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November 1999, Here are some extracts from recent issues of avia mini:

CORGI PLANS FOR 2000

Here are Corgi's plans for new releases in the first half of 2000. First we have the listings from January to June, then some notes. (LE denotes Limited Edition):
1:72 SCALE MODELS Battle of Britain 1:72
49001 Spitfire Mk I, 74 Sqn, first skirmish Battle of Britain, for 60th anniversary (Jan)
49505 Spitfire-Messerschmitt Bf 109E dog fight set (LE) for 60th anniversary (Mar)
49101 Hurricane Mk I, 85 Sqn, Sqn Ldr Townsend (Jan)
49201 Messerschmitt Bf 109E of Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet' (Feb)
To mark the 60th anniversary of the Battle Britain in 2000, Corgi have a new collection of classic fighters in 1:72 scale, with rotating propellers and interchangeable landing gear, detailed cockpit and pilot figures, and what they believe to be a unique feature in diecast aircraft, removable top covers, revealing engine detail. The Battle of Britain 60th anniversary is commemorated with four releases, including a dog fight set of a Spitfire paired with a Bf 109E. This set is authentic, with these exact aircraft known to have engaged each other in aerial conflict. Paul Lumsdon, Corgi Marketing Manager explains, 'The dog-fight set proved to be the most difficult to research since although the number of individual kills were recorded, it was rare for the opposing pilot's identity to be known in any one skirmish. We eventually uncovered a reference where both pilots in this combat were named.' The Messerschmitt 109E from Jagdgeschwader 3 'Udet', piloted by Hans von Hahn has a dragon emblem on the yellow nose. This flamboyant scheme was typical of those adopted by top Luftwaffe pilots during the Battle of Britain. For every Battle of Britain 60th anniversary model sold, Corgi are making a donation to the RAF Benevolent Fund. As avia mini readers will remember, it was the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight Lancaster which first brought Corgi and the RAF Benevolent Fund together. Last year 500 Corgi models of the BBMF Lancaster were carried in the real aircraft, to produce a special limited edition. Corgi donated Ł500 to the RAF Benevolent Fund from the sales of these unique models.
Flying Aces 1:72
49002 Spitfire Mk I Douglas Bader, OC Tangmere Wing (LE) (Apr)
49102 Hurricane Mk I Stanford Tuck 257 Squadron, North Weald (LE) (Mar)
49301 NA P-51D Mustang Big Beautiful Doll Col John Landers (LE) (Feb)
49302 NA P-51D Mustang Glamorous Glen Chuck Yeager (LE) (Apr)
49202 Messerschmitt Bf109E Adolf Galland, Jagdgeschwader 26 (LE) (May)
In the Flying Aces series from Britain comes Douglas Bader' s Spitfire Mk I (OC Tangmere Wing) and also Stanford Tuck's Hurricane Mk I (257 Squadron, North Weald). Germany's Adolf Galland, acknowledged as the Luftwaffe's number one pilot, is commemorated with his Messerschmitt Bf 109E from Jagdgeschwader 26. The North American Mustang is reproduced as Big Beautiful Doll (44 72218) flown by Col John Landers, Officer Commanding 78 Fighter Group, and as Glamorous Glen (44-14888) of Chuck Yeager, who later became a test pilot and the first man to break the sound barrier.
1:144 SCALE MODELS
CIVIL AIRLINERS 1:144
48601 Bristol Britannia 100 Laker Airways (LE) (Feb)
48602 Bristol Britannia 300 BOAC (LE) (Apr)
48603 Bristol Britannia 300 Monarch Airlines 40th Anniversary (LE) (Jun)
47607 Vickers Viscount 800 BEA (red square livery) (LE) (Jan)
47605 Vickers Viscount 700 British Eagle (LE) (Jan)
48504 DH Comet 4 BOAC (LE) (Jan)
MILITARY AIRCRAFT 1:144
48901 B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay as flown to Hiroshima. (Jan)
49506 Confederate Air Force set B-29 'Fifi', P-51 Mustang, P-47 Thunderbolt (LE) (Jun)
48205 B-17G Sentimental Journey (LE) (Feb)
48804 Short Sunderland Mk III W4004 RAAF 461 Squadron, Plymouth (LE) (Jan)
47306 Avro Lancaster Battle of Britain Mem-orial Flight Mickey the Moocher (LE) (Mar)
48505 DH Comet 4C (Canopus) RA&AEE Boscombe Down, last flight (LE) (May)
48405 Hercules RAF Desert Storm (LE) (Apr)
48104 C-97 Stratofreighter (MATS) (LE) (May)
48304 Avro Vulcan B2 XM655 (Wellesbourne preservation aircraft) (LE) (Jun)

The new Boeing B-29 Superfortress represents 'Enola Gay' which dropped the atom bomb on Hiroshima, reproduced down to the missing gun turrets, removed to save weight and hasten the getaway. B-29 Fifi, which comes in a Confederate Air Force set with Mustang and Thunderbolt fighter escort, is fully equipped with all gun turrets. Fifi is the only flying example of a B-29 in the world today, and begins collaboration between Corgi and the Confederate Air Force. There will be more CAF releases later. The DH Comet 4C represents Canopus of the RA&EE (Royal Armament & Experimental Establishment), at Boscombe Down, the last Comet to fly, making her final flight in 1997. An unusual model is the C-130 Hercules which carries the one-off experimental pink colour scheme adopted by the RAF in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War.
CORGI LATE 1999 FIGHTERS
In an additional release for November 1999, Corgi's Aviation Archive gained two 1:144 scale fighter sets, previously only available with the big bombers in gift sets. First was the Little Friends USAAF fighter escort North American P-51 Mustang and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt set (49504). Both of these fighters were piloted by famous American fighter aces, Col. David Schilling and Captain Clarence 'Bud' Anderson. The second set is the Spitfire & Hurricane (49503)from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight based at RAF Coningsby. By popular demand, these have been designed to represent current liveries in the flight and to partner the Corgi Lancaster already available.
For more news of new releases, from such makers as Herpa, Gemini Jets, Aero Classics, Dragon Wings, Diverse Images and many others, plus articles about Dinky Toy aircraft, Hansa-Schowanek and much more, see the latest issue of avia mini...
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