NEWS
Seven pages of top stories from the aircraft preservation scene
Canberra PR9 being restored to fly in UK • Lyneham’s Comet to be saved • Financial trouble for Aviodrome • Dornier Do24ATT airborne again • MeierMotors starts Sea Fury and Buchon restorations • and much more!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
Our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on his recent assignments and unusual aspects of aviation history

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

BRITAIN’S CANCELLED BOMBER KILLER
F155T — not an aircraft, but a specification, and one that seemingly promised much for the future of the RAF’s Cold War fighter force before being cancelled

FROM LIGHTNING TO TORNADO
It was a dramatic transformation for the RAF’s fighter force when the Lightning gave way to the Tornado ADV

FIGHTER OF THE FUTURE
Two of its test pilots remember well the BAe EAP, the highly advanced aircraft that helped give birth to the Eurofighter Typhoon

WARBIRD FOCUS: ‘RAIDER’ FROM THE COCKPIT
Rod Dean’s impressions of flying and displaying Kennet Aviation’s mighty AD-4NA

WARBIRD FOCUS: THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Were it not for French use of the Skyraider, it is debatable as to whether there would be so many still flying today

VOICES OF 19
The disbandment of No 19 Squadron sees the end of an RAF fighter unit more famous than most — a history recounted here through the words of some who flew with it

AHEAD OF THEIR TIME
The dream of STOL medium airlift, as exemplified by the remarkable YC-14 and YC-15 prototypes of the 1970s, would remain just that — a dream. But both contributed to the excellent C-17

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
British Island Airways was the product of one bout of airline consolidation. Following another, it disappeared — but only temporarily

ITALIAN THUNDER
The F-84F Thunderstreak and RF-84F Thunderflash were mainstays of the Italian Air Force during the Cold War. We recall their lengthy service history, accompanied by stunning archive photography

EVENTS
Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene, including end-of-season reports from Duxford and Shuttleworth

DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
Our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on his recent assignments and unusual aspects of aviation history

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

‘STRINGBAG’ SURVIVOR
Air-to-air with Vintage Wings of Canada’s Swordfish, the survival of which, years after it was dumped on an Ontario farm, is remarkable

LIVES OF A ‘CAT’
From U-boat killer to aerial adventurer — the eventful existence of the Catalina Air Trust’s recently-restored PBY-5A has taken many a turn

‘CONNIES’ OVER HERE
Having served with carriers large and small, the Lockheed Constellation was a very significant aircraft for the UK airline industry

MASTERING THE METEOR
Pilots such as Bob Large were in the vanguard of the RAF’s entry into the jet age. He recalls his experiences of the early Meteors

METEORIC RISE
Two superb Meteors now grace the British airshow circuit. Aircraft talked to Dan Griffith about flying the Air Atlantique Classic Flight’s familiar NF11 and newly-restored T7

‘TORA! TORA! TORA!’
Seventy years after the Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor, the Commemorative Air Force continues to remember the ‘Day of Infamy’ in spectacular style

FIGHTING HAWK
The history of the Lewis Vintage Collection’s recently-restored P-40C Tomahawk, depicting a Pearl Harbor veteran

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
British Airways Helicopters went through some turbulent years, but its history was often pioneering, not least when its predecessor British European Airways inaugurated the world’s first scheduled helicopter service

TWO DAYS OF ROLLING THUNDER
In this exclusive extract from the new book ‘Two Days of Rolling Thunder’, former F-105 pilot Col Robert S. Deas describes the emotions felt by a newly-arrived pilot about to go to war in Vietnam

PLUS! See page 82 for your chance to win a copy of ‘Two Days of Rolling Thunder’

EAST MEETS WEST
For the West German pilots who evaluated the MiG-29 before its service entry with the Luftwaffe, those post-Berlin Wall days were interesting indeed

FREE INSIDE!
A special souvenir supplement on the great British aero engines of Rolls-Royce, from the Eagle of the First World War, through the legendary Merlin and Griffon and the pioneering post-war jets, to today’s highly-advanced turbofans.

EVENTS
Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene, including reviews from Sion, Duxford, Little Gransden, Biggin Hill, the Hahnweide and others

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
Our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on the month’s events and unusual aspects of aviation history

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

A VERY BRITISH HERO
A personal tribute by François Prins to Peter Twiss, the record-breaking British test pilot who died at the end of August

LONG LIVE THE ‘HUN’
Air-to-air with Dean Cutshall’s gorgeous F-100F Super Sabre, one of only two ‘Huns’ airworthy in civilian hands

STAR OF SWITZERLAND
Breitling Super Constellation pilot Ernst Frei tells the story of this sumptuous propliner, recently returned to flight once more after a corrosion scare

MEMORIAL DAYS
You may not have heard of the Memorial Flight Association, but its work in restoring vintage aircraft and building accurate replicas is amongst the finest in the world

ALL THE PRESIDENT’S AIRPLANES
US Presidential air travel has moved on a lot since Franklin D. Roosevelt became the first holder of the office to take to the air

VIKING VAMPIRES
The Norwegian Air Force Historical Squadron’s Vampires have been amongst the stars of the 2011 airshow circuit. We hear from pilot Kenneth Aarkvisla about flying the classic de Havilland jet

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Go was British Airways’ low-cost subsidiary — not a concept many seemed to think would work. But work, even in its short life, it did

FIGHTER PILOT HEAVEN
Take Hunters, Jaguars, superb weather and almost complete freedom of the skies, and you have life in the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force in the early 1980s. Rod Dean recalls a highlight of his career

PLUS! The top historic aircraft news from AirVenture 2011 at Oshkosh

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene, including reviews from Bournemouth, Shoreham, Oxford, Oshkosh and others

DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
In a new regular column, our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on the month’s events and unusual aspects of aviation history

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

KOREAN WARRIORS
How naval air power, brought to bear by Fleet Air Arm Seafires, Fireflies and Sea Furies, spearheaded Britain’s contribution to United Nations-led operations in the Korean War

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Eastern Air Lines was once a huge, innovative player on the US airline scene associated with some great names, but the bigger they are, the harder they fall

THE NEW ‘STORMBIRDS’
There may have been problems to overcome along the way with Legend Flyers’ Me262 project, but with three of the jets airborne, the programme can only be counted a success

‘WILLY THE WHALE’S’ LAST WAR
The EF-10B Skyknight jamming aircraft of the US Marine Corps were largely obsolete by the time of the Vietnam War, but their use proved crucial in protecting US strike missions against the North Vietnamese

AIR RACING SPECIAL — SCHNEIDER SPEED KINGS
Eighty years ago, Britain won the Schneider Trophy in perpetuity. Not surprisingly, the way in which these achievements were reported, and used for different ends, provides a window on their time

AIR RACING SPECIAL — CELEBRATING THE SCHNEIDER
A look back three decades to a memorable event indeed — the Schneider Trophy anniversary commemoration to end them all

AIR RACING SPECIAL — THE MAGNIFICENT MEW GULL
Seventy-five years ago this year, there flew for the first time one of the most famous British racing aircraft — the Mew Gull in which Alex Henshaw made it to the Cape

AIR RACING SPECIAL — RAFALE REBORN
One of the most stunning-looking of all inter-war air racers, the Caudron C460 Rafale lives again thanks to a perfect replica

AIR RACING SPECIAL — RACE ACROSS ‘THE POND’
It starred Stirling Moss, Clement Freud, Harriers ‘jumping’ in and out of a central London coalyard, Phantoms going supersonic… no wonder 1969’s Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race captured the imagination

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene, including reviews from Yeovilton, Waddington, Koksijde, East Fortune and Flying Legends

NEW FEATURE!
DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
In a new regular column, our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on the month’s events and unusual aspects of aviation history

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

DUTCH ‘SPIT’
Chris ‘Law’ Lorraine, a man with a most interesting flying career, describes converting onto the Netherlands’ only flying Spitfire

DESERT DEFENDERS
When Oman needed to upgrade its air defences against an increasingly potent Yemeni threat, it turned to Britain. With pilots and aircraft from the UK, the Sultan of Oman’s Air Force truly joined the ‘big league’

RAGING BULLS
Amongst the stars of Flying Legends 2011 were the P-38L Lightning and F4U-4 Corsair from The Flying Bulls. Aircraft finds out about what it takes to master these two fine warbirds

EUROPE’S OLDEST AIRPORT
Hamburg Airport is truly unique, having been operational on the same site for its entire 100-year history. During that time, it has seen many hugely significant events in aviation

TIGERS ROAR
The early days of the NATO Tiger Meet, established 50 years ago this year and still going strong

TIGER CLUB BURNING BRIGHT
Tigers of a very different species… the classic light aircraft of the Tiger Club, a much-loved British institution

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
GB Airways, successor to Gibraltar Airways, was born in part out of political necessity. It had an interesting history, being involved in the birth of easyJet and later bought by it!

MEMORIES OF A MIRAGE DRIVER
The Mirages of the Armée de l’Air were amongst the most capable European-based air assets of the time, as a distinguished former pilot of both fighter and bomber versions recalls

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene, including reviews from the Cotswold Airshow, La Ferté Alais, Pardubice and Zeltweg

NEW FEATURE!
DAVID HALFORD’S DISPATCHES
In a new regular column, our much-travelled contributor David Halford reflects on the month’s events and unusual aspects of aviation history

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

RESTORING A FORTRESS
The Imperial War Museum embarks on the major task of returning its B-17 Flying Fortress to pristine condition

SAVING SALLY B
Insights into the pressures of operating what is now Europe’s sole airworthy B-17 — and how you can help

WE’LL MEET AGAIN
That was the familiar refrain at the Great Warbirds Air Display — but, alas, all good things had to come to an end

BACK TO BLACK
Of all the RAF’s Hunter aerobatic teams, the Black Arrows achieved the most legendary status — thanks not least to that famous 22-aircraft Farnborough loop

‘FOXY LADY’ IS BACK
The long-awaited return to the display circuit, with a new pilot, of the glorious classic jet that is Sea Vixen XP924

NUCLEAR ‘HUNS’
Had the Cold War gone nuclear, the F-100 Super Sabres of the USAF’s 20th Tactical Fighter Wing would have been amongst the first assets tasked with taking the atomic conflict to the Warsaw Pact

PRECIOUS METAL
Warbirds come neither more polished, nor more original, than Howard Keck’s gorgeous A-26C Invader

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
British Airtours was an unusual marriage of flag carrier and holiday charter operator. But was it a success?

RANCH HAND
C-123 Provider transports found themselves in harm’s way during the Vietnam conflict while undertaking what became a controversial mission — the defoliation of swathes of North Vietnamese jungle

THE FIRST CUT IS THE DEEPEST
Swingeing, far-reaching, ill-conceived defence cuts are nothing new for the UK. 1990’s Options for Change review set the tone in decimating the post-Cold War RAF

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene

PLUS! Win Shoreham Airshow tickets

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s opinion column

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE SWIFT
Supermarine’s only RAF jet fighter is still almost universally maligned, but, says former Swift pilot Nigel Walpole, its critics tell only part of the story

HISTORIC DUXFORD
A new Imperial War Museum project aims to shed new light on the famous airfield’s history

DUXFORD’S JET AGE
RAF Duxford closed as a fighter station 50 years ago this year. We recall its days as a Meteor, Hunter and Javelin base

NEW LIFE FOR DUXFORD
What to do with a famous old airfield? How about turning it into a prison, an HGV driving school, a sports centre… or maybe a museum?

LEGENDS OF TFC
From a single Mustang to a fleet unmatched in Europe — such has been the development of The Fighter Collection over the last 30 years

THE MASTERS OF MH434
It’s one of Duxford’s most famous airworthy Spitfires, and a distinguished combat veteran. How fitting that two of the greatest display pilots, Ray Hanna and Neil Williams, should both have flown MH434

WHEN THE CHIPMUNK WENT TO WAR
The de Havilland Canada Chipmunk was an unlikely warplane, but it proved invaluable on operations in Cyprus during the late 1950s

LIGHT FANTASTIC
The great airship heritage of Goodyear, and in particular the famous Europa

IN A FLAP
British ingenuity was behind the ‘jet flap’ concept, and the ungainly yet undeniably fascinating Hunting H126 research aircraft that tested it

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Britannia Airways helped pioneer the package holiday market, and did a lot more besides

FIGHTERS OF THE REVOLUTION
During the 1973 coup that ended up bringing General Pinochet to power, the Chilean Air Force’s Hunters were heavily involved — but this wasn’t their only action

ALPINE HUNTERS
The Hunter’s Swiss Air Force service was lengthy and distinguished. In fact, it could be argued that it was the Swiss who unlocked the Hawker fighter’s full potential

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s new opinion column

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

TARGET LIBYA
Twenty-five years ago, USAF and US Navy aircraft hit at the heart of Colonel Gaddafi’s regime. Robert F. Dorr recalls Operation ‘Eldorado Canyon’ with the help of some of the pilots who took part

FASTER, HIGHER, LONGER
Aviation and motorsport have always been closely linked, and the prestigious Segrave Trophy has seen the greats from both arenas appearing side-by-side on the roll of honour

HAWKER HUNTER AT 60
A 23-page tribute to this classic British jet fighter as it celebrates its 60th anniversary
• BEST OF BRITISH
Former Hunter pilot Rod Dean offers a ‘from the cockpit’ perspective on the development of the Hawker fighter
• MY HUNTER LOVE AFFAIR
Rod Dean’s memories of flying the different Hunter marks
• NAVAL HUNTERS
The Royal Navy’s Hunters remembered, not least by ex-FRADU pilots Derek Morter and Brian Grant

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Jersey Airlines — the result of one man’s post-war vision of Channel Islands air travel

UPHOLDING THE LEGACY
It’s a big year for the US Navy Tailhook Legacy Flight programme. We go air-to-air with some of the participants

AIR TATTOO: 40 YEARS OF MEMORIES
It’s been a long road from the first Air Tattoo at North Weald in 1971 to today’s Royal International Air Tattoo. Aircraft looks back at some notable and favourite moments from the past four decades

BY ‘BEAR’ TO BRITAIN
The second Russian ‘Bear’ appearance at the Air Tattoo saw two of the strategic bombers making the trip — and the British Defence and Air Attaché in Moscow was on board one of them

(USE AS FLASH)
WIN!
Yeovilton Air Day and RIAT 2011 tickets

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene
PLUS! Win Cotswold Airshow tickets

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s new opinion column

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

HISTORY IN THE MAKING
The first British jet — how the little Gloster E28/39 blazed a trail

THE CANBERRA REVOLUTION
The first British jet bomber — remembering the early years of the Canberra

WHEN THE COMET BLAZED BRIGHT
The first jet airliner — was the Comet ever really a potential world-beater, or did the Americans already have the market sewn up?

LAST DAYS OF THE ‘SHAR’
The last British jet fighter — why the Royal Navy had to sacrifice its Sea Harriers

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
HeavyLift Cargo Airlines — the outsize freight-hauler that resurrected the Shorts Belfast

WOODEN WONDER OF THE WORLD
The de Havilland Aircraft Heritage Centre embarks on its most painstaking project yet, the restoration of prototype Mosquito W4050

‘HINDS’ ON ALERT
It was one of the Cold War’s more unusual QRA missions — the deployment of Czechoslovak Air Force Mi-24 ‘Hind’ helicopters to defend the country’s borders against aerial incursions

LEADING LADIES
Celebrating 100 years of British women in aviation, we focus on the pioneering ladies who took to the air in the early 20th century

DISPLAY GIRLS
The IWM Duxford’s Flying Display Director Jeanne Frazer tells us about the female performers who are leading lights on the UK show scene

HINDSIGHT
Historical reflections from Bruce Hales-Dutton in Aircraft’s new opinion column

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI
Win a Corgi model for our Letter of the Month!

EVENTS in association with AIRFIX
News, dates and action — Aircraft’s coverage of the worldwide air events scene

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

FEATURES

A NAVAL CENTENNIAL
100 years of US naval aviation were celebrated in style

AVRO AND OUT
The history of Woodford as a leading aircraft manufacturing site — one inextricably linked with Avro

RETRO STYLE
A workshop report on the master craftsmanship of Retro Track and Air

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
BKS Air Transport — the airline that was so good, BEA had to buy it

ONE MAN AND HIS FIREFLY
Air-to-air with Eddie Kurdziel’s magnificent Fairey Firefly, a rare airworthy survivor

SHIPSHAPE AND FARNBOROUGH FASHION
How the Fleet Air Arm provided some of the greatest showpieces during the ‘golden era’ of SBAC displays

‘BUCC’ AT SEA
A pilot’s view of carrier-borne operations in the mighty Buccaneer

LAST CRUISE OF THE ARK
The end of Royal Navy fixed-wing carrier aviation as we knew it

THE TWO AGES OF INSTONE
Back in 1919, Instone was a true pioneer of British civil aviation — today, the name lives on

SUPERMARINE’S SPEED KING
The world-beating Swift that’s just been given a good home by Brooklands

HIJACK!
Behind-the-scenes accounts of dark days of terror for the airlines

RECCE ‘ONE-O-WONDERS’
Old they may have been, but capable too — the RF-101 Voodoos of the 66th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing at Upper Heyford

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI

DC-3 DOWN!
The shoot-down of a signals intelligence-gathering Swedish Air Force DC-3 was one of the Cold War's greatest secrets. Today the story is laid bare for all to see

THE PHOTO PEMBROKES
In an exclusive feature, Aircraft details Operation 'Hallmark' — the photo-recce operation in the Berlin air corridors that took RAF Percival Pembrokes into harm's way

DEFENDER OF THE SKIES
The former boss of No 229 Operational Conversion Unit, Rick Peacock-Edwards, looks back at the early days of the Tornado F2/3

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN… BRITISH AIRWAYS
No, not the modern BA, despite all its problems — this was the first carrier to use the now famous name

DOMINIE BOWS OUT
The RAF retires its longest-serving active aircraft type, one that's been a fine servant over more than 45 years

HARRIER PIONEERS
When No 1 Squadron re-equipped with the Harrier GR1, it took the RAF into unknown territory

THE RAF AND THE 'WINDMILL-PLANE'
Was the RAF's use of the autogyro, mainly in the form of the Cierva C30A/Avro Rota, worthwhile? In terms of the development of radar, it certainly was

CHARLIE'S AVENGER
A 'new' look for Europe's sole airworthy TBM Avenger

'I'M GOING INTO AEROPLANES…'
Freddie Laker's life was nothing if not varied. So too was the existence of Aviation Traders, one of his business success stories

WINGS AND WHEELS
Fond memories of the mighty Carvair, Aviation Traders' most famous product

'FLYING CAN-OPENERS' AT WAR
The Hurricane tank-busting exploits during World War Two that earned No 6 Squadron its famous nickname

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of new aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR
Updated major show dates for 2011

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI

FAREWELL TO THE HARRIER
On 15 December, the UK retired its last Harriers from service, bringing to an end 50 years of British ‘jump-jet’ history. Aircraft this month pays tribute with a selection of Harrier memories from the men that flew it

THE EMPRESS’ LAST FLIGHT
An historic DC-6 makes a spectacular trip into retirement

THE GULF ‘V-FORCE’
Continuing our series of features marking the 20th anniversary of Operation ‘Desert Storm’, two former Victor pilots describe the veteran RAF tanker force’s part in the 1991 campaign

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN… BSAA
British South American Airways, ‘Pathfinder’ Bennett’s airline, was a true post-war pioneer. This, though, brought its problems

SHIPSHAPE FOR THE FUTURE
A 12-page special on the Royal Navy Historic Flight. Its commander, Lt Cdr Mike Abbey, describes flying the Swordfish and the latest developments within the RNHF, while Lt Cdr Chris Götke explains why the Sea Hawk is such a joy

MAGNIFICENT MEN AND MACHINES
Film director Peter Jackson’s input has helped the ‘Knights of the Sky’ exhibition at New Zealand’s Omaka Aviation Heritage Centre set new standards of presentation

‘DAK’ IN TIME
Air Atlantique has been a great champion of the DC-3, and through the histories of its venerable ‘Daks’ is told a tale of British civil aviation

ACRO HUNTERS REVIVAL
Air-to-air with a Hawker Hunter that recalls the Swedish Air Force’s Acro Hunters aerobatic team

APACHE WARRIOR
The A-36A Apache dive-bomber deserves its own recognition as a fine warplane in its own right. Aircraft flies with what is, at present, the sole airworthy example

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of new aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR
Updated major show dates for 2011

AIR MAIL
Your letters, in association with CORGI

BUFFALO’S OLD SOLDIERS
In the wilds of the most isolated Canadian communities, Buffalo Airways is still moving people and freight with a fleet of DC-3s, C-46s and DC-4s — and it simply can’t replace them!

LEFT FIELDS: RNAS TRESCO
Starting a new series on the world’s historic disused airfields, we visit the Isles of Scilly to trace the history of somewhere that’s not actually an airfield at all

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN… TWA
This US major managed to survive the likes of Howard Hughes and Carl Icahn, but after 70 years of ups and downs, ever-tougher competition would lay it low

RED ALERT
Test pilot Marc Frattini tells us about flying EADS’ unique Me163 Komet replica, with exclusive air-to-airs by Dr Andreas Zeitler — PLUS! Capt Eric Brown recalls flying, and crashing, the real thing

THE LUFTWAFFE’S LAST HOPE
The Focke-Wulf Ta183 was developed too late for Nazi Germany, but its technology influenced a whole generation of post-war combat aircraft. Aircraft tries to tell Ta183 fact from fiction

BARNES WALLIS AND THE SWING-WING ‘SWALLOW’
An insider view of one of post-war British aviation’s most secret projects — the great Barnes Wallis’ stillborn ‘Swallow’

SABRES OF SHEPHERDS GROVE
The USAF F-86s that, at an early stage of the Cold War, were Britain’s most potent air defenders

GULF WAR I
20 years on
To mark the 20th anniversary of the start of Operation ‘Desert Storm’, we focus in a 17-page special on the fast jets that saw their last action in the 1991 conflict

DESERT PIRATES
The vital part, as laser designators and offensive assets in their own right, played by RAF Buccaneers in the Gulf campaign

SMART SLUFs
How the US Navy’s A-7s proved that the Corsair II was being retired before its time

FIGHTING SADDAM’S SAM SITES
The USAF F-4G Wild Weasel force — in action from the first moments of ‘Desert Storm’

THE UNLIKELIEST ‘TANK PLINKER’
F-111s from Upper Heyford and Lakenheath took on a new role in the fight against Iraqi armour

OLD SENSORS IN A NEW WAR
‘Desert Storm’ was a high-tech campaign, yet the USAF’s RF-4Cs were decidedly outmoded

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of new aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR AND NEWS
Updated major show dates for 2011, and the latest from the international airshow scene

AIR MAIL in association with CORGI

CUE THE DC-3!
The early 1980s ITV series ‘Airline’ was seemingly a winner, but it lasted for just one series. In an Aircraft exclusive, its star Roy Marsden tells us why

VULCAN — BACK FROM THE BRINK
Despite the success of the recent appeal to ‘save’ Vulcan XH558, sustainable funding is key to its flying future. We talk to Vulcan to the Sky chief executive Dr Robert Pleming, and bring you the latest air-to-airs by Jamie Hunter

WINGS OF THE REVOLUTION
When the revolution against President Juan Perón began, the Fuerza Aérea Argentina’s Avro Lancasters and Lincolns were ready for action — the Lincolns going to war on both sides

‘TANKER 121’ FLIES AGAIN
Few PB4Y-2 Privateer patrol bombers survive, but a superb former firefighting example is now back in the air

FLYING FIFI
The return to flight of the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 Superfortress Fifi is cause for celebration. Aircraft talks to some of its crew members for a ‘from the cockpit’ report

NIGHT AFFAIR OVER KOREA
Many a B-29 mission during the Korean War was a routine affair — but not this one!

‘BABE’ LEAROYD VC
The heroism in harm’s way of RAF Bomber Command’s first Victoria Cross recipient

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... SKYWAYS
Perhaps the market wasn’t ready for low-cost air travel when Skyways pioneered the concept, but that didn’t stop this versatile British carrier trying

‘RED FRED’ AND THE ‘SHAR’
Remembering former Sea Harrier operational and test pilot Rod Frederiksen, one of the greatest exponents of the V/STOL jet

FLIGHT BAG
A bumper Christmas special! Four pages of reviews of new aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY in association with AIRFIX
The best in worldwide airshow coverage

THAT WAS THEN... THIS IS NOW
Two decades ago, 1990 proved a memorable season of Battle of Britain commemorations. But, as our annual look back at the airshow season gone by reflects, 2010 certainly had its moments to match

CALENDAR
First major show dates for 2011!

Coming Soon...

AIR MAIL

FLIGHT OF THE ARK
We hear from Tom Schrade about his intrepid trans-Atlantic flight in his superb Sikorsky S-38B replica Osa’s Ark

‘THE FEW’ ON FILM
Many a film has been made about ‘the Few’ — in this 70th anniversary year, Aircraft takes a look at four of the most promi-nent, with details of the warbirds that starred

FROM FRIENDS TO ENEMIES
The fascinating story of the Armée de l’Air d’Armistice, the air arm of Vichy France, established 70 years ago this year

LIGHTNING STRIKES
82nd Fighter Group veterans recount their experiences of flying and fighting in the P-38 Lightning, from North Africa to Russia via the Med

DEVIL WORSHIP
Exclusive air-to-airs of the four P-38s that flew at the California Capital Airshow — a memorable salute to the ‘Fork-Tailed Devil’ and its pilots

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... 
BRITISH UNITED
In its day, BUA was Britain’s largest independent scheduled airline. 
But its day didn’t last long

SAAB at 70
Saab has an outstandingly successful aeronautical heritage to its name. Seventy years on from the maiden flight of its first production aircraft design, we celebrate the history of this great Swedish manufacturer

FIRST OF THE MANY
The type that started the Saab aircraft story — the wartime B 17

SWEDEN’S COLD WAR FIGHTERS
During the Cold War, the Swedish Air Force built up a substantial, and highly capable, front-line force. Aircraft visited Sweden to talk to former Flygvapnet pilots about their missions and the aircraft — ‘Tunnan’, Lansen, Draken and Viggen — they flew

FLIGHT BAG
Reviews of new aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

REVIEWS
Duxford’s superb Battle of Britain show, plus coverage from Jersey, Göteborg, Leuchars, Sywell and more

CALENDAR
First major show dates for 2011!

AIR MAIL

THE DEATH OF TSR2
What happened to the TSR2 programme still attracts much condemnation, but is it really deserved? PLUS! Win Classic Publications’ new TSR2 book

PROJECT SWATROCK
When the USAF embarked on a top-secret armament trial in the Korean War, it called upon Col Jack Broughton to head it up. He tells the fascinating story

THE SECOND GROSVENOR HOUSE
Air-to-air with Tom Wathen’s stunning replica of the MacRobertson 
race-winning DH88 Comet

1940 MONTH BY MONTH
Aircraft’s month-by-month chronology of the air war of 1940 
draws to a close, with the end of the Battle of Britain

HEINKEL’S SUPER FIGHTER
Could the Heinkel He100, the subject of one of military aviation’s most elaborate deceptions, have changed the course of the Battle of Britain?

REMEMBERING THE CLIPPERS
Some 75 years after Pan Am started its ‘China Clipper’ flying boat services, a group of luxury hotels is recalling those pio-neering, romantic days

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... 
BRITISH AIR FERRIES
A prominent operator of Carvairs and Viscounts, it was quite an achievement for this carrier to survive independently for so long

TALES OF THE ‘MIGHTY HUNTER’
A former RAF Nimrod crewman looks back fondly at the ‘Mighty Hunter’s’ Cold War service — a far cry from Afghanistan

RISING STAR
We report from Maine on Lufthansa’s return to flight of a majestic Lockheed Starliner

FLIGHT BAG
It’s a Battle of Britain special in Aircraft’s product review pages this time — 
we look at new and classic Battle books, plus flight sims, art and more

NEWS
The latest from the international display scene, plus event previews

REVIEWS
Reports from Shuttleworth, Eastbourne and the Bristol Balloon Fiesta

CALENDAR
Your essential, fully-updated airshow planner

AIR MAIL

THE AIRCRAFT THAT CHANGED THE WORLD
Examining the significance of the DC-3 to the airlines, the military and the world

'THE LAST TIME'
'Gooney Birds' galore at Oshkosh, as AirVenture 2010 stages the DC-3 gathering to end them all

FIRST OF THE MANY
The history of the first military DC-3 of them all, a gleaming C-41 that's still going strong

SEAFIRE REBORN
The first air-to-airs of Dr Wes Stricker's superbly-restored Seafire XV

THE 'WILLY WONKA WARBIRD'
Jim Beasley tells us about mastering his recently-acquired Spitfire XVIII

BATTLE OF BRITAIN 70TH ANNIVERSARY EYEWITNESS TO THE BLITZ
The late James Goulding's recollections of living through the Luftwaffe's Blitz on London in September 1940

1940 MONTH BY MONTH
It's September in our month-by-month chronology of the air war of 1940, and the threat of invasion is well and truly on the wane

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... BRYMON
Brymon didn't invent UK regional air services, but it did a lot to develop them — not to mention a certain airport in London's Docklands...

LIGHTNING EXCHANGE
What was the highlight of USAF fighter pilot Col Bob Priest's career? An exchange tour on RAF Lightning F6s, that's what!

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AirDisplay
The best in worldwide airshow coverage

NEWS
The latest from the international display scene, including the big changes at Biggin Hill

FLYING LEGENDS
Action from Duxford as The Fighter Collection pulls off another world-beating show

REVIEWS
Reports from Biggin Hill, Waddington and Yeovilton

RIAT 2010
The Royal International Air Tattoo commemorates the Battle of Britain

CALENDAR
Your essential, fully-updated airshow planner

SALUTE TO THE BENT-WING BIRD
Seventy years on from the prototype’s maiden flight, F4U Corsairs return once more to the old factory airfield in Stratford, Connecticut, for a memorable event

1940 MONTH BY MONTH
Aircraft’s chronology of the air war of 1940 covers the events of August, and the busiest days of the Battle

DEFIANT AGAINST THE ODDS
Many would class the Boulton Paul Defiant as having been a failure, but the record of this turret-equipped fighter and its crews during the Battle of Britain was truly valiant

HAPPY BIRTHDAY XH558
The most famous Vulcan of them all celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2010. We detail its history, and talk to the man who first took XH558 into the air

NEW-LOOK FLYGVAPENMUSEUM
A first report on the newly re-opened Swedish Air Force Museum, now hugely expanded with a Cold War focus

RED STAR OVER GERMANY
Air-to-air with Thomas Jülch’s wonderful Polikarpov I-16, scheduled to be the ‘red star’ of this year’s Flying Legends

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... SPANTAX
Best known as the world’s largest Convair Coronado operator, the Spanish carrier rose meteorically – and fell just as fast

POLAND’S CLASSIC MiG
First air-to-airs of the Polish Eagles Foundation’s newly-flown SB Lim-2 – the first of four MiGs this ambitious organisation plans to return to flight

FROM TEST PILOT TO SEX SHOP QUEEN
The incredible life of Beate Uhse, who went from test-flying Jungmanns to delivering Bf109s and then founded one of Europe’s largest sex shop chains

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN: VICKERS V1000
It’s often regarded as one of the biggest missed opportunities in post-war British aviation, but was the V1000/VC7 really a lost world-beater?

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY NEWS
The latest from the international display scene, including RIAT and Farnborough previews

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR
Your essential, fully-updated airshow planner

AIR DISPLAY REVIEWS
Action from Berlin, Cotswold Airport, Bentwaters, Malmen and Hyères

1940 MONTH BY MONTH
Our chronology of the air war of 1940 reaches July, and the true start of the Battle of Britain

THE ITALIAN JOB
The involvement of Italy’s Regia Aeronautica in the Battle of Britain was hardly auspicious. With rarely-published photographs, we remember this short-lived intervention on the Axis side

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE
AeroSuperBatics’ wingwalking team embarks on its latest commercial partnership, this time with Breitling

SAUNDERS-ROE’S ROCKET FIGHTERS
What might have been... a detailed examination of the space-age SR53 and SR177 interceptors

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... COURT LINE
It may not have been around for long, but Court Line’s influence — as a direct result of its acrimonious collapse — is still strong today

THE AIRBASE EXPERIENCE
A first in-depth look at the Air Atlantique Classic Flight’s groundbreaking new attraction

WATER WINGS
A century ago, an aircraft flew off water for the first time when Henri Fabre’s ‘Le Canard’ got airborne from a lake in the south of France. No wonder the French celebrated in style

WHIRLY BIRD
There are many autogyros flying around the world, but none that boast the long history of this wonderful Pitcairn PA-18

POUNDS AND POUNDS FOR AIR-TO-GROUND
The early days of the formidable F-15E Strike Eagle, 30 years on from the demonstrator’s remarkable trans-Atlantic flight to the UK

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

Skyhawk Reborn
Just how do you turn a standard A-4L Skyhawk into an airworthy two-seat TA-4J? We bring you exclusive photos as this impressive rebuild takes to the air

The Wallbro — 100 years on
It runs in the family… famed autogyro builder and pilot Wg Cdr Ken Wallis relates the history of the Wallbro Monoplane, the revolutionary aircraft built by his father 100 years ago

Battle of BritaIn 70TH anniversary: Heroes of Poland
The vital role played by Polish AF pilots during the air war of 1940 is well documented, but the battles fought by these highly-experienced airmen were not always in the air

1940 month by month
Continuing our chronology of the momentous events of 1940

Gone but not forgotten… Railway Air Services
Trains, ’planes and automobiles. How Britain’s railway companies helped shape today’s airline industry

By Royal appointment
Reviewing the reviews. Seventy-five years ago, the first Royal Review of the RAF took place. Since then there have been just four more, with each reflecting the changing face of the service

What might have been? America’s Pusher fighters
The ungainly trio of XP-54, XP-55 and XP-56 — the pusher-prop fighters that World War Two didn’t need

Vive la Ferté
How could you not be seduced by the heady mix of classic aircraft, French flair and generous hospitality? Aircraft celebrates 40 years of the much-loved Meeting Aérien at La Ferté Alais

Cold War ‘Hogs’
Getting the low-down on what life was like flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II with the USAF’s 81st Tactical Fighter Wing

Flight Bag
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY News
The latest from the international display scene

AIR DISPLAY Calendar
Your essential, fully-updated airshow planner

WIN! YEOVILTON AIR DAY TICKETS

See page 15

BATTLE OF BRITAIN 70TH ANNIVERSARY

1940 MONTH BY MONTH
Beginning our chronology of the momentous events of 1940

DUXFORD THEN AND NOW
Memories of the Battle of Britain will doubtless be stirred at the Imperial War Museum Duxford’s events in 2010 – but what was actually taking place there on those dates 70 years ago?

GRACE SPITFIRE’S NEW LOOK
A change of markings, and a new sponsor, for much-loved Spitfire ML407

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... BRANIFF
This US carrier wasn’t just about absurd uniforms and gaudy colour schemes! Sadly, though, these gimmicks didn’t help it survive

FASTER, HIGHER, LONGER
A hundred years ago this summer, the Scottish town of Lanark hosted a remarkable International Aviation Meeting at which aeronautical records were repeatedly smashed

DESERT CLASSICS
Strikemasters, Hunter and Gnats displaying over the Al Ain desert – what a start to the airshow season! Aircraft caught up with these leading lights of Britain’s classic jet scene, and brings you an exclusive ‘from the cockpit’ report by Jonathon Whaley of his Al Ain exploits in Miss Demeanour

LUFTHANSA’S JET AGE
The German national carrier’s transition 50 years ago from Super Constellations to brand new Boeing 707s – a seismic generational shift

SINKING THE COVENTRY
In a rare interview, Argentine Air Force pilot Comodoro Mariano Velasco recalls his part in sinking HMS Coventry during the Falklands War

THE INTERVIEW
The life of Jock Maitland, from ‘MiG-killing’ F-86 Sabre pilot during the Korean War to legendary Biggin Hill Air Fair impresario

ALCONBURY’S RECCE ‘RHINOS’
The RF-4Cs of the 10th Tactical Reconnaissance Wing were both the first and the last USAF Phantoms to be permanently based in Britain

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast
PLUS! Win a set of C&H Flight Simulator USB Pro Pedals, worth £124.99

AIR DISPLAY
The best in worldwide airshow coverage

NEWS
The latest from the international display scene

CALENDAR
Your essential, fully-updated airshow planner

Bader at war
With the help of original documents, we recount some notable events from Douglas Bader’s remarkable wartime service

‘He was such a dynamic man, so inspiring’
Royal International Air Tattoo director Tim Prince remembers the Sir Douglas Bader he knew

WATTISHAM’S LIGHTNING YEARS
With brand new Mach 2 fighters, colourful squadron markings and spectacular aerobatic teams, RAF Wattisham was an exciting place to be in the early ’60s

KNIGHTS OF THE SKY
The world’s largest fleet of airworthy First World War aircraft now graces the skies of New Zealand. We report exclusively on the remarkable work of The Vintage Aviator Ltd

THE BOYS FROM BRAZIL
The story of how Brazilian pilots flew P-47 Thunderbolts with the US Army Air Force in the Mediterranean theatre

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... DAN-AIR
Once, Dan-Air was one of the most famous names in the UK airline business. Then, the early 1990s recession laid it low

OPEN SEASONS
British airshow nostalgia, USAF-style – the Armed Forces Days, Open Houses and others that brought a bit of America to the UK display scene

THE INTERVIEW
Aircraft meets Red Bull Air Race contender, former Rhodesian Air Force pilot and top aerobatic and warbird display exponent Nigel Lamb

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN: SR.A/1
Saunders-Roe’s jet fighter flying boat, an aircraft that was always in a class of its own

FREE! AIR DISPLAY 2010 SUPPLEMENT

• Battle of Britain celebrations previewed
• Full UK and worldwide air events calendar
• Major British show previews

The impressive expansion of Vintage Wings of Canada, now one of the world’s leading collections of historic aircraft

PRESERVING THE BRISTOL HERITAGE
In the centenary year of the Bristol Aeroplane Company, we take a timely look at the Bristol Aero Collection

BLENHEIMS GO TO WAR
The story of the first raid of World War Two – a gallant action by the Blenheim squadrons from RAF Wattisham

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... SILVER CITY
It’s best remembered for its ‘love affair’ with the utilitarian Bristol Freighter and its famed cross-Channel car ferry services, but there was much more to Silver City Airways than that

FREE!
Pull-out Bristol centenary poster

THE BATTLE FOR CONCORDE
In some respects, getting Concorde into the air was the easy part. Service entry – and particularly approval to fly to the USA – was another matter. So was keeping the project alive...

THE INTERVIEW
Former Civil Aviation Authority chief test pilot Jock Reid’s varied career, including a close, and vital, association with Concorde

DEEDS, NOT WORDS: 20 AT WAR
Moments from the combat history of No 20 Squadron, RFC/RAF, about to disband in its 95th anniversary year

MAGNIFIQUE MORANE
The story of the world’s only airworthy MS406, one of Europe’s most prized warbird fighters

EAGLES ON ALERT
How the F-15 Eagles of Bitburg’s 36th Tactical Fighter Wing guarded the skies of Western Europe during the Cold War – and achieved notable success in ‘Desert Storm’

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast – and provides the answers to our Christmas brain-teasers

AIR DISPLAY NEWS
The latest from the international display scene

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR
Your essential airshow planner

LIFE BEGINS AT 40
It’s the oldest flying ancestor of Boeing’s famous jet airliners – Addison Pemberton’s splendid Boeing 40C

THE INTERVIEW
We meet Wg Cdr Ken Wallis, the wartime RAF pilot and autogyro maestro who’s still flying at 93!

CAF FLYING HIGH AGAIN
A look at the Commemorative Air Force as it looks forward to a brighter future

MIGHTY ‘SPAD’
The Marine Aviation Museum’s A-1D Skyraider salutes the ‘Sandy’ rescue operations of the Vietnam War

PHANTOMS OF THE RUHR
Preparation for war was a fact of daily life within RAF Germany at the height of the Cold War, as former Phantom navigator Ian Black recalls

WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN: ROTODYNE
Almost 50 years after its cancellation, the Fairey Rotodyne continues to divide opinion

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN... AIR EUROPE
The story behind one of the biggest airline collapses of all time

MUSTANG VERSUS Me262
Former USAAF P-51D pilots recall the first piston-to-jet dogfights in history

SAVE A TRIDENT!
Efforts get under way to preserve a now unique piece of British airliner heritage

FLIGHT BAG
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast – and provides the answers to our Christmas brain-teasers PLUS! Win superb P-51 flight sims

AIR DISPLAY NEWS
The latest from the international display scene

AIR DISPLAY CALENDAR
Your essential airshow planner

Gone but not forgotten... Air UK
The regional airline that wanted to be ‘like the milkman – nothing flash but guaranteed to turn up every morning’

The Interview
It’s an interesting progression from RAF combat pilot to professional artist, but Mike Rondot is an interesting chap!

‘Peace is our profession’
With the start of the Cold War, American bombers were back in Britain. We recall the deployments that formed part of Strategic Air Command’s immediate post-war deterrent

Three’s Company
Swedish firm Biltema is new on the European warbird scene, but has made a big impact with its trio of classics – a Cavalier Mustang and two Spitfires

Night at the Museum
Something special for the keen photographer at the Newark Air Museum

What might have been: Nimrod AEW3
The most salutary example of how not to do military procurement? We tell the story of the disastrous ‘Nimwacs’

Polar pioneers
How SAS pioneered airline services over the inhospitable polar regions – the longest ‘short-cut’ in the world!

Flight Bag
Aircraft reviews the latest aviation-related products for the discerning enthusiast

AIR DISPLAY
The best in worldwide airshow coverage

News
The latest from the international display scene

Reviews
International show action from Overberg, Dubai and Houston

RIAT: View from the commentary box
The editor looks back at his airshow commentary debut

Calendar
Your essential airshow planner