THE EMPIRES TWILIGHT

[sideshowbob9]

Records indicate that it was the USS Forestall, given a reprieve from being paid off during 1991   

You meanie! 

Love the Forger and the Anguillan roundels!

As for the Belize story... while your models rock, for once I prefer the real life story, where Ark Royal runs herself ragged to get a pair of Buccs in range to wake up the Guatamalans! I've recently read Phoenix Squadron (recommended btw!) and the story is relatively fresh in my mind!

Not a slur on your story, just an observation!

[thedarkmaster]

Don't worry mate I've read it too and nothing i could come up with could beat the truth on that one !!

It is one of the best reads I've had in the last few months, Space Captain Smith not withstanding

[thedarkmaster]

  well here it is aircraft 80 

Hawker Siddley Dominie MR1 ( Royal Auxilary Air Force - British Indian Ocean Territories )

Many British territories were far from one-another and most did not have any regular armed forces to protect them, but many were as strategicly important today as they were when they were aquired.

even though the Island of Diego garcia had an airbase, it was not really of benafit to the whole island group as the aircraft based there always had other duties.

Fishing rights in the islands were a bone of contention with Japanese, Chinease and Indian boats all guilty of fishing within "British" waters. The islands govenment approached the Foreign and commonwealth office with a request for armed aircraft to police the islands waters, this was of course refused but as a comprimise the island was offered 3 Dommine Trainers configured to a new maritime setting.

The 3 aircraft were operated by the auxillery airforce, with one of them flyin most days to investigate suspicious movements of commercial boats around the islands.

All three aircraft served until the 91 disaster, when all were grounded for their own safety. They remain in service today with the British Indian ocean territories govenment.
































the last pcture is the British Indian Ocean Territory flag which i thought would be relavant for the fin badge, she carries standard british roundels and the colour scheme is a mixture of maritime recon and far east air force.

[Sauragnmon]

The Dominie's a cute little plane, that's for sure - I like the paintjob too, the white cap looks quite nice on her.

[Taiidantomcat]

nice little lear jet there 

[sideshowbob9]

Very nice! 

All three aircraft served until the 91 disaster, when all were grounded for their own safety.

I dunno though. If I had them at my disposal in a situation like that, I'd want everything I've got in the air, even if they are nothing more than scarecrows!

[thedarkmaster]

English Electric Lightning F7.... Royal Hong Kong Defence Force

When the Lightning was withdrawn from RAF service in the Far East the Aircraft were handed to the RHKDF, wearing a grey cammo and not the anti flash white of the RAF aircraft these units fought aginst Chinease incursions in the 91 disaster and the survivors defended the Crown colony until replaced in 2002.

[Mossie]

Nice!  Pretty roundels.

[Captain Canada]

Ohhh...I really like that Dominie ! Looks great in those colours !

[thedarkmaster]

Well it's been a year on the 24th, ( not sure i will have the time to post this tomorrow ) that this peice of work started. So it's HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the New Commonwealth and the Empires Twighlight.

I have had a great time making these models and would like to thank you all for the supportive comments, and with over 16000 hits on this thread I'm amazed.   

I have enjoyed this so much that I had no idea how many models i had made and was gob smacked that it was 80+, i cannot believe i made that many in a year and that Im not divorced   

I have so many more aircraft I would like to to put on here, at the moment I working on Portugese, more of the Auxillary airforces, with plans for Nigerian, Sierra Leonne, Papua New Guinea and i have paper plans for South America , mainly Brazil and Chile.

I know i keep promising to put the Timeline on but the models they speak to me and i must make them    , but it is my intention to get it on here as soon as i can peruade my lovely wire to do the typing for me   , it's a long work cause it cover 1955 to 1991.

As i have said before if anyone wants to contribute then let me know and i can fit it into my plans, I have a whole world for over 35 years and i need any help you can give 

Thanks again for taking the time to read any of my thread.     

                                               

HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY

[ChernayaAkula]

Happy Birthday!  Here's to another year of whiffery goodness!

[BlackOps]

A very productive year at that!       

[Ed S]

That has been a very productive year.  I'm happy if I can get one model completed a month.  But 80, WOW.  And well done models at that.

Ed

[JJC]

now can we have ALL the details of the '91 disaster???

[sideshowbob9]

Happy birthday!!!!!  Love the RHKDF roundels btw!