Bloggin' about Jets--AimHigherJets.com--Home of Century Wings, Hobby Master, GeminiMacs

Southwest Airlines 717-200. Only at AimHigherJets.com

2011-12-04T11:41:00.000-08:00

Aim Higher Jets has produced the first custom mahogany model of the 717-200. Southwest Airlines is an American icon in the aviation industry. With their acquisition of AirTran Airways earlier this year, they also aquired a fleet of 717-200s. We've wondered why there are so few images of the plane in Southwest colors. So we decided to make one ourselves. Click on the link below to see the photos.

Now you can have one of your own:

Southwest Airlines 717-200 Model by AimHigherJets.com

A C-5 Model that always works

2011-11-26T17:44:00.000-08:00

No maintenance delays here!

Aim Higher Jets just recently added the C-5 Custom Express Mahogany model. For just $209, we'll build you a customized and highly accurate C-5 model and have it delivered in just 3 weeks.

Every Custom Express C-5 Mahogany model includes:

- High-quality Kiln dried C-5 mahogany model with sharp edge highly accurate details

- You favorite base tail flash (Every current C-5 base is available)

- Your favorite tail number

- Tail specific markings (AMC or AFRC patches on the side of the plane? No problem!)

- Personalized 3-line inscription plate

- Modern Hap Arnold USAF logo

- Add a squadron patch for just $25 extra

One customer who recently ordered a C-5 from us noted that the "air refueling markings were slightly off center". Upon looking at the actual aircraft, he noticed that the markings on the actual jet REALLY are off center too! We are very meticulous with our level of detail. We include accurate features like the "luggage rack" antennas and accurate control surface marking. Plus our paint is the actual flat paint grey color as the actual aircraft. No one comes close to our level of detail.

Order a Custom Express C-5 today!

Custom UPT Jets-Delivered in just 3 weeks!

2011-05-01T17:01:00.000-07:00

Looking for the ultimate gift for a pilot training student or graduate? Aim Higher Jets has the perfect model. If you or your special someone has been through the challenging UPT or UNT program, they deserve a model to remember their accomplishment. Aim Higher Jets produces the highest quality mahogany model on the internet. Details like a realistic propellor on the T-6 and proper antennas on the T-1 and T-38. The best part is that you can customize your model to look exactly like the real jet. This includes tail flashes from Laughlin AFB, Vance AFB, Columbus AFB, Moody AFB, Pensacola or Sheppard AFB. We also can put any tail number. We seal the deal with their name on the canopy rail.

All of our models are custom built for you and delivered in just 3 weeks. We look forward to making you another satisfied AimHigherJets.com customer.

View our Custom Express Models

F-111A Ardvark announced by Hobby Master

2010-06-05T16:24:00.000-07:00

Hobby Master has announced the F-111A Ardvark will be released this September. We expect that this model will be VERY popular. It is the first ever version of an F-111 in diecast form. Aim Higher Jets is offering this model for a great price! So low that you have to add it to your cart to see! Free shipping too with this model!

Click here to see the new F-111A Ardvark by Hobby Master!

Custom Express Models

2010-05-04T14:03:00.001-07:00

Aim Higher Jets is proud to introduce Custom Express Models. Looking for a T-6, T-1, T-38 or C-17? We can build you a beautiful Customized Model and have it delivered to your door in just 3 weeks! No one else in the industry can match our quality or speed of delivery. We'll warn you though, once you see the quality difference, you probably will be hooked on buying from us. But that's not such a bad thing. The prices on our models are unbeatable. Give us a shot today!

Click here to see our entire fleet of Custom Express Models.

2009-09-11T03:34:00.000-07:00

Century Wings has announced the new SR-71B Blackbird 1/72 diecast model. We are celebrating with one of the Biggest Contests ever by a diecast hobby store! Win a Brand NEW SR-71 BLACKBIRD DIECAST MODEL! Enter our contest by submitting a T-Shirt design to contest@aimhigherjets.com

Full details and rules are provided at www.AimhigherJets.com

New Century Wings--USAF A-7 and Eventually and F-22?!?!

2009-03-07T22:13:00.000-08:00

Century Wings recently announced a USAF A-7 SLUF. For the true CW fans out there, we know that it's been a LONG TIME COMING!

Now available for Pre-Order! Only $69.95! Order today!

On another note, a recent hobby show in Germany took on a special importance as Century Wings subtely announced an F-22 model. Now before you get your hopes up, this model is just a "pre-pro" meaning that it is only in development. That means there is no release date and it's assumed that the release date is not imminent. However, if history is a judge, most CW "pre-pro" models are released between 6-12 months after they were first unveiled.

New C-40B Diecast Model - Limited Edition

2009-01-08T20:58:00.000-08:00

Wow! What an awesome holiday season! Aim Higher Jets can't thank everyone enough for another great holiday season. In one month, we sold a record amount of models while raising over $300 for the Fisher House. We also gave away an entire fleet of Century Wing F-8 models to one lucky customer! We look forward to making 2009 another great year of diecast collecting with new models by Corgi, Hobby Master, Century Wings and other new lines coming soon.

One of the first arrivals in 2009 is this beautiful US Air Force C-40B! Aviation 200 is known for releasing beautiful 1:200 and 1:400 diecast airliners. They recently decided to add a C-40B to their lineup. Arriving in mid-January, this model will blow you away. Rolling tires, steerable, posable nose-gear, rotating fan blades. This model has it all. And, its available from AimHigherJets.com for a low price of only $56.95. Pre-order this baby now! We are only getting a limited stock and probably won't be able to reorder any additional models.

New Century Wings! Blackbird and new A-6!

2008-10-16T08:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted a 1/72 scale SR-71? AimHigherJets.com is here to announce that Century Wings will soon be releasing a 1/72 SR-71 Blackbird diecast model. This is in addition to a previously announced A-6 VMA-121 Green Knights model. We will post release dates, prices and pics just as soon as we can.

Hobby Master to release dioramas.

2008-07-31T23:57:00.000-07:00

Hobby Master will release a diorama to add to your 1/72 collection. According to Hobby Master Collector, Hobby Master will be releasing a diorama with support figurines, power cart and aircraft ladder. Another exciting way that Hobby Master is expanding the hobby! The pre-production photo of the diorama looks great! Just remember that the figurines aren't painted in the photos. Pre-Orders will be available on our site shortly! (Photos courtesy of HobbyMastercollector.com)

On another note, AimHigherJets.com is having an awesome sale on Hobby Master models through August 8th. Right now, all Hobby Master models ship free domestically. If you are overseas, e-mail us and we'll do our best to hook you up with savings too. We're doing our best to get you through the dog days of summer!

F-8s are here! 1/144 F-14s are flying off the shelves too!

2008-07-31T23:31:00.000-07:00

The long awaited Century Wings F-8 Crusaders of NP100 and NP101 have arrived and all of the pre-orders have now been shipped. They are beautiful models. Century Wings maintains the quality of their earlier releases. There have been VERY few complaints about them on the forums too (expect maybe about the UPS guy taking too long to deliver them!).

One surprising model line is the 1/144 F-14 model line. The first 3 in the series have now been released. 1/144 scale is a really awesome scale and we're hoping that it becomes a new standard in diecast. Its large enough to see detail but small enough that a model maker could build a cargo or bomber model in the common scale as well. Think refuelers and fighters in one diorama. Speaking of the Century Wings new F-14s though. The Black Aces is FLYING off the shelves. Only 1,000 of these babies have been made worldwide. This model is a must have for any serious Century Wings collector.

Finally, the Century Wings Jolly Rogers F-14 AJ201 is due into our store next week. Don't miss out on the opportunity to own one. This model is an exclusive US release. Only 1,000 models have been produced. The distributor is sold out. Remember a previous release? Our Jolly Rogers AJ210 charity auction on EBAY went for over $275! This model is AS limited and the demand has been huge.

In short, Century Wings is cementing themselves as being highly collectable models with amazing details....Worth every penny. But then again, save a little by ordering from AimHigherJets.com !

UPDATE: The Century Wings AJ201 is SOLD OUT! Sorry. We sold tons of these models! Unfortunately the only way to buy one now is to pay WAY TOO MUCH for them on E-Bay. Don't miss out on the next Century Wings release. We recommend pre-ordering all Century Wing models that you are interested in owning!

Our first show! Check out pics of the Century Wings 1/144 F-14 Jolly Rogers!

2008-07-17T17:55:00.001-07:00

Jim and I presented at the Airliners International 2008 convention near DFW last weekend. We were able to get our hands on some pre-production models by Century Wings and Hobby Master. The 1/144 CW F-14 Jolly Rogers model really impressed me. It is small but I think its going to be the next big scale. Its large enough for detail but small enough to squeeze alot of them into small places. Anyways, the models will cost $44.95 and they should be at your door on the last week of July. It is available for pre-order right now!

Click on the link below to order... http://www.aimhigherjets.com/Century_Wings_F_14A_USN_VF_84_Jolly_Rogers_1_144_p/cw-589704.htm

The show itself was every airliner fan's dream come true and they also offered some military memorbilia. The show had some very interesting booths and interesting people too. One booth was exclusively dedicated to movies that a crew of videographers take at the end of runways around the world. No commentary, just video. Another guy sold lamps made out of taxiway lights! We stood out as the only military diecast store at the show. Business was brisk but we couldn't meet all of the visitor's requests. "Umm....sorry, we don't have barf bags from the second incarnation of Braniff. And no, we don't have a diecast of the YF-23 or A-12 projects either. BUT we can always make you a custom mahogany of those failed programs!" Overall, it was a great time. I hope you enjoy the pics.

Come see us at the Airliner Int. 2008 Convention! See Century Wings and Hobby Master prototypes!

2008-07-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

Have you been itching to see diecast models that aren't released yet? This is your weekend! The Airliners International Show at DFW is being held from July 10-12. If you are there, stop by our table and say hello! We'll have a large table there with some "FO SHOW" Only special deals as well as giveaways. The show is at the Sheraton near DFW airport.

At the show, we'll have a couple of show prototypes of the Hobby Master F-4 Blue Angels and 2 new Century Wings models of the F-8 NP101 Launch Config and the 1/144 F-14 Jolly Rogers AJ200 models. We'll be at tables 46 and 47!
SHERATON GRAND DFW AIRPORT HOTEL
4440 W. John Carpenter Freeway
Irving, Texas 75083

Here is the link...http://www.ai2008dfw.com/

Hope to see you there!

Release date for the Century Wings Models

2008-07-09T11:47:00.000-07:00

We have been told to expect our shipment to our store the last week of July. We make it a point at Aim Higher Jets to ship out all of our pre-orders to you on the same day we receive them. That means that the F-8s should be in your hands by the last couple of days in July! Get ready, these planes look awesome.

Century Wings F-8 Launch Config Now ships in JULY!

2008-06-20T04:17:00.000-07:00

Century Wings is releasing the F-8 this summer. One of the models, the Century Wings F-8 NP101, in the launch configuration, is already generating quite a buzz on the forums. This model looks amazing and it is a very limited edition model. We'vebeen told that only 500 will be available to US retailers while the rest will be sold overseas. The model was originally going to be delivered in September but it is now going to be shipped from our store in mid-July! This model is available for $74.95. Additionally, we are offering free shipping on all Century Wings F-8 through July 2nd. Don't miss out on the most limited Century Wings release since the F-14 Black Aces was released last year. That model sold out within the first month of delivery.

You can order the model by clicking here: Order the Century Wings F-8 NP101

We now carry Franklin Mint

2008-04-23T13:17:00.000-07:00

As part of our goal to always carry the best models, we have now added Franklin Mint models. These pieces are guaranteed to be the centerpiece of your collection and are worth the investment. Every model is noticably heavier than other diecast models. They harken back to the days of the antique collectables. The difference though is that these models are very detailed. Rivet and panel lines are visible. Rolling wheels and cockpit instrumentation are standard as well. Buy one and you'll be hooked. They are worth the price! The best part is we offer free shipping on every Franklin Mint model over $99! Pick one up today.

A toilet bomb?

2007-12-13T14:00:00.000-08:00

I recently saw a funny article on a forum. Doing a little research, it appears to be either true or a legend with pictures that hasn't been disputed. It is posted on: http://www.hmm-364.org/what-the-hell.html Unfortunately, we at AimHigherJets.com probably won't be carrying a model with this weapon "load"!

What the hell was on 572's right wing?
For those too young to remember, during the Vietnam conflict, carriers were so woefully short of ordinance that missions were often launched with only a half load just to keep the sortie rate up so that the REMF's in DC would not send out blistering messages about failure to support the war effort, etc.
Given that the loss rate approached, and sometime exceeded, one aircraft a day, all will understand that there was a degree of reticence to launch with less than a full load -- if I must dance with the elephant at least let's make it worth while. Nevertheless, the indomitable spirit of the carrier aviators, and their squadron-mates, prevailed in some rather perverse way.
I have every hope that today's successors to the mantel left at the Cubi "O" Club bar persevere as well. Kick the tires, light the fires, bolt for the blue and brief on guard -- last one up is lead. Back in 'Nam', if you weren't on USS MIDWAY in Oct 1965, I thought you'd get a kick out of one squadron's ingenuity. Yes, this really happened. Once again history is stranger then fiction, and a lot funnier:
The USS Midway VA-25's Toilet Bomb.
In October 1965, CDR Clarence J. Stoddard, Executive Officer of VA-25 "Fist of the Fleet", flying an A-1H Skyraider, NE/572 "Paper Tiger II" from Carrier Air Wing Two aboard USS Midway carried a special bomb to the North Vietnamese in commemoration of the 6-millionth pound of ordnance dropped. This bomb was unique because of the type... it was a toilet!
The following is an account of this event, courtesy of Clint Johnson, Captain, USNR Ret. Captain Johnson was one of the two VA-25 A-1 Skyraider pilots credited with shooting down a MiG-17 on June 20, 1965. Clint Johnson was also a classmate and Company-mate of mine at the Naval Academy.
572 was flown by CDR C. W. "Bill" Stoddard. His wingman in 577 was LCDR Robin Bacon, who had a wing station mounted movie camera (the only one remaining in the fleet from WWII).
The flight was a Dixie Station strike (off South Vietnam) going to the Delta. When they arrived in the target area and CDR Stoddard was reading the ordnance list to the FAC, he ended with "and one code name Sani-flush".
The FAC couldn't believe it and joined up to see it. It was dropped in a dive with LCDR Bacon flying tight wing position to film the drop. When it came off, it turned hole to the wind and almost struck his airplane.
It made a great ready room movie. The FAC said that it whistled all the way down. The toilet was a damaged toilet, which was going to be thrown overboard.
One of our plane captains rescued it and the ordnance crew made a rack, tailfins and nose fuse for it. The squadron flight deck checkers maintained a position to block the view of the Captain and Air Boss while the aircraft was taxiing onto the catapult. Just as it was being shot off we got a 1MC message from the bridge, "What the hell was on 572's right wing?"

Sold out!

2007-12-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

Aim Higher Jets is sold out of the Century Wings A-6 "Last Flight" and also the Century Wings F-14 "Black Aces". These limited edition models went extremely fast and we're unable to order any more. However, we recently posted pre-orders for the new Century Wings A-7. Pick one up for $59.95. This model looks awesome in the pictures. We expect that Century Wings will keep the same level of excellence that we've come to expect.

Century Wings Black Aces and A-6 Last Flight almost Sold out at AimHigherJets.com

2007-11-13T20:21:00.001-08:00

What's hot this holiday season? There is no doubt that the one of the hottest military model collectables lately are Century Wings diecast. These models are awesome. How many other diecast put details like pitot tubes on their models? From the F-14 to the A-6, Century Wings have set a new standard. Century Wings also recently announced the A-7 that will arrive at Aim Higher Jets early next year.

Knowing that Century Wings models are popular, we've chosen to give our customers the opportunity to pre-order upcoming models. Currently on our pre-order page, we offer the Moonlighters A-6, "Last Flight" A-6 and the "Black Aces" F-14A. These models have proven so popular we have almost sold-out of our allocation before they have arrived! It's pretty amazing. However, we at Aim Higher Jets are collectors first and fans of the hobby. So we are opening the question to you... Should we allow our entire allocation to pre-orders? Or should we set aside a certain amount for first-come, first-served once they arrive? Does it matter to you? We value your opinion... Thanks for your continued support of Aim Higher Jets.

Hobby Master...WooHoo!

2007-10-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, I know its been a little while since I've updated the blog. We've been spending alot of time on the site adding new products and ordering for the upcoming holiday season. One line that we recently added is Hobby Master diecast. Their products are awesome. I put them in the category closer to Century Wings in terms of quality. My favorite product thus far is the George AFB F-104. Currently we also carry the A-10 and the original T-6 as well as the A-4. We are adding products to the line regularly too! Check them out today!

Above and beyond...what a great guy!

2007-08-29T18:18:00.000-07:00

Although we are a military model retailer, we're always fascinated by the entire Aviation industry, including the commercial side of things. One frustration that most people have experienced before is bad customer service in the airline industry. Almost everyone has a "so there I was at O'Hare or Atlanta..." story.

We recently saw this article in the Wall Street Journal. The story chronicles a United Airlines pilot who always goes above and beyond. He even ordered food for passengers who might be stuck at an airport due to a divert...what a concept! In the article, we find its funny that people question the pilots "true" motive as if there were some sort of conspiracy that he was being nice in an industry full of disappointment and frustration. The truth is that the world needs more like this guy. Capt. Flanagan is really just tagging on to a very simple concept that people like being treated well. It just shows how one person who continuously does the right thing can be noticed and appreciated.
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Shocker: Pilot goes out of way to have fun with passengers
By Scott McCartney
The Wall Street Journal
Capt. Denny Flanagan is a rare bird in today's frustration-filled air-travel world -- a pilot who goes out of his way to make flying fun for passengers.
When pets travel in cargo compartments, the United Airlines veteran snaps pictures of them with his cellphone camera, then shows owners that their animals are on board. In the air, he has flight attendants raffle off 10 percent discount coupons and unopened bottles of wine. He writes notes to first-class passengers and elite-level frequent fliers on the back of his business cards, addressing them by name and thanking them for their business. If flights are delayed or diverted to other cities because of storms, Capt. Flanagan tries to find a McDonald's where he can order 200 hamburgers, or a snack shop that has apples or bananas he can hand out. And when unaccompanied children are on his flights, he personally calls parents with reassuring updates.
"I picked up the phone and he said, 'This is the captain from your son's flight,' " said Kenneth Klein, whose 12-year-old son was delayed by thunderstorms in Chicago last month on a trip from Los Angeles to see his grandfather in Toronto. "It was unbelievable. One of the big problems is kids sit on planes and no one tells you what's happening, and this was the exact opposite."
So unusual is the service that Capt. Flanagan has been a subject of discussion on FlyerTalk.com, an online community for road warriors.
Mark B. Lasser, a Denver advertising-sales executive, came off a Capt. Flanagan flight and posted a question on FlyerTalk.com about why the pilot had been so friendly. "I don't trust UA at all but can't figure out what the ulterior motive is," he wrote.
Others quickly came to Capt. Flanagan's defense. "I've had this pilot before -- what a great guy. He does the same thing on every flight," said a FlyerTalk regular.
Lasser says he just wishes Capt. Flanagan weren't such a rarity among United employees. "Every flight before and most flights since have been so poor in customer service that this guy really came across as representing his own standards more than the company's. He's an outlier within United," Lasser said in an interview.
United, which ranked in the middle of the airline pack in on-time arrivals and mishandled baggage in the first half of this year and next-to-worst in consumer complaints, has supported Capt. Flanagan's efforts. The airline supplies the airplane trading-cards he hands out as passengers board, plus books, wine and discount coupons he has flight attendants give away. He goes through about 700 business cards a month, and the company reimburses him for the food he buys during prolonged delays.
"He's a great ambassador for the company," says Graham Atkinson, United's executive vice president and "Chief Customer Officer," who is leading an effort to boost customer service. He hopes more pilots and airport workers will adopt some of Capt. Flanagan's techniques such as the frequent, detailed updates he gives to customers.
Air travel isn't easy for anybody, given problems ranging from storms to mechanical breakdowns to computer snafus and lost luggage. Airline workers have endured pay cuts and fights with management; travelers have suffered poor service and unreliable flights.
Flanagan tries to deal with the cheerfulness challenge -- at least on the flights he works.
"I just treat everyone like it's the first flight they've ever flown," said the 56-year-old Navy veteran who lives on an Ohio farm and cuts the figure of a classic airline captain: trim and gray-haired. "The customer deserves a good travel experience," he said.
Last Tuesday morning, Flanagan was at gate C19 at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport an hour before the scheduled departure of Flight 831 to San Francisco and made his first announcement about the delay before the gate agent had shown up. The time posted for departure was 8:20, but that was optimistic, Flanagan told passengers, because the Boeing 767 they would fly wouldn't land from São Paulo, Brazil, until 7:02 and then had to be emptied, cleaned, inspected and towed from the international terminal.
He tried to lighten the mood, using a joke he tells before every flight. "I almost forgot to tell you, this is my first flight," Flanagan said. Wary eyes looked up from newspapers and BlackBerrys through a long pause, before he added, "today."
Flanagan mingled in the lounge answering questions and using his cellphone to call United operations officials to ask about connections to Asia and to cities on the West Coast.
Ajoke Odumosu, a track star at the University of South Alabama who was on her way to Osaka, Japan, for a world-championship competition, realized that when she began her trip with US Airways, her luggage had been checked only as far as San Francisco. With the delay, there wouldn't be time to retrieve it and recheck it for Japan.
Flanagan called Chicago and learned that the luggage was already in metal containers ready for loading on the 767, and couldn't be retagged. He called San Francisco and found a manager who agreed to pull Odumosu's bags aside and retag them for Osaka. In all, he spent 15 minutes on the problem.
"I was glad he went out of his way, which he didn't have to do," Odumosu said.
Once the plane was ready for boarding, Flanagan passed out cards with information about the Boeing 767. On every flight, he signs two of the cards on the back and, if there is wine left over from first class, he announces that passengers with his signature have won bottles of wine.
When the movie ended, flight attendants passed out napkins and passengers were invited to write notes about experiences on United -- good or bad. Fifteen were selected to receive a coupon for a 10% discount on a future United flight, and Flanagan posts the passengers' notes in crew rooms or sends them on to airport managers when they raise specific issues.
Randall Levelle of Morgantown, W.Va., and his family were flying to San Francisco because his father-in-law had just died. Flanagan invited Levelle's three children into the cockpit during boarding.
"If other folks in the airline industry had the same attitude, it would go a long way to mitigating some of the negative stuff that has come about in the last four or five years," Levelle said.

New GeminiMacs Release

2007-08-02T20:19:00.000-07:00

Aim Higher Jets is proud to announce that GeminiMacs will be releasing another new C-17. This is not a complete surprise but most Gemini watchers expected the Dover tail or Elmendorf tail first. The Edwards jet is unique. It is the only aircraft in the fleet that's primary mission is to test new software and aircraft modifications. Most people don't even realize that an Edwards tail exists. In short, you probably won't see this one around the world very often. Pre-order yours today from us for the low price of $27.95. Expected arrival date is Sept 07. It will ship to you one the day we receive it in our stockroom.

AimHigherJets.com

Buy from a store built by collectors...

Century Wings A-6

2007-07-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

The awesome Century Wings line of jets has announced that they are coming out with the Grumman A-6 Intruder. The first two models will be of the A-6E and the KA-6D refueler. The KA-6D really struck me as an interesting aircraft. I knew they were existed but I never really had thought about their purpose before.

Here's the article:http://home.att.net/~jbaugher4/newa6_4.html

The KA-6D was a tanker version of the Intruder, created by conversion of existing Intruder airframes.
Grumman had tried out a buddy midair refueling pod underneath a conventional A-6A (BuNo 147865). In addition, Grumman fitted an internal refueling package into BuNo 149937. But these projects never proceeded any further because of a lack of any perceived need for a tanker Intruder.
However, in 1968 the Navy changed its mind and Grumman was finally given authority to proceed with a tanker version, designated KA-6D. The first KA-6D was obtained by modifying BuNo 151582. It first flew on April 16, 1970, crewed by Chuck Sewell and D. R. Cooke..
The KA-6D was fitted with an internal hose-and-reel refueling package, with the drogue fairing protruding from underneath the rear fuselage. It could also carry a D-704 refueling pod on the fuselage centerline. The D-704 acted as a backup to the internal refueling system, and provided its own power via a ram air turbine mounted on the front. The radar and most of the DIANE equipment was removed, but the KA-6D still retained a visual bombing capability (which was seldom exercised). There were only minimal controls provided for the second crew member, whose duties were now navigation and the monitoring of the refueling operation.
A total of 90 KA-6Ds were produced by modifying existing Intruder airframes. Although all of the planes used airframes that were originally built as A-6As, 12 of them had previously been upgraded to A-6E standards. When rebuilt from A-6As, the KA-6Ds received all new fuel tanks, with two fuselage bulkheads being replaced. There was extensive rework of the outer wing panels. The aircraft was completely rewired. The Omega global inertial navigation system was fitted, with the entire suite being controlled by an ASN-41 navigational computer. For typical missions, the KA-6D caries four fuel tanks on the wing pylons. The D-704 is sometimes carried as a backup to the primary hose-drum unit, or as a means of ferrying the pod to other units.
The first deployable Intruder squadron to receive the KA-6D was VA-176, which received its first tankers on September 25, 1970. Each deployed Intruder squadron typically had 3 or 4 KA-6Ds assigned to it for the tanker mission.
There was always the ever-present danger that the refuelling hose could become stuck in the deployed position after a refuelling operation and could not be reeled in. While the refueling hose is deployed, the carrier arrester hook could not be extended and it would be impossible to land on a carrier. The unfortunate aircraft would have to find a land base very quickly or the crew would have to eject. In order to prevent this from happening, there was an emergency explosive cutter which severed the hose and allowed it to drop into the sea.

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Pretty interesting. The Century Wings A-6D models are available for pre-order now. They will be delivered in September.

F-14's being shredded

2007-07-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

Check out this article from CNN.com. It's completely logical that they should not sell the parts to keep them from going to our enemies. It's interesting though that they resort to shredding a great aircraft. The full article is available here...http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/07/02/shredding.tomcats.ap/index.html

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A mechanical monster grabs the F-14 fighter jet and chews through one wing and then another, ripping off the Tomcat's appendages before moving on to its guts. Finally, all that's left is a pile of shredded rubble -- like scraps from a Thanksgiving turkey.

The Pentagon is paying a contractor at least $900,000 to destroy old F-14s, a jet affectionately nicknamed "the turkey," rather than sell the spares. The Pentagon fears that if the surplus jets aren't destroyed, they could fall into the wrong hands, including Iran's.
Within a workday, a fighter jet that once soared as a showpiece of U.S. airpower can be destroyed at the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, the military's "boneyard" for retired aircraft.
"There were things getting to the bad guys, so to speak," said Tim Shocklee, founder and executive vice president of TRI-Rinse Inc. in St. Louis, Missouri. "And one of the ways to make sure that no one will ever use an F-14 again is to cut them into little 2-by-2-foot bits."

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Fortunately, we don't shred our Century Wings F-14A models.. More are arriving soon! Check us out!

More Desktop Models

2007-06-28T21:03:00.000-07:00

Over the next couple of days, you will see many new desktop models added to our site. We are proud to offer high quality Pacific Aircraft mahogany wood models of your favorite military aircraft at a discount price. These models are the same models that are ordered by major aircraft companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The desktop models are very high quality and they come with a 30 day money back guarantee. All models include free domestic ground shipping. If you don't see what you are looking for, be sure to ask. We can order almost every airplane. Plus if we don't have it, we can have a fully custom model built for you. One of the model sets that we are most proud of are the new UPT Special Deal Combo sets. For a discounted price, we offer the T-37/T-38 combo and also the T-37/T-1 combo. The T-6 combos should be coming on-line soon. At heart we are still diecast fans, but you can't beat displaying a very professional looking model in your office.

In other store news, we have received our first batch of the new "Spirit of Reagan" C-17A aircraft from GeminiMacs. They are sweet. We don't expect them to stick around very long.

Also, Century Wings has announced that they are releasing the A-6 as their next model. We should have them in September. Pre-order if you can so that we can help gauge how many to purchase. Another beautiful model, the F-14A Black Knight will be released in early July.

Thanks again for reading. We are humbled by your support of our store already!

Model Focus: New GeminiJets C-17- March AFB

2007-06-24T07:53:00.000-07:00

Being a huge fan of C-17s, I'm always excited when a new model of the Globemaster is announced. Recently, GeminiMacs announced a C-17 with the tailflash of March ARB. This particular model has the tail number of 55145 with a special dedication to President Ronald Reagan. Knowing the high quality of GeminiMacs models, I'm really looking forward to adding this model to my collection. To the left is a pre-release photo of the GeminiMacs model. Unfortunately their photo does not show the dedication logo above the left side door on the aircraft. However, I've been promised by GeminiMacs that the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" dedication logo will be on the jet.

Part of the fun of collecting for me is also knowing about the real jet. I've seen the actual aircraft a few times at various bases around the country. I also have a friend who flies for their unit. I found an article on the internet about the dedication by Nancy Reagan. It is posted below along with a picture of the actual aircraft.

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'Spirit of Ronald Reagan' plane dedicated
By Susannah Rosenblatt Los Angeles Times

Former first lady Nancy Reagan is greeted during dedication of new C-17 aircraft at March Air Reserve Base Friday in Riverside, Calif. Hundreds of spectators squinted into the sun at a March Air Reserve Base hangar in Riverside Friday afternoon, gathered for Nancy Reagan's dedication of the base's new C-17 airplane, named the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" in honor of the late president. An Air Force band played "Stars and Stripes Forever" as Reagan stepped out of her red sedan, escorted slowly down a red carpet by Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, commander of the Air Force Reserve Command. Reagan joined military and political officials onstage where an iconic photo of Reagan in a cowboy hat beamed from a large screen. Speakers at the event lauded Reagan's leadership, describing how his "strategic vision and powerful ideas" fortified the U.S. military, Lt. Gen. Bradley said. "He helped pull apart the fabric of communism and oppression," said Rep. Ken Calvert, R-Calif. Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., addressed the former first lady directly, identifying with her as a widow of a former entertainer-turned-politician. "You've always been a role model and hero," Bono said. The Spirit of Ronald Reagan's crewmaster, Master Sgt. Robert Jendrock, presented Reagan with an oversized, inscribed key to the airplane. She then helped Air Force officials tug the drape from the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" insignia above the crew door, and left the ceremony without making public remarks. The $250 million airlift plane is the base's eighth and final C-17 Globemaster III and the first to be named after a U.S. president. But Calvert hopes to acquire more; he labeled the plane's arrival "the dawning of a new era at March." The C-17s can hold 170,000 pounds of humanitarian or military cargo and can fly 16 hours nonstop.

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The March ARB C-17 "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" is available now for preorder on our website at www.AimHigherJets.com We expect a mid-July delivery date.

It's Open!

2007-06-20T21:02:00.000-07:00

Alright, so after hundreds of hours of work, we finally opened up our store tonight. This may sound cheesy but its really a dream to open up a store online. My dad and I have been really blessed. We both have great careers that allow us to take a risk like this. As much fun as flying is, I really think that being an entrepeneur is more fun. Its neat to be able to set up a store that fixes many of the problems that I hate about buying on the internet. We have worked really hard to set up a store where models ship the next day, we offer free shipping and we have a goal to offer unrivaled customer service not unlike major companies like USAA and Southwest Airlines. Thanks for being part of this journey and supporting us!
Jeff