wonwinglo

Getting hold of Enemy Aircraft over the years.
The Department of Defense recently declassified details of an aggressor squadron run by the Air Force, that used real Russian planes. Why did they wait for nearly fifteen years after the end of the Cold War to do so? The answer - as always, was making sure it could do little harm. Getting possession of enemy aircraft is a delicate business, and can have a decisive effect. The recovery of a Japanese Zero fighter, lost in the Aleutians in 1942, enabled the United States to figure out how to defeat the plane that had been the scourge of the skies over the Pacific.
The current program primarily involved MiG-21s and MiG-23s, most of which were acquired through irregular means. Often they were acquired from defectors (like the MiG-15 acquired shortly after the Korean War and the MiG-25 flown to Japan in 1976). Other times, they were probably acquired via the black market.
Why get these when the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy already had programs like Red Flag and Top Gun? The answer lies in the aircraft themselves. Top Gun and Red Flag used American aircraft to simulate MiGs, and the approach worked, but they used planes like the A-4 Skyhawk and F-5E Tiger. While they were good at providing dissimilar air combat training, they had shortcomings. For instance, the A-4 was subsonic, and the F-5E was a full 835 kilometers per hour slower than a MiG-21. That's a lot.
Now, why keep the fact you have them secret? The answer is that airplanes, starting around the early 1960s, began to be much more than just engines and weapons. They began to rely much more on electronic equipment like radar, electronic countermeasures, and other systems. These are highly-classified systems - and knowing how a MiG's radar works makes it easier to jam.
This was why the fact we had these planes was kept secret. By getting information on the radars of these MiGs, the United States was able to ensure victories against countries that used these in the 1980s and 1990s, including Libya, Iraq, and Yugoslavia. This is still going on. In 1998, the United States bought 21 MiG-29s from Moldova. Ostensibly, it was to keep them from unfriendly hands. This force is roughly the size of one squadron.
Some of these were taken to the National Air Intelligence Center, where they will be dissected and the gear examined. This will give the United States an edge against countries that use the MiG-29, including Iran and North Korea.
The United States of America, though, has also been on the wrong end of this. After the fall of the Shah of Iran, several American-designed planes sold to Iran (including an F-14) found their way to Russia. At least one Pakistani F-16 has found its way to China as well. Countries have been acquiring each others' equipment in this manner for a long time. They will continue to do so, looking for an edge in the next war.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

Efforts are being made to keep one of RAF Coltishall's key pieces of heritage in Norfolk and prevent it being sold at auction.
The future of the non-operational Jaguar standing as gate guard by the main entrance is uncertain, but RAF bosses have pledged to do all they can to help keep it in the county.
No final decisions have been made about whether or not the aircraft will be put up for public sale, but officials are wrestling with a red tape quandary of justifying what they do with equipment bought with taxpayers money.
The aircraft stands as a permanent memorial to those members of the Jaguar force, both air and ground crew, who have lost their lives during the course of their duties.
Sqn Ldr Jason Hughes, station commander at RAF Coltishall, said yesterday-
My intention is to try and find a suitable location in Norfolk for this Jaguar, somewhere it will be cared for.
But this has to be done within the strict procedures which must be followed in terms of disposal of such equipment.
I am always optimistic and I will try my very hardest. What I want to avoid is a general sale.
There was also reluctance to leave the aircraft where it was because of concerns for its future, and the potential for vandalism.
Whatever decision is made, it is clear there is no immediate hurry. Although the site will close as an RAF base on Thursday, a small contingent will remain and it is not until February 16 the site could pass into new hands.
It is understood there are a number of potential parties in Norfolk who have been or still are interested in acquiring the aircraft.
Mark Fixter, chairman of the radar museum at RAF Neatishead, said: It would be nice to see it kept in this county as part of RAF Coltishall's heritage.
The radar museum has considered the possibility of displaying the aircraft.
However as our own long-term future remains subject to the success of the business case requesting gifting of our award-winning museum, we are simply not in the position to commit to a project of this scale at this time.
The Jaguar, which is a GR1 model and carries the number XW563, was one of eight prototype aircraft developed by the British Aircraft Corporation and Breguet of France, making its first flight in June 1970.
It acted as gate guard at RAF Bruggen in Germany from 1985 to 2001 before being moved to RAF Coltishall.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

GUEST ALBUM

Below is the fine workmanship of my friends Roy & Rita Boyle from Warwick,Rita makes these super little miniatures in 'N' gauge utilising any type of material that she can get her hands on,the photographs hardly do justice to the amount of fine detail incorporated into these tiny dioramas.
The models measure only a few inches across and incorporate a lot of fine detail,the models show lots of imagination and skill.
Rita is well known on the model dolls house scene,and travels to America giving workshops
to those prepared to listen and watch how she creates these little miniatures and works of art,and that is what they are.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Bunkerbarge

Barry, please pass on our praise to Rita. Lovely models and beautifully made.

Does the train operate?

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“Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack, Butting through the Channel in the mad March days"

wonwinglo

Purely static Richard,the garden railway engine is a mere half inch long,I certainly will pass your comments on to Rita,she is very modest about her work.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

More examples of the exquisite workmanship of Rita Boyle,the photographs speak for themselves-

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

http://www.rolls-royce.com/education...y02/flash.html

Wonwing recommends-A virtual journey though the innerds of a jet engine showing temperature,rpm,type of metals and the function of each second of air drawn into the engine,as it says in the sequence 'A second draws in enough air to fill a squash court'
Go take a look and educate yourself,you will enjoy this one,simply pull the red slider to the right and look at the visuals at the same time.

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'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

Bunkerbarge

A fascinaing insight but what i'm unsure about is why the RPM varies.

Surely with all the blades attached to the same shaft the revs are constant throughout the unit.

I can see the linear velocity of the gas varying as it contracts and expands but not the RPM.

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“Dirty British coaster with a salt-caked smoke stack, Butting through the Channel in the mad March days"

wonwinglo

Yes a bit odd that,will try and get to the bottom of it,there must be a good reason ?

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/

wonwinglo

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/