Wednesday 18 August 2021

Fouga Magister CM 170

FSS ‘A’ Acro-Team's Fouga Magister

My final air display team aircraft build (probably) is a unique one. During early 1960 the FSS ‘A’ Acro-Team based at Landsberg in Bavaria, was formed equipped with French-built Fouga Magisters of the West German Air Force and flown by RAF flying instructors! Having had no Air Force in 15 years, the German pilots had insufficient experience for the 1960s displays, however, by April 1961 the team was joined by two Luftwaffe members. 


A tragic air accident in June 1962, involving a team of F-104F Starfighters, resulted in a ban on all military aerobatic flying and any opportunity for the RAF instructors to recommence display flying training faded when the British Mission (Germany) was terminated in 1963. 

For my Fouga Magister I managed to find a 1980s Heller kit. Just as with the Alouette, bought in the same transaction and being of the same era moulded in blue plastic, this was a simple build. The obvious version to complete would have been the Patrouille de France display Team from 1978, but I found the back story of the FSS ‘A’ Acro-Team, with its dedicated chapter in David Watkins’ excellent book “The History of RAF Aerobatic Teams from 1920”,  just too interesting!

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The Kit


Brand: Heller
Title: CM 170 Fouga Magister
Number: 220
Scale: 1:72
Type: Full kit
Released: 1980 | Initial release - new tool

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