Brian R. Baker
Reviews By Author
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MS-406C.1 "Battle of France" and MS-410C.1Published:
HistoryThe Morane Saulnier MS-406 series of single seat fighters originated in 1934 after a design competition, with the MS-405C.1 eventually being ordered into limited production in 1937; only 16 were produced. During that year, minor modifications were made, with subsequent Morane fighters receiving the designation MS-406C.1. Initially, 50 and 80 MS-406’s were ordered on different contracts, and with the threat of war looming, an additional 825 were ordered from the SNCAO factory during May, 1938. Production ended in March, 1940, with 1079 MS-406’s being produced. A number of developmental aircraft were considered, using different armament and engine combinations, but the… more |
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Petlyakov Pe-2Published:
HistoryThe Petlyakov Pe-2 (nicknamed Peshka – “Pawn”) began life in 1939 as a high altitude fighter project, designated VI-100. It was designed under very unusual circumstances, as the design team which included both Vladimir Petlyakov and A.N. Tupolev had been swept up in one of Stalin’s paranoidal purges, and both were imprisoned as “threats to the state.” However, they managed to begin design work during 1939, producing a high altitude fighter prototype by the end of that year. Later, when the Russians discovered that Germany didn’t have any high altitude bombers, the fighter project was canceled. In 1940, when the Russians invaded Finland and their much publicized Tupolev SB bombers took a terrific pounding from Finnish fighter pilots, the Soviet High… more |
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Junkers Ju-88C-6 NachtjagerPublished:
HistoryThe Junkers Ju-88 was probably one of the most versatile multi-engined aircraft that the Luftwaffe had available during World War II, and it seemed that whatever was asked of it, it performed very well in the role. Designed originally as a fast medium bomber, one variant was adapted as a long-range heavy fighter, eventually evolving into one of the most effective night fighters of the war. With the development of airborne radar, the Ju-88C series, and later the Ju-88G series, was active wherever Luftwaffe night fighters were employed. The first Ju-88C fighters, designated Ju-88C-2, began operating from Norwegian bases against Allied shipping – and these were basically fighter versions of the Ju-88C-1. Further development followed, and by 1941, the Ju-88C-4… more |
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Boeing P-26A Pea-ShooterPublished:
HistoryThe Boeing Model 248, which became the P-26 series, was designed in 1931 and first flew in 1932, and was one of the first monoplane fighters adopted by the U.S. Army Air Corps to replace such classic biplane fighters as the Curtiss Hawk and Boeing P-12. Retaining some of the features of previous fighters (including an open cockpit, external wire bracing, fixed landing gear, and fixed pitch propeller), the P-26 set the standard for fighters at the time of its introduction. More than anything else, it helped to establish the monoplane as the standard of excellence in design, and most designers throughout the world were at least somewhat influenced by this fighter. The P-26A was developed using the technology created by Boeing in such commercial types as their… more |
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Curtiss F11C-2 HawkPublished:
HistoryThe Curtiss F11C-2 was one of the last of the Curtiss Hawk series of biplane fighters that began with the F6C-1 and P-1 series of 1925. Although later models used different wings and powerplants, the F11C series reverted back to the tapered wing. While the later F11C-1 had a metal wing, the F11C-2 wings were wooden. Power was provided by a 575 hp. Wright R-1820-78 radial engine using a two bladed metal prop. Known as the Goshawk in service, only 29 production F11C-2’s were built during 1933, and they were all issued to VF-1B, who operated them off the USS Saratoga along with some Boeing F4B-3s. In 1934, all of the F11C-2’s were upgraded, the most notable improvement being a raised turtledeck behind the cockpit and a small sliding canopy which partially covered the… more |
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Focke Wulf Fw-190A-8Published:
HistorySo much has already been written about the Focke Wulf Fw-190 that I needn’t add much to the history of the type. The BMW-powered Fw-190A series was produced in numbers approaching 20,000, and served as the backbone of the Luftwaffe’s fighter and ground attack forces during World War II. Easier to fly than the Bf-109, the wide track undercarriage of the Fw-190 resulted in fewer accidents, and the heavier armament variations were used for special purposes, such as anti-bomber operations and close support. The Fw-190A-8 was the final large scale production variant, and it was a development of the A-7, the first variant to have the 12.7 mm MG-131 machine guns in the cowl decking, resulting in the characteristic bulges ahead of the windshield. The A-8 differed in… more |
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Tupolev Tu-2Published:
HistoryThe Tupolev Tu-2 has a rather interesting origin, being designed by a team of engineers who had run afoul of Stalin’s paranoia. They had been placed in a political prison as “enemies of the state,” and the design work for this aircraft began while the designers were incarcerated. The airplane was designed as a high speed bomber, capable of both level and diving attacks. Originally powered by liquid cooled AM-37 engines, these were later required for the Ilyushin Il-2 Sturmovik program, so Shvetsov Ash-82 radials of 1,850 hp. were used, giving the plane a maximum speed of well over 300 mph. A crew of four was carried, including a pilot, navigator gunner, and two additional gunners. The first flight of the aircraft was in January, 1941, and the type entered service in… more |
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Messerschmitt Bf-110EPublished:
HistoryThe Messerschmitt Bf-110 was an early attempt by the Luftwaffe to develop a long range strategic fighter for deep penetration missions. It was also intended as a long range escort for bombers, as an interceptor against enemy bomber formations, and as a light bomber and ground attack aircraft. The first prototype flew in 1936, but protracted engine development kept the Bf-110 from entering service until 1938 as the Bf-110B. In 1939, the Bf-110C went into production, and this was the first version produced in large numbers. The Bf-110C appeared in fighter, ground attack, reconnaissance, and “destroyer” versions. The Bf-110C was used to effect in the Polish campaign in 1939, and this gave Goring the impression that the type was unstoppable, the ultimate air weapon. After… more |
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Focke Wulf Fw-190A-4Published:
HistoryThe Focke Wulf Fw-190 is probably one of the most modeled aircraft in any scale, mainly because it was such an excellent design and was produced in very large numbers during World War II. Although sources vary as to the number produced, slightly fewer that 1,000 of the A-4 type appear to have been manufactured during 1942 to replace the A-3, and subsequently being supplanted by the improved Fw-190A-5. Constantly upgraded during the war, the type held on until the final days, both as a fighter and as a ground support and reconnaissance aircraft. Most serious modelers are familiar with the type and its history, so I’ll refer you to other sources. There is certainly no lack of information on this aircraft, both in publication form and on the internet. The Kit… more |
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Dornier Do-335A-1Published:
HistoryThe Do-335, like many German aircraft of World War II, had a checkered development. It began its life, at Hitler’s insistence, as a high speed bomber, and only later, when Hitler was told that the Me-262 would be a better high speed bomber, was the plane’s basic mission changed to that of heavy fighter and reconnaissance. First, Dornier used a scaled down (1/2.5) Do-17Z airframe (Goppingen Go.9) to test the feasibility of the rear mounted engine with a prop behind the tail unit. Tests showed the usefulness of the arrangement, so design began on the full size airplane. Featuring a tandem engine arrangement (which was not new to Dornier), the aircraft was a large, single seat, twin engine aircraft with two DB-603 liquid-cooled engines. The type began as a high… more |