Monday, June 29, 2009

Mig-15 Fagot

Is there any aircraft modeler who doesn’t know about the Mig-15? Basing their design on captured German material, the Russian MiG Bureau’s famous Mig-15 first flew on the power of a British Neme jet engine, a number of which were exported to the USSR in 1947. Production aircraft first met USAF F-86 Sabres in the skies over Korea as the first true jet fighter combatants. Enormous numbers of Mig-15s (and the improved Mig-15bis) were built, the type serving in dozens of different airforces.

F-86F-30 Sabre

Version -- “THE HUFF” of the 39th FIS flown by Lieutenant Jim Thompson. Korean War, 1952.
The North American F-86 Sabre (sometimes called the Sabrejet) was an American transonic jet combat aircraft. The F-86 was developed in the late 1940s and was one of the most-produced Western jet fighters of the Cold War era. A variant of the F-86 was produced in large numbers in Canada, as the Canadair Sabre; the main variants were considerably modified with more powerful Avro Canada Orenda engines. The Canadair Sabre was acquired by several NATO and other air forces. U.S. variants were also built in Italy and Japan. A significantly-redesigned variant was built by CAC in Australia as the CAC CA-27, also known as the Avon Sabre.

The F-86 entered service with the United States Air Force in 1949, joining the 1st Fighter Wing's 94th Fighter Squadron "Hat-in-the-Ring" and became the primary air-to-air jet fighter used in the Korean War. With the introduction of the Soviet Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 into air combat in November 1950, which out-performed all aircraft then assigned to the United Nations, three squadrons of F-86s were rushed to the Far East in December. The F-86 could out-turn and out-dive the MiG-15, but the MiG-15 was superior to the F-86 in ceiling, acceleration, rate of climb, and zoom (especially until the introduction of the F-86F in 1953); MiGs flown from bases in Manchuria by Chinese, Korean, and Soviet VVS pilots, were pitted against two squadrons of the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing forward-based at K-14, Kimpo, Korea.

Many of the American pilots were experienced World War II veterans while the North Koreans and the Chinese lacked combat experience, thus accounting for much of the F-86's success. However, whatever the actual results may be, it is clear that the F-86 pilots did not have as much success over the better trained Soviet piloted MiG-15s. Although Soviets piloted the majority of MiG-15s that fought in Korea, North Korean and Chinese pilots increased their activity as the war went on. The Soviets and their allies periodically contested air superiority in MiG Alley, an area near the mouth of the Yalu River (the boundary between Korea and China) over which the most intense air-to-air combat took place. The F-86E's all-moving tailplane has been credited with giving the Sabre an important advantage over the MiG-15. Far greater emphasis has been given to the training, aggressiveness and experience of the F-86 pilots. Despite rules-of-engagement to the contrary, F-86 units frequently initiated combat over MiG bases in the Manchurian "sanctuary."

51st FIG "Checkertails" at K-13 air base (Suwon, South Korea) are prepped for a mission

The needs of combat operation balanced against the need to maintain an adequate force structure in Western Europe led to the conversion of the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing from the F-80 to the F-86 in December 1951. Two fighter-bomber wings, the 8th and 18th, converted to the F-86F in the spring of 1953. No. 2 Squadron, South African Air Force also distinguished itself flying F-86s in Korea as part of the 18 FBW.

By the end of hostilities, F-86 pilots were credited to have shot down 792 MiGs for a loss of only 78 Sabres, a victory ratio of 10 to 1. Postwar totals officially credited by the USAF are 379 kills for 103 Sabres lost, amounting to a ratio of nearly 4 to 1. Modern research by Dorr, Lake and Thompson has claimed the actual ratio is closer to 2 to 1.

The Soviet claims of downing over 600 Sabres together with the Chinese claims are considered exaggerated by the USAF. Recent USAF records show that 224 F-86s were lost to all causes, including non-combat losses. But direct comparison of Sabre and MiG losses seem irrelevant, since primary targets for MiGs were heavy B-29 bombers and ground-attack aircraft, while the primary targets for Sabres were MiG-15s.

Of the 40 USAF pilots to earn the designation of ace during the Korean war, all but one flew the F-86 Sabre.

Text: Wikipedia

Sunday, June 28, 2009

HMS Barfleur

Scratch built model in 1:1200 scale.
Materials - wood, plastic, card and tin.
Model is made according to John Bowen`s plans.

Vosper Fast Patrol Boat Perkasa

Tamyia`s a great high-quality model 1:72 scale.

Vosper & Company was a British shipbuilding firm founded in 1871 and came to specialize in small craft. During WWII, the company became well known for their motor torpedo boat designs. After the war, Vosper continued to develop small fast patrol craft, one of which was the Brave Class. These boats were equipped with 3 Bristol Proteus engines, which powered the boat to top speeds of over 50 knots. They were armed with one 40mm Bofors cannon, two 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and four torpedoes. The Perkasa was one of several Brave Class boats exported to the Royal Malaysian Navy.

PzKpfw IV Aufs.F

Italeri model in 1:35 scale.
Figure from TAMYIA.



Text: Wikipedia

Destroyer "Steregushchy" (Guardian). (1904)

The model of the torpedo boat such as "Falcon" whose name is inextricably related with heroic defense of Port Arthur. The development is given as of the moment of destruction of a torpedo boat (1904) - in military painting. It is an excellent card model. In the complete set the Andreewskiy flag is from silk. Unequivocally we recommend this kit for everyone who is interested in the Russian-Japanese war.
Informacion of kit --

Fiat 3000 mod. 21 1a Serie

Tauro Models
1:35 Scale

The FIAT 3000 was a development of paramount importance in the history of the Italian Army. Born from the experiences of the World War, it entered in service only after the end of the war and was the first tank produced in quantity for the newly formed Tank Corp.
Following the use of the tanks on the Western Front, the Italian Headd Quaters decided to test this new and interesting means of war. Italy purchased from France two Schneider and three FT 17 tanks. After long trials it was decided to produce the Renault FT 17, because of it's good cross-country performance.
FIAT modified the original project, placing the engine crosswise the hull and augmenting the armour and the armament. This first series, represented in the actual model, entered service in 1921 and was followed, in 1930, by a second series with some improvements and armed with a 37 mm gun.
In the second half of the thirties the remaing tanks were improved and modernised. The last operational FIAT 3000 tanks were used at the beginning of the 2.nd World War; the last few were destroyed in Sicily during 1943.

USS Leutze (DD-481)

Modelik paper model kit.
Water -- silicon, acrylic.

USS Leutze (DD-481) was a
Fletcher-class destroyer in the United States Navy during World War II. She was named for Admiral Eugene H. C. Leutze (1847–1931).

All information -- in Wikipedia