What about Tea?

Alenia Aermacchi has begun flight-testing its first C-27J tactical transports for Australia and Chad, and also finalised a contract with new Spartan customer Peru.

The Finmeccanica company on 19 December announced that the Royal Australian Air Force?s first of 10 C-27Js had performed a debut flight from its Caselle airport site in Turin, Italy.

Sporting air force colours and the service registration A34-001, Canberra?s lead aircraft is part of a project Air 8000 Phase 2 effort to replace Australia?s retired de Havilland Canada DHC-4 Caribou light airlifters.

?The aircraft is currently undergoing final checks, in preparation for customer acceptance tests and procedures before its delivery to prime contractor L-3 Communications,? Alenia says. The US company will make modifications to the aircraft from 2014 under the terms of a Foreign Military Sales deal signed in 2012. All 10 Australian aircraft are due to be delivered before the end of 2015.


(Photos courtesy of Alenia Aermacchi)

They could get some cheap from the USAF, who apparently wants all the ones they've ordered delivered straight to the boneyard (despite protests from the Air National Guard).

Meanwhile back home where I grew up
The fifth Asute " HMS Anson" takes shape.

(Photo courtesy BAE)

And taking off soon.

A flying bathtub???

Stop drinking tea !!

Meanwhile just down the hill !