Boeing 747-8

I still get chills seeing the 747-8 model planes first flight.... I am a boeing fan through and through!

Boeing 747-8

I still get chills seeing the 747-8 model planes first flight.... I am a boeing fan through and through!

Airbus A380 First Flight

the Airbus A380 Model Airplanes first flight.... was it better than the Boeing 787 first flight? I have a soft spot for Boeing, and I have to say the Boeing 787 is in another class, and is more technically advanced, but seeing this huge aircraft take to the skies always takes my breath away.

Bombardier Challenger

Great video of a great aircraft - the Bombardier Challenger

Probably one of the best business model airplanes in the world - this one is taking off from Cannes.

Singapore Airlines A340

A great video of the Singapore Airlines A340 landing after a long flight to LAX. Shortly the A340 service will be replaced with the A380 in to LAX.

Delta Airlines A330

These Model Airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. 18 inches in length with custom models available. The A330 was built to directly compete with the Boeing 767 and can accommodate 295 passengers in typical three class layout.

There are currently thirty three Delta Airlines A330-200 in commercial service.

The Airbus A330 is a large-capacity, wide-body, twin-engine, medium-to-long-range commercial passenger airliner. Built at Toulouse in France by Airbus, over 600 units have been delivered.

First flown in 1992 the A330 was developed at the same time as the four-engined Airbus A340 and shared common fuselage and wing components. The first variant (series 300) was delivered to Air Inter in 1994 and was followed by the slightly shorter series 200. This has been followed by dedicated freighter variants.

Singapore Airlines 777

This Model Aircraft is finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. The B777 was built to bridge the gap between the 767 and 747. The Boeing 777 can accommodate over 300 passengers in typical three class layout.

There are currently forty six Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 in commercial service.

The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km) depending on model.

Its distinguishing features include the largest diameter turbofan engines of any aircraft, six wheels on each main landing gear, a circular fuselage cross-section, and blade-shaped tail cone.[5] Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the Boeing 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747. As Boeing's first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer mediated controls; it is also the first entirely computer-designed commercial aircraft.

The Boeing 777 is produced in two fuselage lengths. The original 777-200 model first entered service in 1995, followed by the extended range 777-200ER in 1997; the stretched 777-300, which is 33.3 ft (10.1 m) longer, began service in 1998. The longer-range 777-300ER and 777-200LR variants entered service in 2004 and 2006, respectively, while a freighter version, the 777F, debuted in 2008.

Both longer-range versions and the freighter feature General Electric GE90 engines, as well as extended and raked wingtips. Other models are equipped with either General Electric GE90, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines. The 777-200LR ranks as the world's longest-range airliner and holds the record for longest distance flown by an unrefuelled commercial aircraft,[6] with the demonstrated capability to fly more than halfway around the world.

KLM Boeing 777

A great video of a KLM 777 Model Aircraft taking off - careful of the motorcycle noises.... this airplane is on a long trip based on using the entire length of the runway to take off.

British Airways Boeing 777

These model aircraft are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. The Boeing 777 model was built to bridge the gap between the 767 and 747. The Boeing 777 Model can accommodate over 300 passengers in typical three class layout.

There are currently forty six British Airways Boeing 777 in commercial service and a further seven on order.

The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km) depending on model.

Its distinguishing features include the largest diameter turbofan engines of any aircraft, six wheels on each main landing gear, a circular fuselage cross-section, and blade-shaped tail cone. Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747. As Boeing's first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer mediated controls; it is also the first entirely computer-designed commercial aircraft.

Air France Boeing 777

These model planes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. 18 inches in length with custom models available. The B777 was built to bridge the gap between the 767 and 747. The B777 can accommodate over 300 passengers in typical three class layout.

There are currently fifty five Air France 777 in commercial service.

The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km) depending on model.

Its distinguishing features include the largest diameter turbofan engines of any aircraft, six wheels on each main landing gear, a circular fuselage cross-section, and blade-shaped tail cone.[5] Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747. As Boeing's first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer mediated controls; it is also the first entirely computer-designed commercial aircraft.

United Boeing 777

These model airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. 18 inches in length with custom models available. The B777 was built to bridge the gap between the 767 and 747. The B777 can accommodate over 300 passengers in typical three class layout.

There are currently fifty two United 777 in commercial service.

The Boeing 777 is a long-range, wide-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. It is the world's largest twinjet and is commonly referred to as the "Triple Seven". The aircraft has seating for over 300 passengers and has a range from 5,235 to 9,380 nautical miles (9,695 to 17,372 km) depending on model.

Its distinguishing features include the largest diameter turbofan engines of any aircraft, six wheels on each main landing gear, a circular fuselage cross-section, and blade-shaped tail cone.[5] Developed in consultation with eight major airlines, the 777 was designed to replace older wide-body airliners and bridge the capacity difference between the 767 and 747. As Boeing's first fly-by-wire airliner, it has computer mediated controls; it is also the first entirely computer-designed commercial aircraft.

The 777 is produced in two fuselage lengths. The original 777-200 model first entered service in 1995, followed by the extended range 777-200ER in 1997; the stretched 777-300, which is 33.3 ft (10.1 m) longer, began service in 1998. The longer-range 777-300ER and 777-200LR variants entered service in 2004 and 2006, respectively, while a freighter version, the 777F, debuted in 2008.

Both longer-range versions and the freighter feature General Electric GE90 engines, as well as extended and raked wingtips. Other models are equipped with either General Electric GE90, Pratt & Whitney PW4000, or Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines. The 777-200LR ranks as the world's longest-range airliner and holds the record for longest distance flown by an unrefuelled commercial aircraft,[6] with the demonstrated capability to fly more than halfway around the world.

X-48B Blended Wing Body

Boeing Phantom Works has partnered with NASA and the Air Force Research Laboratory to study the structural, aerodynamic and operational advantages of the Blended Wing Body concept, a cross between a conventional plane and a flying wing design. The Air Force has designated the prototype the X-48B based on its interest in the design's potential as a multi-role, long-range, high-capacity military transport aircraft. The 8.5 percent scale, remotely piloted X-48B is dynamically scaled to fly much like the full-size aircraft would fly.

Following completion of installation of test instrumentation, one of two X-48B Blended Wing Body technology demonstrators began flight tests at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in early 2007, and those tests are continuing into 2008. Researchers at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Va., tested the second X-48B prototype aircraft in Langley's historic full-scale wind tunnel in the spring of 2006, and the flight tests are intended in part to validate the results of those wind tunnel tests.

Advantages of the blended wing-body concept include high fuel efficiency, low noise and a large payload volume for the size of the aircraft. Flight testing at NASA Dryden will focus on the low-speed, low-altitude flight characteristics of the blended wing-body configuration, including engine-out control, stall characteristics and handling qualities. The short flight test program is intended to demonstrate that the novel design can be flown as safely as current transports having a traditional fuselage, wings and tail configuration.

Boeing's X-48B Blended Wing Body technology demonstrator shows off its unique lines at sunset on Rogers Dry Lake adjacent to NASA DFRC. NASA photo. The two X-48B Blended Wing Body technology demonstration aircraft were built by Cranfield Aerospace in the United Kingdom to Boeing's specifications. The subscale prototypes have a wingspan of 20.4 feet, with prominent vertical fins and rudders at the wingtips and elevons along the trailing edges of the wings. The 523-lb. gross weight aircraft are powered by three small model aircraft turbojet engines providing a maximum combined thrust of about 160 lbs. The X-48B has an estimated top airspeed of 118 knots (139 mph), a maximum altitude of about 10,000 feet and a flight duration of about 40 minutes.

AV 8B Harrier Marines

These model airplanes are 16 inches in length and finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality.   The Harrier Model today is one of the truly unique and most widely known of military aircraft. It is unique as the only fixed wing V/STOL aircraft in the free world. It also is unusual in the international nature of its development, which brought the design from the first British P.1127 prototype to the AV-8B Harrier II of today. 

 

When the Harrier II was first flown in the fall of 1981, 21 years had elapsed since the original Hawker P.1127 first hovered in untethered flight. This basic design, only one of many promising concepts of the time, has weathered its growing up period and reached maturity in the AV-8B.

Another key element in the Harrier concept is the method for controlling the aircraft. When operated as a conventional airplane, the usual ailerons, rudder, and horizontal tail are used to generate aerodynamic control moments about the roll, yaw, and pitch axes, respectively. In hovering flight and at low forward speeds, however, the aerodynamic controls are ineffective, and reaction jets are used to provide the necessary control moments.

At intermediate speeds, both reaction jets and aerodynamic controls are used. Pitch jets are located at the nose and tail of the fuselage, a roll jet is at each wingtip, and a yaw jet is located behind the tail. The reaction jets utilize compressed air from the high-pressure engine compressor and respond in a proportional fashion to conventional movements of the control stick and rudder pedals. The control jets come into operation automatically when the thrust-vectoring nozzles are rotated to any angle in excess of 20°. Control of the thrust-vectoring nozzles is exercised by a lever in the cockpit located alongside the throttle.

Qantas Boeing 767

These Model Airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. 18 inches in length with custom models available. The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twinjet airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

Qantas Airways currently operates twenty nine B767 in commercial service. This Qantas 767 model has GE engines.

The Boeing 767 is a mid-size, wide-body twinjet airliner produced by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the 767 can carry between 181 and 375 passengers, and have a range of 5,200 to 6,590 nautical miles (9,400 to 12,200 km) depending on variant and seating configuration. The Boeing 767 has been produced in three fuselage lengths.

The original 767-200 first entered into airline service in 1982, followed by the 767-300 in 1986, and the 767-400ER in 2000. Extended range versions of the original -200 and -300 models, the 767-200ER and 767-300ER, have been produced with added payload and operating distance capability. The 767-300F, a freighter version, entered service in 1995.

The first wide-body twinjet produced by Boeing, the Boeing 767 was conceived and designed in tandem with the narrow-body Boeing 757 twinjet. Both airliners share design features and flight decks, enabling pilots to obtain a common type rating to operate the two aircraft. The 767 was the first Boeing wide-body airliner to enter service with a two-person crew flight deck, eliminating the need for a flight engineer. Following in-service indications of its twinjet design reliability, the 767 received regulatory approval allowing extended transoceanic operations beginning in 1985.

The 767-300 is a lengthened Boeing 767 ordered by Japan Airlines in 1983. It first flew on January 30, 1986, and was delivered to JAL on September 25. The 767-300's direct competitor from Airbus is the A330-200. The 767-300 is expected to be replaced by the 787-8 in Boeing's lineup. As of November 2009, total orders for the 767-300/300ER/300F stand at 749 with 694 delivered. A total of 661 Boeing 767-300/-300ER/-300F aircraft were in airline service as of July 2009.

Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

These model airplanes finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists - to scale and museum quality. 18 inches in length with custom models available.

The Shuttle Carrier Aircraft

 (SCA) are two extensively modified Boeing 747 airliners that NASA uses to transport Space Shuttle Orbiter. One is a 747-100 model, while the other is a short range 747-100SR.

The first aircraft, a Boeing 747-100 registered N905NA, was originally manufactured for American Airlines and still carried visible American side stripes while testing Enterprise in the 1970s. It was acquired in 1974 and initially used for trailing wake vortex research as part of a broader study by NASA Dryden as well as Shuttle tests involving an F-104 flying in close formation and simulating a "release" from the 747.

The aircraft was extensively modified by Boeing in 1976 Its cabin was stripped, mounting struts added, and the fuselage strengthened; vertical stabilizers were added to the tail to aid stability when the Orbiter was being carried. The avionics and engines were also upgraded, and an escape tunnel system similar to that used on Boeing's first 747 test flights was added. The flight crew escape tunnel system was later removed following the completion of the Approach and Landing Tests (ALT) due to concerns over possible engine ingestion of an escaping crew member.

The C-5 Galaxy was considered for the shuttle-carrier role by NASA, but rejected in favor of the 747—in part due to the 747's low-wing design in comparison to the C-5's high-wing design, and also because the US Air Force would have retained ownership of the C-5, while NASA could own the 747s outright.

The 

C-5 Galaxy was considered for the shuttle-carrier role by NASA, but rejected in favor of the 747—in part due to the 747's low-wing design in comparison to the C-5's high-wing design, and also because the US Air Force would have retained ownership of the C-5, while NASA could own the 747s outright.

F-15 Eagle Strike

These model airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists – to scale and museum quality. 16” inches in length with custom models available.

The Eagle’s air superiority is achieved through a mixture of unprecedented maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current enemy aircraft. The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace. The weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat.

The F-15′s superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight ratio and low wing loading. Low wing-loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed.

A multimission avionics system sets the F-15 apart from other fighter aircraft. It includes a head-up display, advanced radar, inertial navigation system, flight instruments, ultrahigh frequency communications, tactical navigation system and instrument landing system. It also has an internally mounted, tactical electronic-warfare system, “identification friend or foe” system, electronic countermeasures set and a central digital computer.

The head-up display projects on the windscreen all essential flight information gathered by the integrated avionics system. This display, visible in any light condition, provides the pilot information necessary to track and destroy an enemy aircraft without having to look down at cockpit instruments.

The F-15′s versatile pulse-Doppler radar system can look up at high-flying targets and down at low-flying targets without being confused by ground clutter. It can detect and track aircraft and small high-speed targets at distances beyond visual range down to close range, and at altitudes down to treetop level. The radar feeds target information into the central computer for effective weapons delivery. For close-in dogfights, the radar automatically acquires enemy aircraft, and this information is projected on the head-up display. The F-15′s electronic warfare system provides both threat warning and automatic countermeasures against selected threats.

A variety of air-to-air weaponry can be carried by the F-15. An automated weapon system enables the pilot to perform aerial combat safely and effectively, using the head-up display and the avionics and weapons controls located on the engine throttles or control stick. When the pilot changes from one weapon system to another, visual guidance for the required weapon automatically appears on the head-up display.

The Eagle can be armed with combinations of four different air-to-air weapons: AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles or AIM-120 advanced medium range air-to-air missiles on its lower fuselage corners, AIM-9L/M Sidewinder or AIM-120 missiles on two pylons under the wings, and an internal 20mm Gatling gun in the right wing root.

Low-drag, conformal fuel tanks were especially developed for the F-15C and D models. Conformal fuel tanks can be attached to the sides of the engine air intake trunks under each wing and are designed to the same load factors and airspeed limits as the basic aircraft. Each conformal fuel tank contains about 114 cubic feet of usable space. These tanks reduce the need for in-flight refueling on global missions and increase time in the combat area. All external stations for munitions remain available with the tanks in use. AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles, moreover, can be attached to the corners of the conformal fuel tanks.

The F-15E is a two-seat, dual-role, totally integrated fighter for all-weather, air-to-air and deep interdiction missions. The rear cockpit is upgraded to include four multi-purpose CRT displays for aircraft systems and weapons management. The digital, triple-redundant Lear Siegler flight control system permits coupled automatic terrain following, enhanced by a ring-laser gyro inertial navigation system.

For low-altitude, high-speed penetration and precision attack on tactical targets at night or in adverse weather, the F-15E carries a high-resolution APG-70 radar and low-altitude navigation and targeting infrared for night pods.

Lufthansa A380-800

Lufthansa A380

These Model Airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists – to scale and museum quality. 18” inches in length with custom models available. The A380 is a double deck airliner and can accommodate 525 passengers in typical three class layout.

History:

The Lufthansa is the world’s fifth-largest airline in terms of overall passengers carried, operating services to 18 domestic destinations and 183 international destinations in 78 countries across Africa, America, Asia and Europe. Together with its partner Lufthansa services around 410 destinations. With over 530 aircraft it has the third-largest passenger airline fleet in the world when combined with its subsidiaries.

Specification:

Cockpit Crew: 2

Seating Capacity: 525 (3 class)

Length: 73m (240 ft)

Wingspan: 79.75 m (261.6 ft)

Height: 24.1m (79 ft)

Wheelbase: 30.4 m (100 ft)

Wheelspan: 14.34m (74.0 ft)

Outside Fuselage width: 7.14m (23.4 ft)

Cabin width: 6.58m (21.6 ft) Main deck

5.92m (19.4 ft)  Upper deck

Concorde British Airways

The Aérospatiale-BAC Concorde aircraft is a turbojet- powered supersonic passenger airliner, a supersonic transport (SST), which flew from 1969 to 2003. It was a product of an Anglo-French government treaty, combining the manufacturing efforts of Aerospatiale and the British Aircraft Corporation. (The French word concorde translates to the English concord as agreement, harmony, or union.) Concorde entered service with Air France and British Airways in 1976

These Model Airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists – to scale and museum quality. 18” inches in length with custom models available.

Concorde flew regular transatlantic flights from London Heathrow (British Airways) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (Air France) to New York JFK and Washington Dulles, flying these routes at record speeds, in less than half the time of other airliners.

With only 20 aircraft built, the development phase represented a substantial economic loss. Additionally, Air France and British Airways were subsidised by their governments to buy the aircraft. As a result of the type’s only crash, (on 25 July 2000), economic effect arising from the September 11 attacks, and other factors, operations ceased on 24 October 2003. The last “retirement” flight occurred on 26 November 2003.

Regarded by many as an aviation icon, Concorde has acquired an unusual nomenclature for an aircraft. In common usage in the United Kingdom, the type is known as “Concorde” rather than “the Concorde” or “a Concorde”.

Scheduled flights:

Scheduled flights began on 21 January 1976 on the London-Bahrain and Paris-Rio (via Dakar) routes. Then, the route Paris-Caracas (via Azores) began on 10 April of this year. The U.S Congress had just banned Concorde landings in the US, mainly due to citizen protest over sonic boom, preventing launch on the coveted transatlantic routes. However , the U.S Secretary of Transportation, William Coleman, gave permission for Concord service to Washington Dulles International Airport , and Air France and British Airways simultaneously began service to Dulles on 24 May 1976.

Engines:

To be economically viable, Concorde needed to be able to fly long distances, and this required high efficiency. For optimum supersonic flight, turbofan engines were considered, but rejected, as due to their large cross-section they would cause excessive drag. Turbojets were found to be the best choice of engines. The quieter high bypass turbofan engines such as used on Boeing 747 could not be used. The engine developed was the twin spool Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus, a development of the Bristol engine first used for the Vulcan Bomber, and developed into an afterburning supersonic variant for the BAC TSR-2 strike bomber.

General characteristics

Crew: 3 (pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer)

Capacity: 92–120 passengers
(128 in high-density layout

Boeing Factory

A great video on the production of the Boeing 777 Model Airplanes for Air Canada. Shows from wing construction, to fuselage construction and piecing together to painting. Interesting to note that this Boeing employee said the painting of model aircraft is top secret.

Qantas Boeing 787

Qantas has selected the Boeing 787 Model Airplanes as the cornerstone of its domestic and international fleet renewal program. Under the fleet plan, the Qantas Group will acquire up to 100 Boeing 787 aircraft. The first 50 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are expected to be delivered in mid-2012.

The Qantas Boeing 787 provides breakthrough technology, enabling Qantas to fly further to more point-to-point destinations throughout the world. Its lighter fuselage, which is constructed from composite material, will allow the aircraft to:

• fly further with a full load,
• burn less fuel,
• fly faster than any other aircraft of its size, and
• reduce maintenance cost and timing.

Other benefits include:

• Increased window size and a lower cabin pressure that reduces the effects of jetlag.
• A unique 'double bubble' design that increases width at shoulder height to ensure the most spacious cabin feel for passengers.

In addition to the benefits for passengers, the Boeing 787 will provide substantial economic benefits for Australia by creating new jobs and increasing export revenues.

The decision to invest in the Boeing 787 further underpins the commitment to safety, quality and innovation that has marked the Qantas story over the past 85 years.

Military Aircraft introduction

A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:

    * Combat aircraft are aircraft designed to destroy enemy equipment using their own armament. Combat aircraft are normally developed and procured only by military forces.
    * Non-combat aircraft are aircraft not designed for combat as their primary function, but may carry weapons for self-defense. These mainly operate in support roles, and may be developed by either military forces or civilian organizations.

The F 35 Lightning II is an example of military aircraft that are combat aircraft. Air Force One is an example of a non combat aircraft.

Boeing 747-400 KLM

Below is the seatmap for the KLM 747 model planes. Two things jump out at me with this seating - no first class, and the long galley on the lower deck where most business class areas are - they must be cooking some great meals on these 747 KLM.

Deploying slide on Boeing 747

Model Airplanes: Ever wondered how a slide deploys on Boeing 747 Models? What about the upper deck of the Boeing 747-400? In this video you will see a British Airways Models deploy its upper deck slide. Notice it takes a few seconds to settle before you can safely slide out to save your life. A good point to know if you are the one opening the door and deploying the slide - wait a few moments, then exit.

F-16 Fighting Falcon

These Model Airplanes are finely handcrafted, and hand painted by our artists – to scale and museum quality. 17” inches in length with custom models available.

The F-16 and the F-15 Eagle were the world’s first aircraft able to withstand higher g-forces than the pilots. The F-16 Fighting Falcon entered service in 1979. The last of 2,231 F-16 fighters for the US Air Force was delivered in March 2005. The first two-seat F-16D version was accepted by the US Government in January 2009. Outside the US, Lockheed Martin had a backlog of around 95 F-16 aircraft during the first quarter of 2009.

Recent orders include Bahrain (ten delivered), Greece (60 block 52 all delivered), Israel (50), Egypt (24 block 40), New Zealand (28), United Arab Emirates (80 block 60, first delivered 2005), Singapore (20), South Korea (20 block 52 all delivered), Oman (12, first delivered August 2005), Chile (ten block 50, first delivery 2006) and Poland (48 block 52, delivered March 2006 – December 2008). Israel, with the world’s largest F-16 fleet outside the USAF, has ordered 110 F-16I aircraft, of which the first was delivered in December 2003. These aircraft have Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines, Elbit avionics, Elisra electronic warfare systems and Rafael weapons and sensors, including Litening II laser target designator pods. Italy has leased 34 aircraft until the first tranche of Eurofighter deliveries are completed. Hungary will acquire 24 ex-USAF fighters.

In December 2005, Greece ordered a further 30 block 52+ fighters (20 F-16C single seat and 10 F-16D two-seat) to be delivered from 2009. Under the Peace Xenia IV purchase programme, the total number of fighters ordered by Greece’s HAF(Hellenic Air Force) rose to 170. The first Peace Xenia IV F-16 block 52 advanced aircraft was delivered on 19 March 2009. The remaining will be delivered in 2009 and 2010.

In June 2005, Pakistan requested the foreign military sale (FMS) of 36 F-16C/D block 50/52 aircraft. In June 2006, the Pentagon notified congress of its intention to agree the sale and Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract for 12 F-16C and six F-16D block 52 aircraft in December 2006. The aircraft will be armed with AMRAAM and Sidewinder missiles and the Sniper targeting pod. The planned order of the second 18 aircraft has been cancelled.

In September 2006, Turkey requested the sale of an additional 30 advanced block 50 F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. The order was signed in May 2007. The aircraft will be delivered in 2011 and 2012. The total cost of these additional aircraft could be more than $2.9bn excluding Turkey’s $1.1bn upgrade programme for its existing F-16 fleet.

In June 2007, Taiwan requested 66 F-16C/D aircraft but the US government has indicated that approval is unlikely to be granted before 2009.

In December 2007, Morocco requested the sale of 24 F-16C/D block 50/52 aircraft. The deal includes the aircraft, mission equipment and a support package provided by Lockheed Martin and other US and international contractors. The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) placed a $233.6m order in June 2008.

The F-16IN Super Viper, which is a development of block 60, has been designed for the Indian Air force. It is a fourth-generation fighter that meets the medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) requirements. It includes Northrop Grumman APG-80 AESA radar and General Electric F110-132A engine with 32,000lb thrust.

Various F-16 Model Airplanes upgrades and modernisation programmes are underway in Turkey, Pakistan and Jordan, and within the US Air Force. Future upgrades include air refuelling probes, auxiliary power unitu, auto ground collision avoidance systems and automatic manoeuvring attack.

Etihad Airbus A340-600

The A340 has to be up there with some of my favorite model airplanes. This video is a Etihad A340-600 take off - truly a remarkable airplane. While I have heard that the A340 model airplanes have a slow climb you can really see the slow angle of attack in this Eithad A340-600, no doubt full of fuel and on her way to the other side of the world.

Lufthansa A380-800

On 6 December 2001 Lufthansa announced an order for 15 Airbus A380 Model Airplanes with 10 more options. This deal was confirmed on the 20th of December 2001. The A380 fleet will be used for long haul flights from Frankfurt exclusively. The first aircraft, that arrived on May 19, 2010 has been named "Frankfurt am Main". The first route of the Lufthansa Airbus A380 is Frankfurt to Tokyo, the first flight was on June 11, 2010. The second A380, named "München" (Munich) was delivered in July 2010, and the third, named "Peking" was delivered in August 2010; Lufthansa expects four deliveries in 2010. With the delivery of more A380s, Lufthansa will operate the A380 on routes to Beijing (from 1 September 2010) and Johannesburg (from 12 September 2010). Lufthansa also plans to fly the superjumbo to New Delhi in the winter season of 2010-2011.

The A380 has an enhanced first class product that will be introduced on other long haul aircraft models.

Qantas and the A380

Qantas is the world's oldest airline and used the below clip to introduce their Qantas A380 Model Airplanes to the world. Qantas seems to have not changed their ad agency in years! ;)