Exotic Lockheeds Lockheed XF-90 – Lockheed Martin RQ-3A – Lockheed SR-71 The Lockheed company has been making aircraft successfully since the 1930s. During World War 2 it manufactured such famous aircraft as the P-38 Lightning, the Hudson and the Constellation. In post war years it went on to make the Super Constellation, the F-104 Starfighter…

Light Gull Grey and White North American FJ-4B – McDonnell F3H-2N – Vought F8U-1 Later in the Pacific War the United States Navy adopted a simplified paint scheme for its aircraft of Gloss Sea Blue (also referred to as Dark Blue of Dark Sea Blue). It was appropriate at the time when the Navy was…

Soviet World War 2 Fighters Three LaGG-3 – MiG-3 – Yak-3 All the major fighting countries during World War 2 developed and flew a wide range of fighters. This was necessary because the rapid technological advances made during the war led to quick improvements so that an aircraft which was on the top of the…

NEW IN THE READING ROOM Addition to Workbench Notes Bell UH-1B in 1/72 by Italeri with Dekl decals NEW IN THE GALLERIES Additions to the Aircraft Galleries Airbus A.330-200 in 1/144 by Revell with Hawkeye decals Bell UH-1B in 1/72 by Italeri with Dekl decals Kawasaki Ki-61 in 1/32 by Hasegawa Nakajima Ki-44 in 1/32…

Variable Geometry Aircraft Grumman XF10F-1 – General Dynamics F-111C- Tupolev Tu-22M The idea of the variable geometry (‘swing wing’) aircraft took off after the allies came across the prototype of the Messerschmitt P.1011. The innovation promised to solve the problem of making an aircraft what could achieve high performance with a swept wing and good…

Inter-war Light Aircraft Henschel Hs125 – British Aircraft Swallow II – Potez 580 The period of the 1920s and 1930s was a fertile period in the development of all branches of aviation, perhaps most in light civil aircraft where the relatively low development costs meant many ideas could be tried and low production runs were…

BALLARAT AVIATION MUSEUM Ballarat Airport Ballarat, Victoria, Australia The Ballarat Aviation Museum is a community based volutneer operated museum located at Ballarat Airport. It’s collection comprises representative examples of most museum exhibits representing the rich history of aviation ranging from aircraft and aero engines to uniforms and documents. In addition, the museum is linked to…

Big British Bombers Short Stirling B.I – Handley Page Halifax B.I – Avro Vucan B.2 Let’s keep looking at big bombers this week, since we looked at American bombers last week and French bombers the week before. The biggest bombers have been the strategic bombers, aircraft designed to fly long distances carrying heavy loads to…

Big Boeing Bombers Boeing B-17B – Boeing B-29A – Boeing WB-47B Can there be anyone in the world with even the slightest interest in aviation who doesn’t know the word ‘Boeing’. Up until the mid 1930s it was known mainly for its fighters including the F4B, P-12 and P-26. However, from the mid 1930s it…

Airways Museum Edgar Johnston Lane, Essendon Airport, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia The Airways Museum may be unique among the world’s aviation museums. Its focus is on the preservation and display of historical electronic equipment association with the development of Australian civil aviation rather than aircraft. This museum is administered by the Civil Aviation Historical Society, a…

Here is the link to the Museum’s latest newsletter.