Coming soon from Air World is Deceiving Hitler’s Bombers: RAF Decoys and Visual Deception in WWII, which is an official history of clever visual deception―dummy sites, fake lights, and camouflage―to mislead German bombers and protect key locations during WW2.

The first, and most essential element in aerial bombardment is that of locating the target. All the inherent costs and risks in undertaking a bombing raid are of no avail unless the objective of the mission is correctly identified. If, through means of decoys or visual deception, the attacking aircraft can be tricked into dropping their deadly payloads in areas of little importance to the general war effort, the enemy bombers will have failed in their mission.

It was accepted at the start of the war that enemy bombers would always get through the UK’s defences and that the German bomber crews could be expected to have a reasonable understanding of Britain’s geography and of its main industrial and military facilities. That being the case, how could the most important sites be protected? [continue reading…]

Airfix has released their new tool Junkers Ju52/3mg4e in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the newly designed kit (A08022) faithfully replicates the corrugated surface texture on all external surfaces and includes fully detailed interior and engines, oil drum cargo load, wheel chocks for diorama models, options for machine gun armament and undercarriage with or without spats, slide molded canopy to ensure clear definition of window frames and multiple doors and hatches that can be posed open or closed to add life to the model.

Decals are included with three livery options: WNr.2870, KM+BX, 4./KGrzbV500, Pleskau-West, Russia, March 1942; WNr.6141, VB+IN, Transportstaffel/II. Fliegerkorps, Russia 1941 and WNr.6657, CA+JY, 1./KGrzbV102, Neumünster, Germany, April 1940.

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Taylorcraft BC-12D and Cub projects have been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

Both aircraft have been dismantled. The Taylorcraft has accident damage but the Cub has been dismantled for rebuilding from Fuselage up. The Taylorcraft is on a trailer which is included in the sale. There is also three engines and other aircraft parts.

The projects are located in the UK and are currently available for £4,000. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos.

Roden has released a new tool Short S.25 Sunderland Mark III/V in 1/144 scale.

The Short S.25 Sunderland Mark III/V was a British maritime patrol flying boat of World War II. During the war, these aircraft operated over the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, from the Arctic to the tropics. German pilots nicknamed it the “Flying Porcupine” due to its powerful defensive armament.

The new release (353) includes marking options for three aircraft. Check out the product page below, along with livery profiles and box contents.

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A 1970 Cherokee 140 Cruiser has been spotted for sale.

According to the listing, the aircraft (140C) is a well-equipped, upgraded example with 520 hours since major overhaul on its Lycoming O-320E2A engine (and prop). It features newer paint, modern Garmin avionics (GMA 345 audio panel, GNC 355 WAAS GPS/COM with LPV and touchscreen, GTX 330ES ADS-B Out transponder, plus TKM MX-300 nav/comm), and a refreshed interior with later-style “ram’s horn” yokes and improved seating. The Cruiser package adds rear bucket seats and extended baggage space for practical cross-country use, while the 1969+ panel redesign includes a quadrant throttle and standard six-pack layout. The aircraft has about 3,500 hours total time (logs complete since 1995), a fresh annual pending, minor cosmetic hail pings but no airworthiness issues.

The aircraft is located in Cheraw, South Carolina and is currently available for bidding. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

DBMK has announced the upcoming release of a new DH.103 Hornet F.1/PR.2 model kit in 1/32 scale.

The de Havilland DH.103 Hornet F.1 was a fast, long-range twin-engine British fighter developed late in World War II, using lightweight wooden construction and powerful Merlin engines to deliver exceptional speed and handling. The PR.2 was its unarmed photo-reconnaissance variant, built for extended-range surveillance by trading guns for cameras and extra fuel capacity. Together, they showed how the Hornet design was adapted from pure interception to specialist reconnaissance roles, and the type was notable as one of the fastest piston-engine fighters of its era.

The upcoming release (32003) will allow builders to depict the PR.2 in PRU blue – a pale blue-gray camouflage color used by the RAF’s Photographic Reconnaissance Unit on high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft to reduce visibility from the ground. The F.1 version will include a livery in overall silver. Release is expected “later this quarter.”

(via DBMK Model Kits)

A 1966 Piper Cherokee 140 has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

If you’re looking for a dependable, well-maintained trainer or personal cross-country aircraft, this 1966 Piper Cherokee 140 is an outstanding opportunity… With approximately 3,100 hours total time, an engine with approximately 1,300 hours since major overhaul, and several valuable upgrades, this aircraft is ready for its next owner. Features: Approximately 3,100 hours total time with approximately 1,300 hours since major overhaul (SMOH), this four-seat aircraft has an approximately 800-pound useful load and is VFR equipped. The annual inspection is due in September, with ELT certification valid through 2027 and transponder certification valid through 2027. It features a SkySensor ADS-B system, LED landing light, and updated seats and carpet installed in 2022, along with a zero-time engine installed during the 1990s. Previously owned by the same owner since the 1980s before current ownership, the aircraft was purchased in 2025 for private pilot training, with approximately 110 hours flown by the current owner. It has reportedly performed reliably with no operational issues and is being sold only due to upgrading to a higher-performance aircraft.

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

Arma Hobby has released the first teaser sprue shots for their upcoming new tool Curtiss Hawk 81-A2 model kit in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the upcoming release (70094) is the first in Arma’s new family of 1/72 Curtiss Hawk 81, Tomahawk II and P-40B/C kits. It represents the export version of the Hawk 81-A2 operated by the AVG in China during 1941–1942. These aircraft wore a distinctive camouflage scheme based on British specifications and applied using American-made DuPont paints. Three Flying Tigers marking options will be included.

The two new images show the first injection molded sprues for the kit, which are now being evaluated together with Arma’s tooling partner. If the evaluation confirms everything is on track, pre-orders are planned to open this week with shipping expected in the first half of August.

Click below to check out the new sprue images along with newly released renders.

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A 1975 Mooney M20F project has been spotted for sale.

Acxording to the listing, the aircraft is a 200 HP, fuel-injected, four-seat aircraft with 3,010 total airframe hours, 1,027 hours since major engine overhaul (with a top overhaul 200 hours ago and bottom end teardown 32 hours ago), and a freshly overhauled 3-blade Hartzell propeller with just 2 hours since overhaul. It features electric gear and flaps, a quadrant throttle, 201-style upgraded dash, one-piece windshield, extended fuselage for improved comfort, and 64-gallon fuel capacity for 5+ hour range.

The aircraft has been sitting unused in a hangar and will require a full interior refurbishment and general inspection, but shows no major structural, corrosion, or systems issues, making it a solid, fast (~150-knot cruise) refurbishment candidate with good engine, prop, and airframe fundamentals.

The aircraft is located in Pipestone, Canada and is currently avauilable for bidding. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

Coming soon from Pen & Sword and author Salvador Mafé Huertas is Grumman F-14 Tomcat: A Navy Jet in Service, a study of the aircraft that defined US naval air power through decades of combat, versatility, and enduring cultural iconography.

The Grumman F-14 Tomcat was a cornerstone of US Navy air power from the 1970s through to its retirement in 2006. Designed as a twin-engine, two-seat, supersonic interceptor, the F-14 was engineered to dominate the skies, primarily to counter Soviet aircraft during the Cold War.

The Tomcat’s sleek, angular design and distinctive variable-sweep wings gave it a menacing yet elegant silhouette, embodying both agility and raw power. Capable of adjusting its wing angle mid-flight – sweeping back for high-speed dashes or forward for enhanced manoeuvrability – the Tomcat adapted seamlessly to diverse combat scenarios, achieving speeds exceeding Mach 2.3 and a range of approximately 1,600 nautical miles.

As would be expected with an aircraft that remained in service for a number of decades, the F-14 had an impressive operational career. The type saw combat during the end of the Vietnam War, and was involved in the Lebanon Crisis in the early 1980s, Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War, the Balkans Conflicts of the 1990s, flew strike missions during Operation Desert Fox (1998) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003). and even flew over Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom in the early 2000s. It was in these conflicts that the Tomcat proved its mettle in reconnaissance, air superiority, and later, precision strike roles with the addition of the LANTIRN targeting system.

Beyond its technical prowess, the F-14 gained cultural fame through its starring role in the 1986 movie blockbuster Top Gun, and its subsequent sequel, cementing its image as a symbol of American military might and pilot bravado.

Though retired by the US Navy in favour of the F/A-18 Hornet, the F-14 remains operational in limited numbers with Iran’s air force – a fact which is given due attention in this study. The Tomcat’s legacy endures as a marvel of engineering and a cultural touchstone of aviation history all of which is revealed in this visual feast.

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

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