This very F-16A of 311 Squadron, Royal Netherlands Air Force is one of the subjects featured in the Esci 1:72 scale Fighting Falcon kit reviewed here. Seen here at Gilze-Rijen in 1984 a lifelike representation of an aircraft on a dispersal pan can be made with the assistance of the ground crew figures included with the kit

The P-51D G-SUSY of the late Charles Church in warpaint and markings for the 'Memphis Belle' shot last summer

Artists impression of the new MH-60K Blackhawk

Most accurate kit yet for a Fokker Dr.1 Triplane is this 1:48 scale newcomer from Pegasus, as noted last month. It is plastic with cast metal parts, including a rotating rotary engine. It is limited production, only available direct from the maker.

Contemporary of the Gannet still flying is the Breguet Alize. This is No 41 from the French Navy based at the Lannion making a visit to Guernsey on 28 November last.

First Airbus A340 takes shape at Nantes. This is the wing centre section earmarked for the first aircraft, completed last November 1989. In the background work is in progress on centre sections for subsequent aircraft. First flight is scheduled for mid-1991.

As noted last month. Air France have ordered seven Airbus A340s and optioned four more. This model photo shows the expected colour scheme application.

French carrier UTA has ordered six Airbus A340s and optioned six more. It will be the first company to receive the A340-300, late in 1992, and will use the type on routes to Africa and SE Asia. As noted this month, UTA are switching from French to English as the 'operating' language, a bold move for a French company.

Two V-22 Ospreys flew in formation for the first time last November at Arlington, Texas, during scheduled test flights for initial handling qualities evaluation. The photo shows Aircraft Number One flying in the ordinary aircraft mode past Aircraft Number Two which remains in the helicopter mode. By the time of this photograph both aircraft had flown for a total of 48 flights accumulating more than 28 total flight hours. Speeds of over 300 mph true air speed, altitudes of more than 10,000 feet, 2.3 G load factors, turns, simulated one engine operation and stalls at 0 degree and 20 degree flaps had also been achieved. Bell Helicopter Textron's V-22 Project Pilot Dorman Cannon and Boeing Helicopters' Project Pilot Dick Balzer were at the controls of Aircraft One during this milestone flight. Pilots for Aircraft Two were Boeing's Ray Dunn and Bell's Roy Hopkins.

First of six Airbus A320s is now with Royal Jordanian Airways. The A320s will replace Boeing 707s and 727s on routes mainly within the Middle East. Five A310s (with one on order) are already in Royal Jordanian service.

Brymon Airways has ordered four Boeing de Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft, with options on a further two machines. Delivery of the first two aircraft, 36 seater 100 series models, will be in September 1990, to be based at Bristol Airport. Two 50 seater 300 series aircraft will follow in spring 1991 and spring 1992.

An interesting sight at Luton in the summer of 1989 was this ATR 42-300 (c/n 112) operated by Ryanair on wet lease from Inter Canadien pending delivery of Ryanair's own third ATR 42 in September.

Central States Airline, based in Cleveland, Ohio, began services on December 13 1989, with two Jetstream 31s. The airline will offer frequent, non-stop flights from Cuyahoga County Airport on Cleveland's East Side to Lunken Field in downtown Cincinnati, Detroit City Airport, and the Greater Pittsburgh International Airport.

Delta Air Transport, the regional airline associate of the Belgian national airline Sabena, has taken delivery of the first of four BAe 146-200s. These aircraft are to introduce jet services to Stockholm and Frankfurt, taking advantage of the low environmental noise of the BAe 146 to operate from Brussels and Antwerp. This aircraft was delivered in January 1990.

Former Traction Avant-Garde Canadair CL601 Challenger HZ-SFS at Guernsey on 21 December last with former tail logo painted out

Interior of the Santa Monica Museum of Flying showing part of the classic aircraft collection.

Maintrack Models have issued a simple resin conversion kit to enable the Matchbox 1:72 Wessex kit to be turned into the craggiest Wessex of them all - the Wessex HAS.3 of 737 Squadron seen here.

The AMX final assembly line at Embraer in Sao Jo se dos Campos, showing assembly proceeding with the first production aircraft earmarked for the Brazilian Air Force. The Brazilian Air Force has an initial requirement for 79 aircraft and delivery is now under way. The first unit to operate the type is the 16° Grupo de Aviacao (16th Aviation Group) headquartered at Santa Cruz Air Base, in the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Still carrying its Union Jack marking on the tail is veteran DH Dove 8 G-DDCD, owned for 22 years by the NCB until early 1984. It is now owned by Charles Daniel at Biggin Hill. Its NCB registration was G-ARUM.

The first of Air Europe's Fokker 100s looks particularly handsome in this carrier's colour scheme. Scheduled services to Dusseldorf from Gatwick started in December 1989.

Four Fokker 100-620s are now in service with Air Europe.

FAA Gulfstream III (c/n 413, ex N778W) now carries the mark N1 as an executive transport for Federal Aviation Administration officials.

The entire Howard Hughes airfleet makes an impressive line up at the time of the Hells Angels film.

Air Europe will be one of the first customers for the MD-11 with the first two due in service later this year. The company is also the launch customer for the world's most powerful aero engine, Rolls-Royce's RB211-524L, which will power the six McDonnell Douglas MD-11 trijets and the options on a further 12. It is the first time in nearly 25 years that a Rolls-Royce engine has been specified on a McDonnell Douglas civil airframe.

FIRST FLIGHT of the Firemaster-65 fire-bombing aircraft took place at Old Sarum on 28 October 1989. Powered by the Pratt & Whitney 1230shp PT6A-65AG gas turbine engine, the Firemaster therefore offers a significant power increase over the -35. This enables the aircraft to operate at maximum all up weight from restricted airfields in hot and high conditions. Offsetting the engine by 2 degrees to the right of centre line and 2 degrees nose down has reduced torque effect.

One of the types newly registered last summer was Piper Cherokee G-CVOK which is based at White Waltham

The distinctive winglet bearing the KLM symbol marks this KLM 747-400 being serviced at Amsterdam's Schipol Airport. KLM has ordered 13 747-400s and taken delivery of four. By mid-October, the fleet of 747-400s, each of which can carry up to 400 passengers nonstop from Europe to Asia, had flown more than 25,000 hours with an average utilization rate of 8.6 hours per day. First KLM aircraft (in 1919-20) were DH9s which each carried two passengers!