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Hi folks As my airfix Gazelle is nearing an end I thought I'd post the next aircraft for my Dad's retirement project. It will be, if you haven't guessed, an S.A.330-J puma presented in Sultanate of Oman Royal Flight livery. Not entirely sure when my Dad first started work in Oman. I know my Granddad was out there prior to my Dad (think my Grandad worked on strikemasters). I was born in Oman, 1984; so probably sometime just before then. After I was born we traveled back and forth from the UK to Oman but finally settled in the UK permanently around 1991 or 1992 (I do remember some adventures of living there but I was rather young to really appreciate it I do remember every time the gulf air plane landed in Muscat and the doors opening. - the intense heat and smell of Jet fuel mmmmm. Loved it! Smelt like victory) I'll be using the airfix 330 puma 1/72 kit for this with some additional after market parts. Rotorcraft composite rotor blades Whirlybirds conversion sets which include larger sponsons and floatation gear. Also some etch parts too. Whirlybirds S-61 seats Eduard etch for superpuma. My Dad took an interest in photography around this time which is rather handy for references! Below are a couple of photos that I have of the aircraft 'A40-AG' (my scanners playing up so these are photos of photos; they came out okay though): what I picked up from my Dad was that there were VIP aircraft and escort aircraft A40-AG was one of the VIP transports. I don't have any internal photos but my Dad seems to remember there being four seats in the front and a few more in the rear, one for a stewardess and a little sink. In one of the photos you can just make out one of the seats but not much else. I'll be using some artistic license for the interior but basing a lot of it on the Royal flight VC-10. http://www.airliners.net/photo/0750394/L/ http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=6625314 Here's A40-AG parked next to the Sultans old VC-10. Booootiful And here's a photo showing the VIP and escort aircraft in flight This will be very slow build (slower than my gazelle) as we are expecting our first in February :excited: Thanks for stopping by and any advice from puma pilots and phixers would be greatly appreciated Cheers Aaron