Aircraft of the Cold War
During the Cold War a great variety of aircraft evolved; not all of them saw action in the major conflicts of the period. Some were counterinsurgency aircraft, still others provided a nuclear deterrent, as the competing superpowers and their allies sought to remain vigilant against the actions of the other side. As aircraft capability increased, so too did their level of sophistication and cost of development, maintenance and deployment. For these reasons, it was often the case that military aircraft during the four-plus decades of the Cold War served long past their intended service life. Another outcome of spiraling development costs was the birth of the multi-role aircraft, starting in the 1960’s with the General Dynamics FB-111, and continuing to present day with aircraft such as the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 and the Panavia Tornado.
Aircraft
Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
The MiG-15 was a single-seat, single-engine second generation Soviet jet fighter, built by the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau and first flown on December 30, 1947. Its design was heavily influenced by German aerospace research conducted during World War II, particularly that associated with the Focke Wulf Ta 183 Huckebein. This Russian jet shocked the West when it appeared in the skies of North Korea in late 1950, causing the U.S. to rush the North American F-86 Sabre into the theatre.
Dassault Mirage F.1C
The Mirage F.1C succeeded the Mirage III/5 jet fighter series to fulfill the Armee de l’Air requirement for a front-line interceptor and ground attack aircraft. Widely exported, it may be the only combat aircraft to have fought on both sides during the 1991 Gulf War. It served France’s air superiority requirement from 1973 to 1982, when it was phased out in favor of the Mirage 2000.
Polikarpov Po-2
The Po-2 was a Soviet military trainer that saw service as everything from a crop duster to air ambulance to night intruder, and was used as a light bomber during the Korean War over 20 years after its introduction. The KP kit is generally accurate and features simple construction.
P-80 Shooting Star
Monogram’s Korean War-era Lockheed P-80 features detailed cockpit and landing gear, and a detachable rear fuselage that reveals an Allison jet engine.
RF-4C Phantom II
Italeri’s RF-4C features a detailed cockpit, raised and engraved panel lines, and drop tanks. Developed in the 1960’s after the Cuban Missile Crisis, it served to restore the effectiveness of the Air Force’s low-level reconnaissance capability.
RF-8A Crusader
A hybrid kit using an aftermarket forward fuselage by Ventura, it uses the Hasegawa F-8E fuselage as a starting point to create the Navy’s premiere reconnaisance platform in the early 1960’s. Scratch building skill required.
T-38A Talon
Northrop T-38A Talon/F-5B by Hasegawa 1/72 scale Kit No. JS-018:100 Price: $8.50 Decals: Two versions - U.S. Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force Comments: Older kit, raised panel lines; detailed pilot figures but spare cockpit; includes centerline, wingtip and...
Bell UH-1 Huey
The Bell UH-1 may be the one helicopter in the world that needs no introduction. Following its debut with the U.S. Army in 1959, it would become perhaps the best known symbol of U.S. intervention in Southeast Asia, and post-war would go on to fly under the colors of no less than 70 nations around the world in both civilian and military applications. Officially called the Iroquois, it is far better known simply as the Huey, or to some, the Slick.
Westland Lynx AH.1
Introduced in 1971 and developed jointly with the French firm Aerospatiale, the Westland Lynx is a twin gas turbine powered helicopter with advanced dual control systems and a four-blade rotor. It has proven its remarkable versatility for over 40 years, becoming the backbone of the British Army and Navy helicopter forces dues to its stability and unrivaled agility. It has amazed crowds at air shows with aerobatic displays, and in military service it has served in battlefield utility, tank buster, search and rescue, anti-submarine warfare and maritime attack roles.
Yakolev Yak-18
Amodel’s Soviet trainer features a basic cockpit, engraved panel lines, and white metal bombs. Designed at the end of WWII, it went on to fame as a night intruder in the Korean War.