Flankerman

Excellent Avanti Dennis - beautifully made and finished. I built both the Avanti and Beech Starship - here they are for comparison...... Some stats.... Starship.... 6 passengers + 2 crew, max speed 385mph, range 1,742 miles - all composite Avanti... 7-9 passengers + 1 crew, max speed 460mph, range 1,738 miles - all metal Ken

I thing these are the M-Hobby drawings - downloadable. http://www.airwar.ru/other/draw/tu14t.html Ken

Photographed in 2013...... Ken

That image is reversed - the door on the An-2 is on the port side - look at the reg - RF-ooo...... It still illustrates the point though. Ken

Maybe something to do with parachuting ??

I built it some 9 years ago - so the memory is a bit rusty.... But I don't recall having any problems with the decals - they were applied over a gloss finish. Ken

The Academy F-89J kit has markings for an ADC gray machine of the 124 FIS, Iowa ANG...... It is part of my Scorpion family (6 so far).... More on each one here :- http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_f-89_scorpion-01.html Cheers Ken

Excellent model - great realistic finish. 01-925 is the Harrier that had a brake fire as it taxied in to its spot on arrival on the Wednesday. Lots of dramatic smoke as the fire tenders arrived - I took a few photos if anyone is interested. Ken

Here ya go - all 70 of them! http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_m-55_modelsvit.html#Walkround_Photos Happy modelling Ken

That would be my article - here (minus the walkround photos) http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_m-55_modelsvit.html I still have the walkround photos on my PC - I could resize them and upload them to my website if anyone is interested ?? Ken

I'll be following your build with interest, tegethoff - especially how you fix the forward fuselage to the main body. I had a lot of trouble with mine.... http://www.flankers-site.co.uk/model_m-55_modelsvit.html I took a few pics of it at MAKS.... it is a large machine.. Ken

A Su-27 of the 'Russian Knights' landed with its gear up after an airshow in Bratislava. The missile launch rails under the engine intakes acted as skids - later the aircraft was raised up and the undercarriage was lowered. After a few dents were hammered out, the aircaft took of to its home base of Kubinka in Russia. There are loads of images and video of the event - just Google 'Russian Knighs landing'..... Ken

IIRC, the port side entry is a hangover from the days of mounted cavalry. Early fighters (WWI) were piloted by young cavalry officers who were used to mounting their horses from the left hand side. Left foot in the stirrup, right leg over the horses rump to sit upright in the saddle. Swap the horse for a Camel or SE 5 - and there you have it. At least that's what I read..... Ken

Lucius - where are the attched fighters? The Zveno label means 'flight' or 'Link' and refers to the experimental flights of the TB-1 Bomber with two I-4 fighters attached... (Zveno 1) The TB-3 was used to carry various fighters including the I-16 (Zveno SPB) The final one was the 'Aviamatka' - a TB-3 with FIVE fighters attched.... There's more on my (now rather clunky) web page - here... TB-1 Zveno : - http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Tupolev/TB-1/Duffy/index.php TB-3 Aviamatka :- http://vvs.hobbyvista.com/Modeling/Tupolev/TB-3/Duffy/index.php Hope this helps Ken

I can think of two modern(ish) jets that are entered from the starboard (right) side..... The SAAB Jas-39 Gripen and the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter. Make that THREE - the Blackburn Bucanneer ! Ken