NEWSFLASH August 2020
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NEWSFLASH August 2020 Hello Swamp Foxes, Welcome to the August 2020 Newsletter. I hope everyone is keeping well and in good health, Hopefully still building, my bench is busy, if only I could just actually finish one, I will one day sit and add those little details that say this is done. Another month has passed us by, it seems as they are coming and going quicker than ever, just glad I have this wonderful hobby to keep me... well somewhat sane, Nah, it is all in the mind :) Now go build a model From the Front Office… Howdy, all! This month’s meeting is scheduled. The 4-1-1: Chapter Contact is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Topic: IPMS/Mid-Carolina August 2020 Meeting Time: Aug 19, 2020 06:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada) Join Zoom Meeting https://us04web.zoom.us/j/75943745724?pwd=V0hsbGlINGoreHBpdmhqRHRjSEY1QT09 Meeting ID: 759 4374 5724 Passcode: g4qFcQ Just a reminder—the meeting is set so all microphones are muted upon joining the meeting. Please leave them muted unless you are speaking. Also, in order to give everyone a chance to speak without being “stepped on”, please raise your hand and be recognized before you un-mute and speak. Remember, if you have something you want to show, take pictures and have them open on your desktop so you can share the screen with us. You can hold your item up to your webcam, but experience says the images will not be as good as a photo In other news: We just couldn’t get on the same page with the State Museum, which is why we cancelled our appearance at the Toy Soldier Show. A few folks who went said the museum was nearly empty. We upgraded to a Zoom Pro account, and we’re sharing the costs with the AMPS Chapter. It works out to about $8 a month each, which is more than affordable. Because of this, we can use Zoom for other meetings, as well, and we’re looking at possibly arranging some online demonstration meetings. Stay Tuned. I received our 2020 seal from IPMS/USA, so we’re official. Before too long, we’ll be re-Chartering again for 2021… That’s all I have. I hope to see everyone on the 19th! Cheers! Ralph SUPPORT THE LOCAL HOBBY STORES SUPPORT THE LOCAL HOBBY STORES RAF Aerobatic Display Teams in UK – Pre Red Arrows Aerobatic flying was seen as a basic requirement for all military pilots, as it gave a pilot more confidence in his own flying abilities. When he progressed to be part of a team, he learned about trust in both his leader and the other team members. The Red Arrows were not the first RAF aerobatics team. An RAF pageant was held at Hendon in 1920 with teams from front-line biplane squadrons. In 1925, No. 32 Squadron RAF flew an air display six nights a week entitled "London Defended" at the British Empire Exhibition. Similar to the display they had done the previous year, when the aircraft were painted black, it consisted of a night-time air display over the Wembley Exhibition flying RAF Sopwith Snipes which were painted red for the display and fitted with white lights on the wings, tail, and fuselage. The display involved firing blank ammunition into the stadium crowds and dropping pyrotechnics from the aeroplanes to simulate shrapnel from guns on the ground. Explosions on the ground also produced the effect of bombs being dropped into the stadium by the aeroplanes. One of the pilots in the display was Flying Officer C. W. A. Scott, who later became famous for breaking three England–Australia solo flight records and winning the MacRobertson Air Rac with co-pilot Tom Campbell Black in 1934 At the first RAF Pageant, held at Hendon in 1920, the old First World War aircraft were being seen as becoming 'old-hat', and they were gradually being overtaken by the modern, fast aircraft, that were flying in even closer formations than had been seen before. At the first pageant some of the best formation flying to be seen was the Sopwith Snipes of the Central Flying School, (CFS). These pageants continued until 1938, when, with the build up to the Second World War, the last displays were completed by biplanes. The last RAF aerobatic teams to fly biplanes are with Hawker Fury, Gauntlet and Gladiator aircraft. In 1938 three Gladiator aircraft of No. 87 Squadron were the last aerobatic team in the RAF before World War II. After the Second World War, jet powered aircraft began to be seen, when three De Havilland Vampires, led by Sqn Ldr M. Lyne, gave displays. Later No. 54 squadron forms a team from six De Havilland Vampire aircraft and later flew Hawker Hunter F 1 aircraft, led by Sqn Ldr RW Oxspring, and No. 72 Sqn flew seven Vampire aircraft. In 1950 the 54 Sqn's aircraft were the first jets in Britain to be fitted with a white Smoke System. No. 600 Sqn had a team of six Gloster Meteors and 64 Sqn had a team of five Meteors. The Vampires were followed by the Gloster Meteor, and in 1950 the first formal naming of aerobatic teams in the Royal Air Force began. An instructor from the Central Flying School, Flight Lieutenant Caryl R Gordon, led a team of four Gloster Meteor T7 (The Meteorites) aircraft as the Central Flying School's official team during the 1952 and 1953 seasons. The Meteorites were the first RAF display team to be given a name; until that time display teams were known only by their squadron numbers. The Meteorites aircraft retained their standard bare metal (silver) colours; towards the end of the season they gained high visibility yellow anti-collision training markings. The Meteorites disbanded at the end of the 1953 season. In 1955 54 Sqn flew the Hunter F 1 and were named 'The Black Knights' in 1956. In 1956, 43 Sqn were 'The Fighting Cocks', flying Hunter F 1. In 1957, the CFS had 'The Sparrows', flying, first of all, Hunting piston engined Provosts led by Fl Lt J. Kingsbury, before they converted onto the Jet Provost Trainer (T) Mark (Mk) 1 led by Fl Lt N. Griffin. In 1955 No. 111 Squadron forms an unofficial team from four Meteor F8 aircraft. In 1956 they move on Hawker Hunter F6 and became the official RAF aerobatic team. In the same year the four aircraft are specially painted in black. They receive the name Black Arrows. Next year Black Arrows increase their number, first of all to seven aircraft and then to nine aircraft under the leadership of Sqn Ldr RL Topp. In 1958 the Black Arrows increased to sixteen aircraft, and, during the Farnborough Airshow they loop a formation of 22 Hunter aircraft twice, to open their display, before the six outside aircraft break off the formation. This twenty-two aircraft loop remains a record up to the present day. In 1959, CFS had 'The Redskins', flying two Jet Provost T Mk 1. In 1961 No. 92 Sqn, the Blue Diamonds, (initially named 'The Falcons'), became the official aerobatic team of RAF. Under their leader, Sqn Ldr RWP Mercer they flew 16 blue-painted Hunter aircraft and during their display they split into two formations of 7 and 9 aircraft. In 1962 the official aerobatic team of RAF became The Tigers from No. 74 Squadron. They were equipped with nine English Electric Lightning F. 1A aircraft and are the first team in the world to uses aircraft capable of reaching Mach 2 (twice as the speed of sound). In 1963 the official aerobatic team of RAF were the Firebirds, of No. 56 Sqn. which also fly nine English Electric Lightning F. 1A aircraft but they are in a natural metal finish, with red spines, fins, wing and tail plane leading edges. In 1963, because of the escalating costs of these fighter aircraft, this is the last RAF team to use fighter aircraft. In 1960, CFS had formed 'The Pelicans', flying, first of all, the Jet Provost T Mk 3 before they moved on to the more powerful Jet Provost T Mk 4. In 1962 from the Central Flying School based at Kemble Airbase is formed a Red Pelicans aerobatic display team, flying four standard painted Jet Provost T Mk4, equipped with white smoke generators. The team is successor of the CFS team The Pelicans formed in 1960. At the next year the planes received bright red color scheme and increased to six. In this formation the Red Pelicans performed abroad in Belgium and France. In 1964 the team becomes an RAF official aerobatic team replacing the Firebirds and performing at the airshows in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Norway. At the end of 1964 season the Red Pelicans performed together with the Yellowjacks. In 1965 after the creation of the Red Arrows, the team is reduced to four and the smoke system is removed. Red Pelicans were disbanded in 1973. In 1960, No. 4 Flying Training School, (FTS), at RAF Valley, 'The Yellowjacks' began flying from five yellow-painted Folland Gnat T Mk 1 under leader Fl Lt Lee Jones, who was ex-Black Arrows member. The Yellowjacks exists until 1965. In 1967, CFS had 'The Skylarks' with the De Havilland Chipmunk T Mk10 from Little Rissington airbase. The aircraft are in standard training colours with "Skylark" badge at the tail and a green lightning flash added to the fuselage sides. The team's remarkable performances are at Silverstone Grand Prix and in Germany.