New Kids on the Blocks?

F-22 and F-35.

The entry of the new U.S. fighter jets the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightening are a revolution in aircraft design and technology, but they have come at a cost with delays and many teething problems? It is not clear what these problems actually are, because of all the secrecy surrounding their potentiality?

But they are state of the art and with the ever increasing threats from Iran, and N-Korea, if not Russia and China who respectively have developed their own sophisticated fighter jets N.A.T.O. nations such as the British Royal Air Force are in need of this equipment!

The main factor is no longer speed in the new fighters, but manoeuvrability and not to be seen, much of this came from the development of the F-117 and B-2, who were invisible to radar. 

Russia has its Sukhoi SU-35/50 fighters which are a match for the U.S., while China has developed its own stealth jet, of which little is really known about. These nations have a history of great design and capability.

Wales Air Show 2017.

1st-2nd July 2017 Best two Days?

This year has been another fine show of aviation past and present and one is putting in an advanced request for next years 100th Anniversary and the possibility of a BAE Harrier and Apache Helicopter? But what ever comes will be very welcome, as this event seems to be a yearly success now!

The security precautions and road blocks worked out well, so that more people seemed to be free to move about without the worry of passing traffic. The old favourites re-appeared the RAF Typhoon fighter Jet, RAF Boeing-Vertol Chinook transport helicopter and the Red Arrows again wooing the crowds, while the weather was much better than expected.

Vintage or classic aircraft comprised the World War-II (1939-45) Bristol Blenheim bomber, fighters Super marine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane. Former RAF Jet fighters two De Havilland Vampires, single and two seat training versions in Norwegian Air Force colours and the BAC Strike master, both of these aircraft where also widely exported.

The Vampire was too late for WW-II service and so joined several other types from 1948 to the early 1960;s. The BAC later BAE Strike Master was conceived in the 1950's and enter production in 1967, other aircraft included the RAF Grob G.115E Tutor trainer and the Soviet Union/Polish Warsaw Pact era MIG-15UTI Midget.

Team Raven opened with a magnificent display in their Vans RV-8's, while the Red Arrows were flying the new Mark-II BAE Hawks. The Pitts 1S1 Special did some acrobatic flying and the combined forces Tigers parachute team did something different, with two drops from the Swansea based Cessna 206 Caravan-II.

HM Coastguard Augusta-Westland AW-139 G-CILP SAR helicopter worked in tandem in winching from RNLI Lifeboat 16-27 during several rounds of inshore Swansea Bay and the Defence helicopter Flying School SA-350BB Squirrel helicopter brought in Red leader one via the St. Helens rugby and cricket grounds on the Mumbles Road.

The planned RN Sea Vixen did not make it, it seems to have broken a wheel a few days ago?

WNAS16. Part-Two.

Ground vehicles and other Equiptment.

Unfortnutaly this year they were mostly up beyond the War Memorial and I missed quite a few Army vehicles arriving and leaving. 

One can go by what was on show last year, but I saw nothing tracked this time around. Most of the MAN trucks looked like they had to do with the RAF, Royal Engineers and Radio Communications, various Landrovers and a lone fuel tanker.

Many of the vehicles that were seen rushing by, are shown on various films that have been put up in connection to the Queens Royal Hussars Regiment.

The show is a great event for military recruiting and if the Governemnt listens to Prince Harry, we may soon see the re-introduction of compulsary military service or Conscription. Something that will help to cut youth crime across the United Kingdom?

'As many of my older relatives would say, 'It never hurt them and gave them much more than sitting around doing nothing!

BAE Jetstream 31 and 41.

Military to Civil Turbo-Prop.

One of the most successful British designs to hit the world markets. This aircraft as the 31 series was developed by Handley Page, before passing over to Scottish Aviation where it was operated by the British RAF and Royal Navy as T1 and T2.

These first thirty early examples where powered by the Astazou power plants, but later when Scottish Aviation became part of Aerospace, the series 31 was more modified as we know it today. The new power plant for this twin engined nineteen-seater is the Garret Turboprop, over 252 Jetstreams had been sold by 1989 aimed at the commuter and light business markets.

The Jetstream 41 is a Super version of the 31, powered by the TPE 331 engine and capable of carrying 29 passengers. Today Links Air of Humberside operate three British Aerospace  Jetstream 31s, G-GAVA, which is stored and G-JIBO, G-LNKS which are both operational. 

Meanwhile Eastern Airways also based in Humberside operates seventeen of the Jetstream 41.

Registrations G-MAJA-L, G-MAJT-U, W, Y-Z.