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Some background:
The Rolls-Royce Griffon engine was designed in answer to Royal Navy specifications for an engine capable of generating good power at low altitudes. Concepts for adapting the Spitfire to take the new engine had begun as far back as October 1939; Joseph Smith felt that "The good big 'un will eventually beat the good little 'un." and Ernest Hives of Rolls-Royce thought that the Griffon would be "a second power string for the Spitfire". The first of the Griffon-engined Spitfires flew on 27 November 1941. Although the Griffon-powered Spitfires were never produced in the large numbers of the Merlin-engined variants they were an important part of the Spitfire family, and in their later versions kept the Spitfire at the forefront of piston-engined fighter development. The first Griffon-powered Spitfires suffered from poor high- altitude performance due to having only a single stage supercharged engine. By 1943, Rolls-Royce engineers had developed a new Griffon engine, the 61 series, with a two-stage supercharger. In the end it was a slightly modified engine, the 65 series, which was used in the Mk. XIV, the first Spitfire mark with a Griffon engine to enter service. The resulting aircraft provided a substantial performance increase over the Mk IX. Although initially based on the Mk VIII airframe, common improvements made in aircraft produced later included the cut-back fuselage and tear-drop canopies, and the E-Type wing with improved armament.
The Mk. XIV differed from its direct predecessor, the Mk XII, in that the longer, two-stage supercharged Griffon 65, producing 2,050 hp (1,528 kW), was mounted 10 inches (25.4 cm) further forward. The top section of the engine bulkhead was angled forward, creating a distinctive change of angle to the upper cowling's rear edge. A new five-bladed Rotol propeller of 10 ft 5 in (3.18 m) in diameter was used. The "fishtail" design of ejector exhaust stub gave way to ones of circular section. The increased cooling requirements of the Griffon engine meant that all radiators were much bigger, and the underwing housings were deeper than previous versions. The cowling fasteners were new, flush fitting "Amal" type and there were more of them. The oil tank (which had been moved from the lower cowling location of the Merlin engine variants to forward of the fuselage fuel tanks) was increased in capacity from 6 to 10 gal.
To help balance the new engine, the radio equipment was moved further back in the rear fuselage and the access hatch was moved from the left fuselage side to the right. Better VHF radio equipment allowed for the aerial mast to be removed and replaced by a "whip" aerial further aft on the fuselage spine. Because the longer nose and the increased slipstream of the big five-bladed propeller a new tail unit with a taller, broader fin and a rudder of increased area was adopted.
When the new fighter entered service with 610 Squadron in December 1943 it was a leap forward in the evolution of the Spitfire. The Mk. XIV could climb to 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in just over five minutes and its top speed, which was achieved at 25,400 ft (7,700 m), was 446 mph (718 km/h). In operational service many pilots initially found that the new fighter could be difficult to handle, particularly if they were used to earlier Spitfire marks. But in spite of the difficulties, pilots appreciated the performance increases.
F Mk. XIVs had a total of 109.5 gal of fuel consisting of 84 gal in two main tanks and a 12.5 imp gal fuel tank in each leading-edge wing tank; other 30, 45, 50 or 90 gal drop tanks could be carried. The fighter's maximum range was just a little over 460 miles (740 km) on internal fuel, since the new Griffon engine consumed much more fuel per hour than the original Merlin engine of earlier variants. By late 1944, Spitfire XIVs were fitted with an extra 33 gal in a rear fuselage fuel tank, extending the fighter's range to about 850 miles (1,370 km) on internal fuel and a 90 gal drop tank. Mk. XIVs with "tear-drop" canopies had 64 gal. As a result, F and FR Mk. XIVs had a range that was increased to over 610 miles (980 km), or 960 miles (1,540 km) with a 90 gal drop tank. The armament initially consisted of two 20 mm Hispano cannon and four light 0.303” machine guns (in a standard “C” wing configuration), but later builds had the latter replaced with a pair of heavier 0.5” machine guns that had better range and weight of fire (“E” wing configuration).
The first test of the aircraft was in intercepting V1 flying bombs and the Mk. XIV was the most successful of all Spitfire marks in this role. When 150 octane fuel was introduced in mid-1944 the "boost" of the Griffon engine was able to be increased to +25 lbs (80.7"), allowing the top speed to be increased by about 30 mph (26 kn; 48 km/h) to 400 mph (350 kn; 640 km/h) at 2,000 ft (610 m).
The Mk. XIV was used by the 2nd Tactical Air Force as their main high-altitude air superiority fighter in northern Europe with six squadrons operational by December 1944.
One problem which did arise in service was localized skin wrinkling on the wings and fuselage at load attachment points; although Supermarine advised that the Mk. XIVs had not been seriously weakened, nor were they on the point of failure, the RAF issued instructions in early 1945 that all F and FR Mk. XIVs were to be refitted with clipped wings. Spitfire XIVs began to arrive in the South-East Asian Theatre in June 1945, too late to operate against the Japanese. In total, 957 Mk. XIVs were built, over 430 of which were FR Mk. XIVs.
After the war, secondhand Mk. XIVs still in good shape were exported to a number of foreign air forces; 132 went to the Royal Belgian Air Force, 70 went to the Royal Indian Air Force and 30 of the reconnaissance version went to the Royal Thai Air Force. The Royal Iraqi Air Force (RIrAF) was another operator, even though only a small one.
In late 1946, five years after the Anglo-Iraqi War had left the RIrAF shattered, the Iraqis reached an agreement with the British under which they would return their surviving Avro Ansons in exchange for the authorization to order more modern and potent fighter aircraft from the UK, namely Supermarine Spitfires and Hawker Furies. The next year, three de Havilland Doves and three Bristol Freighters were ordered, too, and they arrived in early 1947 with a batch of ten refurbished ex-RAF Spitfire F Mk. XIVcs, some of them WWII survivors. All these machines received the original wing tips to better cope with the expected higher ambient temperatures in the Middle Eastern theatre of operations, reinforced aluminum skinning along the wing roots, and they were retrofitted with hardpoints under the wings and the fuselage to carry unguided missiles, bombs and drop tanks, what gave them an additional ground attack capability. The radio equipment was modernized, too, including a DF loop antenna as navigational aid. Despite these standardizations, though, the Spitfires were delivered with a mix of the different canopies.
The RIrAF was still recovering and re-structuring its assets when it joined in the war against the newly created state of Israel in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The RIrAF only played a small role in the first war against Israel, though. A few Spitfire F Mk. XIVs as well as Avro Anson training bombers operated from Transjordan airfields from where they flew several attacks against the Israelis. After a series of indiscriminate attacks on Arab capitals, flown by three Boeing B-17s that had been pressed into service by the Israeli Air Force, the governments of Transjordan and Syria demanded that the Iraqis take more offensive action and replace their Ansons with Hawker Furies. However, only six Furies were sent to Damascus to join the Spitfires in the region, and they never encountered any Israeli aircraft during their deployment.
Despite some effective attacks on ground targets by the Spitfires, limited amount of cannon ammunition, RPGs and suitable bombs heavily limited the Iraqi operations. The fighters were mostly used for armed reconnaissance, and three Spitfires were upgraded to FR Mk. XIV standard for this purpose. In 1949 a second batch of eight more Spitfire F Mk. XIVs was delivered from Britain, and in 1951 the RIrAF purchased 20 more Fury F.Mk.1s, for a total of 50 F.Mk.1s single-seaters and 2 two-seaters. They soon replaced the Spitfires in frontline units, even though the machines were still kept in service.
In the early Fifties, thanks to increased income from oil and agricultural exports, the RIrAF was thoroughly re-equipped. In 1951, 15 each of de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunks, Percival Provosts and North American T-6s were bought to replace obsolete de Havilland Tiger Moth trainers. With these new aircraft the RIrAF Flying School was expanded into the Air Force College. The training curriculum was improved, and the number of students graduating each year was increased. This allowed to form a solid basis for the RIrAF's long-term growth. Also in 1951, the RIrAF bought its first helicopters: three Westland Dragonflies. The RIrAF's first jet fighter was the de Havilland Vampire: 12 FB.Mk.52 fighters and 10 T.Mk.55 trainers were delivered from 1953 to 1955, and they fully replaced the Spitfires. The Vampires were quickly supplemented by 20 de Havilland Venoms, delivered between 1954 and 1956.
Following the formation of the Baghdad Pact, the United States donated at least six Stinson L-5 Sentinels and seven Cessna O-1 Bird Dogs to the RIrAF. The RAF also vacated Shaibah Air Base, and the RIrAF took over it as Wahda Air Base. In 1957, six Hawker Hunter F.Mk.6s were delivered. The next year, the United States agreed to provide 36 F-86F Sabres free of charge.
However, following the 14 July Revolution of 1958, which resulted in the end of monarchy in Iraq, the influence of the Iraqi Communist Party grew significantly. The first commander of the Iraqi Air Force (the "Royal" prefix was dropped after the revolution), Jalal Jaffar al-Awqati, was an outspoken communist, and encouraged prime minister Abd al-Karim Qasim to improve relations between Iraq and the USSR. The Soviets reacted quickly, and in the autumn of 1958 a series of arms contracts was passed between Iraq and the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia. These stipulated the delivery of MiG-15UTI trainers, MiG-17F fighters, Ilyushin Il-28 bombers, and Antonov An-2 and An-12 transports. The first aircraft arrived in Iraq in January 1959; during the late Sixties and the early Seventies additional MiG-17s may have been purchased and then forwarded to either Syria or Egypt.
General characteristics
Crew: 1
Length: 32 ft 8 in (9.96 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m) with full span elliptical tips
Height: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Wing area: 242.1 sq ft (22.49 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 2213 (root), NACA 2209.4 (tip)
Empty weight: 6,578 lb (2,984 kg)
Gross weight: 7,923 lb (3,594 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 8,400[53] lb (3,810 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Griffon 65 supercharged V12, 2,050 hp (1,530 kW) at 8,000 ft (2,438 m),
driving a 5-bladed Jablo-Rotol propeller
Performance:
Maximum speed: 441 mph (710 km/h, 383 kn) in FS supercharger gear at 29,500 ft.
391 mph in MS supercharger gear at 5,500 ft.
Combat range: 460 mi (740 km, 400 nmi)
Ferry range: 1,090 mi (1,760 km, 950 nmi)
Service ceiling: 43,500 ft (13,300 m)
Rate of climb: 5,040 ft/min (25.6 m/s) in MS supercharger gear at 2,100 ft.
3,550 ft/min in FS supercharger gear at 22,100 ft.
Time to altitude: 7 mins to 22,000 ft (at max weight)
Wing loading: 32.72 lb/sq ft (159.8 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.24
Armament:
2× 20 mm (0.787-in) Hispano Mk II cannon, 120 rpg
4× 0.303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine guns, 350 rpg,
Underwing hard points for 8× 60 lb (27 kg) rockets, 2 x 250 lb (113 kg) bombs or slipper tanks,
1× ventral hardpoint for a 500 lb (227 kg) bomb or a drop tank
The kit and its assembly:
This was a rather spontaneous interim build. The Academy Spitfire was left over from a D-Day combo that contained a Hawker Typhoon, too, and I lacked an idea for the Spitfire for a long time) since I am not a big fan of the aircraft, at least what-if-inspiration-wise). However, when pondering about a potential operator from the very early pos-war period I remembered the Royal Iraqi Air Force and its later Hawker Hunters which retained their NATO-style camouflage (RAF green/grey) despite being primarily operated in a desert environment. This, on a Spitfire…?
From this idea the Academy Spitfire was built almost OOB. Because the kit offers them as an option and for the cool look, I gave the Spitfire four RPGs under each outer wing. The ventral drop tank was taken from a Special Hobby late Spitfire kit. The only other additions are the antenna mast and the non-standard DF loop antenna behind the cockpit, created from thin wire and mounted on a small, streamlined socket.
Painting and markings:
The upper surfaces were painted in standard RAF WWII colors, Dark Green and Ocean Grey, using a mix of Humbrol 163 and 30 for a slightly more bluish WWII-style green and a mix of 106 and 145 for a lightened grey tone, respectively. As an individual contrast and paint scheme variation the undersides and the spinner were painted in RAF Azure Blue (Humbrol 157, lightened up with 47), more appropriate than the standard WWII Medium Sea Grey from the European theatre of operations. The cockpit interior became RAF cockpit green (Humbro,78) while the inside surfaces of the landing gear were painted in Medium Sea Grey (Humbrol 165), reflecting the original undersides’ tone in former RAF service.
Other markings were minimal. The Iraqi triangles were taken from a Balkan Models Su-25 sheet, because their green was rather pale, for more contrast to the surrounding camouflage. RIrAF fin flash was taken from a PM Model Hawker Fury two-seater (a.k.a. “Bagdad Fury”). The tactical code came from an Airfix Hawker Hunter (from an optional Kuwaiti machine). This looked O.K. but somewhat bleak, so I added more markings. I could not find any evidence for special ID markings on Iraqi aircraft during the Arab-Israel war, but to add an eye-catcher I gave the aircraft white ID bands on the wings and on the fuselage – inspired by markings carried by Egyptian aircraft (e. g. Spitfires) during the conflict, but somewhat simplified, without black trim. They were created from generic white decal sheet material.
After some soot stains around the gun ports and the exhausts, the model was sealed with matt acrylic varnish.
A relatively simple project and just a fictional livery - but the Iraqi Spitfire looks pretty cool, especially the ID stripes add a special touch. The European RAF scheme looks a bit off on an aircraft that would be delivered to the Middel East, but the Iraqi Air Force operated British types like the Hunter in this guise, and later Su-22 fighter bombers carried a similarly murky camouflage in very dark green and earth brown.
Remise du Prix de la Créatrice 2015 pour "Force Femmes" au Théâtre de la Michodière, Paris, le 18 janvier 2016.
Félicitations à Laurence Thiébart, Mathilde Chapelle & Anne Mira, les trois lauréates !
© BENOIT BILLARD 2016 - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
First Lady Michelle Obama unveiled the new food icon that will serve as a reminder to help consumers make healthier food choices at the United States Department of Agriculture, Thursday, June 2, 2011. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack accompanied the First Lady at the launch. The White House Child Obesity Task Force called for simple advice to consumers with information to help them make healthy food choices. As a result USDA has introduced the new food icon to replace the MyPyramid image representing the food guide pyramid as the government’s primary food group symbol. USDA photo by Robert Nichols.
U.S. Air Force Academy -- Basic cadets from the class of 2023 arrived here today to begin their journey of becoming an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Incoming personnel transitioned quickly into a military mindset after saying goodbye to family and friends. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)
A U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas F-15 "Eagle" assigned to the 18th Wing, Kadena Air Base, Japan, approaches a Boeing KC-135 "Stratotanker" to receive an in-flight over the Pacific Ocean, refuel Sept. 23, 2017. The 18th Wing operates a fleet of more than 80 combat-ready aircraft to perform air superiority, aerial refueling, airborne warning and control, and combat search and rescue to enhance peace and security throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific Theater.
U.S. Air Force Academy --Basic cadets participate in field day at the Academy's athletic fields, July 13. Field day gives basic cadets an opportunity to compete against each other, as well as cadre, in multiple athletic events. (U.S.Air Force photo/Bill Evans)
These counterfeit Timberland boots are among millions of items seized by Border Force.
Cheap counterfeits damage the economy by undercutting honest traders leaving shoppers with goods that are at best inferior and, at worst, harmful or unsafe.
Border Force officers operate at ports, airports and mail sorting centres to intercept counterfeit goods to protect British consumers and business.
Find out more: www.homeoffice.gov.uk/passports-and-immigration/counterfe...
A scanned slide from days past of John Force blasting from the starting line at Raceway Park. That's the late Buster Coach holding on to his hat on left.
May 1994.
U.S. Air Force Academy -- Basic cadets from the class of 2023 arrived here today to begin their journey of becoming an officer in the U.S. Air Force. Incoming personnel transitioned quickly into a military mindset after saying goodbye to family and friends. (U.S. Air Force photo/Trevor Cokley)
Keflavik Marines re-einforcement deployment arrival from USS Iwo Jima - 1 Bell Venom, 1 Super-Cobra on CAP, 2x MH60s, 2x MV22B and 2x CH53E
Greater Manchester Police’s Police With Pride rainbow car made an appearance at the one of Force Museum’s summer open days.
The vehicle was commissioned by GMP’s Pride Network to address the under-reporting of hate crime in the LGBT community, and its eye-catching design is based on the iconic Rainbow flag which symbolises Gay Pride.
The car will be highly visible during Manchester’s Pride parade in August, and will also be used in other areas where LGBT support is minimal compared to the city centre. However it will not be used to attend hate crime incidents.
Chief Constable Sir Peter Fahy said: “One of the strengths of Greater Manchester is its diversity and the fact so many people have come here from different parts of the world and we have so many different lifestyles and backgrounds. This can create tensions when people are living so close to one another and there are different traditions and belief systems.
“On the other hand, it can never be right for this to be turned into harassment or violence, and for people to be targeted because of their race, religion, sexuality or any other personal characteristic. This car shows our commitment to taking hate crime seriously and encouraging victims to come forward.”
Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Lloyd added: “I am very proud that Greater Manchester Police takes such a visible role at Manchester Pride. It sends an important message to Greater Manchester and the world that the service is committed to equality and supports the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people.
“We have come so far on the road to equality in this country, but it is still the case that people face intolerance, bigotry and hatred simply because of who they are. Decking a police car out in rainbow colours isn't just a colourful statement – it's a bold one. It shows that GMP is on the side of equality. I also hope it will give confidence to any victim of hate crime to come forward and report it."
To report hate crime, call police on 101 or report online at report-it.org.uk
You can also visit one of the third party reporting centres listed at gmp.police.uk/hatecrime
To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit our website.
You should call 101, the new national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Crimestoppers is an independent charity who will not want your name, just your information. Your call will not be traced or recorded and you do not have to go to court or give a statement.
Glam shots for each of the Kickstarter figures. Hit HissTank.com for lots of coverage and discussion on these guys!
Air Force One on final approach to Rinas/Tirana International Airport. The Honor Guard awaits the arrival of the aircraft
Israeli Soldiers from the Caracal Battalion - Every week, every day, around the clock, our troops are on alert: secure the border, improve readiness, patrol and protect the citizens of Israel. A Special glimpse of the ongoing security operations by the Caracal Battalion on the southern border
Photo: Israel Defence Force
The original pic that I cropped for my last post to 119 pictures in2019.
The keen eyed will see that the sun is reflecting off the Force Field that is in place to protect GCHQ
Estonian Defence Force Soldiers from the Scoutspataljon during a Vehicle and foot patrol in Gao, Mali.
Photos: maat Maria Tõkke
+++ DISCLAIMER +++
Nothing you see here is real, even though the conversion or the presented background story might be based historical facts. BEWARE!
Some background:
The Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries during and after the Second World War. The Spitfire was built in many variants, using several wing configurations, and was produced in greater numbers than any other British aircraft.
The Spitfire was designed as a short-range, high-performance interceptor aircraft by R. J. Mitchell, chief designer at Supermarine Aviation Works (which operated as a subsidiary of Vickers-Armstrong from 1928). In accordance with its role as an interceptor, Mitchell designed the Spitfire's distinctive elliptical wing to have the thinnest possible cross-section; this thin wing enabled the Spitfire to have a higher top speed than several contemporary fighters, including the Hawker Hurricane.
It was the only British fighter to be in continuous production throughout World War II, and remained in service with several air forces around the world for several years. One of its post-war operators was the Lebanese Air Force, or Al Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Lubnaniyya (لقوات الجوية اللبنانية).
The Lebanese Air Force was established in 1949 under the command of then-Lieutenant Colonel Emile Boustany who later became commander of the army. Soon after its establishment, a number of planes were donated by the British, French, and Italian governments, with additional planes donated by Britain and Italy later that same year.
Britain donated 4 Percival Prentices, 2 World War II-era Percival Proctors and seven trpocailized Supermarine Spitfires (six Mk. XVIe and one TR.8 two-seater), while Italy donated 4 Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers which were mainly used for transportation.
The Mk XVI Spitfire was a WWII design, and the last variant powered by a Merlin engine and based on the original, sleek fuselage. It was basically the same as the Mk IX, except for the engine, a Merlin 266. The Merlin 266 was the Merlin 66 and was built under licence in the USA by the Packard Motor Company. The "2" was added as a prefix in order to avoid confusion with the engines, as they required different tooling.
All Mk XVI aircraft produced (a total of 1,054 Mk XVIs left Castle Bromwich) were of the Low-Altitude Fighter (LF) variety. This was not determined by the length of the wings (clipped wings were fitted to most LF Spitfires), but by the engine, which had been optimised for low-altitude operation. All production Mk XVIs had clipped wings for low altitude work and were fitted with the rear fuselage fuel tanks with a combined capacity of 75 gal. Many XVIs featured cut-down rear fuselages with bubble canopies. On these aircraft the rear fuselage tank capacity was limited to 66 gal.
Because of a slightly taller intercooler and rearranged accessories on the Packard Merlins a new, bulged upper cowling was introduced, a detail that also appeared on late production IXs. For the service in the Middel East region the Lebanese machines received dust filters which considerably changed the aircraft's silhouette.
Armament consisted of two 20 mm Hispano II cannons - each with 120 rpg - and two 0.50 calibre Browning machine guns - each with 250 rpg. 1 × 500 lb (227 kg) bomb could be carried underneath the centre rack, and 1 × 250 lb (114 kg) bomb could be slung under each wing. As a special feature, the wing hardpoints of the Lebanese Spitfires were "wet" so that slipper tanks with 24 gal. each could be carried, compensating for the reduces rear fuselage tank due to the bubble canopy's lowered dorsal spine.
The Lebanese Spitfires only saw a short service, since in 1953, jet fighters were introduced when 16 de Havilland Vampire jets were received, and the first Hawker Hunters arrived in 1959, which replaced the obsolete Spitfires. This initial Hunter batch was followed by more Hunters through 1977.
In 1968, 12 Mirage IIIELs were delivered from France but were grounded in the late 1970s due to lack of funds. In 2000, the grounded Mirages were sold to Pakistan, and four Hunters were even revived in 2008 and served until 2014.
General characteristics:
Crew: one pilot
Length: 29 ft 11 in (9.12 m)
Wingspan: 36 ft 10 in (11.23 m)
Height: 11 ft 5 in (3.86 m)
Wing area: 242.1 ft2 (22.48 m2)
Airfoil: NACA 2209.4(tip)
Empty weight: 5,065 lb (2,297 kg)
Loaded weight: 6,622 lb (3,000 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 6,700 lb (3,039 kg)
Powerplant:
1× Rolls-Royce Merlin 60 supercharged V12 engine,
rated at 1.470 hp (1.096 kW) at 9.250 ft (2.820 m)
Performance:
Maximum speed: 370 mph, (322 kn, 595 km/h)
Combat radius: 410 nmi (470 mi, 760 km)
Ferry range: 991 nmi (1,135 mi, 1,827 km)
Service ceiling: 36,500 ft (11,125 m)
Rate of climb: 2,600 ft/min (13.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 27.35 lb/ft2 (133.5 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.22 hp/lb (0.36 kW/kg)
Armament:
2x 20mm Hispano Mk II cannon (120 RPG)
2x .5 in Browning machine guns (250 RPG)
Three hardpoints (1 ventral, 1 under each outer wing) for up to 1.000 lb (454 kg).
The kit and its assembly:
This whif is based on a simple idea: how did Lebanon's Air Force start? Small countries make a good whif playground, and I guess that nobody has the Lebanon on his/her list...?
Another factor was that I had some Austrian roundels left in store that could, with a green dot, easily be turned into Lebanese markings. So the theme was quickly settled, but the details take some preparation time, so the idea lingered for some time.
After some legwork I deemed a simple Spitfire with a dust filter worthy as an initial aircraft, and the respective Hobby Boss kit of a Spitfire Mk. VB in the stash came handy.
But somehow this was a bit dull, and at the inception of the Lebanon Air Force there were better option available than an early Mk. V. I still wanted a sleek, Merlin-powered Spitfire variant, though, and eventually settled for the Mk. XVI - with its clipped wings and the bubble canopy it has a very distinctive look.
When a "1 Week group Build" at whatifmodelers.com in the Easter Week 2015 was announced, I took this occassion to build the Lebanese Spitfire.
By that time I already had a basis kit at hand (Heller's Spitfire XVI) as well as some donation parts and decals.
Work was strightforward, the Heller kit was built almost OOB. It's a rather old model kit, with raised panel lines, but good detail. The material is thin, so the built item lacks some structural stability! On the other side, this makes some minor mods really easy: I lowered the flaps and moved the tail rudders slightly off of neutral position. I also opened the cockpit "door" on the left side for later static display, even though the cockpit itself was left OOB. It's a bit "flat", but for the kit's age it's pretty good, and the injected canopy is crystal clear and fits perfectly.
I had some major woes concerning the fit for the forward fuselage, and even more when I tried to mate wings and fuselage: there was a 1mm gap(!) on both sides that had to be bridged with putty, and the thin and flexible material did help much...
Other mods concern the propeller (added a styrene tube and a metal axis for free spin), the radiators (these are molded into the lower wings - sounds horrible, but is made very well and thin, I just added some foamed styrene inside as protective mesh because OOB there's just a blank "box" inside) and the kit received a dust filter - a resin piece taken from a Pavla conversion set for Hawker Hurricanes.
Painting and markings:
While a donated RAF Spitfire would certainly have carried a desert paint scheme in Dark Earth/Mid Stone/Azure Blue or a late WWII Dark Green/Ocean Grey/Light Sea Grey livery I settled for something more individual and effective for the rugged Levantine terrain.
In this case I went for the rarely used RAF 'Tropical Scheme' in Mid Stone/Dark Green from above and with Mediterrenean Blue undersides.
The pattern itself is standard RAF, the upper cammo taken down onto the dust filter's flanks was taken over from RAAF Spitfires during WWII (RAF aircraft would carry a higher waterline, with the filter painted completely in the lower surface's tone). Basic paints are RAF Dark Green from Modelmaster and Humbrol 84 (RAF Mid Stone) - rather authentic. But I used Humbrol 87 (Steel Grey) for the undersides - it's rather intense and has a greenish hue, and by far not as dark as the typical RAF Azure Blue or PRU Blue.
Interior surfaces were painted in RAF Cockpit Green (Modelmaster Authentic), while the landing gear and its wells were kept in Aluminum Dope (Humbrol 56).
Decals/markings were puzzled together and improvised. The Lebanese roundels are actually Austrian national markings into which a dark green dot has ben added manually... the fin flash and the roman/arabic codes come from an Xtradecal aftermarket sheet.
Beyond these basic markings I did not add anything flashy - in 1951 things were rather simple,
The kit received a light shading and some dry painting with light grey, plus a light black ink wash. Soot/exhaust stains were created with grinded graphite and around the engine some leaked oil was added with Tamiya's "Smoke", and everything was sealed under a coat of matt acrylic varnish.
I'll admit it's not a spectacular whif, and overall rather simple concerning build and painting. But a proud addition to whatifmodelers.com's "! Week Group Build", even though this was already finished in just three days from sprues to beauty pics...
TRAAAANS-MUTE!
What would become known to American audiences as Battle of the Planets and G-Force began as the anime Science Ninja Team Gatchaman in 1972. Developed by the same team later responsible for the Robotech/Macross series (Tatsunoko Productions), Gatchaman was developed to take advantage of three trends of the early 1970s: big robots, superheroes, and environmentalism.
The Gatchaman team was formed by the International Science Organization to stop supervillains intent on controlling Earth's resources; the villains were run by an alien force and led by Galactor; the latter was one of the first instances of a transgender character in anime. The team consisted of Ken the Eagle, Joe the Condor, Jun the Swan, Ryu the Owl, and Jinpei the Swallow. When Galactor's forces attacked, Gatchaman would respond with their signature weapons (each team member had a different one), vehicles, and martial arts prowess. When they needed to haul out the big guns, they would call on their heavily armed main vehicle, the God Phoenix, which could transmute into a literal bird of flame--though doing so risked the lives of the Gatchaman team.
Gatchaman was hugely popular in Japan, and popularized a lot of anime tropes--Ken was the strong-jawed leader, Joe the rebel, Ryu the tough guy, Jinpei the annoying preteen, and Jun showed her underwear at least once an episode. The show dealt with environmental themes, at the time a real worry for Japanese citizens (Miyazaki's career was partially inspired by these same themes), though Gatchaman tended to solve these issues through violence.
The popularity of the series led Sandy Frank to buy the rights to Gatchaman and, in 1978, began broadcasting it in the US as Battle of the Planets. It was heavily edited to censor some of the more violent scenes, and the names were changed for American audiences (Ken became Mark, Joe became Jason, Jun became Princess, Ryu became Tiny, and Jinpei became Keyop--Keyop also became an android with a speech impediment, to match up the character's mouth movements with the English dub). The G-Force team went into space--Gatchaman never left Earth--and Galactor became Zoltar, with all references to his/her gender removed. Filler was put in by adding 7-Zark-7, a R2D2 knockoff that provided background. It was very much "kiddified," but to anime fans in the US, Battle of the Planets was a godsend: at least anime was out there in the mainstream, and the success of G-Force led to similar marketing of Space Battleship Yamato (Star Blazers) and Superdimensional Fortress Macross (Robotech).
Gatchaman would inspire several sequels and spinoffs in Japan, while Battle of the Planets would be rebroadcast as G-Force by TBS, and inspire several spinoffs of its own. Though not well known today, it was an inspiration to anime fans on both sides of the Pacific.
Given its relative obscurity, I was pleasantly surprised to see these two cosplayers as Tiny/Ryu and Mark/Ken at ACen 2013. (Tiny/Ryu was male in the original, so the cosplayer there is crossplaying.) They did a fantastic job on the uniforms, which are right on the money, and I got them doing the "Trans-Mute!" pose when the team would launch the God Phoenix. Battle of the Planets was the first anime I ever watched as a kid, back in Germany in 1978--it was the only decent cartoon on Armed Forces Network.
fairly awesome vintage g.i. joe and action force customs found via the fabulous internet webbing. they are for sale on etsy if anybody actually wants to get one of em.
U.S. Air Force basic military graduation and coining ceremony is held Sept. 10, 2020, for the 433rd Training Squadron on Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Due to current world events, the graduation ceremonies will be closed to the public until further notice for safety and security of the newly accessioned Airmen and their family members due to coronavirus (COVID-19).
The United State Air Force Memorial installed in Arlington, Virginia in 2006.
Another scene from the "Bike Every Street in Arlington" Project.
The P-47 Thunderbolt, which would become one of the most successful and widely produced fighters in history, began as the brainchild of two Russian aircraft designers fleeing the Soviet Union—Alexander de Seversky and Alexander Kartveli. Kartveli had begun designing fighters for Seversky, including the P-35, and staying on with Seversky Aircraft after it was renamed Republic Aviation. Kartveli had designed the radial-engined P-43 Lancer and P-44 Rocket, and was working on the inline-engined XP-47 when the US Army Air Force cancelled all three programs in 1940, citing that they were inferior to the German Messerschmitt Bf 109.
Kartveli then proposed a new design based on the P-43/44, but much larger, with a turbocharged R-2800 Double Wasp engine, one of the most powerful radials available at the time. The size of the turbocharger and the engine meant that the fuselage had to be much larger as well; as the USAAF wanted an eight-gun fighter along the lines of the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, the new design was equipped with elliptical wings containing eight .50 caliber machine guns. The resulting design, designated XP-47B Thunderbolt, was huge: it was 65 percent heavier than the P-43 and nearly twice the weight of the Spitfire. Even Kartveli himself referred to it as a “dinosaur.” When pilots saw it, they thought that its size and shape (and likely, its flying characteristics) resembled that of a milk jug, forever earning the Thunderbolt its moniker of “Jug.” Though the first XP-47B prototype crashed soon after its first flight in May 1941, its speed and performance were impressive.
Minor problems with the P-47B production version led to the P-47C, the first combat-ready version of the Thunderbolt, which arrived in England in January 1943. Assigned to the 4th Fighter Group, whose pilots were used to flying Spitfires, initially the Thunderbolt seemed a failure. It could not turn with either the Bf 109 or the new Focke-Wulf 190, and its climbing ability left much to be desired. Pilots hated the Thunderbolt’s size, its lack of performance as compared with the Spitfire, and its low ground clearance, though they did appreciate the comfortable and roomy cockpit, and especially the armor around it.
The indifferent performance of the P-47C and high accident rate led Republic to refine the design in the definitive P-47D variant, which introduced better cooling for the engine and, most importantly, paddle-bladed propeller blades. Now the Thunderbolt began to prove Kartveli’s faith in the fighter. The 56th Fighter Group, led by Hubert Zemke, had been trained from the start in the P-47 and benefited from earlier experience. Zemke, assisted by future aces Francis Gabreski and Robert Johnson, developed ambush tactics that emphasized the Thunderbolt’s advantage in weight; the P-47D’s improved engine and propeller gave it an edge over the Luftwaffe over 15,000 feet that the Germans were not able to equal until the introduction of the Messerschmitt 262 jet in 1944. This was a huge advantage for USAAF pilots, as the majority of air combat over Germany took place at altitudes of 20,000 feet. While the P-51 Mustang was more maneuverable, longer-ranged, and better in the vertical, it was Gabreski and Johnson, in their P-47s, who became the top American aces in Europe. In response to pilots complaining about the lack of rear vision in the “razorback” P-47D, Republic introduced the “bubbletop” version, which cut down the rear fuselage and added a P-51 style bubble canopy, giving the Thunderbolt pilot superb visibility.
What endeared the Thunderbolt to its pilots, however, was its legendary toughness. Even Blakeslee, who loathed his P-47C, admitted that it could take a pounding: he returned from a mission over France with 56 cannon holes in it. This was surpassed by Robert Johnson: attacked by first a flight of 16 Fw 190s and then another flown by Luftwaffe ace Egon Mayer, Johnson’s P-47D survived 250 hits that shattered his canopy, briefly set his aircraft on fire, and damaged the engine—Mayer actually ran out of ammunition trying to destroy Johnson’s aircraft. Since it was far more survivable than the inline-engined P-38 and P-51, much of the European Theater’s P-47s were shifted away from bomber escort and to 9th Air Force’s ground-attack force. Armed with rockets, bombs, and their eight machine guns, Thunderbolts proved to be devastating in this role, attacking anything that moved in Western Europe: by war’s end, ground attack P-47s had destroyed over 6000 tanks; it was especially deadly to trains, accounting for 9000 locomotives. 3752 German fighters became victims of P-47 pilots in the air. P-47Ds also served in the Pacific theater, though in fewer numbers compared to the P-38; nonetheless, they also turned in a stellar combat record, and the third highest ranking ace in the Pacific, Neel Kearby, was a Thunderbolt pilot. Allied air forces also flew P-47s, including the RAF (mainly in the Pacific), and expeditionary units of the Brazilian and Mexican Air Forces.
After war’s end, though more advanced “Pacific” versions of the Thunderbolt had been introduced in the P-47M/N, it was rapidly retired from service in favor of jets (namely the F-84 Thunderjet) and the P-51. A few lingered on until 1953 in Air National Guard service, when it was retired. France used a few P-47s during the Algerian War of Independence in the mid-1950s, while it persisted in South American air forces into the early 1970s. 15,686 P-47s were produced, making it second only to the P-51 in US service; today, about 47 survive with 16 currently flyable, though many more are under restoration.
This P-47 is painted in the colors of Francis Gabreski, two-war ace and the top American ace in the European theater. Gabreski started his combat career at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, then wangled an assignment to Europe as a liaison to Free Polish airmen in the RAF. This gained him valuable experience which he was able to translate to success, once he was assigned to the P-47-equipped 56th Fighter Group (known as the "Wolfpack"). By July 1944, Gabreski had shot down 28 Germans, tying him at the time with Richard Bong, the leading US ace in the Pacific. Unfortunately for Gabreski, a few days before he was due to go home, he accidentally hit the ground on a strafing mission and was captured.
Gabreski would resume his career after the end of World War II, and added 6.5 more kills in Korea flying F-86 Sabres, giving him a total of 34.5 victories and the title of the highest ranking living American ace (as Bong and the other leading Pacific ace, Thomas McGuire, did not survive World War II). Gabreski passed away in 2002.
Though this P-47, 44-89348, is meant to be Gabreski's HV-A, it is not accurately painted, with dark green over light gray; Gabreski's P-47 only had light gray undersurfaces and olive drab splotches over medium gray overall. The invasion stripes are accurate. This version of the Thunderbolt is actually a P-47M, a lightweight version of the P-47 designed to improve performance. Though the 56th FG did fly P-47Ms, it was after Gabreski was shot down. It is still on display at Lackland today.
Dad got this picture while at tech school at Lackland AFB in 1976. Lackland has a number of aircraft on outside display around the base.
General Dynamics F-111 A mid flight, view from above --Convair Negative--Please tag these photos so information can be recorded.---Note: This material may be protected by Copyright Law (Title 17 U.S.C.)--Repository: San Diego Air and Space Museum