[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Hawker Hurricane; Battle of Britain; Sergeant Ginger Lacy; Corgi 1:72
Length just below 6"; Wingspan just under 7"

One of the heroes of the Battle of Britain!!! Congratulations. It indeed is a great looking replica.

A Hurricane is preserved in the IAF museum in Delhi If I recall correctly. I also recall reading somewhere eventhough RIAF Hurricanes were mostly involved in CAS and strike missions, a RIAF Hurricane engaged and damaged an IJA Ki-45 in Burma in air combat.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

A Hurricane is preserved in the IAF museum in Delhi If I recall correctly

Yes

I also recall reading somewhere eventhough RIAF Hurricanes were mostly involved in CAS and strike missions, a RIAF Hurricane engaged and damaged an IJA Ki-45 in Burma in air combat

Yes

Originally Posted by Foxbat

Very detailed model, is it diecast?

Yes

Can we have a picture of your WWII fighter collection?

Will do though it will take a while as the apartment is under renovation.

I had never heard of this Ace before with 28 kills, interesting to note the 2nd highest scoring German Ace, Gerhard Barkhorn, had 301 kills !

The Germans in WW-II held the first about 120 spots in the fighter ace list of all nations. Following them were the Soviets and Finns and Japs and much lower down the British & Americans. There has been much debate over this as one can imagine. Were the Germans so vastly better pilot for pilot or were there a multitude of factors involved.

The assessment below is only my personal opinion based on years of reading tit bits here and there. First we must give the Germans full credit to for skill, courage and perseverance in face of all odds. We must acknowledge that those German fliers who survived displayed an incredible aptitude for flying perfection. This capability as world beaters also shows up in the list of submarine commanders. Second on both the Western and Eastern Fronts after 1942 the German Luftwaffe was outnumbered by a magnitude which meant that the Allies and Soviets were largely flying ground attack, city bombing or direct army co-operation missions while the Germans were flying a disproportionate number of air defense mission. On the Western front after D-Day for 11 months the Allies faced only a sprinkling of air resistance simply because German aircraft were in short supply and their pilots were dead.

Another fundamental difference in philosophy was the British & Americans rotated their pilots between high stress high danger operations to ones that were less stressful and then back again. So no Western pilot was on combat operations for all 6 or 7 years. The Germans and Japs kept their men flying and scoring till they could fly. I do not know what the Russians did. Some in the past, especially in the 1970s magazines, used to disparage the German scores but that prejudice is now settled. The Luftwaffe and the RAF, in my eyes, followed similar policies of score verification and the German scores are now believed to be accurate.

All this arm chair analysis does not take away the fact that the Germans occupy the lion’s share of the top 200 positions.

[V.Narayan]

Dassault Super Mystere B.2; 1:72 scale
Wing span ~6 inches; Length ~8 inches

A beautiful well proportioned aircraft that was the first European machine capable of level supersonic flight to go into full scale production. It was over shadowed by its successor the Dassault Mirage III Mach 2.0 fighter but nevertheless in the hands of the Israelis gave a commendable account of itself in combat.

This aircraft has also been displayed in post 627 on page 42. My thanks to Foxbat for pointing me to this on E-Bay.


The thin 45 degree sweep wing gave it its supersonic ability. Greater the sweep and thinner the wing faster the aircraft goes for a given thrust. The big dog tooth mid wing on the leading edge scrubs the air over the wing and postpones the air breaking up at high angles of attack thus aiding stability in flight and maneuvers.


The Super Mystere was just supersonic in level flight reaching a maximum of Mach 1.14 at 36,000 feet. Effective combat radius would be in the 250 to 350 kms bracket depending on stores and flight profile.


The engines was a SNECMA Atar delivering 44 kN with after burner and 33 kN dry. At full after burner the engine consumed fuel at ~80 kgs a minute and the internal fuel of 2000 kgs had about a 25 minute endurance with full after burner.


MTOW of 10,000 kgs of which external load could be 2280 kgs. The hollow nose air intake was a proven design layout of the 1940s and 1950s seen in the American Sabre, the French Mystere & Ouragan, the Soviet MiG-15, 17 and 19, the Swedish Saab J29 Tunnan and Japan's Fuji T.1 Trainer jet.


4 pylons for bombs and SNEB 68mm rockets or drop tanks. Two 30mm DEFA cannons with 150 rounds per gun made up the business end. The Israelis fitted their first generation infra red AAMs too.


The Super Mystere was my first Airfix toy in 1969. Such high end toys were a rarity in those austere days and the model adorned my desk for years. The box is still around but the model isn't.

Photo Source: Airliners.net
Super Mystere of the Armee d El'Air - in service 1957 to 1977. 180 were. Retired from Honduras's Air force in 1996. built.

[V.Narayan]

Su-30MK IAF Tri-colour livery; JC Wings 1:72; diecast

Model is 12' long and has a wing span of ~8"

Every aircraft lover in India knows this plane so I wont write a long essay on it. Clearly the apple of my eye for now. Skanchan95 - your 1:200 model was my inspiration to get this 1:72 model. Thank you. The finish, detailing down to the aerials and antennae are excellent. The 2 crew members provided are about 1 mm too large to fit into the cockpit!!! Otherwise a great asset to acquire. The missile pylons & landing gear covers needed chiseling to get them in.







In the 1970s when design got started on the Su-27 the Soviet TsAGI, their main aeronautical design bureau, researched and settled on a design built around two large widely spaced engines, a flat lifting centre body, twin tail rudders, a large wing with long sweeping leading edge root extensions and a 360 degree vision cockpit. This was very much like the F-15. I don't think they copied just that two great design teams are likely to converge on similar solutions for a similar objective. The MKI brought in the canards while retaining the tail planes. This design was also used for the MiG-29. And broadly is the design approach behind the Eurofighter and Rafale - with canards added but without the tail planes.



Details for the Su-30MKI - top speed Mach 2.0 at altitude and Mach 1.1 lo-lo; Normal T.O. weight 29 tonnes, MTOW 38 tonnes; Initial climb rate 300 metres/second; Engines 13.7 kN thrust x 2



Armed with the R73 AAMs on the two outers, the R77 on the middle pylons and the R27 on the inners. The R73 is matched to the helmet mounted sight and is one of the most, if not the most maneuverable AAM in the world. The R77 is the Russian Beyond Visual Range AAM with a 80 to 100 kms range. The MKI version has 12 hard points.



India has 272 on order of the advanced MKI version. Most delivered. It seems cost and effort of maintenance is high and no further orders are planned. Sad as we are out on a limb on the Rafale and Tejas full scale production is still some time away.



In real life.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Su-30MK IAF Tri-colour livery; JC Wings 1:72; diecast

Thank you for sharing the pics sir.. It is a wonderfully detailed model and you probably are the first to get this model in India. The Flanker is a magnificent machine and every model collector's delight. To get a Su-30 Indian colours is just outstanding and one cannot ask for more. Congratulations, I am so happy for you!!!!

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The missile pylons & landing gear covers needed chiseling to get them in.

It unfortunately is a minor problem on JC Wings 1/72 Fighter models. Had the same trouble on the EF-2000 and Super Hornet.

Is the refueling probe on the model retractable or fixed? You bought the stand seperately or was it a part of the model?

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The MKI version has 12 hard points.

Then you should get rid of the inner most R-27ETs , as the K/MKs had 10 weapons stations(three on each wing and four on the fuselage). Also, unlike the MKIs, these early versions did not have the capability to carry or fire the R-77. No additional missiles were provided to mount on the fuselage stations?

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

Thank you for sharing the pics sir.. It is a wonderfully detailed model and you probably are the first to get this model in India.

Yipee:-)

It unfortunately is a minor problem on JC Wings 1/72 Fighter models. Had the same trouble on the EF-2000 and Super Hornet.

hell, it seems to be a khandani problem

Is the refueling probe on the model retractable or fixed?

both alternatives are provided. I opted to glue in the probe in the extended position. I think the probe is disproportionately small but its just my thinking.

You bought the stand separately or was it a part of the model?

It came with the model. I don't know why JC Wings often comes up with these poorly designed stands where the weight is basically on one bolt and that too is about 2 mm too short! I have put that down in my feedback to the vendor. Same thing with the JASDF F-15 I'd acquired a while ago.

Then you should get rid of the inner most R-27ETs , as the K/MKs had 10 weapons stations(three on each wing and four on the fuselage). Also, unlike the MKIs, these early versions did not have the capability to carry or fire the R-77. No additional missiles were provided to mount on the fuselage stations?

They have got Su-30MK mixed up with Su-30MKI and the box and collectors card titles it the Su-30MK1.

The Su-30 along with the Shorts Sunderland, JASDF F-15 and Mitsubishi Zero are my piece de resistance right now. Not to mention the Kiran and Rudra. And of course How can I leave out......

[Foxbat]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Dassault Super Mystere B.2; 1:72 scale
Wing span ~6 inches; Length ~8 inches

The Super Mystere was my first Airfix toy in 1969. Such high end toys were a rarity in those austere days and the model adorned my desk for years. The box is still around but the model isn't.

Glad to have helped you find this, you have kept the box for 50 years
What happened to the model?

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Su-30MK IAF Tri-colour livery; JC Wings 1:72; diecast

Thanks for the pics. Definitely one of the Top 5 models in this thread

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by Foxbat

you have kept the box for 50 years
What happened to the model?

Yup kept the box as a remembrance of days when every little thing was precious. As for the aircraft - I think one of my sisters was suspiciously linked to its disappearance in retaliation for me selling off her dolls to make some money. She denies to this day that she had any role in its sudden demise.

Definitely one of the Top 5 models in this thread

......And which are the other 4 :-)

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

......And which are the other 4 :-)

I would vote for your HF-24, Dhruv, Kiran and DC-3


1:100 Amer Com Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers"
The Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet is a tandem seat, twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. It is a larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18D Hornet. The Super Hornet has an internal 20 mm M61 rotary cannon and can carry air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons. Additional fuel can be carried in up to five external fuel tanks and the aircraft can be configured as an airborne tanker by adding an external air refueling system.

Designed and initially produced by McDonnell Douglas, the Super Hornet first flew in 1995. Low-rate production began in early 1997 with full-rate production starting in September 1997, after the merger of McDonnell Douglas and Boeing the previous month. The Super Hornet entered service with the United States Navy in 1999, replacing the Grumman F-14 Tomcat, which was retired in 2006; the Super Hornet serves alongside the original Hornet. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), which has operated the F/A-18A as its main fighter since 1984, ordered the F/A-18F in 2007 to replace its aging F-111C fleet. RAAF Super Hornets entered service in December 2010.

VFA-103
Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (VFA-103), nicknamed the Jolly Rogers is an aviation unit of the United States Navy established in 1952. VFA-103 flies the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia (US). The squadron's radio callsign is Victory and it is assigned to Carrier Air Wing Seven.

VF-103 began their US Navy service in 1952 with the F4U Corsair and were known as the "Sluggers". They flew in the F9F Cougar, F-8 Crusader,F-4B and F-14A+/B before transitioning to the F model Super Hornet.

The Original "Jolly Rogers" were VF-84 and their Skull & Crossbones Tomcats acquired iconic status( along with their iconic tagline "Fear the Bones"). After VF-84 was decommissioned in 1995, VF-103 Sluggers (flying F-14Bs then) changed their squadron's name and insignia to that of the Jolly Rogers.

In December 2004, VF-103 retired their F-14B Tomcats and began transition to the F/A-18F Super Hornet. Following their transition to the F/A-18F, the squadron was officially re-designated as VFA-103 in February 2005.

[V.Narayan]

Originally Posted by skanchan95

I would vote for your HF-24, Dhruv, Kiran and DC-3

1:100 Amer Com Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet VFA-103 "Jolly Rogers"
The Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet is a tandem seat, twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. It is a larger and more advanced derivatives of the F/A-18D Hornet. [/quote]As great on being multi-role as they come and wholly reliable and mature. Sometimes I wish in 2008 we had gone for the Super Hornet in the MMRCA competition. Only it is not as strikingly maneuverable but other wise truly multi-role. Great acquisition for your growing F/A-18 squadron.

[V.Narayan]

Dornier Do 335 Pfeil : Luftwaffe’s fastest fighter in WW-II; Oxford Models 1:72

Length & Wingspan are both just over 7.5 inches

Gentlemen, bringing to you the Do 335 Pfeil (Arrow) the fastest piston engined fighter to fly in WW-II on either side. The Dornier Do 335 was a unique pull – push twin engine fighter. It was a result of Germany’s desperation towards the latter half of WW-II to come up with war winning weapons. At 760 kmph it was fast and could outrun any Allied fighter. Production, however came too late to see any meaningful action in WW-II.

There are many advantages to this design over the more traditional system of placing one engine on each wing, the most important being power from two engines with the frontal area (and thus drag) of a single-engine design, allowing for higher performance. It also keeps the weight of the twin powerplants on the aircraft centerline thus increasing the roll rate compared to a traditional twin. In addition, a single engine failure does not lead to asymmetric thrust. The choice of a four-surface cruciform tail in the Do 335's rear fuselage design, included a ventral vertical fin–rudder assembly to project downwards from the extreme rear of the fuselage. This added to stability. The Do 335 was the first aircraft to feature a ejection seat. Only 37 were built of which one survives (photo below) at a museum in USA.

Top Speed: 765 kmph
Service Ceiling: 37,000 feet
MTOW: 9600 kgs
Power Plant: 2 x 12-cylinder pistons at 1725 shp each
Armament: 1 x 30mm plus 4 x 20mm cannons
Length: 45 feet; Wingspan: 45 feet







The sole survivor on which the scale model is based.

A very decent 8-minute video with footage from that era

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jK8ydLY5QHQ

A short 2-minute video with a few words from a Do 335 pilot

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWD7QmEMCXA

Aircraft featuring both push and pull props are very rare. The only one I know of that went into series production is the Cessna 337 Skymaster utility aircraft that was also used by the US Army and CIA in Vietnam and Panama.


This is my first model from the Oxford make. For its relatively lower price it is of neat quality and light weight. I used to think Oxford was a second rate brand but am now happy to change my mind.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

Dornier Do 335 Pfeil : Luftwaffe’s fastest fighter in WW-II; Oxford Models 1:72

Length & Wingspan are both just over 7.5 inches

Your quest of acquiring unique models continues. I remember the weird looking Do-335 from the flight sim title "Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe". For a propeller driven fighter, it was quite fast. Congratulations on getting another superb looking model in your collection.

1:200 Airbus A400M Atlas (Lupa Models)
Same as the one posted by Narayan sir earlier on this thread
Currently in service with the Air Forces of Germany, France, UK, Spain, Turkey and Malaysia.









My pathetic attempt at setting up an air to air refuelling diorama with a Mirage 2000 of the same scale....






The real EC-406


Meanwhile, I finally got a stand for my 1/400 Aeroclassics Air India A320neo. It was among the first models I got from DBjets almost a year and half ago. I had requested for a stand for the model and forgotten about it. But he remembered it and got the stand for me. A stand dramatically changes the stance of an aircraft model.

[skanchan95]

1:72 McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A+ Hornet VMFA-115 "Silver Eagles" Lajes Airbase 2013 - The Legacy Hornet
Designed as a replacement for the A-4 Skyhawk and the A-7 Corsair II and as a complement to the F-14 Tomcat, the A model of the F/A-18 first flew on November 18, 1978.

Perhaps best known as the aircraft of the US Navy's Blue Angels, this carrier-capable, supersonic, all-weather fighter has many roles, including fighter escort, fleet air defense, strike and close air support. The F/A-18 is a versatile aircraft: it can operate from carriers or land bases and a single switch converts it from fighter to strike mode.

During Operation Desert Storm, the F/A-18 proved that, on a single mission, one aircraft could serve as both fighter and a bomber. On 17 January, 1991 - the first day of the Gulf war, U.S. Navy pilots Lieutenant Commander Mark I. Fox and his wingman, Lieutenant Nick Mongilio were sent from USS Saratoga in the Red Sea to bomb an airfield in southwestern Iraq. While en route, they were warned by an E-2C of an approaching Iraqi MiG-21. The Hornets shot down the two MiGs with AIM-7 and AIM-9 missiles in a brief dogfight. The F/A-18s, each carrying four 2,000 lb (910 kg) bombs, then resumed their bombing run before returning to Saratoga.

The Hornet first saw combat action during the 1986 United States bombing of Libya and subsequently participated in the 1991 Gulf War and 2003 Iraq War. The F/A-18 Hornet served as the baseline for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, its larger, evolutionary redesign.

McDonnell Douglas rolled out the first F/A-18A on 13 September 1978, in blue-on-white colors marked with "Navy" on the left and "Marines" on the right. Its first flight was on 18 November. In a break with tradition, the Navy pioneered the "principal site concept"with the F/A-18, where almost all testing was done at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, instead of near the site of manufacture, and using Navy and Marine Corps test pilots instead of civilians early in development. In March 1979, Lt. Cdr. John Padgett became the first Navy pilot to fly the F/A-18.

Following trials and operational testing by VX-4 and VX-5, Hornets began to fill the Fleet Replacement Squadrons VFA-125, VFA-106, and VMFAT-101, where pilots are introduced to the F/A-18. The Hornet entered operational service with Marine Corps squadron VMFA-314 at MCAS El Toro on 7 January 1983, and with Navy squadron VFA-25 in March 1984, replacing F-4s and A-7Es, respectively.

Navy strike-fighter squadrons VFA-25 and VFA-113 (assigned to CVW-14) deployed aboard USS Constellation from February to August 1985, marking the first deployment for the F/A-18.

The initial fleet reports were complimentary, indicating that the Hornet was extraordinarily reliable, a major change from its predecessor, the F-4J. Other squadrons that switched to F/A-18 are VFA-146 "Blue Diamonds", and VFA-147 "Argonauts". In January 1985, the VFA-131 "Wildcats" and the VFA-132 "Privateers" moved from Naval Air Station Lemoore, California to Naval Air Station Cecil Field, Florida to became the Atlantic Fleet's first F/A-18 squadrons.

The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron switched to the F/A-18 Hornet in 1986, replacing the A-4 Skyhawk. The Blue Angels perform in F/A-18A, B, C, and D models at air shows and other special events across the US and worldwide. Blue Angels pilots must have 1,400 hours and an aircraft-carrier certification. The two-seat B and D models are typically used to give rides to VIPs, but can also fill in for other aircraft in the squadron in a normal show, if the need arises.

Differences between F/A-18A & F/A-18A+
The F/A-18A is the single-seat variant and the F/A-18B is the two-seat variant. The space for the two-seat cockpit is provided by a relocation of avionics equipment and a 6% reduction in internal fuel; two-seat Hornets are otherwise fully combat-capable. The B-model is used primarily for training.

In 1992, the original Hughes AN/APG-65 radar was replaced with the Hughes (now Raytheon) AN/APG-73, a faster and more capable radar. A-model Hornets that have been upgraded to the AN/APG-73 are designated F/A-18A+.

VMFA-115 "Silver Eagles"
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115) is a United States Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet squadron, officially nicknamed as the "Silver Eagles".

The squadron has seen combat during World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars and has deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom with a final deployment in 2008 to Al Asad Airbase in western Iraq. The Squadron radio callsign is "Blade". The squadron motto, coined by Drama, is "SMOKEM IF YOU GOT'EM".

After flying Phantoms for more than 20 years, VMFA-115 began the transition to the F/A-18A Hornet on January 1, 1985, and officially stood up with 14 aircraft on August 16, 1985. The following year, the squadron became officially known as the "Silver Eagles.”

In July 1987, VMFA-115 returned to the Western Pacific to participate in the Unit Deployment Program (UDP) at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan. The squadron was recognized for superior maintenance, receiving the Secretary of Defense Phoenix Award for Maintenance Excellence, and earned the Hanson Award as Marine Corps Fighter Squadron of the Year for both 1987 and 1988. This was the first time a Marine Fighter Squadron had won the Hanson Award two consecutive years.

In 1989, VMFA-115 returned to the Philippines and supported government forces during a coup attempt there. The squadron flew armed combat air patrol and escort missions, helping to stabilize the situation. The squadron’s efforts were recognized again as the coveted Hanson Award became a “Silver Eagle” possession in 1990 for the third time in four years. During the years from 1991 to 2000, the “Silver Eagles” conducted numerous six-month deployments in support of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing as part of the Western Pacific Unit Deployment Program (UDP).

In Feb 2008, VMFA-115 deployed to Al Asad airbase, Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom where they were the Marine Corp's first ever forward Air Controller capable single seat F/A-18 squadron directing and providing Close Air Support to their Marine brethren on the ground.

In 2020, the Silver Eagles will become the second F-35C squadron of the USMC.

Model armed with 2 X AIM-9 IRMs, 2 X GBU-12 LGBs, 2 X 1200 L drop tanks, 1X Litening Laser Designation Pod.



Then VMFA-115 CO's bird (Lt Col Lance G "Mumales" Patrick)








Mine's the 102nd one of 600 such models produced




The real VMFA -115 F/A-18A+ VE-201


U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Steele, right, the commander of the 65th Operations Support Squadron, greets Marine Corps Lt. Col. Lance Patrick, the commander of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115 (circa 2013)


With this, my single sear F/A-18 variants(1/72 A/C/E) collection is complete. Missing the B & D variant. I would dearly love to add a F/A-18D "Night Attack" Hornet in USMC colours.

[V.Narayan]

^^^^^
Skanchan95, You are on a Hornet-Tomcat roll. That is a very nice piece you have got. The F/A -18 has been a aviation winner on multi-role capability and reliability. It was derived from the Northrop YF-17 which was the loser in the competitive face off with the General Dynamics YF-16 - today's Lockheed F-16. The USN saw potential in the YF-17 and out came the F/A-18 that has ruled the carrier decks for 3 decades and more.

The air to air refuelling looks good :-). These prop transports such as A400M have character. I have watched it perform at various Paris air shows and dance in the air. She's a beauty.

[skanchan95]

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

^^^^^
Skanchan95, You are on a Hornet-Tomcat roll. That is a very nice piece you have got.

Thank you sir. Two more Tomcats on the way :-)

Originally Posted by V.Narayan

The air to air refuelling looks good :-). These prop transports such as A400M have character. I have watched it perform at various Paris air shows and dance in the air. She's a beauty.

Yeah Prop transports do look good compared to their jet powered counterparts. One light transport aircraft that I really wish to add to my collection is the Grumman C-2 Greyhound.