Spinners

Antonov An-2P - 8th Transport Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1949

Potez XXV - No.1 Squadron, Royal Dhimari Air Force, 1936

Letov Š-328P's - Parani Army Air Force, 1940

Parani Aviation Company YG/4 'Condor' - 10th Coastal Patrol Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1943 In early 1931 Shah Mushani of Paran announced a five year plan to strengthen his armed forces by expansion allied to an ambitious domestic arms production programme including the creation of an indigenous aviation industry. In June 1931, Shah Mushani announced the creation of the Parani Aviation Company and appointed the Russian engineer Nikolai Yergin as the chief designer of the Parani Aviation Company giving Yergin licence to recruit several other Russian engineers including Vladimir Gudkov from the OKB-301 design bureau. This partnership of Yergin and Gudkov was the foundation stone of the Parani Aviation Company and endured until the early 1960's. Shah Mushani tasked Yergin and Gudkov with the design and production of no less than three aircraft projects of increasing complexity; 1. The YG/1 'Goshawk' a light attack biplane that could also serve as a trainer. 2. The YG/2 'Vulture' a monoplane tactical bomber. 3. The YG/3 'Storm' a monoplane single-seat fighter aircraft. Even before the first flight of the YG/1 in February 1934 Nikolai Yergin had begun to sketch a small twin-engined light bomber as a follow-on project to the YG/1. Allocated the design number of YG/4, Yergin and Gudkov were determined to make their new light bomber as small as possible and with an emphasis on lightweight construction. This soon gained the support of Shah Mushani who agreed to fund the new aircraft providing that the design could also fulfil the additional role of maritime patrol along Paran's long northern coastline. Yergin and Gudkov readily accepted this additional requirement and made some slight revisions to their YG/4 including the adoption of the twin Alfa Romeo 128 RC.18 nine-cylinder radial engines rated at 950 hp each. The development of the YG/4 moved slowly but only due to the small size of the Parani Aviation Company and the focus on bringing the three earlier designs into service. The first flight of the YG/4 took place on March 1st, 1940 and testing continued during 1940 and early 1941 before production commenced in August 1941 at the new Parani Aviation Company factory at Konara. Entering service as the YG/4 'Condor' in February 1942 with the 10th Coastal Patrol Regiment of the Parani Army Air Force the YG/4 was a slightly pedestrian aircraft but played an important part in patrolling Paran's northern coastline and was responsible for sinking 5,120 tons of Dhimari shipping and damaging another 4,454 tons before the 1946 ceasefire. Skin Credit: Charles

Parani Aviation Company YG/4 'Condor' - 10th Coastal Patrol Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1943

Mitsubishi Ki-51P - 4th & 5th Attack Regiments, Parani Army Air Force, 1943

Mitsubishi Ki-46P 'Dinah' - 13th Reconnaissance Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1944

Kokusai Ki-59P 'Theresa' - 8th Transport Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1945

Kawasaki Ki-48P - 7th Bomber Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1944

Mitsubishi Ki-21P 'Sally' - 2nd Bomber Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1942

Bell Airabonita Mk.I - Aircraft and Armament Experimental Establishment, Boscombe Down, 1940

Mitsubishi G3M2 Model 21 'Nell' - 7th Bomber Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1940

Blohm & Voss BV 141P - 7th Tactical Reconnaissance Regiment ('The Storks'), Parani Army Air Force, 1944

Curtiss Hawk 75N - No.2 Squadron ('The Hawks'), Royal Dhimari Air Force, 1940 Modified from the YAP Hawk 75N in 'Rising Sun'

Sailors! Beware of Sally!

Banshee Bounce A Parani Ki-43P gets the better of a Dhimari A-24

Canada FTW

Desert Thoroughbreds

Messerschmitt Bf 108P Taifun - 9th Training & Liason Regiment, Parani Army Air Force, 1942

Boulton Paul Defender Mk.I - No.303 Squadron, RAF Fighter Command, 1940 The Boulton Paul P.83 was designed to Air Ministry Specification F.40/34 for a single-seat monplane fighter of wooden construction that could be built rapidly and in large numbers. As part of the Air Ministry policy of diverting production of the Rolls-Royce Merlin engine to priority projects such as the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire the Air Ministry had specified that all F.40/34 submissions must use the Napier Falcon (a licence-built Hispano-Suiza 12Y-45) with a planned rating of 920 hp. The P.83 was a conventional low-wing monoplane but of wooden construction with plywood skinning over stringers in a semi-monocoque construction. In the Spring of 1936, Boulton Paul commenced assembly on the first P.83 prototype at their new Wolverhampton facility and made quick progress. With their contemporary turret-fighter being named Defiant, Boulton Paul requested the name Defender for their new fighter and this was agreed with the Air Ministry. Making it's maiden flight on April 4th, 1937 (piloted by Boulton Paul's chief test pilot Cecil Feather) the Defender demonstrated good handling and an impressive rate of climb. Service pilots reported that the Defender could climb faster than both the Spitfire and Hurricane but that its top speed was somewhere inbetween the two. In June 1937 the Air Ministry placed an order for 240 aircraft and whilst official acceptance trials did not commence until July 1938 the first Defender Squadrons were formed in early 1939. (Arsenal de l'aeronautique VG-33)

As dead as a Do Do

Brewster B-339E - 1st Fighter regiment, Estonian Air Force, 1940

High Flier

Desert Dogfight!