In his recently released book Fighting Fifteen: The Navy’s Top Ace and the Deadliest Hellcat Squadron of the Pacific War, author Stephen L. Moore shares the inspiring, action-packed tale of VF-15, the elite group of U.S. Navy “top gun” pilots that destroyed more enemy planes than any other Pacific War squadron.

David McCampbell ended his tour of duty as the navy’s “ace of aces,” with thirty-four confirmed enemy planes shot down, and received the Medal of Honor. His “Fighting Fifteen” played a major part in bringing an end to the Pacific War. But when the squadron was commissioned in 1943, most of its men—some barely out of their teenage years—were completely new to aerial combat. A string of deadly crashes during training in their rugged new F6F-3 Hellcats led the men to be booted off their first carrier. With their commander fired and McCampbell installed in his place, the group’s future looked bleak.

But McCampbell transformed this ragged group of talented but disparate individuals into a selfless team of well-trained aviators, and by the time they formally entered the Pacific War with a series of daring island strikes, they were ready. Nicknamed “Satan’s Playmates,” during six critical months of combat the squadron destroyed a record-setting 660 enemy planes across air and ground. Twenty-six of the men would eventually become aces, ascending to an elite fraternity and immortalizing the “Fabled Fifteen.” Now, using previously unknown accounts from the aviators themselves, military historian Stephen L. Moore places readers in the heart of the action as McCampbell and his flying band of brothers battle the Japanese navy and its formidable Zero fighters to the death.

The 432 page book is currently available in hardcover, Kindle and audiobook formats.

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MiniArt has released the first test build photos for their upcoming, new tool Focke-Wulf 190D-9 (Mimetall) basic kit in 1/48 scale.

As previously reported, the upcoming release (48040) will include an accurate exterior with finely reproduced panel lines and rivets, detailed cockpit with instrument panel and seat, optional open or closed canopy and marking options for two aircraft of Jagdgeschwader 301.

Click below to check out additional test build images.

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A 1947 Beech Bonanza 35 has been spotted for sale. The listing states (in part):

This is a unique and very clean 1947 Bonanza 35 that has received all of the important modern updates while retaining its original, unmolested appearance for the purist. It is Mosaic Light Sport legal and eligible for an auto fuel STC. From its distinctive N-number to its ultra low 2,911 total time on the airframe and just 29.4 hours since firewall-forward, it presents as a very low-time example. It is powered by a Continental E225-8 built by Poplar Grove, turning a no-AD MV Hartzell hydraulic prop, and features a Planepower alternator conversion, Airwolf oil filter STC, all new fuel and oil lines, and nice glass. Recent mechanical upgrades include brand new throttle and mixture cables, a new Kelly ignition harness, heavy duty Cleveland wheels and brakes, firewall-mounted stainless battery box, a 20-gallon auxiliary tank, a new tail beacon with ADS-B capability, a non‑butchered original instrument panel, new 650 x 8 Goodyear tires and tubes, a new Concorde 35AXC battery, complete logs and STCs with no known damage history, pressure carb red seals, and reskinned ruddervators with new horns. The aircraft is owned by a meticulous A&P/IA and has been hangared in Palatka, Florida (28J), with the previous long-time owner also keeping it hangared; it is available for inspection by appointment, but the current owner is selling because it is not flown enough to justify continued ownership.

The aircraft is currently available for US $54,990 although offers are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

New from David Price is How to Build a Spitfire, which marries the story of how the author built a replica Spitfire in his garden with the plane’s operational history.

In April 2018 David Price, dedicated aviation museum volunteer and author of The Crew and Mosquito Men, decided to build a Spitfire replica in his back garden. In How to Build a Spitfire he juxtaposes the story of the ups and down of his own ambitious project to recreate an icon of British aviation with a narrative of the development of the Spitfire itself, focusing in particular on the production of the aircraft and its various component parts – including the Merlin engine. The story includes incredible testimonies from workers in the Supermarine factory in Southampton and in other Spitfire production facilities.

Bringing together the sometimes light-hearted tale of a personal quest, enthusiastically pursued, with an authoritative account of the technical workings of a war-winning weapon, and the stories of the men who flew it, How to Build a Spitfire is a distinctive and affectionate homage to an enduring symbol of British engineering genius and national resilience.

The 320 page book is available in hardcover, Kindle and audiobook formats.

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New this month from Eduard is a limited edition, dual combo Spitfire Mk.Vb kit in 1/72 scale.

“Spitfire Story: The Sweeps” (2154) includes Eduard plastic parts and decals, pre-painted PE parts, a painting mask and marking options representing 11 aircraft flown by RAF pilots of different nationalities who were fighting over the occupied west part of Europe.

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A 1966 Cessna 310K airframe project has been spotted for sale. According to the listing, the airframe (about 6,079 hours total time) is a complete, engineless Colemill President 600–converted “modern” 310—with swept fin, six-seat interior, auxiliary wing tanks, nacelle baggage lockers, and higher gross weight, being sold essentially as a very cheap parts or static/project aircraft. It has mostly light windstorm cosmetic damage: a bent right aileron, pitot and nose cap damage, minor rubbing on the left wing leading edge and vertical fin top, a small superficial dent on the right tip tank, a broken strobe cap, and a localized corrosion spot at the nosecone skin, but no damage reported to the gear, flaps, left aileron, tail surfaces, gear doors, firewalls, cowlings, or engine mounts. The cockpit retains six seats, a Century III autopilot with altitude hold and full coupling, older but complete nav/comm/ADF/DME/transponder gear, and full flight and engine instruments, and it comes with complete airframe logbooks from 1966 through the last annual in July 2020 (about 28 hours ago), an FAA bill of sale, and inexpensive FAA registration potential, making it attractive primarily as a low-cost donor for thousands of usable parts or as a creative static display rather than a practical candidate to return to flight.

The aircraft is located in Pawhuska, OK and is currently available for US $2,495, although bids are also being accepted. Click here to check out the eBay listing, which includes additional photos and details.

The English Electric/BAC Lightning will take center stage in Richard Hall’s upcoming book Lightning: From Inception to Preservation.

The Lightning was advanced for its time and required considerable investment and research to take it from the drawing board to active service as an effective fighting machine. Significant strides were made in the early years after the award of the contract—all of which could have come to nothing when it was deemed in the 1957 Defence White Paper that piloted aircraft had had their day. The design was saved only by its advanced stage of development; as is often the case in flight, turbulence is to be expected. But despite the obstacles put in its path, the Lightning prevailed to become one of Britain’s most admired and respected fast jets.

The book takes the reader through the politics that threatened its development, its groundbreaking design, its service career and many other aspects of its extraordinary history. The 224 page, hardcover book is currently available for pre-order with release slated for January 30.

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Among Eduard’s January new releases is a Avia S-199 bubble canopy Hybrid” model kit in 1/48 scale.

The aircraft is a late modification of the Czechoslovak-built derivative of the Messerschmitt Bf 109 that replaced the original framed canopy with a clearer, more modern-style “bubble” hood to improve pilot visibility, especially to the rear and sides. This variant retained the S-199’s Jumo 211 bomber engine and generally poor handling but offered a better field of view than earlier S-199s with standard canopies, and it appeared only in relatively small numbers near the end of the type’s service life.

The kit (948012) includes Eduard plastic parts and decals with a painting mask and marking options for six aircraft. A number of resin parts are also included, such as the cockpit, wheel wells, exhausts, barrels, antennas, air intake and undercarriage.

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A BD-5B project has been spotted for sale. The listing states:

BD5 Project. Included is a 5.2″stretch kit to give a longer cockpit, partially started. Also available is a Solar T62-2A1 turbine engine that could be incorporated into this airplane, TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY. No builders logs to this stage of completion, but can be easily finished to airworthiness (less than 50% prior completion). There is extensive documentation, with a Canada DOT approval for sections of this airplane, which was begun as a high school shop project in the mid 1970s. Minor surface corrosion on leading edge of wing.

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