Spinners

Double Delta

Saab J21RA - Flygflottilj 10, Flygvapnet, 1952

Nice one Ed - looking forward to this.

A Javelin does the high jump

Bristol Type 125 Bullfrog - No.72 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1937 Bristol's most successful aircraft during the inter-war period was the Bristol Bulldog fighter which formed the mainstay of the RAF's fighter-interceptor force from 1930 onwards. In 1932 the RAF were seeking a replacement for entry into service during the 1935-1936 period and the Air Ministry specification F.7/30 demanded a fighter aircraft capable of at least 250 mph and armed with four machine guns. The Bristol Aircraft Company concurrently worked on no less than three designs to meet this challenging specification; The Bristol Type 123 biplane fighter powered by the Rolls-Royce Goshawk III V-12 evaporatively cooled engine rated at 695 hp. The Bristol Type 125 high-winged monoplane powered by the Bristol Perseus 9-cylinder single-row supercharged radial engine rated at a projected 810 hp. The Bristol Type 133 monoplane fighter with retractable undercarriage powered by the Bristol Mercury 9-cylinder single-row radial rated at 640 hp. By late 1933 Bristol's Chief Designer, Frank Barnwell, had begun to favour the middle-ground of the Type 125 but acknowledged that the Perseus engine needed more development as the first production versions of the Perseus were rated at a disappointing 580 hp (lower than the same-size Mercury) although future improvements would see the Perseus not only eventually deliver the planned 810 hp by about 1936 but an impressive 930 hp was forecast further down the line. The Type 125 'Bullfrog' first flew on June 2nd, 1934 piloted by Cyril Uwins and testing over the next eight months proved very successful, especially when an improved and more powerful Perseus engine was installed. In the long-awaited F.7/30 competitive trials held at RAF Martlesham Heath during the Spring of 1935 the Bristol Type 125 and the rival Gloster Gladiator were hard to seperate and the Air Ministry eventually awarded productions contracts to both Bristol and Gloster for 160 aircraft each. Entering service with the recently formed RAF Fighter Command in March 1937 the Bristol Bullfrog's introduction into RAF service was initially difficult with many pilots being caught out by the aircraft's increased wing loading but it soon became as popular as the earlier Bristol Bulldog had. By the outbreak of the Second World War, the Bullfrog had largely been replaced in front line RAF service by the Hurricane and Spitfire but two squadrons were used in the unsuccessful Norwegian campaign in 1940 and the aircraft served with distinction in the Mediterranean and Middle East theatres before being phased out of service during 1941. Should be in the masquerade thread really - hope you like it!

Lockheed P-38Q 'Molniya' - 437th Fighter Regiment, Soviet Air Force, 1944

It hasn't got the Lily but I've done a VVS EE Lightning on Page 5 of the 'Masquerade' thread.

Loire 46's

A nice pair of 38G's...

Hawker Siddeley Hawk T.1B - No.6 Squadron, RAF Middle East Command, 1976 Thanks Paul!

Patrolling Pair

McDonnell Douglas F-4K Phantom FG.1 - No.74 Squadron, RAF Far East Air Force, 1971 In January 1968, the UK's Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson announced that all British troops would be withdrawn from major military bases in South East Asia by 1971 and for the RAF this would mean the end of the Far East Air Force. However, the incoming Conservative government of 1970 quickly reversed this decision so as to demonstrate it's political and military commitment to South East Asia as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangements. However, to balance the books they not only cancelled the proposed refit of HMS Eagle (necessary to effectively operate the F-4K Phantom) but confirmed their plans to withdraw this fine warship from service. Following this announcement, a total of 20 F-4K airframes that had originally been ordered for the Fleet Air Arm were diverted to the Royal Air Force. Initially, these aircraft were to be used to bolster the UK's air defences but with the renewed commitment to South East Asia they were diverted to the Far East Air Force to replace the Lightning F.6's of No.74 Squadron based at RAF Tengah where they served until 1976.

Northrop Tiger FGA.1 - No.1 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1972

Northrop Tiger F.2 - No.74 Squadron, RAF Strike Command, 1977 It would have been rude not too...

VPAF Tiger

+1 Super Mario!

Boulton Paul Valiant PR.IV - No.541 Squadron, Royal Air Force, May 1944 YEYEYE's lovely Saab J21A-1

Supermansaab

Very nice and much appreciated.

I'm particularly good at that....

Boeing A-15C Shadow - 53rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, USAFE, 2007 In 1992 the McDonnell Douglas Phantom Works Division (for special projects and located at Area 51) began the development of what was intended to be a stealth technology demonstator. The project soon became known as the 'Bird of Prey' (a reference to the Klingon warship from the Star Trek television series) and progressed smoothly and efficiently leading to a successful first flight in September 1996. Costs were substantially reduced by using an off-the-shelf Pratt & Whitney JT15D turbofan engine and manual hydraulic controls instead of fly-by-wire controls and initial testing soon demonstrated that the design had considerable operational potential. In 1997, immediately after the Boeing–McDonnell Douglas merger, Boeing Integrated Defence Systems was asked to produce a short production run of 60 operational 'Bird of Prey' aircraft. This was planned as a larger machine optimised for the tactical attack mission and using computerised controls with off-the-shelf avionics. The chosen powerplant was the General Elecric F414 non-afterburning turbofan engine developed from the F404 and originally intended for the cancelled McDonnell Douglas A-12 Avenger. The project was still officially a 'Black Project' and continued to be known as the 'Bird of Prey' until it was finally announced to the world in August 1999 as the A-15C 'Shadow' with no official reasons given as to what (or where) the A-15A and A-15B were. Entering service with the 410th Flight Test Squadron in Mojave in May 2002 the A-15C eventually equipped a three-squadron wing based at Spangdahlem from 2004 until the present day.

I'm moist with anticipation...

ROCAF A-1E Skyraiders

Sud-Aviation Vautour IIA - No.24 Squadron, 'The Hawks', Indian Air Force, 1965

Bloomin' lovely!