As we head into the extended Thanksgiving Day weekend, we thought it prudent to point out a few things that might make your online shopping experience a bit easier and more enjoyable. First, make sure to keep an eye on our Calendar of Events page, which denotes the cut off dates for both domestic as well as international shipping. Second, sales velocity has already accelerated dramatically over the past week and we haven’t even neared the extended Thanksgiving Day weekend. That means we presently have the best selection available, which will start to diminish as we continue into the holiday rush. So, we strongly recommend making your purchases early, particularly if you are interested in hard-to-find items and/or merchandise we have just recently received. Happy holidays and plan accordingly.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale USAF Lockheed F-104C Starfighter Interceptor – “World Altitude Record”, Capt Joe Jordan, Edwards Air Force Base, California, Dec. 14th, 1959
Fifty-eight years ago, USAF Captain Joe B. Jordan zoomed a modified USAF/Lockheed F-104C Starfighter to a world altitude record of 103,395.5 feet above mean sea level. The flight originated from and recovered at the Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
On Tuesday, July 14th, 1959, the USSR established a world altitude record for turbojet-powered aircraft when Soviet test pilot Vladimir S. Ilyushin zoomed the Sukhoi T-43-1 (a prototype of the Su-9) to an absolute altitude of 94,661 feet. By year’s end, the Soviet achievement would be topped by several American aircraft.
FAI rules stipulate that an existing absolute altitude record be surpassed by at least 3 percent for a new mark to be established. In the case of the Soviet’s 1959 altitude record, this meant that an altitude of at least 97,501 feet would need to be achieved in a record attempt.
On Sunday, December 6th, 1959, USN Commander Lawrence E. Flint wrested the months-old absolute altitude record from the Soviets by zooming to 98,561 feet. Flint piloted the second USN/McDonnell Douglas YF4H-1 (F4 Phantom II prototype) in accomplishing the feat. In a show of inter-service cooperation, the record flight was made from the AFFTC at Edwards Air Force Base.
Meanwhile, USAF was feverishly working on its own record attempt. The aircraft of choice was the Lockheed F-104C Starfighter. However, with the record now held by the Navy, the Starfighter would have to achieve an absolute altitude of at least 101,518 feet to set a new mark. (Per the FAI 3 percent rule.)
On Tuesday, November 24th, 1959, the AFFTC accepted delivery of the record attempt aircraft, F-104C (S/N 56-0885), from the Air Force Special Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB in New Mexico. This aircraft was configured with a J79-GE-7 turbojet capable of generating nearly 18,000 pounds of sea level thrust in afterburner.
Modifications were made to the J79 to maximize the aircraft’s zoom kinematic performance. The primary enhancements included increasing afterburner fuel flow rate by 10 percent and maximum RPM from 100 to 103.5 percent. Top reset RPM was rated at 104.5 percent. Both the ‘A’ and ‘B’ engine flow bypass flaps were operated in the open position as well. These changes provided for increased thrust and stall margin.
An additional engine mod involved reducing the minimum engine fuel flow rate from 500 to 250 pounds per hour. Doing so increased the altitude at which the engine needed to be shut down to prevent over-speed or over-temperature conditions. Another change included increasing the maximum allowable compressor face temperature from 250 F to 390 F.
The F-104C external airframe was modified for the maximum altitude mission as well. The compression cones were lengthened on the bifurcated inlets to allow optimal pressure recovery at the higher Mach number expected during the record attempt. High Mach number directional stability was improved by swapping out the F-104C empannage with the larger F-104B tail assembly.
USAF Captain Joe B. Jordan was assigned as the altitude record attempt Project Pilot. USAF 1st Lt and future AFFTC icon Johnny G. Armstrong was assigned as the Project Engineer. Following an 8-flight test series to shake out the bugs on the modified aircraft, the record attempt proper started on Thursday, December 10th, 1959.
On Monday, December 14th, 1959, F-104C (S/N 56-0885) broke the existing absolute altitude record for turbojet-powered aircraft on its 5th attempt. Jordan did so by accelerating the aircraft to Mach 2.36 at 39,600 feet. He then executed a 3.15-g pull to an inertial climb angle of 49.5 degrees. Jordan came out of afterburner at 70,000 feet and stop-cocked the J79 turbojet at 81,700 feet.
Roughly 105 seconds from initiation of the pull-up, Joe Jordan reached the top of the zoom. The official altitude achieved was 103,395.5 feet above mean sea level based on range radar and Askania camera tracking. True airspeed over the top was on the order of 455 knots. Jordan started the pull-up to level flight at 60,000 feet; completing the recovery at 25,000 feet. Landing was entirely uneventful.
Jordan’s piloting achievement in setting the new altitude record was truly remarkable. His conversion of kinetic energy to altitude (potential energy) during the zoom was extremely efficient; realizing only a 2.5 percent energy loss from pull-up to apex. Jordan also exhibited exceptional piloting skill in controlling the aircraft over the top of the zoom where the dynamic pressure was a mere 14 psf. He did so using aerodynamic controls only. The aircraft did not have a reaction control system ala the X-15.
The F-104C external airframe was modified for the maximum altitude mission as well. The compression cones were lengthened on the bifurcated inlets to allow optimal pressure recovery at the higher Mach number expected during the record attempt. High Mach number directional stability was improved by swapping out the F-104C empannage with the larger F-104B tail assembly.
USAF Captain Joe B. Jordan was assigned as the altitude record attempt Project Pilot. USAF 1st Lt and future AFFTC icon Johnny G. Armstrong was assigned as the Project Engineer. Following an 8-flight test series to shake out the bugs on the modified aircraft, the record attempt proper started on Thursday, December 10th, 1959.
On Monday, December 14th, 1959, F-104C (S/N 56-0885) broke the existing absolute altitude record for turbojet-powered aircraft on its 5th attempt. Jordan did so by accelerating the aircraft to Mach 2.36 at 39,600 feet. He then executed a 3.15-g pull to an inertial climb angle of 49.5 degrees. Jordan came out of afterburner at 70,000 feet and stop-cocked the J79 turbojet at 81,700 feet.
Roughly 105 seconds from initiation of the pull-up, Joe Jordan reached the top of the zoom. The official altitude achieved was 103,395.5 feet above mean sea level based on range radar and Askania camera tracking. True airspeed over the top was on the order of 455 knots. Jordan started the pull-up to level flight at 60,000 feet; completing the recovery at 25,000 feet. Landing was entirely uneventful.
Jordan’s piloting achievement in setting the new altitude record was truly remarkable. His conversion of kinetic energy to altitude (potential energy) during the zoom was extremely efficient; realizing only a 2.5 percent energy loss from pull-up to apex. Jordan also exhibited exceptional piloting skill in controlling the aircraft over the top of the zoom where the dynamic pressure was a mere 14 psf. He did so using aerodynamic controls only. The aircraft did not have a reaction control system ala the X-15.
Look for Hobby Master’s rendition of Captain Joe B. Jordan’s zoom-climbing F-104C (HA1038) to charge the heavens this coming April.
We’re getting closer folks. Modelcollect’s 1:72 scale Ratte could become a reality by mid 2018.
Admittedly, Modelcollect has been hinting at doing a 1:72 scale interpretation of the German P.1000 super heavy tank for some time, even if the concept is nothing more than a fanciful whim that couldn’t possibly have rolled onto the WWII battlefield no matter its sponsor. So, even though its been languishing on the development back burners for what seems like an eternity, it now appears as if this prolific model maker has once again picked up the gauntlet in an effort to get this monster off the drawing board and into collectors hands world over.
According to their most recent Facebook posting, the Ratte is “back on track” and, at least from a model kit standpoint, is tentatively penciled in for a Jan/Feb 2018 release. It still isn’t clear if the Company will offer up this beast in pre-assembled form and, if so, when and for how much. We’re betting that with all of the time, energy and resources sunk into this project that it will be unleashed in a finalized state a few months later, likely offered in multiple configurations to fit the occasion. We’re not going to even speculate how much a finished Ratte might fetch, its weight or overall features. Right now, we’ll drool along with the rest of you as we ogle this marketing billboard and keep a careful eye on upcoming bulletins to gauge its status.
Hobby Master’s 1:72 scale portrayal of a US Army Air Force Douglas A-26B Invader Light Attack Bomber – 89th Bomb Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group, August 1945
We’re finally caught up pumping out two weeks worth of orders and finally got around to posting the April 2018 releases from Hobby Master. As usual, the newbies cut across all scale, eras and nation states, but one thing that did catch our eye was this USAAF A-26B Invader light attack aircraft that was attached to the 89th Bomb Squadron, 3rd Bomb Group during the tail end of WWII (HA3211). Interestingly, the marketing hype is billing this as the last A-26 to be made by Hobby Master and comes in the wake of its recently introduced A-26K Counter Invader, one of the hottest selling aircraft in recent memory from the folks at Hobby Master. While its not another Counter Invader, we did think this came as a bit of a surprise and so we are bringing it to everyone’s attention before this too sells out this Spring.
We’ve listed the entire spate of April 2018 barn busters on our web site and are now taking pre-orders.
Eaglemoss 1:1100 US Navy Colorado Class Battleship – USS West Virginia (BB-48)
Another quartet of warships will soon join the Eaglemoss navy this November, just in time for the holidays! The latest squadron includes:
EMGC73 – USN battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48) – 1941
EMGC75 – IJN heavy cruiser Haguro – 1944
EMGC80 – IJN light aircraft carrier Shoho – 1942
EMGC78A – IJN light cruiser Oyodo – 1944
Please note that the last warship will come in a clam shell packaging, and will therefore not come bundled with either the outer packaging or magazine. As such, it sells for $2 less than the traditional format and we will make the necessary changes on the invoices to reflect this change in packaging.
If you’re a fan of naval aviation, and would prefer to display your fleet favorites in a non-standard format, then we have some good news to share. At long last, we have taken delivery of TSM Model Wings aircraft accessories sets, all of which were first announced back in 2015.
Responsible for licensing and releasing a pair of 1:72 scale Top Gun F-14s, TSM has finally “called the ball” with a 1:72 scale aircraft carrier deck (TSMWAC001), launch crew figures (TSMWAC002) and several deck servicing vehicles (TSMWAC003-5). We are already starting to run low on several of the sets, and will likely run out as we near the holidays.
Wings of the Great War’s French Saint Chamond Heavy Tank – “Chantecoq,” As31, Laffaux, France, 1917
While we were away on vacation last week, Wings of the Great War announced two new weapons of war for a January roll out. On the ground, the Company unveiled a French Saint Chamond heavy tank, a curious if failed attempt by the French Army to break the stalemate that had settle over the Western Front and prevented either side from winning the war (WW10207).
Wings of the Great War’s 1:72 scale US Air Service Breguet 14 A.2 Bomber – Capt. James A. Summersett Jr., “Photo,” 96th Aero Squadron, Nancy, France, 1918
In the air, a French-built Breguet 14 A.2 bomber is expected to lift off around the same time (WW12101). Attached to the US Air Service’s 96th Aero Squadron, the aircraft was piloted by Capt. James A. Summersett Jr., and deployed to Nancy, France, in 1918.
A new method of paying for your purchases has now been implemented called PayPal Credit. With PayPal Credit, you can enjoy special financing offers like this one: No Payments + No Interest if paid in full in 6 months on purchases of $99 or more. Buying with the power to pay as you choose and still enjoying the security and reliability of PayPal…now that’s magic. The new method of payment appears in blue underneath the regular yellow PayPal button on our checkout page.
Keep in mind that PayPal Credit works in much the same manner as PayPal in that you are sending us payment once you have completed the transaction. As such, we strongly recommend that you use this payment option for items listed as being in stock rather than for pre-orders or back ordered merchandise.
Gobble, gobble! While everyone else is chowing down on turkey, cranberry and mashed potatoes this November, you can keep the waistline nice and trim by taking advantage of our annual “Thanksgiving” 15% off Sale! From now until November 26th, you can take 15% off of any item we have in stock simply by entering our latest coupon code at the bottom of your shopping cart just prior to final checkout. Please enter discount code ” TMP171” in the coupon box just prior to final checkout. Note: The following lines are excluded from this promotional offer: Air Force 1, Calibre Wings, Hobby Master, Luft-X and Wings of the Great War. Sale ends midnight, Sunday, November 26th, 2017. May not be combined with any other sales discount.
We learned today that our distributor received their October shipment of Hobby Master products. Ordinarily, with a week’s vacation looming, we would ask them to hold our shipment until we return from our hiatus. But, since so many people are waiting for many of these items, particularly the Su-35, A-10 and last batch of B-26 Counter Invaders, we decided to release the shipment, with the hope that it arrives before the weekend. This would enable us to process and ship out orders before we head off for the wild blue yonder, thereby making everyone happy. So, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that the shipment doesn’t get diverted or delayed and will do our best to turn around orders connected with this shipment the moment it arrives.
