Coming soon from Fonthill Media and author Tim Brandt is The Royal Air Force Germany Harrier Force: Volume 1: Development and Deployment 1970-1973. This new account traces the Harrier aircraft’s transformation from prototype to complex war machine through the RAF Germany Harrier Force’s early years, detailing field operations, development, and the people who mastered vertical flight.

Royal Air Force Germany was the chief operator of the RAF’s Harriers during the Cold War. Its Harrier Force remains the only unit to have routinely taken large numbers of fast-jet aircraft into unprepared fields and woods, operating them in constant readiness for combat.

This book, the first of three volumes on the RAF Germany Harrier Force, describes how the aircraft was developed from a simple proof-of-concept prototype into a much more complex war machine, overcoming the extraordinary demands of vertical flight. It tells of the forming of the Harrier Wing at RAF Wildenrath in 1970, and how its people learned the hard way to fly and operate the ‘jump jet’ on base and in the field during those accident-laden early years. Volume I concludes at the end of 1973 when, having proven its capabilities, the Harrier Wing became the Harrier Force.

The 256 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for November 30.

Product Page

Dora Wings recently released a new Vultee P-66 Vanguard boxing in 1/48 scale.

The Vanguard was an American single-seat, single-engine fighter designed in the late 1930s, originally intended for export to Sweden but later taken into U.S. service and then sent in larger numbers to China. It was a fairly conventional prewar radial-engine fighter with respectable speed and climb, but it was generally considered underwhelming in combat compared with better-known wartime fighters, so it ended up with a mixed reputation despite seeing real service.

The kit (48053) is touted as offering superb surface textures with crisp, recessed panel lines and fantastic overall accuracy. It includes PE parts, die cut canopy masks, new premium decals with marking options for multiple aircraft, including examples in including USAAF and Chinese Air Force service.

Check out the product page and box contents below.

[continue reading…]

A Fairchild PT-19A ( M-62A-4 ) has been spotted for sale. Details are nonexistent, although it is listed as a project aircraft.

The PT-19A was a World War II U.S. Army Air Forces primary trainer, built as a rugged low-wing monoplane to teach cadets the basics of flying before they moved on to combat aircraft. Powered by a 200 hp Ranger L-440-3 engine, it used tandem open cockpits, fixed landing gear, and simple, sturdy construction, and it was widely praised for being economical, reliable, and closer in handling to frontline monoplanes than the older biplane trainers.

The aircraft is located in Victorville, California and is currently available for US $40,000, although offers are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing.

Coming soon from Grub Street Publishing and authors George Robertson and Alan Munnro is Mastering The Cold War Jets: In-Depth Insights into Flying the Harrier, Jaguar, Phantom and Tornado, which contains thought-provoking first-hand accounts that come from two friends who joined the RAF together on the same day in 1963, went through basic and advanced flying training together and then followed two parallel but different careers.

…As the book is written jointly, you get two different perspectives on the main RAF front-line roles in the Cold War. They describe going through the RAF pilot training system in the 1960s, the aircraft they flew, and the bases they operated from. After completing advanced flying training on the Folland Gnat at RAF Valley in Anglesey they followed different paths from then on. George went to the Canberra Conversion Unit (OCU) at RAF BAssingbounre and then to RAF Luqa in Malta to fly the Canberra PR9 in the reconnaissance role. Alan went to RAF Leuchars to convert on to the Gloster Javelin. [continue reading…]

IBG has released renderings of their upcoming Supermarine Spitfire PR Type G “Playing with Death” (72600) model kit in 1/72 scale. They have also released seven livery profiles for their upcoming Supermarine Spitfire Mk.Vb Trop “Over North Africa” (72592).

The PR Type G was a fighter-reconnaissance variant of the Spitfire, adapted for low-level tactical photo work rather than pure interception. It carried one oblique and two vertical F24 cameras, kept its armament and armored windscreen, and early examples were converted from Mk I airframes with Merlin II engines later replaced by Merlin 45s; later ones came from Mk V airframes. It entered service in limited numbers and was eventually superseded by the PR Mk XIII, which used the same camera layout with a lower-altitude Merlin 32 engine.

The Mk.Vb was built around the Merlin 45 engine and the “B” wing. It was typically armed with two 20 mm Hispano cannons and four .303 machine guns. The aircraft was a widely used stop-gap that gave the RAF a strong, versatile interceptor through 1941–43, including tropical versions for desert service.

Also slated for release is an ESSENTIALS detail pack (80003) for the Mk.Vb Trop with Vokes Filter. Click below to check out the newly released PR Type G renderings and the Mk. Vb livery profiles.

[continue reading…]

A 1973 Piper Cherokee has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

…This is a NO (damage history) none airplane., she has only… 2462.0 t.t.s.n… ( Ram 160 complete rebuild of the engine done at 2.054 tach time and roughly 450 hours since major) it is a Midwest,.. NO corrosion EVER, airplane. It has roughly 450 hours since the new 140 / 160 horse conversion built by Central Cylinder here in Omaha. She has every log book and every piece of paper since brand new. It is in both fresh annual, and fresh i.f.r. certification as of February 2026 along with a new gtx 327 adsb transponder and newer KLN 90. YES, It has A.C to boot, but no belt by intention. The plane has never spent a night outside since it was new… still doesn’t. The original paint is a 9+ plus / the original interior follows suite.

The aircraft is located in Roca, Nebraska and is currently available for US $77,250, although offers are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Coming soon from Fonthill Media and author Philip Birtles is English Electric Lightning: The RAF’s First Mach 2 Fighter, a comprehensive history and analysis covering the Lightning’s design, development and service with extensive illustrations, (many previously unpublished) as well as appendices detailing production, service, performance data, and information on preserved aircraft.

The English Electric Lightning was the first Mach 2 fighter to enter service with the RAF. It began life as a purely experimental design, and despite inadequate funding from the government, was developed by the manufacturer into a highly effective combat aircraft. It was also an export success, particularly with the Royal Saudi Air Force, paving the way for major export contracts of future aircraft with Saudi Arabia and other nations.

Lightnings were challenging to fly and maintain—one pilot famously likened it to ‘being saddled to a skyrocket’—but the aircraft was nonetheless revered by pilots and ground crew alike, who valued its astonishing rate of climb among other performance advantages. Among enthusiasts, it quickly became iconic.

The 240 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release set for October 30.

Product Page

Sword Models has provided the first glimpse of the box contents for their soon to be released AF-2W Guardian “Hunter” and AF-2S Guardian “Killer” kits in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the Grumman AF-2W Guardian “Hunter” and AF-2S Guardian “Killer” were a paired U.S. Navy anti-submarine warfare system in which the AF-2W carried the search radar and detection gear in a large ventral radome, while the AF-2S carried the weapons load such as torpedoes, depth charges, bombs, and rockets. Flown together as hunter-killer teams beginning in 1950, they were the Navy’s first purpose-built carrier-based ASW aircraft, but their size and poor low-speed handling made them accident-prone, and they were soon replaced by the more efficient S2F Tracker.

The kits (SW72162 and SW72163) include plastic parts, painting masks and decals with two marking options per variant. Click below to check out box contents and livery profiles.

[continue reading…]

A 1973 Aero Commander has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

Take command of a truly exceptional twin-engine aircraft with this 1973 Aero Commander 500S Shrike Commander. Equipped with the sought-after Merlyn 350 HP conversion, advanced Garmin avionics, extensive survey equipment capability, and numerous recent upgrades, this aircraft has served as a professional aerial survey platform while remaining equally capable as a high-performance personal or business aircraft. With extensive documentation and current annual inspection underway, this Shrike represents a rare opportunity for discerning buyers.

The aircraft is located in Tucson, AZ with offers currently being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Coming soon from Pen & Sword and author James William Marshall is The Lightweight Mustangs: The Best Fighters of WW2.

Following America’s entry into the Second World War, the USAAF immediately began preparing itself for the battles ahead. One of its new requirements was for a fighter that could fly deep into Europe or over the vast distances of the Pacific. While this included extending the range of all of the USAAF’s tactical aircraft, particularly fighters, in what was called the Fighter Aircraft Range Extension Program, particular attention was given to the North American P-51 Mustang. The ground-breaking American program resulted in the design of the Lockheed P-38J and the North American P-51B, which were both intended to escort USAAF long-range bombers to any target they were tasked to attack. The pair was still in development when the USAAF undertook the infamous raids on the Bavarian city of Schweinfurt in August and October 1943. The only escort fighters available at that time were the shorter-range Republic P-47s Thunderbolts. [continue reading…]