All Era’s
Dewoitine D.333
The Dewoitine D.333 was an all-metal cantilever low-wing monoplane operated by Air France in the early to mid-1930’s. It was developed from the D.332, a cutting edge prototype airliner which crashed on the final leg of a record-setting round trip flight to Saigon in Southeast Asia on January 15, 1934. Powered by three Hispano-Suiza 9V radial engines, the Dewoitine D.333 had a cruising speed of 155 mph and a passenger cabin seating 10 in two rows of five chairs along either side of a central aisle, each chair featuring an adjustable back allowing passengers to recline and even sleep, if they were able. The D.333 soon replaced its predecessor as the pride of Air France, a modern airliner able to carry passengers long distances in relative comfort.
Dewoitine D.510
The Dewoitine D.510 was an all-metal, open-cockpit, fixed-undercarriage monoplane fighter, flown by the French Air Force in the mid- to late-1930’s. Introduced in 1936, the sleek D.510 was notable for its V-12 engine, and the installation of a 20mm cannon between its cylinder banks, firing through the propeller hub. It was the last of its breed; with a top speed of just 250 mph, it was soon outclassed by a new generation of faster, modern fighters with enclosed cockpits and retractable undercarriage.
Dornier Do 17 Z-10
The Dornier Do 17 Z-10 was the final evolution of this rejected-airliner-turned-fast light bomber into a nimble nightfighter. Although it was agile, well-armed and fast enough to pose a threat to British heavy night bombers, lack of resources and the success of the Junkers Ju 88 as a nightfighter, and the proliferation of other types including the Dornier Do 217, Junkers Ju 188, and Heinkel He 219, limited production of the Z-10 to less than 10 aircraft.
Douglas O-2H
Coming in the wake of the Cloudster and World Cruiser, the O-2H cemented Douglas Aircraft’s reputation for rugged military aircraft.
F-4E Phantom II
Hasegawa’s F-4E features a basic cockpit, one-piece canopy, raised panel lines and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles — no Sidewinders — coupled with a TISEO TV guidance unit.
Northrop F-5A
Northrop’s F-5A, a private venture designed in the late 1950’s, was initially overlooked by the U.S. military until an initiative borne of the Cold War revealed the need for a relatively inexpensive, light tactical fighter that could equip the air forces of America’s allies. By the early 1960’s, the escalation of tensions with the Soviet Union led the U.S. Military Assistance Program to breathe new life into the F-5 program by placing multiple orders for U.S. allies, many of them in the Third World. An agile, effective fighter that lacked only endurance due to its small size, it was fitted with a refueling probe and a new gun sight for the Skoshi Tiger program in Vietnam, where it excelled as a fighter-bomber.
Grumman F9F-5 Panther
Grumman’s F9F Panther was the first U.S. Navy jet fighter to see combat, and was involved in the earliest jet-on-jet engagements of the Korean War. First flown on November 24, 1947 and entering fleet service in May 1949, Panthers quickly became the primary ground attack aircraft of the Navy and Marine Corps in Korea.
General Dynamics F-16 Falcon
The General Dynamics F-16 was designed in response to the Lightweight Fighter Program announced by the U.S. Air Force in 1972. The first YF-16 prototype flew on January 20, 1974, and after evaluation against its competition, the Northrop YF-17, was chosen to meet the Lightweight Fighter specification. Entering service with the U.S. Air Force on January 7, 1979, the F-16 was the first jet fighter to use fly-by-wire technology, and literally cannot fly without the assistance of flight computers. It ushered in a revolution in fighter aircraft, influencing the development of the Mirage 2000, MiG-29 and Rafale designs.
General Dynamics F-111B
General Dynamics’ F-111B was a 1960’s prototype design for a Fleet Air Defense interceptor intended to replace the U.S. Navy’s F-4 Phantom. It was a development of the TFX program and was derived from the Air Force’s F-111A. While it might have ultimately been developed into an effective interceptor, the Navy resisted it from the start, with some justification since it was developed from an aircraft that was essentially a bomber. The F-111B program was cancelled in July 1968, following the resignation of its biggest proponent in the Pentagon, Robert S. McNamara, from the post of U.S. Secretary of Defense. Despite its demise, it was used to develop the advanced AIM-54 Phoenix long range air-to-air missile that would arm its replacement, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat.
FH-1 Phantom
McDonnell FH-1 Phantom by MPM/CMK 1/72 scale Kit No. 72015 Cost: $30.00 (Limited Run, Out of Production) Decals: Two versions - U.S. Navy, U.S. Marines Comments: Hard plastic, engraved panel lines, basic cockpit, vacuform canopy, some scratchbuilding or kit-bashing...
Halberstadt CI.II
Blue Max’s Halberstadt CI.II features injection molded and white metal parts, but caution: It is for modelers of at least intermediate skill, who have scratch building experience. I had to fashion key parts such as the interplane struts out of sheet plastic. A dedicated ground attack aircraft armed with machine guns and anti-personnel bombs, the Halberstadt CI.II was designed with infantry support in mind.
Handley Page HP 42
Designed to meet a 1928 Imperial Airways specification for a new airliner to serve the European, Middle East, and Far East routes during the 1930’s, the Handley Page Heracles class airliners made an outstanding contribution to civil aviation in the years leading up to World War II. The first HP 42, G-AAGX “Hannibal” made its maiden flight on November 14, 1930. This fleet of aircraft would ultimately log 7 million miles of travel by 1937, and had an unblemished safety record until a plane went missing over the Gulf of Oman in 1940.
Hawker Hurricane Mk. I
Hawker Hurricanes bore the brunt of air combat in France and during the Battle of Britain, comprising two-thirds of RAF Fighter Command’s operational strength through the Fall of 1940…
Heinkel He 178
Heinkel He 178 V-2 by Special Hobby 1/72 scaleKit No. SH 72192Cost: $18.00Decals: One version - for 1939 prototypeComments: Engraved panel lines, resin wheel inserts, acetate film insert for instrument panel, photo-etch details, single piece canopy History The...
Heinkel He 178 V2
Special Hobby’s kit of the world’s first jet aircraft is a re-issue of the 1994 Condor kit and features engraved panel lines and photo-etch detail parts.
Heinkel He 280
Heinkel He 280 by Eduard 1/48 scaleKit No. 8049Cost: $30.00Decals: Two versions for pre-production Luftwaffe aircraft, dated 1941 and 1943Comments: Engraved panel lines; resin wheels and pilot's seat; photo etch details for cockpit (seat straps, instrument panels,...