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Now that RAF100 has died down a bit and my involvement has just about come to an end, I have a bit of time to do some modelling. I had hoped to do a 1/48 Mossie in overseas colours, but I don’t think I have the time, so instead a Spitfire (or 2). So my my plan is to start with an Airfix 1/72 Spitfire F 22 and use the decals from an AZ Models F 22 to make a Syrian Arab Air Force Spitfire. If time permits I will then do the AZ Models F 22 in the colours of the South Rhodesian Air Force. Just to compare the 2 kits, this is the Airfix version: and this the AZ Models version: Wish me luck!!

This is my rendition of the well-known Syrian MiG-23ML (or to be precise a MiG-23MLAE-2, Izdeliye-23-22B) that defected to Israel in October 1989, as it might have looked when standing QRA in Syria at a time before the event. At the time of the defection itself, the aircraft was armed only with cannon and live flares, but I have shown it with a typical QRA fit of 2 x R-60 and 2 x R-23 missiles. In that time frame, the medium range AAMs would probably have R-24s rather than R-23s but the R-24s in the Dragon missile set I had were too short, whereas the Zvezda R-23s are actually pretty good (albeit the nose of the IR-guided R-23T in the kit need shortening and re-profiling). The base kit here is the Zvezda MiG-23MF, although the rear fuselage (at least in the boxing I had) was a better match for a ML. I used HiDecal MiG-23 decals, a Pavla MiG-23 cockpit and exhaust nozzle, Armory MiG-23 (late) wheels, Master MiG-23 pitot, RES-IM MiG-23 wheel cover, antennae from a Flightpath set, some parts taken from a Hasegawa MiG-23MF (primarily the windscreen, canopy, some undercarriage doors, and aerials) and a spare ML fin from a KP MiG-23MF. The Zvezda kit is generally pretty good in outline but needs a few mods, especially in the length of the fuselage. I added a 20-thou plate to the rear fuselage ahead of the Pavla jet pipe to give a slight stretch there, another 20-thou shim between the fuselage section and the intakes (adjusting the angle of these at the same time) and a 2mm stretch between the radome and the fuselage. The really weak part of the Zvezda kit is the canopy, which is too wide and short, giving the nose a squat appearance. I built up the canopy area to the correct profile to fit the Hasegawa windscreen and canopy. The flare packs on the rear fuselage that are a distinctive feature of Syrian Floggers are scratchbuilt. The nosewheel leg was rebuilt to represent the ML (and later) type but I haven’t got the angles quite right, so my model looks like it has had some sort of hydraulic failure! Plus there is something not right with the angle of the port R-23 launcher. Ah well … By the way, if you are wondering about the different orientation of the stars on the wing insignia, that is based on contemporary photos of Syrian MiG-23s.

Moscow's Game of Poker Russian Military Intervention in Syria, 2015-2017 ISBN : 9781912390373 Helion & Company via Casemate UK The civil war which has ravaged Syria for the past few years has been particularity brutal, and very confusing. Originally a civil war which spanned from the Arab world protests of 2011 it quickly degenerated into a multi level conflict. This drew in ISIS/ISIL fighters and neighbouring countries. Internally the struggle was split between different Muslim factions, however the inclusion of Kurdish fighters has drawn in the Turkish and Iranian Armies. Iranian involvement has drawn in Hezbollah; which in turn has drawn in the Israeli military. It was assumed by many that the western powers would get involved primarily to fight Islamic militants, and this they did. American special forces have fought with the Kurds and there have been airstrikes from American and British aircraft. Then in 2015 the Russian military embarked to intervene in the conflict. A long term ally of the Syrian Government the Russians claimed though their intervention was to join the fight against ISIS. It is though generally realised this is a cover to help their ally. Though some ground forces have been deployed it is primarily the Russian Air Force that is involved. The Russian involvement and the internal view of the operations has boosted the popularity of the current leadership. The book looks at aspects of the Russian involvement in Syria. As well as familiar aircraft such as the Su-24 & Su-25, the book looks at the deployment of strategic assets such as the Tu-95 and Tu-22M3; and brand new aircraft such as the Su-34 and Su-57 (or T50 PAK-FA). The book also looks at the armaments being used. Although much has been made of new precision weapons being used it has become apparent the Russian Air Force is primarily using standard bombs and rocket a lot of the time on the population. This has further reinforced the view that the Russians are in effect providing Air Support to the Syrian forces. The book has over 130 photographs, maps and 9 colour pages of profiles of the aircraft and helicopters taking part. In a new feature the profiles now include a look at weapons loads for the aircraft. The book considers Moscow's aims, strategy, combat operations including target selection, tactics, day-to-day operations; and the way Moscow co-operates with the local allies. Conclusion This book should provide readers with a good look at the current state of Russian intervention in Syria. This is a complicated intervention to say the least and author Tom Cooper has gone to great lengths to source information to give readers a good look at what is going on. Very Highly Recommended. Review sample courtesy of

SyAAF Gloster Meteor F.8 Airfix 1/48 IsraDecal this morning's decision to take part in this promising GB! That is one of the candidates, I think a good and not too common one! hope you like it! Do you think I need any other aftermarket? Wheels? Cockpit/ MB Mk.II seat? state of today....absolutely untouched cheers, Werner

Four Sukhoi Su-35S fighters strengthen Russian aviation group in Syria. bit.ly/1WZy8s8

The Telegraph are reporting that RAF Typhoons and Tornados are to pair up in an attempt to avoid clashes with Russia over Syria. http://bit.ly/1R2GkaK

Hi all. This time I bring You an uniqe topic. This is an armed trainer, manufactured in Checkslovakia and flown by the SyAAF (syrian airforce, loyalists) on several antiterrorist missions. Looking for setisfying pictures took weeks, but I say it was worthy. In the meanwhile I also bought a pair of Pavla's bang seats. The pictures I found were taken in August of 2012, over the city of Aleppo. I choose the nr. 2136 The kit: The kit itself was a litle bit of disapointment. Reading the brand name Eduard whispers me I have a super-hitech something. Well, not. In general the detais are ok. Actualy I think to not giving wheel wells is a marker of miserliness. But the real problems came at fitting, and on the surface of the moulds -> burrs, penetration (is it the good word for?) and "cellulite". Well, okay, they give us express mask. And at least it is size and shape correct. By the way, still much better, than the KoPro's kit. The construction: I made in the orthodox way, cockpit first, glue together the fusalage halves and so on. I used Humbroll and Revell enamel paints, useing syirian made photos as references. Watcing the photoes I realised thet the camo colours seems to the Hungarian camo's used on MiG-21 -23, L-39 and Mi-8 -17, so I had a basic to start from. UB 16 rocket blocks from KoPro Mi-4, pitut tube are injection needles, static dischargers, aerials, brake pipes are from wires. The decals were setting well but I used Gunze Mr. Decal Softer just to make sure... Coated with Gunze acrillic. This is the containment of the box. This pic actually made not by me, the first one found is attached. Sry guyz, I'm lazy. The very beginnings: (Yes, the following pictures made by me and shows the modell made by myself. ) Example for celluliot: and for sinkmaks: Minor paintings: And surprise! Pavla seats didnt fit! Ok, it was solved quickly by a saw... The following problem, a nice step: And need for filler: Miscs. are painted: Ready for paint: Belly: Preshadeing: Almost done: Applying the decals. Note: the black stipes are sprayed and the arabic numbers are handpainted. Finished: And special thanks for an other Hungarian scale modeller, Yso, for drawing the painting legend in CAD after the photos.

Dewoitine D.520C1 n° 277, GC III/6 5ème escadrille l'armée de l'Air, Rayack (Syria), June 1941, flown by Sous-lieutenant Pierre Le Gloan Kit: 1/72 Hasegawa Dewoitine D.520 "French Air Force" Afermarket parts : Eduard #72-254 photo-etched detail set (selected parts only) Falcon vac formed canopy (from the set #26 “France WWII”) Corrections & additions made on the kit: The nose air intakes were originally the wrong shape being too narrow at their forward end. This was corrected with plastic inserts and re-shaping. The louvers were added to the intakes as it can be seen on the photos. The under-belly cooler was too narrow and also not curved enough in outline. It was re-shaped by making two cuts in its rear part, repositioning the rear ends of the cooler sides outward and filling the gaps with Mr.Surfacer. The cooler interior (area covered by the cooler) was completely re-worked by cutting out the flat plastic fragment of the lower wing part and making an appropriate niche instead, as it was on the real thing. Therefore, the etched cooler grills by Eduard (designed to fit the kit parts) became just useless and the replacement parts were finally scratch built. The wing area where the cooler is attached was also modified according to the reference photos. The main wheel wells (too shallow and represented totally wrong on the kit) were completely re-worked, in particular, the niches for the landing gear legs. For the wheel well “ceilings” the Eduard parts were used, with some additions though. The kit parts for the landing gear covers were thinned down and modified for correct appearance. This way they still look much better than the flat etched pieces. The incorrect curved representation of the area under the rear view windows behind the cockpit (à la P-40) was removed and replaced by the flat panels at it was the case with the real thing. Some panel lines were added and some were corrected according to the reference photos. The rear view windows (unfortunately, not present with the Falcon set and too thick as kit parts) were therma-formed using the kit-parts as templates. The main wheels were flattened using the surface of the electric cooker. The etched parts for the gun sight were still too big and this one was eventually scratch built as well. I decided to add the ring gun sight as well, since it can be clearly seen on one of the photos showing this a/c. The kit decals were modified according to the reference photos.