding conditions of South American aviation.
The kit (48024) is described as highly detailed with fine exterior surface detail, photo-etched parts and four marking options. The kit is labeled as “coming soon,” although a final release date has not been announced. Check out box contents and livery profiles below.
