CONTENTS

Exercise Perspective

Republic’s F-105Thunderchief

Central Air Museum Monino

Kenmore Air

Gareth Stringer looks back at the history of the ‘Thud’ in an article accompanied by some breath-taking imagery from the archive of Lindsay Peacock.

Amazing colour schemes, formidable aircraft types, stunning scenery and perfect weather all come together as Steve Comber takes us on a journey to Ukraine for a live firing exercise.

Steve Coe visits the vast museum located at Monino on the outskirts of Moscow; a collection containing the weird and the wonderful of Russian aviation development.

Paul Dunn’s travels this month take him to Seattle, Washington, where he learns all about distinguished floatplane operator Kenmore Air.

CONTENTS Issue 14December 2012

Greece and the A-7 Corsair II

The Handley Page Victor at 60

Gareth Stringer has family connections with the Victor, and here he examines the aircraft’s RAF career.

Main cover image - Frank Grealish

Kevin Jackson travels to Greece to report on the Hellenic Air Force’s association with the A-7 as the end approaches.

Frank Grealish reports from Photo Flying Days 2012, an event that was held in conjunction with the latest air-to-air academy.

Designed originally as a single-seat, nuclear-attack aircraft, the Republic F-105 Thunderchief eventually achieved great success as a two-seat Wild Weasel platform, developed for Suppression of Enemy Air Defences (SEAD).

The Thunderchief was initially conceived as a private

venture, an internal project within Republic Aviation, to replace the F-84F Thunderstreak and meet one of the most exacting USAF specifications of all time – namely that of supersonic, low-level penetration in order to deliver a single, internally carried, nuclear bomb.

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief

Gareth Stringer looks back at the life and times of the Republic F-105 Thunderchief, including memories from one Royal Air Force pilot who flew the mighty ‘Thud’, and the aircraft’s distinguished performances in the skies over Vietnam.

A design team at the company’s Farmingdale, Long Island, plant, led by no less than Alexander Kartveli (P-47 Thunderbolt and F-84 Thunderjet) drew up some 108 different configurations for the aircraft before deciding that a large, single-engine fighter bomber was the way forward.

ToTo meet the USAF criteria, the design would see the jet fitted with a large engine and a relatively thin wing with high wing-loading, for stability at low altitude and less drag at supersonic speed. Although the wing was modified with flaps and slats on the trailing and leading edges respectively to improve lift at low airspeeds, manoeuvrability, certainly

Image - Lindsay Peacock

compared with its peers from the fighter world, would be a secondary consideration for the Thunderchief.

DespiteDespite initial enthusiasm from the USAF, which resulted in an order for nearly 200 aircraft in September 1952, by March 1953 that order had been significantly reduced, with officials blaming the imminent end of the Korean War. Republic carried on regardless and by the end of 1953 had produced a mock-up of the aircraft, which by this time was so big thatthat it had outgrown the Allison J71 engine originally earmarked for it!

The Republic F-105 Thunderchief

UKRAINIAN AIR FORCEExercise Perspective 2012

Held between 17 and 29 September, Exercise Perspective 2012 brought together the Ukrainian military’s might in a series of scenarios designed to train, test and fulfil live firing currency requirements of both ground-based and airborne tactical platforms. Steve Comber reports from Belbek near Sevastapol, from where a number of MiG-29s and Su-27s operated.

Words and Pictures

STEVE COMBER

Following the break-up of the Soviet Union in August 1991, Ukraine inherited a massive 780,000 strong military force, along with the third largest nuclear weapons arsenal in the world. Later the following year steps were taken to become a nuclear-free state, with the process completed by 1996.

At the time of the Soviet dissolution, substantial quantities of aircraft were essentially left on Ukrainian soil, and the Ukrainian Air Force was formally established on 17 March 1992, head-quartered in Vinnytsia, which had previously been the home of the 24th Air Army of the Soviet Air Force.

UKRAINIAN AIR FORCEExercise Perspective 2012

One of the world’s largest aviation museums, the Central Air Force Museum in Monino is home to an amazing array of some 173 aircraft, almost all of which are of a Russian origin. Following on from his report on the Russian Air Force’s 100th Anniversary Airshow, Steve Coe takes us on a guided tour of the Monino collection.

In August I travelled to Moscow for the Russian Air Force 100th Anniversary Airshow at Zhukovsky; my report from the show features in Issue 12 of Global Aviation Magazine. As part of the trip my travelling companions and I decided to visit the Central Air Force Museum at Monino before our flight back to London Heathrow on Monday 13 August.Monday 13 August.

The museum is located about 40km east of

Moscow on a disused military airfield although the Gagarin Military Academy is still active on the site. Prior permission to visit is no longer required and opening hours are currently listed as 09:30 until 15:00 on weekdays, except Wednesday, and from 09:30 until 14:00 on Saturday. I have seen reference to lunch time breaksbreaks but there was no such closure on the Monday we visited.

Central Air Force MuseumM O N IN O

One of the world’s largest aviation museums, the Central Air Force Museum in Monino is home to an amazing array of some 173 aircraft, almost all of which are of a Russian origin. Following on from his report on the Russian Air Force’s 100th Anniversary Airshow, Steve Coe takes us on a guided tour of the Monino collection.

Having driven off the highway and along a tree-lined avenue we came to the museum entrance. The car park contained a number of coaches from other UK tour groups who had also had the same idea; there were lots of familiar faces around! There is a small charge for entry and you also have to buy a camera pass.pass. The total cost, payable in Roubles, was equivalent to around £10 I recall. Other than restrooms there are no other facilities, and sadly

no shop, on site.

TheThe museum comprises two main areas - an indoor exhibition area and a large open display area with an adjacent hangar containing some additional airframes and other oddities! Blessed with another glorious day I quickly decided that I would spend most of my time at the museum in the outside area.

Central Air Force MuseumM O N IN O

Have you ever wanted to fly on an air-to-air photo mission with another aircraft but never had the opportunity? The Air-to-Air Academy, organised by Eric Coeckelberghs and his Aviation PhotoCrew, might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Frank Grealish reports from the 2012 Photo Flying Days.

The Air-to-Air Academy‘sharing experience and opportunity’

Main - The only two airworthy Grumman TBM Avengers in Europe, led by Swiss-based "Charlie's Heavy", form up on the T-6 Texan photoship (Frank Grealish)

Have you ever wanted to fly on an air-to-air photo mission with another aircraft but never had the opportunity? The Air-to-Air Academy, organised by Eric Coeckelberghs and his Aviation PhotoCrew, might be exactly what you’re looking for.

Frank Grealish reports from the 2012 Photo Flying Days.

ric Coeckelberghs, based in Belgium, has been doing air-to-air photography for 25 years, and over the last few years he has

organised the Air-to-Air Academy in conjunction with the Photo Flying Days. Rather than keeping photo opportunities to himself, Eric likes to share the opportunities and with that idea in mind he set up the Air-to-Air Academy.

HeldHeld annually for the past three years, and operating from the former NATO reserve air base Zoersel-Oostmalle (EBZR), 15 miles / 24km north east of Antwerp in northern Belgium, the Academy, a non-profit organisation, transforms the airfield into a buzzing hub of activity for the best part of a week, offering Academy membersmembers unrivalled access to aircraft, including the ultimate goal of taking part in an air-to-air photo shoot.

The aircraft of choice for air to air photography at the Academy is Invicta Aviation’s Shorts Skyvan SC3, and an aircraft of this size allows the cost of operating the aircraft to be split amongst ten photographers, making air-to-air photography accessible to more people.

AsAs well as having the chance to fly air-to-air missions, members receive lectures on various aspects of air-to-air photography, including safety, tips & tricks of the trade, as well as briefings on the kind of photos a magazine editor will look for or on how to lay out your own photo book.

E

The Air-to-Air Academy

Seattle seaplane airline Kenmore Air has carved out a niche for itself as an important part of the city's transport network, whilst priding itself on great customer service and a warm, familial atmosphere. Paul Dunn profiles this popular operator.

The American city of Seattle is famous for many things; the home of the Microsoft empire and Boeing's main assembly plants; one of the largest seaports in the US with a past in shipbuilding and heavy industry; generations of cutting edge music, from jazz in the first half of

the 20th century, through Jimi Hendrix (born in Seattle and buried in nearby Renton) to the "grunge" scene of the early 1990s and today's more introspective indie groups such as Death Cab For Cutie and Fleet Foxes.

The sight of the Northrop Grumman (Vought) A-7 Corsair II flying over the Greek countryside has been a common one for almost four decades, but, as has now been confirmed, 2013 will see the aircraft retired. Kevin Jackson reports from Araxos Air Base on the job the ‘SLUFF’ is still performing.

Last of a dying breed.Hellenic Corsair IIs

Hellenic Corsair IIs

Following the Hellenic Air Force’s (HAF) announcement on 19 September that the remaining Northrop Grumman (Vought) A-7E/TA-7C Corsair IIs are to be retired, it is expected that 2013 will mark the last flight of the venerable ground-attack aircraft after 38-years

serving the HAF. To mark the retirement announcement a single TA-7C was symbolically retired at Araxos Air Base on 19 September along with one McDonnell Douglas RF-4E Phantom II at its home base of Larissa, whose withdrawal was announced at the same time.

The last of the V-bomber trilogy, the Handley Page Victor saw service with the Royal Air Force in more than one role. Gareth Stringer talks to several members of the Victor community, including a very close family member, about their memories and experiences of the aircraft.

The Handley Page Victor

It’s Christmas Eve, the year is 1952, and a futuristic looking aircraft makes its maiden flight from RAF Boscombe Down. It’s like nothing that any onlooker has seen before; a streamlined machine with a unique crescent wing, four jet

engines buried in the wing root, a highly-swept T-shaped tail and a prominent bulged chin.

Still Looking Good at 60The Handley Page Victor

In last month’s competition we wanted to see your sunset pictures. The winning image above was selected by GAM’s editor, Karl Drage. Here’s what Karl had to say about Graham Platt’s

winning entry:

“I thought there were two clear stand-out images this month, and in the end I just came down in favour of Graham’s stunning Typhoon shot from RAF Coningsby” - Karl

To find out Karl’s 2nd and 3rd placed shots, check out theHangar.tv

Our congratulations go to Graham who has won himself a 6-month GAM subscription.

IT COULD BE YOU NEXT!Global Aviation Magazine is giving members of THEHANGAR the

opportunity to see an image of theirs on the back cover of the January issue, as well as the chance to win a 6-month GAM subscription.

This time we want to see your bad weather shots! See THEHANGAR for more details.