Category: Golden Age (1919-1939)

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The Observer Corps: The Hidden Defenders Tracking Enemy Aircraft in Britain’s Skies

Soon to be released by Helion and Company and author Kevin Wright is Skywatch Volume 1: A History of the Royal Observer Corps, 1925 to 1939.

During World War One, London was vulnerable to air attacks by Zeppelins and later German bombers. To defend the capital, the London Air Defence Area was created to coordinate the efforts to protect it. However, after 1918, the system was quickly abandoned.

In the early 1920s, the Committee for Imperial Defence began to reconsider the problem. In 1924, the first experiment was conducted to monitor and report the movement of aircraft overland by using small groups of aircraft observers reporting to a central point. This successful experiment led to the creation of the Observer Corps in 1925 under the control of Police Chief Constables.

Originally intended to cover just the South East of England to protect London, as the threat from resurgent Nazi Germany grew, the Corps was gradually expanded to cover nearly the whole of Gt Britain by the start of the War. Now transferred to the control of the Air Ministry, Observer Corps Groups became a key part of Fighter Commands integrated air defence system, unique in that it was the only means to track the movement of aircraft once they crossed the coast and headed inland.

Using a combination of new research and access to official files, Volume One of Skywatch charts the development of the Observer Corps from its origins, the very beginnings, formation and growth through the 1920s. It critically examines how, in the rush to prepare for War in the late 1930s, the Observer Corps began to ready itself for War and its unique role, monitoring the skies of Britain.

The 76 page publication is currently available for pre-order in paperback format. Release is slated for April 30.

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LEGO to Release Large Pan-Am DC-3 Model With Impressive Details

LEGO is preparing to release a new Douglas DC-3 building set in Pan-Am colors.

The new set (#11378) includes four minifigures (pilot, purser, stewardess and flight attendant) wearing historical Pan-Am uniforms, a detailed cockpit and passenger cabin, retractable landing gear, as well as a model display stand with an information plaque and a Pan Am-branded minifigure display stand. Fuselage sections can be removed to view interior details.

The model consists of 1,903 pieces and measures 9.5 in. (24 cm) high, 20 in. (51 cm) long, and 30 in. (76 cm) wide (including stand). It is currently slated for release in early April. Click below to check out additional images.

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New IBG Kit Recreates Spitfire Prototype’s Full History For Type’s 90th Anniversary

To celebrate the Spitfire’s 90th anniversary, IBG Models has collaborated with MRM Studio to create a new limited edition model.

The body of the model is based on the IBG plastic kit, but in practice this means a completely new design. Each element has been re-designed to faithfully reflect all the differences between the early prototype and the later production machines. In order to show the evolution of this design as accurately as possible, we have prepared four variants of the aircraft’s nose, two types of fuselage, and two variants of wings – both in the original unarmed configuration and the later armed configuration used during testing. This allows modelers to reproduce the different stages of the machine’s development.

The 1/72 kit employs high-quality 3D printing technology and a vacu-type cockpit canopy with an innovative snap-vac system that uses printed frames that are applied to the transparent part without the need for traditional masking during painting. Additional features include a 3D-printed test pilot figure, Techmod decals and mask designs for painted markings.

The entire edition includes two different sets, which together allow you to recreate the full history of this unique aircraft – from its first flight to its crash on the second day of the war.

The first set (A72001), which depicts the aircraft in its configuration in the first test flight, will be limited to 400 pieces and is slated for release in April. Click below to check out additional images.

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Skyhookers: An Illustrated History of Parasite Fighters

New from Air World and author William Wolf is Skyhookers: An Illustrated History of Hook-on Aircraft and Their Dirigible Motherships.

From the First World War’s Zeppelins to the Second World War’s large bombers, military aircraft were vulnerable to fast, manoeuvrable interceptors. To address this, fighter escorts were used, but their limited range often left bombers exposed. A solution was the use of Composite aircraft, where larger bombers carried smaller, short-range fighters, which could be launched and retrieved as needed.

Zeppelins, particularly vulnerable to interceptors, were ideal for this concept. During the First World War, Germany briefly experimented with carrying parasite aircraft, while the British conducted post-war trials using airships like His Majesty’s Airship R-23 and R-33, carrying fighters such as the Sopwith Camel and de Havilland DH.53 Humming Bird. However, successful hook-on/retrievals were only achieved with the Humming Bird.

The US Navy and Army further developed this concept. In 1918, the Navy launched a Curtiss JN ‘Jenny’ from a C-1 Blimp, and in 1924, the Army successfully flew a Sperry Messenger from a TC-Class airship. The US perfected the carry/launch/retrieval method for airship defence and scouting, notably with the USS Los Angeles, which carried aircraft on a ‘trapeze’ device. The Akron and Macon airships, with internal storage for aircraft, further advanced this technique, making them some of the most remarkable aircraft of their time.

The 200 page book is currently available in hardcover and Kindle editions.

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Now Available: E-Flite’s New Ultra Micro Gee Bee R-2 RC Model

E-Flite has released their new ultra micro Gee Bee R-2 510mm BNF Basic RC model with AS3X and SAFE Select.

The E-flite UMX Gee Bee R-2 is ready to soar through the skies in more places and smaller spaces thanks to its handling that has more in common with a friendly sport model than a short-coupled golden age racer. Awe-inspiring with an authentic scale outline and abundant details such as flying wires plus a pilot, this replica offers handling so remarkably smooth, you’ll want to fly it every day. AS3X® technology works behind the scenes to help you enjoy the outstanding stability and control you always wanted but never thought possible in such a small airplane, let alone in a model of the Gee Bee. Optional-use SAFE® Select flight envelope protection technology delivers automatic self-leveling plus pitch and bank angle limits that make it possible to successfully fly such a unique design even if you’re an intermediate RC pilot. It also features a quieter and more powerful 2S and 3S compatible motor, along with a modified fuselage and stronger wing, designed to handle the extra weight, power, and speed when using 3S 280–300mAh batteries. Best of all, it arrives 100% factory-assembled and ready to bind to your favorite Spektrum™ DSM2/DSMX®-equipped transmitter so you can be flying in almost no time! And it all adds up to deliver a model of the classic Gee Bee that’s a dream to fly while offering an exciting and incredibly unique flight experience from large yards and small parks to sports fields and beyond!

As previously reported, the new model (EFLU61500) follows E-Flite’s recent release of a larger 1.0m Gee Bee R-2.

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RAF’s Interwar Activities Chronicled With Hundreds of Rare Photos

Coming soon from Jonathan Falconer and JJN Publishing is The RAF Between The Wars 1918-39 (The Photographic Archive): Policing The Empire

The book is a visual history chronicling the Royal Air Force’s imperial policing operations from 1918 to 1939 across British territories like Iraq, Palestine, Aden, and India. Featuring hundreds of rare archival photographs of aircraft such as the Vickers Vernon and Airco DH.9A, personnel, and campaigns against tribal unrest, it highlights the RAF’s evolution into a key imperial tool through tactics like air control for low-intensity policing amid post-WWI budget constraints.

The 144 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release scheduled for March 6.

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ICM Releases New Luftwaffe Pilot School Kit With Detailed Hs 123A Biplane

ICM has released a new Luftwaffe Pilot School model kit in 1/32 scale.

The Henschel Hs 123A served as a dive bomber and close‑support aircraft in addition to training duties. It featured all‑metal sesquiplane construction and was powered by a BMW 132 radial engine. The aircraft was armed with two 7.92 mm machine guns and around 450 kg of bombs, typically a 250 kg centerline bomb and smaller wing bombs. Entering service in the mid‑1930s, it was rugged, highly maneuverable, and able to operate from rough front‑line airfields, which made it effective in the Spanish Civil War and early Second World War campaigns despite being technically obsolete. With a top speed of about 340 km/h and excellent dive‑bombing characteristics, the Hs 123A earned a reputation for toughness and reliable close air support, remaining in service longer than originally intended until withdrawn mainly due to spare‑parts shortages.

The new release (32017) consists of three Luftwaffe cadets and an Hs 123A training biplane. It includes detailed uniform elements, accurate geometry and proportions, a detailed cockpit and fuselage and step-by-step instructions.

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E-Flite to Release Beechcraft D18/RC-45J 1.5m RC Model

E-Flite will soon release a new Beechcraft D18/RC-45J 1.5m RC model in PNP and PNF Basic versions.

Described as “the most convenient, capable, and easiest to fly scale model of one of general and military aviation’s most recognizable aircraft,” the offering is equipped with a twin brushless power system with specially tuned motors to deliver better-than-scale-like performance when using 3S 3200-5000mAh batteries. Even more speed and unlimited vertical performance is reportedly provided with a 4S battery – no modifications or upgrades required.

It’s also equipped with an exclusive Spektrum Avian Dual 40-amp Smart Lite ESC, which can provide a variety of real-time power system telemetry data with both Smart and non-Smart batteries via compatible receivers (including the AR631+ installed in the BNF Basic version) and Spektrum AirWare-equipped transmitters. The BNF Basic version is also the only Twin Beech model equipped with enhanced AS3X+ and optional-use SAFE Select technologies, making it the easiest to fly D18/RC-45J yet. Factory-finished in a highly visible and fully painted white with orange Navy trim scheme, the lightweight yet durable, composite-reinforced EPO airframe features an abundance of scale detail — molded-in panel lines and hatches, antennas, exhaust stacks, a pilot figure, and more. Included functional flaps, twin rudders, and LED navigation lights elevate your experience to the next level. Factory-installed electric retracts with durable metal components making it possible to take off from a wide variety of surfaces, including paved runways, packed dirt, and even grass. The unique 3-piece wing design makes storage and transport as convenient as possible, as the center section houses the main gear, and all sections feature innovative hands-free connections. Best of all, because no glue is required for final assembly, you can have the Beechcraft D18/RC-45J 1.5m ready to fly in less time than it takes to charge a battery!

The model is currently slated for release later this month. Click below to check out a promo video for the upcoming release.

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E-Flite to Release Ultra Micro 510mm Gee Bee R-2 RC Model

On the heels of their new 1.0m Gee Bee R-2, E-Flite is gearing up to release an ultra micro 510mm BNF Basic example with AS3X and SAFE Select.

AS3X technology works behind the scenes to help you enjoy the outstanding stability and control you always wanted but never thought possible in such a small airplane, let alone in a model of the Gee Bee. Optional-use SAFE Select flight envelope protection technology delivers automatic self-leveling plus pitch and bank angle limits that make it possible to successfully fly such a unique design even if you’re an intermediate RC pilot. It also features a quieter and more powerful 2S and 3S compatible motor, along with a modified fuselage and stronger wing, designed to handle the extra weight, power, and speed when using 3S 280–300mAh batteries. Best of all, it arrives 100% factory-assembled and ready to bind to your favorite Spektrum DSM2/DSMX-equipped transmitter so you can be flying in almost no time!

The upcoming release boasts an authentic scale outline with abundant details including flying wires and a pilot. It is currently slated for release later this month. Click below to check out a promo video.

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From Sopwith Camel to Harrier: Hawker’s Naval Fighters Chronicled in New Book

The naval fighters of Sopwith and Hawker will take center stage in author Christopher Budgen’s upcoming book Hawker’s Naval Fighters: Camel to Sea Harrier, released by Pen & Sword.

In 1912, TOM Sopwith transitioned from running a flying school to manufacturing aircraft, leveraging his nautical interests to create designs purchased by Britain’s Royal Navy. The onset of the First World War solidified the Sopwith Aviation Company’s reputation with aircraft like the Sopwith Camel widely used onboard the ships of the day. After the war, cancellations of government orders forced Sopwith Aviation into liquidation, However, a new company, the HG Hawker Engineering Company, was quickly formed, having been named after Sopwith’s test pilot, Harry Hawker. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Hawker produced designs that continued to be purchased by the Royal Navy, being used on the early aircraft carriers as well as the larger vessels of the fleet. With the outbreak of the Second World War, the RN’s Fleet Air Arm found itself woefully unprepared for battle, having mainly biplanes and slow monoplanes with which to face the modern German fighters and bombers. As a temporary solution, Hawker adapted the Hurricane into the Sea Hurricane. Hawker later developed advanced piston-engine fighters like the Fury and its naval counterpart, the Sea Fury, which saw action during the Korean War and Suez Crisis in 1956. The Sea Fury was succeeded by Hawker’s first jet, the Sea Hawk, marking the Fleet Air Arm’s transition into the jet age. The Sea Hawk also served the Indian Navy during its conflicts with Pakistan. Hawker’s successful Hunter, although primarily for the RAF, was used by the Royal Navy for land-based operations. Meanwhile, Hawker’s next design, the ground breaking Harrier, was ordered as the Sea Harrier; it saw action during the Falklands War, and, in due course, in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia and in Iraq. From its earliest days then, the Hawker Aircraft Company has supplied winning designs to the Royal Navy and to many navies overseas, a feat that few other companies could match.

The 232 Page hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release scheduled for April 30.

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