The B-29 has always had a special place in my memory. Shortly after WWII, I was a kid growing up at the end of the Dobbins AFB runway in Marietta, Georgia. Adjacent to Dobbins was the “Bomber Plant”. Later I discovered that the “Bomber Plant” was really a government aircraft factory run by Bell Aircraft Company and specifically designed to build Boeing’s B-29 Superfortress. I can still see those giant aircraft taking off and landing over our house.

Soon, Bell stopped building the B-29s and the Air Force closed the plant. The only reminder left behind was a B-29 on static display at Larry Bell Park. That aircraft got plenty of use by the kids playing under and around its huge bulk.

Years later I met a gentleman who flew as a navigator on the B-29 and who became my father-in-law. I remember the stories he would tell of how “that thing” would struggle to get airborne as they watched for telltale signs of fire in the engines.

The Royal Aircraft Factory Farman Experimental 2b was an update to the FE.2a “Gun Carrier” that flew in January, 1915. This basic airframe served from 1915 through the end of hostilities in November, 1918, being used as a fighter, bomber, and reconnaissance aircraft. It is one of the best pusher designs to fly in the Great War. Wingnut Wings has done the WWI aircraft modeling community a great service by producing this kit, especially in the quality molding and engineering resulting in an easy (relatively) build with excellent fit and detail.

History Brief

Hawker’s next sibling in line following its older brother the Typhoon, the Tempest featured a new, more advanced laminar flow wing, newer and more powerful engines, and other numerous innovations. The first Tempest Mk V prototype flew on September 2nd, 1942. Pressing onward into service, the Hawker Tempest Mk V saw two notable types. Series 1 had the older style long barrel Hispano Mk. II cannon extending past the leading edge of the wing and small fish plates riveted over the joint between the rear fuselage and tail unit as reinforcement. Series II aircraft were fitted with the new short-barreled Hispano Mk. V cannon completely fitted in the wing and were able to carry two 45-gal drop tanks.

Famous for defending against the dreaded V-1 buzz bombs and for their ground attack capabilities, the Tempest Mk Vs served the RAF from April 1944 to well past the war’s end with honor and was truly a beauty of a beast.

Windsock Worldwide is considered to be the “gold standard” by many historians and modelers when the subject matter is World War I aviation, and this issue will not disappoint. This issue is designated by Albatros Productions as a “Special Collector’s Edition.” That designation is well deserved. This issue was expanded to 40 pages. The flyer inserted into this issue best summarizes the contents and reads, “Apart from the World exclusive reviews of the early and late version RAF Fe-2bs and Rumpler C.IVS, there is an extended, highly-detailed, 14 page build log of the early Fe-2b by editor Ray Rimell. This heavily-illustrated stage-by-stage guide also includes contemporary diagrams from the original Parts Schedule to aid modellers seeking extra documentation.

Twobobs has released a sheet for those of us who like colorful aircraft, something that will relieve that expanse of grey on grey in the display case. The aircraft catered for on this sheet are two F-16A Midlife Update (MLU) aircraft at Skrydstrup AB of the Royal Danish Air Force. They were painted in special markings to celebrate the anniversaries of the activation of their squadrons.

The first, F-16AM Block 10 MLU, 78-0194, commemorates the 60th Anniversary of ESK 727 on 18 June 2010. It has an all orange-red tail fin and fairing with a white cross and a golden lion and golden script showing 1950 and 2010 for either side of the tail.