Product Spotlight: Defending the Motherland

 

HA5301

“Whether you like it or not, history is on our side. We will bury you.”

– First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, Nikita Kruschev, commenting on Capitalism

While Hobby Master has been content to replicate some of the most iconic western jets of the modern era, their record at offering adversarial aircraft has been a bit spotty. Until now. Their first ever Mikoyan Gurevich MiG 23 Flogger has now been released, one that represents a warbird from the 787th IAP, then deployed to Eberswalde, Finow AB, Brandenburg, East Germany, during the 1970s (HA5301). Like their F-14 Tomcat, their inaugural MiG features variable geometry wings, thereby enabling the collector to display their aircraft in multiple configurations.

HA5301a

Painted in a light grey exterior and bearing all the hallmark detail we’ve come to expect from Hobby Master, their first ever MiG will no doubt kick off other variants and schemes in the months to come, and will likely usher in a bevy of other adversarial aircraft in the coming year.

The Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-23 (NATO reporting name: Flogger) is a variable-geometry fighter aircraft, designed by the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau in the Soviet Union. It is considered to belong to the Soviet third-generation jet fighter category, along with similarly aged Soviet fighters such as the MiG-25 “Foxbat”. It was the first attempt by the Soviet Union to design look-down/shoot-down radar and one of the first to be armed with beyond visual range missiles, and the first MiG production fighter aircraft to have intakes at the sides of the fuselage. Production started in 1970 and reached large numbers with over 5,000 aircraft built. Today the MiG-23 remains in limited service with various export customers.

Share This:

Israel Spars with Syria Over the Golan Heights

Yasir

Over the years, the Golan Heights has been the scene of some of the most vicious tank battles and aerial duels the world has ever seen, pitting the Israel Defense Forces against those of Syria. Over the weekend, the region was once again embroiled in a battle of sorts, as the IDF attempted to down a Syrian-launched drone flying over the contested area. According to Defense News, “An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from Syria managed Sunday to penetrate Israeli airspace and evade two Patriot anti-air interceptors and possibly an F-16-launched air-to-air missile, sources here said.

An Israeli military spokesman insisted Israel Air Force air defenders detected the UAV prior to its violation of Israeli airspace on Sunday afternoon in the area of the Golan Heights. According to a July 17 statement, the Air Force continued to track the target in Israeli skies, yet failed to down the intruder, despite three intercept attempts.

“The aircraft was detected prior to entering the nation’s territory and was fully tracked by the Israel Air Force,” noted a July 17 statement. “From the initial investigation, it was found that three intercept attempts took place as per procedure. No hit of the target was identified.”

The drone, likely a Yasir purchased from Iran, is a small, low-cost, long-endurance Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) built by Iran Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO) and unveiled on 28 September 2013. It is capable of flying at an altitude of 15,000 ft, has an endurance of 8 hours, and an operational radius of 200 km It is an unlicensed copy of the American ScanEagle drone. No doubt used against ISIS forces over disputed regions of Syria, its deployment above the Golan marks the first time it was deployed over the bitterly contested region.

Davids Sling

Its not clear if the Israelis fired their newly-developed David’s Sling SAN system at the drone. Also called Magic Wand, David’s Sling is an Israel Defense Forces military system being jointly developed by the Israeli defense contractor Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the American defense contractor Raytheon, designed to intercept tactical ballistic missiles, medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles, fired at ranges from 40 km (24.85 miles) to 300 km (186.41 miles). David’s Sling is meant to replace the MIM-23 Hawk and MIM-104 Patriot in the Israeli arsenal. It is designed to intercept the newest generation of tactical ballistic missiles, such as Iskander, using an on-board dual CCD/IR seekers to distinguish between decoys and the actual warhead of the missile, in addition to tracking by Elta EL/M-2084 Active electronically scanned array multi-mode radar. The multi-stage interceptor consists of a solid-fuel, rocket motor booster, followed by an asymmetrical kill vehicle with advanced steering for super-maneuverability during the kill-stage. A three-pulse motor provides additional acceleration and maneuverability during the terminal phase. David’s Sling was planned to be deployed in 2015, but budget shortfalls for infrastructure for deployable missile batteries will delay its operational date.

David’s Sling is meant to bolster the second tier of Israel’s theater missile defense system. The two-stage radar and electro-optic guided system has a 70–300 kilometer range, three times that of Iron Dome. The system can be deployed against aircraft and missiles, with plans to convert the system to intercept cruise missiles in the future.

The name David’s Sling comes from the biblical story of David and Goliath. It will form one level of Israel’s future multi-tiered missile defense system that Israel is developing, which will also include Arrow 2, Arrow 3, Iron Dome and Iron Beam from as early as 2018.

Share This:

Bombing: Above and Beyond The Tethers of Earth

Russian Bomber

If we are to believe Popular Mechanics, the Russians are currently working on developing and eventually deploying a nuclear strategic bomber designed to hit any target within one to two hours of of release.

“Russian state media is reporting that the country’s Defense Ministry is developing a nuclear-armed bomber than could launch attacks from space. A prototype aircraft is under development and will be ready for trials by 2020.

According to RIA Novosti, the engine has already been tested and is expected to make its public debut in September at the International Military Technology Forum. The report quotes a Lieutenant Colonel Solodovnikov, who states the plane will take off and patrol the skies like a regular bomber. Once given the command, the bomber would ascend into space and could hit any target on Earth with nuclear warheads within one or two hours.

Russia’s Ministry of Defense has denied reports a space bomber is in development, saying it was “out of the question” but not outside its technical level of expertise. The Ministry says that remarks about a hypothetical spacecraft were misinterpreted by the state-run press. While a denial is a denial, the exact date for the engine’s public debut is curious. It could be that the engine is real, and that a space bomber was a hypothetical use. Or, the bomber and engine are real. Or not. We’ll find out in September.

Either way, little is known about the actual design of the spacecraft. According to Solodovnikov, it would weigh “between 20 and 25 metric tons.” That is not much for a plane—in fact, it’s roughly the mass of the F/A-18E Super Hornet. And yet somehow, a plane that light is supposed to carry at least one nuclear weapon, fly like a regular aircraft, power itself into space, and then return to base, all on its own.

The engine is a mystery, too. Afterburning turbofan engines used on fighter planes need oxygen to operate, something that isn’t feasible in space. Scramjets aren’t powerful enough, and ramjets wouldn’t be fuel-efficient enough to use in regular atmospheric flight. The Russian spaceplane could use some combination of these, but carrying two types of engines and two types of fuel would easily bust the 25-metric-ton weight ceiling being floated. The report also implies that a single engine will power the aircraft.

One possibility could be a hybrid jet engine/rocket like the United Kingdom’s SABRE. The SABRE compresses and pre-cools air, enabling it to work like a regular turbojet at higher altitudes where the air is thinner. Once high enough, it operates much like a regular rocket engine, burning onboard liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen. This allows a space plane with SABRE-like engines to get by on a single engine type. It would still need to carry two types of fuel, though.

A space bomber sounds scary, sure, but until something actually flies, it’s just vaporware. Russia has promised a number of high-profile defense projects, including the PAK-FA fighter, PAK-DA stealth bomber, Storm-class aircraft carriers, and others. Only the PAK-FA has seen any notable progress, and the project has had its share of engineering issues.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has been spending lavishly on his military, at a time when western-imposed sanctions have had a dramatic impact on the Russian economy. While such a project is indeed feasible and in line with comparable Western projects designed with a similar purpose in mind, it remains to be seen if such a system can be fielded within these time constraints and offer enough potency to justify and/or warrant its exorbitant costs.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: Hobby Master Hoists the Jolly Roger

HA5203

“Obsolete weapons do not deter.”

– British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher

We’re starting to find ourselves knee-deep in Grumman F-14 Tomcats, so anytime a truly important release catches the third arresting wire on our flight deck, we have to sit up and take notice. This month, we are expecting the latest in the Hobby Master stable of F-14s – an “A” variant that was attached to VF-84 “Jolly Rogers,” then embarked upon the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), during 1977 (HA5203).

HA5203a

Strike Fighter Squadron 103 (the Jolly Rogers) is a Strike Fighter Squadron flying the F/A-18F Super Hornet and is based at NAS Oceana.

In March 1993, VF-84 deployed on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, the only F-14 squadron in a reconfigured airwing that included Marine F/A-18, CH-53 and UH-1 squadrons. VF-84 flew critical TARPS reconnaissance missions during Operation Deny Flight, providing information about Bosnian Serb positions around Sarajevo. The squadron also flew in support of Operation Southern Watch, enforcing the no-fly zone over southern Iraq.

VF-84 returned to NAS Oceana in September 1993. It was to be the squadron’s last Mediterranean deployment.

Due to the downsizing of the Navy after the Cold War, the Navy disestablished several squadrons, and VF-84 was one of them. The squadron spent its last eighteen months of existence participating in several joint service operations, honing its skills in air-to-air combat, strike and TARPS. The squadron also made another memorable appearance in another motion picture, Executive Decision. VF-84 was disestablished on October 1, 1995, but VF-103 Sluggers adopted the name and insignia of the Jolly Rogers. From its transition to the F-14 until its disestablishment, VF-84 had been a part of CVW-8.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: Eaglemoss Boldly Goes Back in Time

EMST0072

 

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

– Science Officer Spock

While many Trekkies spend the vast portion of their time searching for the latest Star Trek starships in the canon, its refreshing to see some oldies but goodies warp in to make a return appearance. In this particular case, we just received a shipment of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701-A, one of the earliest starships to be introduced into Star Trek lore (ST0072).

The USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-A) was a 23rd century Federation Constitution-class starship operated by Starfleet. This starship was the second Federation ship to bear the name Enterprise.

Externally, the Enterprise-A was virtually identical to the refit USS Enterprise, destroyed several months prior to the launch. The bridge was in its customary location on Deck 1. At least three different models were used during the ship’s service.

The bridge was located on Deck 1, at the very top of the saucer section. The large viewscreen could project different views from cameras scattered on the saucer section of the ship. The Enterprise could also show tactical views and alerts on the screen along with hails. There were two turbo lifts.

The torpedo bay was on Deck 13. It was much more automated than on the previous Enterprise, and the torpedo room itself was smaller and enclosed.

No “unauthorized” hand phaser could be fired aboard the ship at a level above stun without an alarm sounding.

 

Share This:

Das Boot Gets a Reboot

das-boot

According to the Independent, “[the] Classic German drama Das Boot – the unrelentingly claustrophobic epic from Wolfgang Petersen – is to get a follow-up in the form of a television miniseries.

If you haven’t watched the film since its release in 1981, perhaps it’s time for a refresh because Variety is reporting the series will pick up directly where it left off.

Written by Tony Saint and Johannes W. Betz, the series – produced by Bavaria Films for $28 million – will be comprised of eight episodes.

An adaptation of Lothar-Günther Buchheim’s novel The Boat, the WWII-set drama told the fictional story of men serving aboard a U-boat and was told largely through the viewpoint of German forces – a trait that will be continued in the series.”

Look for Das Boot 2 to surface some time in 2018.

Share This:

Putting the Camo in Camouflage

 

(c) Brian North Lee; Supplied by The Public Catalogue Foundation

As part of their 100-year tribute to the tank, The Tank Museum has published an article discussing the earliest origins of camouflage as it was used on tanks. David Fletcher, a world reknowned writer on military affairs, discusses how the Royal Engineers came up with ways to help hide advancing tanks from enemy anti-tank fire during testing trials and the subsequent attempts to standardize the schemes once the vehicles reached the battlefields of France and Belgium. For more information, you can read the full text of the article here: Tank100

 

 

Share This:

Russia : What Happens When You Take the Man Out of the Tank?

Russian UGV

While most military analysts are focusing on the latest family of ground vehicles being fielded by Russia, the country has quietly continued to test and explore the use of unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) on the battlefield of the future. Defense Technology reports that a new system was recently seen in an exercise near Kursk at the the Defense Ministry’s “Days of Innovation” event, back in May. In WWII, Kursk was the scene of the largest tank-on-tank battle in recorded history.

According to Defense Technology, “whilst no details were offered, the UGV appears to be diminutive in size, with approximate dimensions of 1.8-2.0m long, 1.2m wide and 1.5m in overall height. Its rubber band tracks would reduce weight and noise whilst still providing excellent all-terrain mobility, agility in confined spaces and the ability to overcome man-made terrain and obstacles that would hinder movement of similar-size wheeled vehicles.

Given its apparent slab-sided/bolt-together external construction, the UGV may have a modicum of armour protection to shield vital system components against small arms fire, thereby prolonging battlefield survivability and mission duration.” The Uran-9 reportedly combines the hitting power of a Kurganets-25 infantry fighting vehicles atop a BMP-3 chassis.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: The Aardvark – You Say Goodbye, and I Say Hello

 

HA3017

“It’s quite an historic day from an Air Force perspective particularly for the guys who’ve worked on the F-111… to see the last one just about to depart.”

– Wing Commander Clive Wells, Royal Australian Air Force, as the final F-111 leaves for the Pacific Air Museum, September 4th, 2013

Gone from our inventory for several months, and stricken from the RAAF roster for several years, the F-111 Aardvark strike aircraft will be making an encore performance this fall, thanks to two new builds still in the work shed. The first version from Hobby Master, slated for an August fly-in, is based upon a Royal Australian Air Force F-111C that took part in the “RAAF Farewell”, a swan song to the inimitable Aardvark performed by No. 82 Wing, during December 2010 (HA3017).

HA3017a

In 2007, the Australian government decided to retire all of its F-111s by 2010, and acquire 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets as an interim replacement, pending the arrival of the F-35 Lightning JSF then under development. The F-111 fleet was considered to be at risk due to fatigue issues, and too expensive to operate as each aircraft required 180 hours of maintenance for every hour of flying time. No. 82 Wing began re-equipping with the Super Hornet in 2010, and the last F-111s were retired on December 3rd that year. FACDU was combined with the RAAF Special Tactics Project in July 2009 to form No. 4 Squadron. The following year, No. 82 Wing became home to No. 5 Flight, which was responsible for training personnel to operate the RAAF’s two IAI Heron unmanned aerial vehicles based at Kandahar in Afghanistan. The Air Force acquired a third Heron in 2011, based in Australia and operated by No. 5 Flight. As of that year, the F-35 was not expected to enter Australian service until 2018. The RAAF hoped to be able to sell off its Super Hornets “with very low kilometres on the clock” by 2020, but this would depend on delivery of the replacement F-35s. In April 2013, No. 5 Flight was transferred from No. 82 Wing to Surveillance and Response Group’s No. 92 Wing. The following month, the Federal government announced plans to purchase twelve Boeing EA-18G Growlers to supplement the Super Hornet fleet. No. 6 Squadron is expected to begin taking delivery of the Growlers in 2017, at which point its Super Hornets will be transferred to No. 1 Squadron.

Share This:

Product Spotlight: Another Prowler Trips the Alarm

HA5002

“Without question, the arrival of the EA-6B Prowler on the carrier deck established airborne electronic attack as an invaluable, ‘don’t leave home without it’ part of every Navy and Marine strike mission.”

– Rick Morgan, LCDR, USN (Ret.) and historian for the Prowler Association

With sales for their first EA-6B Prowler exceeding expectations, Hobby Master took the wraps off of their second iteration, which is painted in a subdued desert camouflage scheme. The next release, expected some time in August, depicts an electronics warfare aircraft from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 “Wizards”, when it was deployed to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, during 2007 (HA5002).

Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) is an EA-18G Growler squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Beginning in 2013, the squadron began the transition from the EA-6B to the Growler. Upon completion of the transition spring 2014, the Wizards returned to their attachment to Carrier Air Wing Nine. The squadron’s nickname is “Wizards” and its radio callsign is “Magic”.

HA5002a

Electronic Attack Squadron 133 (VAQ-133) was established on March 4th, 1969, at Naval Air Station Alameda, California. The squadron originally flew the EKA-3B Skywarrior. In August 1971, the Wizards relocated to NAS Whidbey Island. Following this move, the squadron received and transitioned to the EA-6B Prowler.

Following the 2012-2013 deployment of Carrier Air Wing 9 onboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74), VAQ-133 will be reassigned to Carrier Air Wing Eight based aboard the carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77). This reassign was originally slated to occur in January 2014 but changing operational requirements accelerated this reassignment until immediately after the end of the 2012-2013 deployment. As of mid-2014, VAQ-133 made a transition from the EA-6B to the Boeing EA-18G Growler.

 

Share This: