EE Lightning

The latest escapee from the Partizan 'plane purchase pile is this shabby Lightning.  Probably the Airfix kit, it is dustily resplendent in the markings of No.5 Squadron.  

5 Sqn used the Lightning from 1965 until 1987.

Esci 7.5cm light infantry gun - part 2

 It’s been hanging about for a while but I finally finished this kit today.  Here it is posed for some hasty photos.

F-4D Skyray

Remember the Partizan plane purchase?  Thought you'd seen it all?  Alas, there is plenty still to come!
Introduced in 1956, this unusual looking beast served the USN and USMC until only 1964.

I think this is the old Airfix kit.  It's clean design means that there was very little to break - even the undercart is still intact!

USS Intrepid & USS Growler

While in NYC in December we visited the USS Intrepid - a carrier - and it's smaller chum the submarine USS Growler.  You may also want to look again at Martin Rapier's post from November 2019 here.  I have more photos somewhere - I'll post 'em when they show up.

Luckily the Intrepid is decommissioned - as the bloke in charge looks like a bungling oaf!

On the hangar deck there is a nice model of the Intrepid - on closer inspection it turned out to be Lego!

Unusually (for a US carrier) the flight deck hosts a pair of MIGs  A 15 (above) and 21.

You can't go wrong with a Skyhawk.

Neatly folded Corsair

H-25 Army Mule helicopter

F-4J Fury, the navalised version of the F-86 Sabre

After a canter round the Intrepid it was off next door to the entertainingly named Growler.  Launched in 1958, this was the US Navy's first missile sub.  Think of it as basically a WW2 boat with a deck hangar holding four missiles.

Ah, the missiles.  Think V-1 with an ego.  I pity the poor buggers who had to fool around on deck preparing the things to launch.