In December 1946, the Royal Iraqi Air Force ordered Sea Furies from Hawker. Iraqi Sea Furies were essentially de-navalized FB.11 with no arrester hook and an extended rudder. This example, number 132, was delivered in the classic RAF desert scheme: Azure Blue, Mid Stone and Dark Earth. Several different designations can be found in literature…Continue reading “Baghdad Fury” No 132
Today’s Sea Fury was also part of an aerobatic demonstration team, located on the other side of the worl. Sea Fury FB.11 TG118 was part of the Royal Canadian Navy’s No 870 Squadron in 1952. An aerobatic demonstration team was formed within the unit and its aircraft were given distinctive markings. Although the paint scheme…Continue reading Hawker Sea Fury TG118 of No 870 Squadron, Royal Canadian Navy
Today’s Sea Fury is VX756, a FB.11 that served with the Royal Australian Navy and was part of No 805 Squadron’s aerobatic display team in the late 1950s. The aircraft was painted in a silvery grey scheme with red spinner, wingtips, canopy, fin leading edge and arrester hook. If anyone has information or pictures regarding…Continue reading Hawker Sea Fury VX756 of No 805 Squadron, Royal Australian Navy
This week is dedicated to the Sea Fury, and I will be posting a new profile of Hawker’s legendary piston fighter every day of the week. The first is Sea Fury FB.11 TF987, which is preserved and flown in France by M. Christophe Jacquard. The aircraft carries the colours of the Royal Australian Navy’s Sea…Continue reading Hawker Sea Fury week – No 1: F-AZXJ
“Miss Velma” of The Fighter Collection is a P-51D-25-NT which was converted into a dual-control TF-51D but retained the original fin and rudder of the Mustang, instead of receiving the higher Cavalier type. It is painted in the colours of scheme of Capt Frank Birtciel’s P-51D 44-14561, Miss Velma, of the 55th Fighter Group. A…Continue reading The Fighter Collection’s P-51 Mustang “Miss Velma”
The Patrouille de France briefly flew the F-84 Thunderjet in 1953-1954. This aircraft from Escadron de Chasse 1/3 Navarre was F-84G-21-RE serial number 51-10898 and was flown by the team in 1953. It is during this year that the team acquired the name “Patrouille de France”.
Known as the “Swiss knife” in the French navy due its versatility, the French Super Etendard recently retired after 40 years of distinguished service. I have made templates for the Etendard IVP, Super Etendard and Super Etendard Modernisé. It was successfully used by the Argentinian during the Falklands War, and also served in Irak in…Continue reading Dassault Etendard & Super Etendard
Years ago, I made a profile of the B-29 “Enola Gay”. She was a “Silverplate” B-29, modified for the atomic bombing mission. I hadn’t done any normal B-29s yet, but now the template has been improved and converted to standard B-29 configuration. Click on the image above to see the full-size template.
This ex-Iraqi AF Sea Fury FB.11 was painted to look like SR661, the Sea Fury prototype. Note the modern antennae beneath the rear fuselage.
The Royal Navy Historic Flight’s Hawker Sea Fury FB.11 VR930 was repainted in 2007 to her original colours of 1948, when she belonged to 802 NAS and embarked on HMS Vengeance. Just as is the case with BBMF aircraft, this aircraft is close to her original configuration but has a few discreet modern comms antennae.