CONT Republ i c’ s F105 Thunderchi ef Gar et hS t r i ngerl ooksbackatt he hi s t or yof t he ‘ T hud’i n an ar t i cl e accompani ed by s ome br eat ht aki ng i mager y f r om t he ar chi veofL i nds ayPeacock.
Exerci se Perspecti ve Amaz i ng col our s chemes , f or mi dabl e ai r cr af tt ypes ,s t unni ngs cener yand per f ect weat heral l comet oget herasS t eveComber t akesuson a j our neyt o Ukr ai ne f ora l i ve f i r i ngex er ci s e.
CentralAi r M useum M oni no S t eveCoevi s i t st hevas tmus eum l ocat edat Moni no on t he out s ki r t s of Mos cow; a col l ect i on cont ai ni ng t he wei r d and t he wonder f ul ofRus s i anavi at i ondevel opment .
Kenm ore Ai r PaulDunn’ st r avel st hi smont ht ake hi m t o S eat t l e,Was hi ngt on,wher e he l ear ns al l about di s t i ngui s hed f l oat pl ane oper at or Kenmor eAi r .
TENTS
I ssue 14 Decem ber 2012
F r ankGr eal i s hr epor t sf r om Phot oF l yi ngDays2012,aneventt hat washel di nconj unct i onwi t ht hel at es tai r t oai racademy.
Greece and the A7 Corsai rI I
Kevi n J acks on t r avel st o Gr eece t o r epor t on t he Hel l eni c Ai rF or ce’ s as s oci at i on wi t ht he A7 as t he end appr oaches .
The Handl ey Page Vi ctor at 60
Gar et hS t r i ngerhasf ami l y connect i ons wi t ht he Vi ct or ,and her e he ex ami nes t heai r cr af t ’ sRAFcar eer . Mai n coveri mage-Fr ankGr eal i sh
T heRe publ i cF 1 0
Gar et hS t r i ngerl ooksbac katt hel i f eandt i mesoft heRepubl i cF1 05 Thunder c hi ef ,i nc l udi ngmemor i esf r om oneRoyalAi rFor c epi l otwho f l ew t hemi ght y‘ Thud’ , andt heai r c r af t ’ sdi s t i ngui s hedper f or manc esi n t hes ki esoverVi et nam. Des i gnedor i gi nal l yasas i ngl es eat ,nuc l ear at t ac k ai r c r af t ,t heRepubl i cF 1 05Thunder c hi efevent ual l y ac hi evedgr eats uc c es sasat wos eatWi l dWeas el pl at f or m,devel oped f orS uppr es s i onofEnemyAi r Def enc es( S EAD) . TheThunder c hi efwasi ni t i al l yc onc ei vedasapr i vat e
vent ur e, ani nt er nal pr oj ec twi t hi nRepubl i cAvi at i on, t or epl ac et heF 84FThunder s t r eakandmeetoneof t hemos texac t i ngUS AFs pec i f i c at i onsofal lt i me– namel yt hatofs uper s oni c ,l owl evelpenet r at i oni n or dert odel i veras i ngl e,i nt er nal l yc ar r i ed,nuc l ear bomb.
1 05T hunde rc hi e f
Ades i gnt eam att hec ompany’ sF ar mi ngdal e,Long I s l and,pl ant ,l edbynol es st hanAl exanderKar t vel i ( P47Thunder bol tand F 84 Thunder j et )dr ew up s ome 1 08 di f f er entc onf i gur at i onsf ort he ai r c r af t bef or edec i di ng t hatal ar ge,s i ngl eengi nef i ght er bomberwast hewayf or war d.
c ompar ed wi t hi t speer sf r om t he f i ght erwor l d, woul d be a s ec ondar y c ons i der at i on f or t he Thunder c hi ef .
Des pi t ei ni t i alent hus i as m f r om t he US AF ,whi c h r es ul t ed i n an or der f or near l y 200 ai r c r af ti n S ept ember1 952, byMar c h1 953t hator derhadbeen Tomeett heUS AFc r i t er i a, t hedes i gnwoul ds eet he s i gni f i c ant l yr educ ed,wi t h of f i c i al s bl ami ng t he j etf i t t ed wi t hal ar geengi neand ar el at i vel yt hi n i mmi nentendoft heKor eanWar . Republ i cc ar r i edon wi ng wi t h hi gh wi ngl oadi ng,f ors t abi l i t y atl ow r egar dl es sandbyt heendof1 953hadpr oduc eda al t i t udeandl es sdr agats uper s oni cs peed. Al t hough moc kupoft heai r c r af t , whi c hbyt hi st i mewass obi g t hewi ngwasmodi f i edwi t hf l apsands l at sont he t hati thadout gr ownt heAl l i s onJ 7 1engi neor i gi nal l y t r ai l i ngandl eadi ngedgesr es pec t i vel yt oi mpr ovel i f t ear mar kedf ori t ! at l ow ai r s peeds , manoeuvr abi l i t y, c er t ai nl y I mage-L i nds ayPeacock
UKRAI NI AN
Ex er ci s ePer s pect i ve
Hel dbet ween17and29S ept ember ,Exer ci s ePer s pect i ve2012br ought t oget hert heUkr ai ni anmi l i t ar y’ smi ghti nas er i esofs cenar i osdes i gned t o t r ai n, t es t and f ul f i ll i ve f i r i ng cur r ency r equi r ement s of bot h gr oundbas ed and ai r bor net act i calpl at f or ms .St eveComberr epor t s f r om Bel beknearS evas t apol ,f r om wher e a numberofMi G29sand S u27soper at ed.
N AI R FORCE
e2012
Wor dsandPi ct ur es ST EVECOMBER F ol l owi ng t he br eakup oft he S ovi etUni on i n Augus t1991,Ukr ai nei nher i t edamas s i ve780, 000 s t r ongmi l i t ar yf or ce,al ongwi t ht het hi r dl ar ges t nucl earweaponsar s enal i nt hewor l d.L at ert he f ol l owi ng years t epswer et aken t o become a nucl ear f r ees t at e,wi t ht hepr oces scompl et ed by1996.
Att het i meoft heS ovi etdi s s ol ut i on,s ubs t ant i al quant i t i es ofai r cr af twer e es s ent i al l yl ef ton Ukr ai ni an s oi l ,and t he Ukr ai ni an Ai rF or ce was f or mal l y es t abl i s hed on 17 Mar ch 1992, headquar t er ed i n Vi nnyt s i a, whi ch had pr evi ous l ybeent hehomeoft he24t hAi rAr myof t heS ovi etAi rF or ce.
CentralAi rF M O N
Oneoft hewor l d’ sl ar ges tavi at i onmus eums ,t heCent r alAi rF or ceMus eum whi char eofaRus s i anor i gi n.F ol l owi ngonf r om hi sr epor tont heRus s i anAi r t heMoni nocol l ect i on. I nAugus tIt r avel l ed t o Mos cow f ort heRus s i an Ai r F or ce 100t h Anni ver s ar y Ai r s how at Z hukovs ky;myr epor tf r om t hes how f eat ur esi n I s s ue12ofGl obal Avi at i onMagaz i ne.Aspar tof t het r i pmyt r avel l i ngcompani onsandI deci ded t ovi s i tt heCent r alAi rF or ceMus eum atMoni no bef or e ourf l i ghtbackt oL ondonHeat hr ow on Monday13Augus t . T he mus eum i sl ocat ed about40km eas tof
Mos cow ona di s us ed mi l i t ar yai r f i el d al t hough t he Gagar i n Mi l i t ar yAcademyi ss t i l lact i ve on t he s i t e. Pr i orper mi s s i on t o vi s i ti sno l onger r equi r ed and openi ng hour sar ecur r ent l yl i s t ed as 09: 30 unt i l 15: 00 on weekdays , ex cept Wednes day, and f r om 09: 30 unt i l14: 00 on S at ur day.Ihaves eenr ef er encet ol uncht i me br eaksbutt her e wasno s uch cl os ur e on t he Mondaywevi s i t ed.
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mi nMoni noi shomet oanamaz i ngar r ayofs ome173ai r cr af t ,al mos tal lof Ai rF or ce’ s100t hAnni ver s ar yAi r s how,St eveCoet akesusonagui dedt ourof Havi ng dr i ven of ft he hi ghway and al ong a t r eel i ned avenue we came t ot he mus eum ent r ance.T hecarpar kcont ai nedanumberof coachesf r om ot herUK t ourgr oupswho had al s o had t he s ame i dea;t her e wer el ot sof f ami l i arf acesar ound! T her ei sa s mal lchar ge f orent r yand you al s o have t o buya camer a pas s .T he t ot alcos t ,payabl ei n Roubl es ,was equi val entt o ar ound £10Ir ecal l . Ot hert han r es t r oomst her ear enoot herf aci l i t i es ,ands adl y
nos hop,ons i t e. T he mus eum compr i s est wo mai n ar eas-an i ndoorex hi bi t i onar eaandal ar geopendi s pl ay ar eawi t hanadj acenthangarcont ai ni ngs ome addi t i onal ai r f r amesandot heroddi t i es !Bl es s ed wi t hanot hergl or i ousdayIqui ckl ydeci dedt hat I woul ds pendmos tofmyt i meatt hemus eum i n t heout s i dear ea.
T heAi r t oAi rAca ‘ s har i ngex per i enceandoppor t uni t y’
Haveyoueverwant edt of l yonanai r t oai rphot omi s s i onwi t hanot herai r cr af tbutnev Academy,or gani s edbyEr i cCoeckel ber ghsandhi sAvi at i onPhot oCr ew,mi ghtbeex a
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r i c Coeckel ber ghs ,bas ed i nBel gi um,has been doi ng ai r t oai rphot ogr aphyf or25 year s ,and overt he l as tf ew year she has or gani s ed t he Ai r t oAi r Academy i n conj unct i onwi t ht he Phot oF l yi ng Days .Rat her t hankeepi ngphot ooppor t uni t i est ohi ms el f ,Er i c l i kest os har et he oppor t uni t i esand wi t ht hat i deai nmi ndhes etupt heAi r t oAi rAcademy. Hel d annual l yf ort he pas tt hr ee year s ,and oper at i ng f r om t he f or merNAT O r es er ve ai r bas eZ oer s el Oos t mal l e( EBZ R) ,15mi l es/24km nor t heas tofAnt wer pi nnor t her nBel gi um,t he Academy,a nonpr of i tor gani s at i on,t r ans f or ms t heai r f i el di nt oabuz z i nghubofact i vi t yf ort he bes t par t of a week, of f er i ng Academy member sunr i val l edacces st oai r cr af t ,i ncl udi ng t he ul t i mat e goaloft aki ng par ti nanai r t oai r phot os hoot . T heai r cr af tofchoi cef orai rt oai rphot ogr aphy at t he Academy i sI nvi ct a Avi at i on’ sS hor t s S kyvanS C3,andanai r cr af toft hi ss i z eal l owst he cos tofoper at i ngt heai r cr af tt obes pl i tamongs t t en phot ogr apher s , maki ng ai r t oai r phot ogr aphyacces s i bl et omor epeopl e. Aswel lashavi ng t he chance t of l y ai r t oai r mi s s i ons ,member sr ecei ve l ect ur eson var i ous as pect s of ai r t oai r phot ogr aphy, i ncl udi ng s af et y,t i ps& t r i cksoft he t r ade,aswel las br i ef i ngson t he ki nd ofphot osa magaz i ne edi t orwi l l l ookf ororonhow t ol ayoutyourown phot obook.
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everhadt heoppor t uni t y? T heAi r t oAi r act l ywhatyou’ r el ooki ngf or .
Mai n -T he onl yt wo ai r wor t hy Gr umman T BM Avenger s i n Eur ope, l ed by S wi s s bas ed " Char l i e' s Heavy" ,f or m up on t he T 6T ex an phot os hi p( F r ankGr eal i s h)
S eat t l es eapl aneai r l i neKenmor eAi rhascar vedoutani chef ori t s el fas ani mpor t antpar toft heci t y' st r ans por tnet wor k,whi l s tpr i di ngi t s el fon gr eatcus t omers er vi ce and a war m,f ami l i alat mos pher e.PaulDunn pr of i l est hi spopul aroper at or .
T heAmer i canci t yofS eat t l ei sf amousf ormany t hi ngs ;t he home oft he Mi cr os of tempi r e and Boei ng' s mai n as s embl y pl ant s ; one of t he l ar ges ts eapor t si n t he US wi t h a pas ti n s hi pbui l di ngand heavyi ndus t r y;gener at i onsof cut t i ng edgemus i c,f r om j az zi nt hef i r s thal fof
t he 20t hcent ur y,t hr oughJ i miHendr i x( bor ni n S eat t l e and bur i ed i n near by Rent on)t ot he " gr unge"s cene oft he ear l y1990sand t oday' s mor ei nt r os pect i ve i ndi e gr oupss uchasDeat h CabF orCut i eandF l eetF ox es .
Hel l eni c Cors L as tofadyi ngbr eed.
T hes i ghtoft heNor t hr opGr umman( Vought )A7Cor s ai rI If l yi ngovert he Gr eekcount r ys i dehasbeenacommononef oral mos tf ourdecades ,but , ashasnow beenconf i r med,2013wi l l s eet heai r cr af tr et i r ed.Kevi nJ acks on r epor t sf r om Ar axosAi rBas eont hej obt he‘ S L UF F ’i ss t i l l per f or mi ng.
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F ol l owi ng t he Hel l eni c Ai r F or ce’ s ( HAF ) announcement on 19 S ept ember t hat t he r emai ni ng Nor t hr op Gr umman ( Vought ) A7E/ T A7C Cor s ai rI I sar et o be r et i r ed,i ti s ex pect edt hat2013wi l l mar kt hel as tf l i ghtoft he vener abl egr oundat t ackai r cr af taf t er38year s
s er vi ng t he HAF .T o mar k t he r et i r ement announcementas i ngl eT A7C wass ymbol i cal l y r et i r ed atAr ax osAi rBas e on 19 S ept ember al ong wi t h one McDonnel l Dougl as RF 4E Phant om I Iati t shome bas e ofL ar i s s a,whos e wi t hdr awal wasannouncedatt hes amet i me.
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T hel as toft heVbombert r i l ogy,t heHandl eyPageVi ct ors aw s er vi ce wi t ht heRoyalAi rF or cei nmor et hanoner ol e.Gar et hSt r i ngert al kst o s ever al member soft heVi ct orcommuni t y,i ncl udi ngaver ycl os ef ami l y member ,aboutt hei rmemor i esandex per i encesoft heai r cr af t .
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t ’ sChr i s t masEve,t he yeari s1952,and a f ut ur i s t i cl ooki ng ai r cr af tmakesi t s mai denf l i ghtf r om RAFBos combe Down.I t ’ sl i ke not hi ng t hatanyonl ooker hass eenbef or e;as t r eaml i nedmachi newi t hauni quecr es centwi ng,f ourj et engi nesbur i ed i nt he wi ng r oot ,a hi ghl ys weptT s haped t ai land a pr omi nent bul gedchi n.
I nl as tmont h’ sc ompet i t i onwewant edt os eey ours uns etpi c t ur es .Thewi nni ngi mageabov e wass el ec t edbyGAM’ sedi t or , Kar l Dr age.Her e’ swhatKar l hadt os ayaboutGr aham Pl at t ’ s wi nni ngent r y : “ I t houghtt her ewer et woc l ears t andouti magest hi smont h, andi nt heendI j us tc amedowni n f av ourofGr aham’ ss t unni ngTy phoons hotf r om RAFConi ngs by ”Kar l Tof i ndoutKar l ’ s2ndand3r dpl ac eds hot s , c hec koutt heHangar . t v Ourc ongr at ul at i onsgot oGr aham whohaswonhi ms el fa6mont hGAM s ubs c r i pt i on.
I TCOULD BEYOUNEXT! Gl obalAvi at i on Magazi nei sgi vi ngmember sofTHEHANGAR t he oppor t uni t yt oseean i mageoft hei r son t hebackcoveroft heJanuar y i ssue,aswel last hechancet owi n a6mont h GAM subscr i pt i on. Thi st i mewewantt oseeyourbadweat hershot s! SeeTHEHANGAR f ormor edet ai l s.