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Eduard Reports Progress On Upcoming New Tool Hawker Tempest Model Kit

Following their initial announcement at the E-Day International Scale Kit Exhibition last October, Eduard has reported progress on their upcoming new tool Hawker Tempest Mk.V model kit in 1/48 scale.

In addition to new renderings, the company has released potential marking options for the kit, which include JN751 of 150 Wing, SN129 of 486 Squadron, NV724 of 3 Squadron, SN228 of 122 Wing and EJ588 of 501 Squadron.

The new details were reported at a press conference at Nuremberg which provided an overview of new products planned for 2018. A final release date for the new Tempest has not yet been reported.

Click below to check out the new images.

Continue reading Eduard Reports Progress On Upcoming New Tool Hawker Tempest Model Kit

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First Trailer Released For Upcoming WW2 Film “Hurricane” [Video]

Earlier today, Kaleidoscope Film Distribution released a new teaser for the upcoming film Hurricane, which reportedly tells “the untold true story of Squadron 303” and “the Polish fliers who found themselves fighting for the freedom of their own country in foreign skies.”

Flying Hurricanes for the RAF over Britain, they became a key component in the legend of ‘The Few’. Up against the might of the Luftwaffe they hoped that, by saving Great Britain from Nazi invasion, they were keeping the dream of a free Poland alive. In the lethal melee above England in that summer of 1940, they fought with a tenacity and skill that earned them the admiration of the whole British nation. The dogfights against superior planes cost some of the men their lives.

The story is experienced through the eyes of fighter ace and adventurer Jan Zumbach, played by Iwan Rheon (Game Of Thrones, Misfits, Inhumans) who discovers that “becoming the best in the RAF is a hollow victory for the Poles,” as “even in a man’s finest hour, cynical political manoeuvrings can destroy his hopes, strip away his dignity and lead him to a very dark place indeed.” Continue reading First Trailer Released For Upcoming WW2 Film “Hurricane” [Video]

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Airfix Releases New Tool B-25C/D Model Kit

Airfix has released their new tool B-25C/D Mitchell model kit in 1/72 scale.

As previously reported, the offering (A06015) serves as a 21st century upgrade to the company’s previous 1/72 B-25 (which was originally released in 1965), utilizing “the very latest design and production techniques.” The kit is touted as “a highly accurate” representation of the machine, created with the aid of original construction drawings obtained from the Smithsonian as well as data gathered from an up-close inspection of B-25D FR193 (41-30792) based at the National War and Resistance Museum in Overloon, Holland.

Special attention has been paid to accurately reproducing the type’s “distinct gull-winged appearance,” which includes “a slight anhedral being incorporated to the outer wing area from the engine nacelles outwards.” Two livery options are also included representing B-25D-15 41-30409 “Lady Jane” of the 23rd Anti-Submarine Squadron and B-25C 41-12860 “Desert Warrior” of the 12th Bombardment Group.

Product Page ($32.47)

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Cold War KC-97G Stratofreighter to be Reborn as Restaurant/Lounge

The International Exposition (IX) Center in Cleveland, Ohio is working to add a unique eatery/lounge to the south side of the convention and exhibition hall that will be housed in a Boeing KC-97G Stratofreighter.

The IX Center’s aircraft operated as a tanker with the Ohio Air National Guard from 1963-1968 before being sent to the boneyard at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, where it remained for nearly four decades. It was acquired last year and work is now underway to convert it into a 50-seat restaurant and lounge by 2020.

The machine was dismantled and transported to Cleveland via flatbed truck, where it was reassembled over a 3.5 week period and positioned behind the Center. Although the refueling tanks were removed, almost all of the machine’s original equipment is said to be intact. Deterioration was also found to be minimal due to the dry desert conditions in which it was stored. Continue reading Cold War KC-97G Stratofreighter to be Reborn as Restaurant/Lounge

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Museum to Display Full-Scale Spitfire Sculpture During RW388 Restoration

The original Spitfire LF Mk. XVIe based at the Potteries Museum and Art Gallery in Hanley, Staffordshire has been dismantled ahead of a major, off-site restoration that will see it returned to its former glory.

The museum closed on January 22nd in order to remove the aircraft (RW388) from the popular Spitfire gallery, where it has been on display since 1985. When the facility reopens on February 10th, the gallery will reportedly contain a temporary replacement in the form of a full-scale Spitfire sculpture crafted by apprentices at KMF Group Ltd.

As previously reported, RW388 was originally built by Vickers-Armstrongs, Ltd. in 1945 and served in a training role during WW2. Following the war it was used as a gate guard at RAF Benson and RAF Andover before being officially presented to the city of Stoke-on-Trent by the Royal Air Force in 1972. After arriving at the museum, it was given a place of honor in the Spitfire gallery, which is dedicated to the type’s locally-born designer, Reginald Mitchell.

In 2019, the restored Spitfire is slated to return to the museum for display in a new, £6 million glass-fronted extension that will also include a new cafe and city square.

Click below to check out a time-lapse of RW388 being dismantled as well as photos of the replacement sculpture.

Continue reading Museum to Display Full-Scale Spitfire Sculpture During RW388 Restoration

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“The Flying Machine: Early Aero Quarterly” Winter 2018 Edition Now Available!

Aerodynamic Media, LLC is proud to announce the release of the sixth issue of The Flying Machine: Early Aero Quarterly.

Issue #6 Contents:

36 Pages – Wright Tour Guide: Examining Sites and Artifacts Connected to the Wright Brothers and the Birth of Powered Flight (Part 1); Fighter World Sopwith Camel Project; Avro Rigging Notes (Part 2); News Briefs: Owls Head Transportation Museum Projects, Restoration of King/Coughlin Sopwith Pup, New Displays at Udvar-Hazy; Products

The Flying Machine focuses exclusively on “aeroplanes” manufactured prior to 1920, as well as the current work of historians, builders, restorers, museums and collectors to preserve and promote interest in the early years of flight. Published in print and digital formats, The Flying Machine is offered on a pay-per-issue basis – no subscription required!

Join us as we pay tribute to early aircraft and the visionaries, geniuses and daredevils who conquered the air while producing some of the most fascinating, ingenious and beautiful machines in aviation’s short history.

Click here to purchase!

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Group Planning Another Search for Pittsburgh’s Legendary “Ghost Bomber”

The B-25 Recovery Group believes it has narrowed down the possible location of Pittsburgh’s famous “ghost bomber” and are reportedly considering another search.

The aircraft, TB-25N S/N 44-29125 (similar to the type seen above), was on a training flight from Nevada to Harrisburg when it ran out of fuel and ditched in Monongahela River near Homestead, Pennsylvania on January 31, 1956. While four crew members managed to make it to shore, two tragically perished in the freezing waters.

Subsequent searches for the aircraft were fruitless, and its whereabouts have become one of the area’s most enduring mysteries. Since 1995, the B-25 Recovery Group has been conducting research and mapping the riverbed with sonar in search of the missing bomber. Their investigation suggests that the machine came to rest in a submerged gravel pit and was eventually buried by silt. The team is focusing on a 50 x 200′ location off the Glenwood Bridge and may return this October to conduct another search.

After obtaining permits, the group hopes to drill in a grid-like pattern every 7.5′ – a method that they believe will locate the aircraft no matter what condition it may be in.

(via TribLIVE Additional Information via B-25 Recovery Group)

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Wingnut Wings Reveals Upcoming 1/32 Junkers D.1

Wingnut Wings’ upcoming mystery model has debuted at the Nuremberg International Toy Fair and will represent the Junkers D.1 in 1/32 scale.

The D.1 was introduced late in WW1 and became the first all-metal fighter to enter service. Little is known about the upcoming kit at the moment, but several photos of the display have been captured and can be seen below.

Continue reading Wingnut Wings Reveals Upcoming 1/32 Junkers D.1

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Watch D-Day Lead Aircraft “That’s All, Brother” Perform Its First Post-Restoration Flight [Video]

Today, the C-47 that led the paratroop drop during the D-Day invasion returns to the air for its first post-restoration flight in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The aircraft (S/N 42-92847), which was given the name “That’s All, Brother” in order to send a personal message to Hitler, was discovered by a researcher in 2015 as it was waiting to be converted into a modern BT-67 turboprop. After its historic significance was uncovered, the Texas-based Commemorative Air Force (CAF) stepped in to negotiate for acquisition of this extremely important part of world history.

The restoration has sought to return the historic machine to airworthy condition in its exact D-Day configuration. Once flight tests are complete, it will be assigned to the CAF Central Texas Wing in San Marcos, where volunteers will be responsible for its care and maintenance. Work will also be carried out to finish the interior and detail work and restore the machine’s exterior to its 1944 appearance. Over coming years, the CAF plans to offer aircraft tours, attend aviation events and conduct educational programs before flying “That’s All, Brother” back to Normandy to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the D-Day invasion in 2019.

Click below to check out video of the first flight.

Continue reading Watch D-Day Lead Aircraft “That’s All, Brother” Perform Its First Post-Restoration Flight [Video]

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Stranded PBY Catalina Nearly Ready for Return to Flight

Following an emergency landing and three-month grounding, the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society’s (HARS) PBY-6A Catalina (A24-362/VH-PBZ) is nearly ready to return to the air.

The machine was en route to the Rathmines Catalina Festival back in October when it developed engine trouble and landed at Maitland Airport in New South Wales, where it has remained ever since. Major progress toward a return to flight was made earlier this week when a rebuilt Pratt & Whitney R1830 engine was delivered to the site from the machine’s home base at Ablion Park.

The engine has since been installed and test runs are planned for Wednesday. If all goes well, a test flight will follow and the team will return on a weekend to fly it home. Continue reading Stranded PBY Catalina Nearly Ready for Return to Flight